A Wall Street Genius’s Final Investment Playbook
Chapter 207

Two days later, at the Marquis headquarters.

After finishing his special training, Gerrard paced nervously inside the office.

Just 30 minutes left until the family council.

‘Can I really pull this off?’

What he needed to do was clear.

He just had to follow Ha Si-heon’s instructions.

However…

Knowing something in your head and actually doing it are entirely different matters.

Even if an actor memorizes the script perfectly, delivering a flawless performance on stage is still difficult.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the window.

Gerrard pointed to himself and tried to put on the most innocent face possible.

“Me?”

On the surface, he looked humble, but he was trying to imitate that oddly annoying yet subtle expression…

"Yeah… This is still awkward."

Still, giving up wasn’t an option.

Doing so would invite even greater disaster.

—It’s fine. You’ve got insurance in the form of that exposé.

‘Did I make a mistake dragging that lunatic into this…?’

Regret washed over him, but there was no turning back now.

Besides,

‘He may be insane, but he’s a successful lunatic… right?’

Ha Si-heon became a legend on Wall Street at a younger age than Gerrard.

And he started with nothing, achieving it all in just a year and a half.

His methods were radical and risky, but they couldn’t simply be dismissed as "madness."

Because he had proven them effective.

More than that, there was something in his words that resonated deeply with Gerrard.

—You are a leader now. Act according to your nature.

A leader.

That word stirred something hot in his chest.

It was then—

Knock knock.

With a sharp knock, the door opened and his mother strode in.

Gerrard’s brow furrowed deeply.

He had strictly ordered the secretary to let no one in, but such rules meant nothing to the elders of the house.

“What do you think you’re doing without giving us any proper explanation!”

During his training with Ha Si-heon, all communication had been prohibited except for work calls, so he hadn’t been able to explain the situation to his mother.

He had only sent a short message: ‘Everything is fine, don’t worry.’

Her face clearly showed displeasure, but she realized there wasn’t much time and cut to the chase.

“I heard Benedict recently returned from China.”

Benedict.

He was the second son of Gerrard’s younger uncle and had once been a successor candidate, even holding the COO position.

But now, he had been pushed aside to the strategy office, retaining only his title.

In truth, his fall wasn’t due to incompetence.

There had been a massive recall after someone tipped off the company about poisoned chocolate, and he took the fall for it.

That “tip-off” was most likely a scheme by Gerrard’s eldest uncle.

But then…

Why did that cousin of his have to visit China right when Gerrard’s heir test involved strategizing for China?

“It was said to be a vacation, but obviously that’s a lie. He must have gone to meet the branch director. It’s a trap.”

Clearly, his younger uncle was using this chance to put his son back in the succession game.

But before his mother even finished speaking, the office door burst open and in walked Uncle Rupert.

“I’m sure you’ve heard about Benedict.”

When Gerrard’s mother nodded, Rupert turned his gaze toward Gerrard.

“At the family council, present the brand store expansion strategy.”

The brand store was a China strategy Rupert had been promoting for years.

Asking Gerrard to present it publicly was essentially asking him to admit he was Rupert’s puppet.

“Your answer?”

Politically, it would be wise to follow his uncle’s instructions.

Just like he had always done before.

However—

‘No way in hell.’

A powerful rejection boiled up inside Gerrard.

Until now, he had thought of that feeling as immature rebellion.

But now he realized it wasn’t a childish emotion.

According to Ha Si-heon, it was the instinctive resistance a true-born leader feels.

Now that he had recognized it, he could no longer pretend to be a follower.

“That won’t be possible.”

“So, you're going to do things your own way? Like you said before?”

Rupert’s eyes narrowed.

There was a clear warning in his gaze.

However… strangely, Gerrard didn’t feel afraid.

In fact, he felt refreshed.

It was as if Ha Si-heon’s voice echoed in his ear.

—Clashing is inevitable if you want to become a leader. Learn to not fear it and enjoy it instead.

‘Could it be… I’m enjoying this?’

If so, then this strange sense of liberation might be the true sign of a leader.

“Do you think you're in that seat because you’re special? Watch your behavior.”

A warning that he could be replaced with another puppet at any time.

But even with the repeated threats, Gerrard simply smiled humbly.

“Of course. I’m always grateful that I was chosen among many excellent candidates.”

A strange silence followed.

His words seemed humble on the surface, but there was sharpness hidden within.

The truth was, Rupert had no better candidate than Gerrard.

If he could replace him so easily, he wouldn’t have needed to resort to threats.

“…If you don’t plan to say what I told you to, I won’t care what Desmond says anymore. If you refuse to follow me, I have no reason to protect you.”

It was practically a declaration that he would let his younger brother attack Gerrard unchecked.

Normally, Gerrard would have caved before Rupert even said this much.

But today, strangely, Gerrard felt no fear.

Instead, a smile slowly spread across his lips.

“Understood. I’ll make sure not to trouble you any further.”

“…"

Rupert’s face twisted.

But even seeing that, Gerrard felt not anxiety but exhilaration.

Gerrard was ready to accept the truth now.

‘As I thought…’

He really was a true leader.

#

Top floor of the Marquis headquarters.

This strictly restricted area was like a sanctuary of the family.

The doors could only be opened with a special key held by family members.

People began to gather.

They were heading to the grand conference room.

This room held more meaning than just a meeting space.

It was a symbolic place where the fate of the family was decided—where the most crucial decisions in the history of the Marquis family had all been made.

Portraits lined the walls of the conference room.

At the center stood a grand round table.

However, the most important seat at the table remained empty.

In the silence, just as everyone was waiting, heavy footsteps broke the stillness.

“Sorry for being late.”

