The Nasdaq fluctuated up and down, leaving William no time to pay attention to Alexander. Everyone in the trading room was intensely focused on the screens.
By 11 a.m. EST, the Nasdaq had climbed to 5021 points. Alexander, calculator in hand, exclaimed, "This is unbelievable, William. In just two and a half hours, you've made $22.37 million! How can money be this easy to make?"
Excitedly, she leapt onto William, "Amazing, William! You're a genius. Let's sell now! We've already made so much; we should cash out and make it ours."
William kissed her forehead and laughed, "It will go up more. Trust my judgment. I'll be careful, don't worry."
"Felix, call for some takeout. I'm hungry," William said calmly. Being a reborn person with foresight was the ultimate cheat; knowing the outcome meant there was no reason to get excited.
"Of course, Mr. Devonshire. I'll make the call right away."
After everyone had finished their late-night snack, it was already 2 p.m. EST. As the afternoon session opened, the Nasdaq surged to 5028 points. William shouted to the traders in the room, "Get ready! Start selling contracts at 5029 points."
"Understood," came the unanimous response.
Ten traders rapidly tapped on their keyboards. When the Nasdaq hit 5029, they began selling off the contracts. Within the last half hour of the trading day, they managed to sell everything off.
Holding the report Felix handed him, William laughed heartily. They had made $33.56 million, and the Nasdaq settled at 5030 points, oscillating around that level for the remainder of the session.
Turning to Alexander, William embraced her and gave her a deep kiss. She responded passionately, neither of them caring that others were around. After a few minutes, they finally separated, and William announced to the room, "Everyone here today gets a $100,000 bonus! Call for a feast; let's celebrate!"
"Hurrah! Long live Mr. Devonshire!" The ten traders cheered.
In addition to their $10,000 commission and 1% profit share (amounting to $335,600), William's extra $100,000 bonus meant they each earned $133,600 in just a few hours—more than many made in a month.
Sam and Bernie eagerly asked, "Mr. Devonshire, do we get a share too?"
"Of course, everyone here does. Once the market closes, we'll head out for a grand feast."
"Long live Mr. Devonshire! You're incredibly generous. God will bless you," Sam shouted, elated.
Holding Alexander close, William said, "Let's go, darling. After the feast, we'll head to the Four Seasons Hotel, and then we'll go skiing on Mount Titlis."
Alexander nodded eagerly.
William turned to Felix and said, "Felix, take a paid break for the next few days. I'll call you when we need to move again. Also, take everyone out for dinner on me. The expenses are on my tab." With that, William took Alexander and Brian's team to the Four Seasons Hotel.
After a lavish dinner, they returned to the hotel. Once settled in, William looked at his phone, which had a new message from Bond. He told Alexander he was going downstairs to book a helicopter and a hotel on Mount Titlis. Alexander, sensing his peculiar actions, wisely refrained from questioning.
Taking the elevator to the parking garage, William found the second-hand van Bond had mentioned by its license plate. He retrieved the key from the tire, opened the van, and found the AWP sniper rifle and two Glock 17s he needed. Stashing the weapons and ammunition in his storage space, he locked the van and headed back upstairs.
In their suite, he handed the van keys to Brian Mills.
Brian, understanding the gesture, nodded and instructed Bernie, "Bernie, come with me to get the gear."
Downstairs, they inspected the weapons. Brian was pleased to find that everything was military-grade and brand new. Satisfied, they holstered M92s and packed the remaining weapons and ammunition into backpacks. Once loaded up, they returned to find William.
With everyone gathered, the helicopter arranged by the hotel arrived.
After ten minutes of preparation, William, Alexander, and Brian's team boarded the McDonnell Douglas 902 twin-engine helicopter and flew to Mount Titlis.
William had booked three adjoining chalets at Mount Titlis. He and Alexander took the innermost one near the cliff. The hotel staff's tour impressed both of them, especially Alexander, who loved the panoramic balcony offering stunning mountain views.
Settling in after some playful banter, William and Alexander enjoyed the chalet's private hot spring. Two hours later, they returned to their bedroom, where William promptly fell asleep, holding Alexander close.
They slept until 4:30 in the afternoon. When William awoke, he noticed Alexander was still asleep and quietly got dressed. He walked to the kitchen, sliced a piece of beef tenderloin, and put it in a pot to make onion and carrot beef soup.
With the beef simmering, he strolled onto the balcony, breathing in the crisp air and admiring the distant snow-covered peaks. The slower pace of life in Switzerland was refreshing, and he mused about buying a chalet here for regular visits once his company was established.
He wasn't sure how long he stood there, lost in thought, when he heard Brian calling from the front of the chalet. Waving back, William went downstairs to join him.
"How do you like it here, Brian?" William asked.
Brian smiled, "It's fantastic, boss. Your chalet is well-protected with two others shielding it from the front and a cliff at the back. No sniper can get a clear shot. It seems the place was designed with security in mind. Bernie and Casey are on duty now in the guardhouse along the mountain path. We'll take shifts, so you'll be safe."
"Geez, I was asking about your thoughts on vacationing here, not the security," William laughed and continued, "This place is so great; I'm considering buying it. Once my company is up and running, it could be a fantastic perk for our best employees to vacation here each year."
"If you do that, I'm sure your employees will be thrilled. This place is indeed wonderful. I'm already thinking of bringing my daughter, Kim, here for a holiday after this job. She'd love it," Brian said, pulling out his wallet and showing a photo. "This is my daughter, Kim. Isn't she beautiful? She's my angel. I quit my job for her. If I didn't, she'd soon forget who I am."
"She's adorable," William said, handing the wallet back, sincerely impressed.
"Time flies. Kim is already 17. In my mind, she's still that little girl who couldn't even walk and always begged me to teach her to ride a bike. I've missed so much of her growing up because of work," Brian reflected, a touch of melancholy in his voice.
"It's not too late, Brian. You have a chance to make up for lost time. Just be there for her, and she'll come to accept you again. After all, she's your daughter," William consoled.
"Thank you, boss. You're a good man," Brian said, grateful.
William couldn't help but chuckle internally, wondering if Brian would still think so after the upcoming market crash when he'd be making a fortune off the USA's losses.
"Heh, Brian, you might not think so much of me for long. But let's save that for another day. I've got soup cooking. We'll chat more later."
"Alright, boss. See you later," Brian replied, still marveling at the idea of a wealthy man like William cooking his own soup.
Back in the kitchen, William continued with his culinary endeavor, enjoying the calm before the storm in the market and the tranquility of the Swiss Alps.
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