Isabella Harris leaves for the time being.
Sebastian Vanderbilt promises to wait for her for ten days; after ten days of rest and recovery for her feet, she will return for the audition.
"She's quite cute!" Sebastian remarks, watching Isabella's departing figure.
Her vulnerable appearance stirs a protective instinct in him, and her gentle yet determined eyes convey unyielding resolve. Combining these traits, Sebastian imagines many stories about her.
So, he chooses to wait ten days.
Sebastian heads downstairs.
Patrick Anchor has left early due to work commitments. The spacious studio is a hive of orderly activity.
In his office, Sebastian peruses his stocks under the somewhat dim lighting, his face illuminated by the soft green glow of the computer screen. He is not content.
He pulls out another computer designated for confidential use and switches it on to a fiery red display.
As he looks at the contrasting images before him, he falls into contemplation.
"Do I really have no talent for stock trading?" Sebastian wonders somewhat aimlessly.
Despite his family's business acumen, his own prowess in commerce is substantial. In his previous life, he manages to pioneer the Digital Media City project alone, without anyone's help. However, when it comes to stocks, his 'talent' is lamentable.
But soon, glancing at the substantial double-digit increase in his account balance, Sebastian smiles with satisfaction.
He doesn't need a talent for stocks.
All he needs is to leverage his memory of quality stocks to amass a significant amount of capital in the short term.
Then, when the financial crisis hits—
With that in mind, Sebastian accesses his secret account, which glows with a green hue indicating its bullish state.
From the beginning, Sebastian establishes three accounts:
His personal account on the New York stock market, starting with $500k.
KG Investment Studio's account on the same market, with a base of $500k.
And the foreign secret investment account for KG Investment Studio, which starts with $2 million.
Now, except for his personal account which runs at a loss, KG Studio's accounts have amassed a level of wealth in the tens of millions—$50 million.
The private account has reached an even more staggering amount—180 million US dollars.
Even Sebastian can't help but gasp when he calculates this number. "Is this the privilege of being reincarnated?" he smirks.
No talent is needed. Just some business insight.
What's more daunting is that, in the short time before the financial crisis, the stock market will experience a bull run that will shock the world. Both the bull and bear sides of that market transition is the opportunity Sebastian has worked a year to capture.
After a while, Sebastian closes his laptop and starts reviewing the company's documents. KG Studio is doing well. In a month, several new chain stores have been added, and the clothing line has become a bestseller in New York. The studio's revenue is nearly enough to wipe out the deficit.
"Guess someone's going to have sleepless nights," Sebastian thinks with a hint of mockery.
One knows one's own family best. His cousins' business talents are on par with his own 'talent' in stocks.
Before his reincarnation, he had wondered how his cousins managed to run the company so successfully, only to discover later that several uncles had been surreptitiously providing substantial help.
Only Sebastian truly makes his way on his own. Just as he ponders— Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a figure emerge at the door. Sebastian instinctively wants to bolt out.
However, there is no escape route. "Why didn't I leave myself an escape route?" Sebastian laments as he watches Jessica enter the room.
Jessica is dressed in a red turtleneck that accentuates her figure, paired with dark jeans and black boots—a fashionable look for the year. Her face is adorned with light makeup, highlighting her delicate yet cool beauty.
One can't help but appreciate how vitality emanates from her. In just a month, no one would be able to see the shrinking girl she was a month before.
"Ah, our Mr. President Sebastian finally decides to work at the studio?" Jessica leans against the desk, her tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.
Women are sensitive creatures.
After walking the runway three times last month, Jessica senses that Sebastian is avoiding her, which she finds vexingly puzzling.
Although it wasn't to the extent that she would take some drastic action over her annoyance, she can't help but feel slighted, which leads her to visit Sebastian's office whenever she has a chance, wanting a clear answer.
Each time, he manages to elude her.
Today, she finally catches him and she is determined to get some answers.
"This is my office, where else would I work if not here?" Sebastian looks up, his clear eyes filled with innocence.
Acting is a necessary skill for an excellent businessman.
He has made up his mind.
Deny everything, don't admit, don't argue, dodge the bullet—surely a girl wouldn't be too direct.
But to his surprise, a direct question hits him.
"Why are you avoiding me?" Jessica's cool gaze is fixed on Sebastian, her beautiful face showing a touch of annoyance, leaving no room for him to wriggle out.
"Avoid you? Why would you say that?"
Sebastian picks up his coffee, saying with a smile, "I don't quite understand?"
But as he takes a sip, he almost spits it out.
"Hypocrite." Jessica's expression is one of contempt. "A man who can't face his own actions has no sense of responsibility."
"What are you trying to say?" Sebastian, finding no way to evade further, asks with a mix of laughter and helplessness.
"I want to ask you, why are you always avoiding me?" Jessica pulls up a chair and sits down.
I suspect you like me. Could he say that? Obviously not.
"I'm not avoiding you; I've just been busy lately," Sebastian says vaguely.
"When will you be done being busy?" Jessica asks.
"It's already done," Sebastian blurts out without thinking, immediately regretting his words.
Jessica's every question is unexpected, and he has inadvertently given her an answer. Now he has no way to avoid her.
However, this answer is also beyond Jessica's expectations. "You're really not deliberately avoiding me?" Jessica looks doubtful; she had just assumed Sebastian would make up excuses to continue avoiding her.
"Like I said, I was just busy." Sebastian decides to carry on, "In the early stages of the studio's creation, many things needed my attention as the president to be implemented."
"Alright then, I guess I misunderstood you." Jessica kicks off her boots, leans back in the chair, and crosses her feet, adorned with red nail polish, on the desk.
"I'm a man." Sebastian hesitates for a moment but still feels the need to remind her.
"I know." Jessica retorts, "You have no idea how many places I've been in these boots today, my feet are killing me."
"What I meant is—" Sebastian gestures toward the employees outside the glass office, saying, "As a celebrity, you should be mindful of your image."
"Why does this have anything to do about my image? The rumors about us started flying the moment I signed the endorsement contract; what's a little more going to hurt?" Jessica says nonchalantly.
"But still—" Sebastian's lips twitch as he pushes Jessica's foot aside with one finger, reminding her, "This is the president's office."
"Yes?" Jessica is momentarily stunned before she realizes what she is doing. She quickly withdraws her feet and playfully sticks out her tongue, chuckling, "Oops, I've just gotten used to taking off my shoes in your office, aha."
Sebastian: "..."
Apparently, she is a repeat offender!