"Maybe God whispered something to you," Janet said, "Perhaps something is about to happen. But it's okay. I'm here, your grandfather is here, and you'll be safe. As a mother, most mothers would cherish their children, willing to do anything, even give their lives."
Laila felt the warmth from her mother's hand on her palm and tightly grasped the hand resting on the back of her own. "Thank you, Mom. I've been feeling terrible recently, perhaps it's a premonition. I just can't shake the feeling that something big is about to happen, and it might affect our family. What do you think I should do?"
Janet appeared puzzled; if something really did happen in the family, she wasn't sure what to do. However, what could possibly go wrong in the Moran family? Without a clue, she looked to Quentin for help, hoping he could offer a comforting response to their daughter.
Quentin, upon receiving his wife's gaze, couldn't help but sigh. In his profession, many people tended to be superstitious, whether they were athletes, gamblers, or financiers. They often placed their faith in superstitions, such as wearing lucky shoes, carrying lucky charms, or performing repetitive actions. At times, they made changes based on gut feelings, which Quentin didn't find absurd.
"Whatever is making the Moran family feel bad probably involves stocks," Quentin slowly replied after pondering for a moment. "The Moran Group primarily focuses on news media, publishing, and some smaller industries. From what I know, there's no reason for the group's stock to fluctuate. If there's a problem, it's likely linked to external factors."
The Moran family had no black sheep causing disgrace outside, and internal management was fine. There had been no reports of any misconduct. With everything stable, Quentin couldn't think of any reason for the company's stock to be affected, so he speculated it might be due to external circumstances.
Of course, this explanation was more to appease his wife and daughter; he didn't truly believe that something terrible was looming. An abrupt economic crisis didn't seem likely.
"External problems…" Janet pondered for a moment, and her face paled. "It couldn't be that some country is going to wage war with us, could it? I heard that Eastern countries have been trying to dominate the world! They want to conquer everything!"
Laila's lips twitched, and she was about to burst her mother's bubble about Western media's influence, but Quentin laughed first.
"Don't believe what the media says. From what I know about that Eastern country, they're focused on making a fortune quietly. They wouldn't spend so much just for the chance to dominate the world. The main goal of their nation is to develop and ensure that their people have enough to eat. Do you think they'd spend so much money just to become the world's leader? Moreover, the United States won't engage in a war."
"That's good," Janet said, patting her chest. Having seen many reports about the Eastern threat in the media, she had her concerns about the possibility of war. However, she trusted Quentin, and if he said everything was fine, she believed him.
This discussion increased Laila's admiration for Quentin. She hadn't expected him to gain such insight during his time working in the East. With this forward-looking perspective, he was likely to have a bright future in his career. She knew that he had already introduced many clients to invest in the East, and they had achieved remarkable results, enhancing his reputation in the industry.
"What should we do if a war really starts?" Didn't 9/11 just start a war? Laila took the opportunity to ask her concerns.
"If a war were to break out, it would be troublesome," Quentin said.
He explained a lot from his professional perspective, but his wife and daughter looked completely puzzled.
"Okay, I didn't understand any of that," Laila finally said after listening for a while, smiling wryly as she interrupted him. "Here's the deal: do as you suggested with my assets."
She couldn't intervene with her grandfather, so she could only hint at the "bad feeling." Whether he would listen depended on fate. As long as she secured her own assets, she and her family could start fresh even if something happened to her grandfather's company.
Quentin didn't expect that both women would insist on making significant changes after mentioning their concerns. You couldn't rashly change your investment strategy within a short time frame. He understood that some people might change their holdings due to a bad feeling. This often resulted in mixed outcomes; it wasn't a one-size-fits-all solution.
However, Laila had entrusted him with assets worth not tens of millions, but hundreds of millions. Changing her investment strategy based on her premonition would likely result in significant losses. In Quentin's view, such losses would be unnecessary.
"If you want to change your investment direction, it should be done gradually," Quentin advised, trying to explain his reasoning. "Withdrawing your investments all at once could reduce your profits. If you must withdraw, do it little by little. It's better than acting on your instincts."
Laila knew that such things could happen, and most people would choose the option that resulted in a smaller loss when faced with the choice between a small loss and a big one. She was willing to wait; it was just that she was aware that time wasn't on her side.
"I truly feel that something bad is going to happen," Laila argued, knowing she couldn't sway Quentin. She then turned the discussion toward her mother.
As expected, Janet was easily convinced by her daughter's almost pleading expression. Without much thought, she called out to Quentin, "Laila is right. If she makes less money, it doesn't matter. You should follow her advice. If she incurs losses, just make it up for her!"
Quentin sighed at the strong-willed mother defending her daughter. But what could he say? In the face of such an overprotective mother, it seemed there was no argument to be made.
"I understand," Quentin said. What more could he say? When confronted with an overprotective mother, it seemed that reasoning wouldn't work.
Laila deeply appreciated her mother's unwavering trust. Having experienced very little family happiness in her previous life, she now cherished it in this one. For her, this was incredibly precious.
"Thank you, Mom," she said. She would protect them without conditions, up until the end of her life!
That evening, Laila sought out her grandfather in his study, sharing her "premonition" once again and informing him about Quentin's willingness to change her investment strategy.
The old man listened without saying a word and simply nodded in acknowledgment.
Laila didn't push him further. She had already said her piece, and going deeper into the matter would not be a good idea. She would do her part, and the rest was in God's hands. With her assets secured, she and her family would have a chance to make a fresh start if anything happened.