Marco raised his spoon and rapped it smartly against the rim of his winess.


    A bright, ringing note sliced through the air, snapping heads around to face him. He cleared his throat, letting the hush settle. "Folks, I have some damn good news," he began with a wide, self-assured grin.


    "I made a killing today, and I want to celebrate with all of you."


    The crowd stirred, excitement flickering in every eye.


    Florence straightened in her seat, practically brimming with curiosity. "Well, don''t keep us in suspense, Marco! Spill it already!"


    With exaggerated pride, Marco leaned forward. "I just sunk my entire fortune-one hundred million dors-into a stock. In a week, that investment will shoot straight to a billion."


    Gasps rose around the table. Jack nearly choked on his drink, eyes bulging. "A billion? Are you out of your mind?"


    "Oh, I''m in my right mind,” Marco retorted, his tone smug.


    "It''s Vermont National Life Group-Vermont''s toppany. Jericho Kane owns it, and everyone knows him. This isn''t some rinky-dink operation."


    Florence nodded so vigorously her curls bounced.


    "Of course we know it. Vermont might be another state, but National Life Group has made headlines everywhere. It''s enormous. Pays hefty dividends, too-just as big as Kingston in Vancouver."


    A faint buzz ran through the group.


    Someone spoke up with uncertainty. "But isn''t Vancouver under Kingston''s statews? As far as I know, Vancouverites can''t invest in out-of-statepanies."


    Marco''s grin widened, like a wolf that just spotted easy prey.


    "Not anymore. Vermont National Life is about to open a branch here in Vancouver. They''ll start selling stock locally for the first time. Right now, the shares go for only ten bucks a pop, but once the officialunch hits, I''m betting on a tenfold-no, maybe twentyfold-jump."


    Jack narrowed his eyes, still skeptical. "You sure about that?"


    Marco, as if letting them in on a grand secret, lowered his voice.


    after the announcement, "You know my ties to Charles Kingston, yeah? He just signed the approval papers for Vermont National Life to enter Vancouver. By tomorrow morning, it''ll be front-page news. I threw in my entire hundred million. Believe me, those shares will explode in value."


    A hush hung over the gathering, thick with tension and greed.


    Jack finally broke the silence. "Marco... think you can help me get in on this?" Marco drummed his fingers on the table, feigning hesitation.


    "Oh, I don''t know. Normally, it''s forbidden. But since I''m tight with Charles Kingston and Jericho Kane-two of the biggest power yers around-they''ll let me buy as many shares as I want


    "If you want a piece of the action, I can sneak you in before the price goes through the roof. You''d be considered a new investor, and trust me, you''ll be rolling in money when it all goes up."


    That lit a fire under the group.


    Whisners became a chorus of eager pleas as they jockeyed for Marco''s favor. Chapter 143


    "I can put in half a million!" Jack practically shouted, pping his palm on the table.


    "I do five million!" Florence''s eyes shone with excitement.


    "Sign me up for four million!"


    "Five for me-I''ll scrape up everything I have!"


    Their voices ovepped in a chaotic scramble.


    The fear of missing out took hold, turning rational folks into desperate gamblers.


    When the mor finally eased, Marco set his gaze on Sophia, giving her a smooth, almost predatory smile.


    "How about you, Sophia? Care to join the party? I can swing some extra shares for you, given our... rtionship."


    Her hesitation was palpable.


    Sophia had learned the hard way never to leap without looking.


    She took a steadying breath. "I appreciate the offer, Marco. But I have to be cautious. My current dealings with the Kingstons- and the whole Chris Rnd fiasco-have left me on edge. I can''t afford another disaster."


    Florence snorted, impatience creeping in. "Don''tpare Chris Rnd''s bumbling nonsense to Marco''s business savvy. That''s apples and oranges, Sophia."


    Marco, seizing the moment, softened his tone.


    "Look, I get it. But trust me-your money is safe. If this deal goes south, I''ll personally give every cent back. Now, how much have you got on hand? Let''s be real about this."


    Sophia shifted, feeling the weight of all the stares.


    "Forty million, it ispany money," she said quietly.


    Marco''s eyes nearly gleamed with triumph. "Perfect. Honestly, you''ll only have it in there for a week-maybe less. Once the official news hits in three to five days, you sell, and we all pop champagne to our fortunes."


    Florence shed her a bright, almost desperate smile. "Don''t be a fool, Sophia! This is the kind of break people pray for."


