The dimly lit room glowed with the soft blue and white lights of a dozen flat screens, casting a faint hue across the space. The hum of machines was the only sound that broke the silence, save for the occasional click of keys. At the center of it all, a woman with striking, beautiful features sat before the array of screens, her expression a mix of confusion and awe.
Lucia Cross was mesmerized by what she had just witnessed—a perfectly clean, precise, and lightning-fast acquisition operation that had just unfolded before her. She leaned back in her chair, eyes wide as she muttered to herself, "How… how did he do it?"
Her mind raced, unable to comprehend how someone could pull off such an impeccable stock maneuver, especially not on such a massive scale.
The man responsible, "Martin," had just acquired prime shares in ten companies in one setting. Once the market closed, he'd wake up the hedge day as a millionaire.
Lucia had been tracking the market when it happened, watching as stock values shifted in ways that defied logic. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. Sure, she was good at trading—great, even.
With long-term investments, she had turned a $50,000 capital into over $200,000. But what Martin had just done? It shattered her pride in her abilities.
Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Lucia opened Martin's trading portfolio and clicked on his registered email account. Without thinking twice, she sent him a brief but direct message: "That was awesome! How did you do it?!"
As soon as she hit send, she felt a pang of impatience. She wanted answers, and fast. But for now, she had to wait. She scrolled through her own trading records, her brow furrowing as she pouted slightly at the numbers displayed. They seemed paltry compared to the miraculous performance she had just witnessed.
She prided herself on being a skilled investor, but Martin's sheer mastery of the market made her feel as though she was playing a child's game in comparison.
Just as she began to brood over her own performance, a loud knock echoed from the door behind her, pulling her abruptly from her thoughts.
"Lucia," a feminine voice called through the thin door, laced with a mature, maternal tone. "Your sister went out of her way to invite a few investors for a meal… You should get ready early…"
Lucia rolled her eyes and growled in frustration, her fingers massaging her temples as she spoke through clenched teeth, "Mom, I already said I can branch out from the family and start my own business. I don't need your help! Tell her I can't make it!"
Her mother's voice took on a patient but firm tone, and soon the two were embroiled in an argument. Lucia remained resolute, even stubborn, in her decision to make it on her own.
Her pride wouldn't allow her to lean on her family's resources. Other than the $50,000 loan she had borrowed from her father as startup capital—money she had already paid back with interest—Lucia had built her trading portfolio with her own hands.
She wasn't about to change that now.
Especially not now, when she had just stumbled upon someone who seemed like an absolute monster in the stock market.
Martin, she thought with a grin. She didn't mind playing second-in-command if teaming up with him meant she could create something bigger—something even her prestigious family couldn't match. The possibilities were endless.
As the argument with her mother died down, Lucia's attention was drawn back to her computer as a new notification appeared. Her heart raced as she realized it was a reply from Martin.
But the message was brief and puzzling: ???"
Lucia raised an eyebrow. Clearly, Martin was as confused as she had been moments ago. She quickly typed out a response, this time taking her time to explain herself in detail.
"Hi, I'm Lucia Cross. I happened to come across your portfolio's trade history during today's trading session, and I have to say, I've never seen anything like it. I've been doing this for a while and have turned my $50,000 into a steady $200,000 over four months, so I consider myself a decent trader, but what you did… that was on another level entirely. I'd love to meet and discuss some ideas. I have liquid funds to invest, and you clearly have solid assets. I think we could make something great together. How about we arrange a dinner to discuss? I'm confident we could start something massive."
She hesitated for a moment before hitting send, her pulse quickening with excitement. This was her shot at something big. She could feel it.
---
Back in Martin's studio apartment.
He sat on the couch, his laptop open on his knees as he stared at the email. The three question marks he had sent earlier hung in the air, unanswered for a few minutes. He frowned deeply, wondering if his worst fear had come true.
Had she witnessed the system in action?
His heart raced as he waited for a response, his mind running through the worst possible scenarios. If someone had seen the system manipulate the market, he'd be in a world of trouble. But soon enough, the reply arrived, and Martin leaned forward, quickly scanning the long paragraph Lucia had sent him.
As he read, his frown slowly faded. Lucia introduced herself as an investor, someone who had stumbled upon his portfolio purely by chance. She didn't seem to have witnessed the system's operation live but had been impressed by the results. Relief washed over him, calming the tension in his chest.
Martin reread the email, this time focusing on the other details. Lucia had made a name for herself in trading, and the numbers she quoted were impressive. She had managed to generate $200,000 from an initial $50,000 investment. That kind of talent in marketing data analysis was nothing to scoff at. And then there was her proposition: teaming up, starting their own company, pooling their resources.
Martin leaned back, the idea slowly taking root in his mind. It was tempting. He had the assets—thanks to the system, he owned significant shares in ten companies—but Lucia had the liquid funds and the experience.
They could build something together, and with the system on his side, the possibilities were limitless.
Starting my own company? Martin murmured, his curiosity piqued. He hadn't considered such a move before, but Lucia's message had drawn him in, painting a picture of a grand future.
The idea of working with someone, using their combined skills to build something even bigger, began to feel more and more appealing. And perhaps this was his next step forward.
With his mind buzzing with possibilities, Martin drafted a response, ready to see where this new opportunity might lead.
Martin knew there was no need to rush things. He wasn't about to leap into a business partnership without first getting a sense of Lucia's intentions and their potential chemistry. They'd have to meet in person first, size each other up, and see if they could actually make something happen together.
He began drafting his response to her email, carefully emphasizing his approach to the stock market: aggressive acquisitions. This way, he could avoid any awkward questions about long-term strategies or short-term trading techniques—things he hadn't fully mastered and didn't intend to delve into. The system had given him an edge, but he knew better than to overpromise in areas he couldn't explain.
"Lucia, thanks for reaching out. I'm flattered by your offer and definitely intrigued by the idea of collaborating. However, I want to be upfront: my strength lies in aggressive acquisitions rather than long-term or short-term stock management. I've found success in taking decisive, high-impact actions, but I prefer to steer clear of daily trading strategies. Let me know when and where you'd like to meet to discuss further. Looking forward to it."
Once satisfied, he sent his message, leaving the ball in her court to decide on the time and place for their meeting.
It wasn't long before Lucia replied, and the response came swiftly, showing she had already put thought into the logistics of their meeting.
"I appreciate the transparency, and that works for me. Aggressive acquisitions sound like an exciting angle. Let's get together and see if we can make this work. How about we meet at Opus Prime? It's a 5-star restaurant with private rooms, so we can have a quiet space to talk business. I've booked us a room for this Friday at 7:00 PM. Let me know if that works for you!"
---
The name of the restaurant, Opus Prime, struck Martin as fitting.
A high-end establishment with private rooms meant they could speak freely without worrying about prying eyes. He mulled over the meeting in his mind, knowing that a place like that demanded more than just casual attire.
It was time to get serious, to play the part of a man with resources and influence—one who belonged in a place like Opus Prime.
The date and time were set. All that was left was to show up and see if this partnership would be the next big step in his life.
After he put Lucia's matter to the side, Martin did something that he should have done long ago – he changed his portfolio trade history to private mode.