The house was quiet by the time Lex returned.
His mother had already gone to bed, leaving only the faint hum of the refrigerator and the distant echoes of the city filtering through the window.
Lex stood in front of his father's office door, fingers brushing lightly against the handle. It felt heavier than he remembered—like the room itself carried the weight of the years since his father's passing.
He opened it slowly.
The study smelled faintly of old leather and cedar, the same as it had when he was a kid. Nothing had changed. His father's books still lined the shelves, and the heavy mahogany desk sat untouched beneath the tall window that overlooked the street.
Lex stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
The desk creaked slightly as he settled into the chair, running his hands along the edges. His eyes drifted across the surface—every item meticulously arranged, just as his father had left it. A few framed photos, a brass paperweight, and an old glass ashtray that hadn't been used in over a decade.
Lex's gaze settled on the center drawer.
He opened it slowly, pushing aside loose papers until his fingers brushed against the edge of the wooden panel Elias had mentioned.
Second panel.
Lex pried it loose carefully, revealing the cold metal key hidden beneath. It was small, unremarkable. But Lex knew better.
Brooklyn Trust Bank. Box 312.
Lex set the key down gently, pulling out a legal pad from the side of the desk.
It's not enough to survive this time.
He uncapped the pen and began writing, the quiet scratch of ink filling the room.
Phase 1 – Wealth Consolidation
2007-2009 (Short-term plays)
1. Tech Stocks (2007-2011 Boom):
Apple (AAPL): Buy aggressively before the iPhone launch.
Amazon (AMZN): Expand holdings. E-commerce will dominate post-2008.
Google (GOOGL): Continue investing pre-expansion into Android and advertising.
2. Short Positions (2008 Crash):
Lehman Brothers: Short heavily by late 2007. Collapse is inevitable.
Bear Stearns: Follow the same pattern. Exit by March 2008.
Housing Market (REITs): Liquidate all real estate-heavy investments before Q2 2008.
3. Safe Bets (Recovery Phase):
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A): Buy post-crash at lower valuations.
Gold and Bonds: Hedge in gold as uncertainty peaks. Shift toward bonds during recovery (2010-2012).
Phase 2 – Diversification and Expansion
2010-2014 (Mid-term investments)
1. Media & Entertainment:
Film Studio Investment: Leverage Benny's film to open doors in the entertainment sector. Expand influence through smaller production companies.
Streaming Services: Acquire early stakes in Netflix or other emerging platforms.
2. Healthcare & Pharma:
Pfizer, Moderna (Biotech): Position ahead of the pandemic by quietly acquiring shares in key pharmaceutical companies.
3. Real Estate (Post-Crash Recovery):
NYC Property Acquisitions: Target foreclosed properties in Manhattan between 2009 and 2012. Focus on undervalued assets.
Phase 3 – Targeting Maddux Holdings
2012-2015 (Barnie's Empire)
1. Internal Leverage:
Gain access to the ledger (Brooklyn Trust Bank). Investigate Barnie's paper trails using Elias and trusted external auditors. Slowly begin pulling high-value clients from Maddux Holdings.
2. Proxy Control:
Use shell companies to buy Maddux Holdings shares quietly. By 2014, force Barnie into a position where he must seek external capital. Offer the solution—under a different name.
3. Expose and Discredit:
Leak damaging portions of the ledger through anonymous channels. Let Barnie's enemies do the heavy lifting. Pressure Barnie into stepping down through internal shareholder action.
Lex sat back, tapping the pen against his chin as he reviewed the plan.
It's not just about rebuilding. It's about dismantling him—piece by piece.
Barnie had stolen years from Lex's father, draining Maddux Holdings under his name and leaving him with nothing but disgrace when things fell apart. This time, Lex wouldn't wait until it was too late.
His gaze flicked to the corner of the room, where an old photo of his father rested against the shelf.
"I'll handle it," Lex said quietly, almost like a promise.
The photo didn't respond, but Lex didn't need it to.
Barnie wasn't going to see him coming.