"Hmmm…" Arthur fell silent, his fingers loosely interlocked as he processed Emily's words.
Emily Osborn,the financial head of the Osborn Group,was no stranger to pressure. After years of managing sprawling ledgers and auditing high-level transactions, she had a mind as sharp as any banker's.
But lately, there wasn't much left to manage. Of all the family's assets, only the Osborn Real Estate Company remained standing, a lone pillar bracing against a financial storm.
Thankfully, his second uncle Nathaniel, who now served as General Manager of that same real estate arm, had been the one keeping it from collapsing altogether.
Without him, Arthur knew, the company might have already been swallowed by creditors.
Arthur glanced up at Emily and slowly reached into his blazer, retrieving a sleek black bank card. The edges glinted faintly under the office lighting.
"Aunt," he said, his tone calm but resolute. "There's five million Unicreds on this card. Pay off the loan with it and use whatever's left to stabilize operations for now."
The room fell into a stunned hush. Emily's hand froze mid-air, while Nathaniel stared at the card like it was a live grenade.
"Arthur… where did this money come from?" Nathaniel asked cautiously, his brows drawing together. "You didn't do anything illegal, did you?"
Arthur exhaled with mild irritation, but he managed a tight smile. "Why does everyone keep asking that? First Ashley, now you two."
He waved a dismissive hand. "It's clean. Completely legal. You don't need to worry."
Nathaniel still looked skeptical, but his shoulders eased slightly. "Alright," he said with a sigh. "If you say so."
Emily gently accepted the card, her gaze still studying Arthur's face for any signs of deception.
But all she saw was confidence and something else, something deeper. Determination,a quiet fire behind his eyes.
"Once you've paid off the loan, I want all ties with Nova Capital Bank severed," Arthur added firmly.
Emily nodded, her tone professional. "Understood."
He turned to Nathaniel next. "And Uncle… don't entertain any more land sales,not to Sterling, not to anyone,we develop it ourselves."
Nathaniel cracked a grin for the first time since entering the room. "Now that's what I wanted to hear."
"Good," Arthur said, his voice steady and sure. "Let's turn the tide."
Emily held up the card and gave a mock salute. "Consider it done."
Arthur chuckled lightly as the trio,Emily, Nathaniel, and Ashley,made their way out of the office, leaving him alone once again.
He sank back into the leather chair, its comfort wrapping around him like a silent affirmation. But comfort was the last thing on his mind.
He stared out the window at the city skyline for a brief moment before speaking softly.
"System. Transfer stock market data into my mind."
[Acknowledged, Host.]
[Initiating transfer…]
[Transfer complete.]
Arthur blinked in surprise.
What he expected was pain,blinding, splitting, migraine-level pain but instead, he felt only a faint tingling at the base of his skull, like a breeze whispering across the back of his neck.
Then the flood of information came.
Data poured into his thoughts,tickers, names, charts, predictions, anomalies but one entry stood out among the sea of financial noise like a lighthouse in a storm.
[Aurora Technology Inc.]
Sector: Artificial Intelligence.
Headquarters: Neo-Luminara.
[ On February 24th, 2029, Aurora's stock will rise dramatically from 20 Unicreds/share to 100 Unicreds/share in under two days, triggered by a supposed "AI breakthrough."
However, this announcement will later be revealed as a calculated fabrication by the CEO,an insider pump-and-dump scheme.
On Day 3, the stock will nosedive to 4 Unicreds/share ].
Arthur's eyes immediately sharpened.
Stock trading had always seemed like something for economists and finance nerds.
The previous Arthur,his past self,had studied management, not market speculation.
He didn't know the difference between options and futures, let alone how to exploit insider information.
But this?
This was no ordinary stock tip.
He leaned forward, rubbing his temples as he tried to slow the rush of ideas forming in his head.
This is a gold mine,a trap for the world... but an opportunity for me.
Still, doubt lingered at the edges of his mind.
Could he even pull this off?
Grabbing his phone, Arthur began searching. Stock trading basics. Short selling,brokerage platforms,insider trading laws. His fingers flew across the screen, absorbing everything he could.
"This is insane," he muttered. "But if I play this right…"
Minutes turned into hours.
Twenty minutes,then thirty,then more.
By the time he looked up, his phone was hot in his hand, and his expression had completely changed.
His hands trembled slightly as an unstoppable grin spread across his face. His chest heaved as excitement surged through him like a tidal wave.
And then....
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Arthur exploded with laughter, loud and unrestrained. His voice echoed through the soundproofed walls of the office, wild and manic and thrilled.
"I'm rich! I'm going to be rich!"
He leaned back in his chair, breathless, eyes gleaming with the hunger of someone who had just glimpsed a path to greatness.
"System," he said between laughs. "I love you."
He gripped the arms of the chair tightly, heart pounding.
This is it,the capital he needed,the chance to not only rescue the Osborn Family from the brink, but to vault them into the next level of power. A single gamble with astronomical returns.
He wouldn't just repay debts.
He would redefine the battlefield.
Pulling himself together, he checked the date on his wrist interface.
February 23rd.
He stood abruptly.
"That means tomorrow is D-Day."
Walking briskly to his computer, Arthur powered it on and dove deeper into stock strategy.
He studied everything,from the mechanics of short selling to market manipulation traps, learning the psychological patterns behind pump-and-dump schemes.
He was determined to be ready,no mistakes,no overconfidence.
He was so immersed, he didn't notice time slipping by until a knock tapped gently at the door.
"Big bro!" came Ashley's voice. "It's late. Everyone's gone home. Aren't you coming?"
Arthur blinked, lifting his head and looking outside the window.
The sky outside was tinted in hues of violet and gold,the sun had long since dipped beneath the cityscape, and stars now sparkled faintly over Neo-Luminara.
He smiled, a little dazed.
"Right time really fly fast."
Ashley stepped inside and tilted her head. "You were really into something."
Arthur powered off his monitor and stood, straightening his cuffs. "Let's go."
As they made their way down the hall toward the elevator, Ashley nudged him gently with her elbow. "That Aether GT of yours? I'm officially jealous. You have no idea how many people have been talking about in the office today."
Arthur laughed softly. "You want one?"
Ashley grinned and nodded eagerly. "Of course!"
He looked at her, eyes serious yet affectionate. "Once we're through this storm… I'll buy you one. I promise."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really," he said, offering her his pinky in a rare playful gesture.
Ashley laughed, linking her pinky with his before they exited the building.
Outside, the Aether GT sat under the soft glow of overhead lights, polished to perfection,the security guard handed Arthur the key with a crisp bow.
Arthur caught the key mid-air with a grin. "Come on, princess, time to go home."
Ashley giggled, her heels clicking as she raced ahead and slid into the passenger seat.
Arthur got in after her, his fingers brushing the ignition pad.
The engine roared like a beast awakened.
With one smooth motion, the Aether GT surged forward,its twin streaks of blue and silver vanishing into the heart of the night, bound for Osborn Mansion.
But in Arthur's mind, tomorrow was already unfolding.
And the game had only just begun.