Bailey raised an eyebrow but didn't question her brother's request.
"Alright, but don't keep Dad waiting too long. You know how he gets."
With that, she sauntered out of the room.
Thud!
As soon as the door closed behind Bailey, Brandon pulled Elise into his arms. His grip was firm, urgent. Elise's breath caught in her throat, surprised by the sudden closeness.
"Elise, listen to me," Brandon whispered, his voice low and intense. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but..."
Elise's eyes widened, her body tense in his embrace.
"W-what's wrong?"
He took a deep breath, his gaze locked on hers.
"There's a storm coming. The stock market, real estate - it's all going to crash. Soon."
Elise's brow furrowed, confusion and concern etched on her face.
"How do you know this?"
"I can't explain everything right now," Brandon said, his voice strained.
"It's up to you whether you believe me or not. But Elise, if you do... you have to be careful. There are people watching us."
He loosened his grip slightly, his hands sliding down to her arms.
"Whatever you decide to do with this information, promise me you'll be discreet. Even with your parents."
Elise searched his face, her expression a mix of worry and something deeper, more intense.
"Brandon, you're scaring me. What's really going on?"
Brandon's jaw clenched.
"I'm sorry, Elise. I'm not even sure if you were a target or just collateral damage the other day... I wish I could tell you everything. But I can't. Not yet."
His fingers traced a gentle path along her arm, a stark contrast to the gravity of his words.
"Just... Take some precautions and be careful yea?"
Elise nodded slowly, her hand coming up to rest on his chest.
"I'll look into it and don't worry I'll keep it to myself."
For a moment, they stood there, bodies close, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them.
Then, reluctantly, Brandon stepped back.
"I should go," he said softly. "The family's waiting."
Elise watched him move towards the door, her heart racing.
"Brandon," she called out, just as he reached for the handle.
He turned, his eyes meeting hers one last time.
"Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"For trusting me with this."
Brandon nodded, a sad smile tugging at his lips.
Then he was gone, leaving Elise alone with the echoes of his warning.
Brandon pulled out his phone as he descended the grand staircase of the NOA Blackstone Villa. The polished marble steps gleamed under the warm light showering through the floor to ceiling glass.
His phone buzzed insistently in his hand, Jessie's name flashing on the screen.
He swiped to answer,
"Hello?"
"Boss!" Jessie's voice burst through the speaker, brimming with excitement.
"You won't believe this! The recordings of your Gala performances have gone absolutely viral on BMG's official social media pages!"
Brandon continued down the stairs, his free hand trailing along the ornate banister.
The sound of Jessie's rapid-fire speech echoed in the cavernous foyer.
"The fans are going crazy! They're begging for an album. The comment sections are flooded!"
Jessie spoke so quickly she seemed a little breathless.
"Are you coming to the office today? We need to capitalize on this momentum!"
Brandon reached the bottom of the stairs, passing by a wall adorned with priceless artwork. The plush carpet muffled his footsteps as he made his way towards the dining room.
"That's great news, Jessie," he replied, his voice composed despite the excitement buzzing through him.
"But there's no need to rush. Hold the fort for now. I'll drop by the office later."
He pushed open the heavy oak doors of the dining room, the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting out to greet him.
"But Bo—" Jessie started to protest.
"Later, Jessie," Brandon reiterated gently.
"We'll discuss everything then."
Brandon ended the call but paused at the dining room door, his hand hovering over the handle.
He pulled out his phone again, this time opening the search engine.
'Let me just double check,' he thought, his fingers flying over the screen.
He typed in [ Lehman Brothers ] into Goggle and hit search.
His eyes widened as he scanned the results.
Nothing about a collapse or bankruptcy.
Just articles about their current strong market position and recent acquisitions.
Brandon's brow furrowed.
He quickly searched for [ AIG bailout ] next.
Again, no results matching what he remembered from his previous life.
Instead, he found reports of AIG's robust financial health and expanding global presence.
Brandon's heart raced as he absorbed this information.
He leaned against the wall, his mind whirling with implications.
'This confirms it. The financial crisis hasn't hit yet in this world. But it's coming. I just know it.'
Brandon took a deep breath, steeling himself.
'Don't panic, this might be an opportunity.'
With renewed determination, he pocketed his phone and reached for the dining room door.
As Brandon walked into the sunlit dining room, he immediately noticed a group of uniformed men methodically sweeping the area with scanning devices.
Their movements were precise and thorough, checking every nook and cranny assumably for potential bugs or listening devices.
Brandon took his seat beside Victoria, who sat with her head bowed, an unusual air of despondency surrounding her.
The table before them was laden with a luxurious array of breakfast items - golden croissants, perfectly poached eggs, sizzling bacon, and an assortment of fresh fruits that looked like they'd been plucked from an orchard moments ago.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the scent of warm pastries.
One of the uniformed men approached Arthur, snapping a crisp salute.
"All clear, sir," he reported.
Arthur nodded curtly and dismissed the team with a wave of his hand.
As the uniformed men filed out of the dining room, Gordon touched his earpiece, his expression serious.
"Alpha team, form a perimeter around the villa," he instructed, his voice low but firm. "Beta team, sweep the grounds."
He paused, listening to a response only he could hear.
"Affirmative. We won't allow any breaches."
Gordon's eyes scanned the room as he continued his quiet commands.
"Charlie team, I want eyes on all access points. No one enters or leaves without clearance. Understood?"
The tension in the room was palpable, a stark contrast to the lavish breakfast spread before them.
He lowered his hand from his earpiece, his gaze meeting Brandon's for a brief moment.
Brandon watched, puzzled, as Gordon removed his earpiece and phone, placing them into a sleek black metallic box.
He then proceeded to collect everyone's phones, including Brandon's, before sealing the container.
Noticing Brandon's confused expression, Gordon leaned in and explained in a hushed tone,
"We can never be too safe, Young Master. Recent events have necessitated heightened security measures."
Victor cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
The usual warmth in his eyes had been replaced by a steely determination.
"I've called this meeting to address the grave situation Brandon brought to our attention yesterday," he began, his voice carrying the weight of his concern.
"After thorough investigation, I regret to inform you that the likelihood of an impending economic crisis is alarmingly high."
Brandon felt a chill run down his spine.
A part of him had hoped his suspicions were unfounded, but hearing Victor confirm them made the threat feel all too real.
Victor's gaze swept across the table, landing on Victoria.
Her usual poise had crumbled, replaced by a look of utter devastation.
"I... I've failed you all," Victoria's voice cracked, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.