    “Come on, sis,” Jack chimed in, nodding vigorously. “Mr. Ashford''s looked out for you before, hasn''t he?"


    Marco exhaled in a long, theatrical sigh, sounding both exasperated and indulgent.


    "If you believe in me, invest in National Life. If not, that''s your choice." He spread his hands,


    "But I''ve already pumped in a hundred million of my own money. You really think I''d risk all that if I wasn''t dead certain?"


    Sophia hesitated, nced around, then exhaled. "Alright... I''ll do it"


    She told herself it wasn''t greed-she owed Marco for all his help, and refusing him now would have seemed like a p in the


    face.


    Besides, the deal sounded genuinely lucrative.


    In that moment, Marco''s gaze shifted like a hawk to Alex, who''d been quietly observing the frenzy.


    Marco''s lip curled. "What about you, Alex? You want a piece of the pie? Minimum buy-in''s a million, but for Sophia''s sake, I''ll let you in with just a hundred grand.


    I''d hate for you to sit on the sidelines looking like some sorry cheapskate."


    Alex didn''t even blink. "I''ll pass."


    Laughter flickered across Marco''s face, but his eyes brimmed with condescension.


    "Come on, Alex, what''s the matter? Don''t have the cash? Or maybe you''re just


    too dense to see a good deal staring you in the


    face?"


    Unmoved, Alex crossed his arms. “Neither. I''m simply not interested in apany that''s about to pack it in."


    A charged silence descended, the festive buzz turning icy.


    Marco''s self-assured smile wavered, and the crowd nced warily from Alex to Marco.


    Insults and opportunism hung thick in the air, and in that moment they all wondered if Alex knew something they didn''t-or if he was just a fool.


    Marco''s expression hardened as though he hadn''t heard Alex correctly. "What did


    you just say?" he asked, his voice turning cold.


    "I said I''m not interested in a business that won''t make it in Vancouver," Alex repeated, calm as ever.


    "Thatpany''s headed for bankruptcy sooner rather thanter.


    The room went dead silent. A few guests looked ready to spit out their drinks.


    "Bankrupt?" someone finally echoed, disbeliefcing their voice.


    "How dare you!" Florence sputtered, her face coloring with anger. "That''s utter nonsense!"


    Marco''s shock gave way to simmering outrage. His jaw tightened, and he stabbed a finger in Alex''s direction.


    "Fear-mongering, that''s what this is! Vermont National Life is turning a profit every single day-it''s at the top of its game! Don''t go spewing garbage you can''t back up."


    Alex merely shrugged.


    "You can decide whether it''s garbage or not. All I know is, Charles Kingston is in hot water with Jasmine Kingston. And if that rift gets any worse-especially with Jericho Kane involved-the big n to move into Vancouver is dead on arrival. Word on the street is, there''ll be an investigation soon."


    Gasps rippled through the crowd. "Family trouble? Between Jasmine and Charles?" Florence asked, baffled.


    Everyone nced at Marco, demanding an exnation.


    Marco glowered at Alex, his voice curling with anger. “This is all crap-pure gossip you''re peddling. Vermont National Life signed the damn deal today-Charles Kingston endorsed it himself. You keep spouting this nonsense, and I''ll have good cause to sue you for defamation!"


    Outwardly, he sounded bold, but inside, his heart hammered like it was trying to punch its way out of his chest.


    He''d sunk ten million into greasing the wheels for Vermont National Life''s Vancouver entry, banking on Charles K influence to make it all happen.


    on''s


    But Charles Kingston was in hot water-like Alex implied-Marco''s shiny investment already turned into worthless scraps of paper overnight.


    His only shot now was to milk this gullible crowd and pocket at least fifty million before the deal went belly-up.


    That payday would secure him for life, even if thepany crashed and burned


    the next day.


    Yet here was Alex, calm as a rock, somehow aware of secrets Marco had paid plenty to keep hidden. It was enough to make Marco''s stomach churn. "Alex, do you even realize what you''re saying?" Florence snapped her cheeks burning red with indignation. "Vermont National Life is rolling in profits. Nobody with half a brain would believe your ridiculous rumors!"


    Jack jumped in with an indignant scoff, shooting Alex a mocking re. "Everyone


    knows Vermont National Life is the darling of the industry. Quit lying just because you don''t have two cents to invest!"