"As the overseer of our base operations, I should have seen this coming. I was so focused on learning the intricacies of the business that I overlooked the bigger picture."
Victoria looked at each family member, her gaze lingering on Victor.
"I'm sorry. My negligence has put our family's legacy and our empire at risk."
The room fell silent, the weight of Victoria's words hanging heavy in the air. Brandon felt a surge of empathy for his sister, recognizing the immense pressure she must have been under.
Victor reached out, gently placing his hand over Victoria's trembling one.
"What's done is done, my dear," he said, his voice softer now.
"We can't change the past, but we can shape our future. That's why we're here today - to decide as a family what our next steps will be."
He turned his attention to Brandon, a mix of pride and curiosity in his eyes.
"Son, you were the one who first identified this potential threat. I'd like to hear your thoughts on how we should proceed."
Brandon took a deep breath as he felt all eyes on him, the responsibility of the moment settling on his shoulders.
Brandon straightened his posture and met Victor's gaze, his mind racing to organize his whatever memories he had of news articles he had read when he was on Earth into a cohesive strategy.
"Let me start by acknowledging that I'm not familiar with the family business,"
Brandon began, his voice calm but determined.
"I know we're mainly involved in Pharmaceuticals, Energy, and Real Estate. So I'll give my opinions based on these sectors. Pharmaceuticals are largely recession-proof—people will always need medicine, no matter the state of the economy. That means we can afford to direct our focus elsewhere for now."
He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing.
"Energy and Real Estate, however, are vulnerable. Their value will plummet when the crash hits, and if we don't act now, we could potentially be crippled."
Victor's gaze remained fixed on him, but there was a subtle nod of approval.
"We need to liquidate non-essential assets immediately—before the market collapses. Every hour counts. The goal is to build our cash reserves, to give us the liquidity we'll need to bounce back from the initial hit."
He glanced around the table, making sure to hold eye contact with each family member.
"For Oil and Gas, clear existing stock as fast as possible. If the volumes are too large, consider converting some of our assets into precious metals—gold, specifically. It's a safe haven in times of crisis and will hold its value."
"In Real Estate, we keep only those properties with strong, consistent cash flow—like our prime rental properties. Everything else is on the table for liquidation even at a deficit. Halt any new developments that won't bring immediate returns. We need to be lean, agile, and ready to act."
He noticed Victor nodding slightly, which gave him the confidence to continue.
"But this isn't just about survival," Brandon continued, his voice rising with conviction.
"It's about positioning ourselves for what comes next. When the dust settles, there will be opportunities—distressed properties, foreclosures, bankrupt commercial assets. We need to be ready to move quickly, to acquire what others are forced to abandon."
Victor leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing in thought.
For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of Brandon's words hanging in the air.
While Brandon outlined his plan, a noticeable shift occurred in Victoria.
Moments ago, she had seemed withdrawn, but now, a fierce determination ignited within her.
The dejection that had clouded her eyes evaporated, replaced by a sharp, calculating focus. She straightened her posture, her gaze steely and resolute.
Victoria knew this wasn't the time to falter— she had to make amends.
She interrupted with a crisp, authoritative tone,
"We need to quantify our timeline. How long do we have before this economic crisis hits full force?"
Brandon exhaled slowly, his eyes scanning the faces of his family members, searching for resolve.
"All the conditions for a market collapse are already in place," he said gravely.
"At best, we probably have three months. If I were the enemy, I'd trigger the collapse by orchestrating a wave of bankruptcies among well-known financial institutions."
"This is where our main challenge lies. We need to somehow liquidate assets without whoever's targeting us noticing, or else they may trigger the crash beforehand."
Victoria leaned forward, her brow furrowed with concern. "How do you propose we maneuver around that? Liquidating our vast repertoire of assets without tipping off our adversaries?"
Brandon's eyes gleamed with a dangerous determination.
"We need to create a diversion—something to distract them while we liquidate. We make them believe we suspect nothing, so they suspect nothing."
Victor's lips curved into a slow, approving smile.
"And how do you suggest we mislead them?"
Brandon didn't hesitate.
"The Sinclairs. We make whoever's watching believe we think they're the masterminds behind this. We need to retaliate and hard."
Victoria's sharp mind was already processing the implications.
"That might buy us time, but it doesn't solve the problem of quietly liquidating our empire without raising alarms. We're talking about billions of dollars—moving that amount of capital unnoticed is no small feat."
A sly grin spread across Brandon's face, a spark of mischief in his eyes. "True. It's a challenge beyond our usual methods. But there's someone who can help us."
Bailey, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up, curiosity lacing his voice.
"Who, B?"
Brandon's smirk widened, his voice tinged with both confidence and mystery.
"Noblesse Oblige Academy."
Bailey's brow furrowed, confusion flickering in her eyes.
"How can our school possibly help us liquidate billions in assets without anyone noticing?"
Victor nodded, the faintest trace of a knowing smile on his lips.
"NOA is not to be underestimated, Bailey. It's far more than just an Academy."
But Bailey's confusion deepened, her mind struggling to connect the dots.
"Would they help us?"
Brandon leaned forward, his voice filled with confidence.
"NOA's entire reputation is built on its ability to safeguard the interests of the global elite. If they can't protect one of their own—us—what elite family would trust them with their children's futures?"
A sly smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Besides, I'm sure by now they've realized how much of a big mouth I can be. It's in their best interest to make sure we stay very, very quiet."