The penthouse was quiet again.
Alex stood in the kitchen staring at the city through the glass walls while the coffee machine hummed softly.
The board vote was over.
Victor had lost.
But the war felt far from finished.
Alex took a sip of coffee and exhaled.
"Well," he said to the empty room.
The elevator chimed.
Adrian stepped into the living room.
Already dressed again.
Perfect suit.
Same calm expression.
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"You never rest."
Adrian walked toward the kitchen.
"There's work."
Alex handed him a cup of coffee.
"That's your favorite excuse."
Adrian didn't answer.
Alex leaned against the counter.
"You know what the strange part is."
Adrian looked at him.
"What."
"We won."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex smiled faintly.
"And somehow that feels like the beginning."
Adrian nodded once.
"Yes."
Alex laughed quietly.
"Of course."
The elevator chimed again.
Elena stepped inside with her tablet.
"Morning."
Alex glanced at the clock.
"It's barely morning."
Elena walked toward the table.
"The markets opened."
Alex frowned.
"That sounds important."
Elena turned the tablet toward them.
Charts filled the screen.
Alex leaned closer.
"Well."
Adrian asked calmly,
"What changed."
Elena answered.
"Victor."
Alex sighed.
"Of course."
Elena continued.
"He's already speaking to investors."
Alex nodded slowly.
"That was predictable."
Adrian remained calm.
Elena tapped the screen.
"But he's not buying shares."
Alex blinked.
"Then what is he doing."
Elena zoomed in on the chart.
Alex studied the numbers.
Then he laughed softly.
"Well."
Adrian looked at him.
"What."
Alex pointed at the screen.
"He's shorting the company."
Silence.
Adrian said nothing.
Elena crossed her arms.
"He's betting the stock will fall."
Alex nodded slowly.
"That's clever."
Adrian remained calm.
"Yes."
Alex leaned back.
"So Victor lost the vote…"
He shrugged.
"…and immediately started attacking the price."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
Alex smiled faintly.
"That man is very stubborn."
Adrian looked at the chart again.
"How much."
Elena answered calmly.
"Enough to move the market."
Alex rubbed his chin.
"Well."
Adrian looked at him.
"Well what."
Alex smiled faintly.
"This just became a psychological war."
Elena frowned slightly.
"Explain."
Alex leaned forward slightly.
"Victor is telling investors something."
Adrian waited.
Alex finished the thought.
"That Laurent International isn't stable."
Elena nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Alex leaned back again.
"And if investors believe that…"
Adrian said quietly,
"The price falls."
Alex nodded.
"Exactly."
Elena crossed her arms.
"That weakens the company."
Alex shrugged.
"It creates pressure."
Adrian studied the chart carefully.
Alex watched him.
"You expected this."
Adrian didn't deny it.
Alex laughed quietly.
"You really do plan everything."
Adrian didn't respond.
Elena looked at him.
"What's the response."
Adrian answered calmly.
"Nothing."
Alex blinked.
"Nothing again."
Adrian nodded once.
"Yes."
Alex shook his head slowly.
"You're extremely patient."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex continued.
"Victor is betting the market will panic."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
Alex shrugged.
"So we don't panic."
Adrian said quietly,
"Yes."
Alex smiled faintly.
"That's annoyingly simple."
Elena checked the tablet again.
"The price is already dropping."
Alex glanced at the chart.
The line had dipped slightly.
"Well."
Adrian remained calm.
Alex crossed his arms.
"You know what Victor wants."
Adrian waited.
Alex shrugged.
"A reaction."
Adrian nodded once.
"Yes."
Alex leaned back against the counter.
"So we give him silence."
Elena nodded slowly.
"That's risky."
Alex smiled faintly.
"Everything is."
The room grew quiet again.
Outside the windows, the city continued moving.
Alex watched the chart update again.
"You know something interesting."
Adrian asked quietly,
"What."
Alex looked at the screen.
"Victor spent billions trying to buy the company."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex continued.
"And now he's trying to make it look worthless."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
Alex laughed softly.
"That's emotional."
Adrian didn't respond.
Elena spoke again.
"The alliance is watching."
Alex glanced at her.
"Of course they are."
Elena continued.
"If the stock drops too far…"
Alex finished the sentence.
"They panic."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
Alex leaned forward again.
"So the real question is simple."
Adrian looked at him.
"What."
Alex smiled faintly.
"How far Victor is willing to push this."
Adrian said nothing.
The elevator chimed again.
All three of them turned.
A security officer stepped into the penthouse.
"Mr. Laurent."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
"Victor Moreau sent a message."
Alex blinked.
"Well."
Adrian asked calmly.
"What does it say."
The officer handed him a sealed envelope.
Adrian opened it slowly.
Alex watched his face carefully.
"You're very calm for someone reading a threat."
Adrian finished reading the paper.
Then he handed it to Alex.
Alex read the message.
Three words.
Check the market.
Alex frowned.
"That's dramatic."
Elena looked at the chart again.
Her expression changed immediately.
Alex noticed.
"That look again."
Elena turned the tablet toward them.
Alex leaned closer.
Then he blinked.
"Well."
Adrian asked quietly,
"What."
Alex pointed at the screen.
"Victor just doubled his position."
The stock price dropped sharply.
Alex exhaled slowly.
"That's aggressive."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex continued studying the chart.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Well."
Adrian looked at him.
"Well what."
Alex crossed his arms.
"If Victor wants a market war…"
He glanced at Adrian.
"…we should probably show him how expensive those get."