The last person to enter was Desmond.

He was Gerrard’s younger uncle.

He always enjoyed making his entrance last, as if his arrival marked the true beginning.

“Punctuality is the most basic of basics, isn’t it?”

At Rupert’s cold voice, Desmond merely shrugged and sat down leisurely.

“I said I’m sorry. Let’s begin. What’s the agenda?”

The tension between them was as natural as a long-standing habit.

The secretary flipped through documents and answered briefly.

“It’s about formulating the China strategy.”

The meeting jumped straight into the main topic.

Today’s presenter was none other than Gerrard.

As he walked to the podium at the front of the conference room, a faint smirk touched Desmond’s lips.

‘Let’s see what he comes up with…’

There was only one reason Desmond had selected the China strategy as the succession test.

To bring his own son—who had fallen behind in the race—back into the spotlight.

‘This is the perfect opportunity.’

According to information from the China branch head, signs of change had recently begun appearing in China.

Real estate developers in smaller cities were failing to sell properties despite heavy discounts, and factories were starting to feel a drop in orders and weakening export demand.

All signs indicated that an overheated economy was on the brink of contraction.

Desmond had decided to exploit this information thoroughly.

After selecting China as the exam topic, he pressured Gerrard to stick with the existing expansion strategy.

In other words, he was deliberately guiding him toward the wrong answer.

And if Gerrard followed that advice?

He planned to attack him for “blindly pushing forward” without proper analysis.

After thoroughly exposing Gerrard’s incompetence, he would present his son’s flawless alternative.

That way, the difference in ability between the two would be undeniable.

Even if Gerrard proposed an independent strategy, it wouldn’t be a problem.

His son had already prepared the most persuasive plan based on up-to-date local data.

No matter what Gerrard brought, all Desmond had to do was highlight the differences and prove Gerrard’s shortcomings.

The plan seemed perfect.

But—

“China’s economic growth is showing clear signs of slowing down. While it’s not widely known yet, the local real estate market has entered a recession, and based on factory operating rates, the overheated economy is on the verge of contraction…”

To his surprise, Gerrard had an accurate grasp of the local situation.

His presentation was filled with detailed insights, as if he had personally conducted the research.

“To prepare for this crisis, we must shift to online distribution and live commerce…”

Even the solutions he proposed were nearly identical to those prepared by Desmond’s son.

‘This means…?’

So much for a differentiated strategy.

Desmond was flustered, but fortunately, an opportunity appeared soon after.

Gerrard made an unexpected statement.

“However, there’s a factor even more critical than this. That is our foreign exchange policy. We need to implement a hedging strategy using options in case of a sharp depreciation in the yuan.”

A smile of victory spread across Desmond’s lips.

“A hedging strategy…? Isn’t that what you recently messed up?”

Not long ago, Gerrard had suffered massive losses from a futures trade due to a misjudgment in commodity prices.

It had actually happened after following Desmond’s suggestion, making it particularly frustrating for Gerrard.

But Desmond had shifted the blame onto Gerrard, claiming it was due to poor analysis, and he had taken great pleasure in watching Gerrard shrink in response.

So, once again, Desmond expected a similar reaction—a silent, resentful acceptance.

But this time was different.

“You’re right. I tried to predict the trend of commodity prices on my own, but I ended up being wrong.”

There was no hint of resentment in Gerrard’s voice—rather, it carried a calm confidence.

“I took your advice to heart and met with the best experts this time. As you pointed out, the experts I previously consulted weren’t up to standard.”

However, Gerrard’s smile felt strangely unsettling.

His repeated praise of his uncle’s advice had an oddly suspicious tone.

“So this time, I brought in the best talent. The currency strategy I mentioned is based on the advice of Ha Si-heon.”

“Ha Si-heon?”

“You mean from Pareto Innovation?”

At the mention of Ha Si-heon’s name, murmurs spread through the room.

No one here was unfamiliar with his reputation.

He was one of the hottest names in the country, beyond even Wall Street.

Gerrard continued calmly.

“According to Ha Si-heon’s algorithm, there’s a high chance of a Black Swan-level event occurring within the next few months.”

“A Black Swan?”

“No way!”

The room stirred again with tension.

Everyone knew the weight that came with the term “Black Swan.”

Gerrard paused briefly and scanned the room.

“The Chinese stock market is going to crash.”

His next words hit the room like a bomb.

“The Shanghai Composite Index could plunge by up to 40% within six months, causing a ripple effect in the global market, affecting commodities, exchange rates, and the stock market overall.”

“This could freeze consumer spending and reduce expenditures, potentially cutting our revenue by up to 20%, and with the yuan’s decline, profit margins could fall another 10%.”

“But this is only the beginning. China’s shock will trigger a chain reaction in neighboring emerging markets. Capital outflows, currency depreciation, and the resulting instability…”

It was hard to believe.

After all, China had long been the engine of global economic growth.

But Gerrard’s voice only grew more certain.

“This crisis isn’t just China’s problem. It will sweep across global markets. And to navigate this, we need powerful leadership with full authority. Ha Si-heon has already promised me his full support.”

The Black Swan is coming.

And Ha Si-heon, who foresaw it, was backing Gerrard.

With this declaration, Gerrard made a shocking demand.

“I firmly believe I’m the best person to lead us through this crisis. Therefore, I request that all CEO authority be delegated to me for the next year.”

To overcome this crisis, give me full power.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

Desmond let out a hollow laugh and turned his head.

Normally, Gerrard would have been met with ridicule and scolding for saying such nonsense.

But the room was strangely silent.

The name “Ha Si-heon” carried too much weight to dismiss the claim as absurd.

He had already correctly predicted several uncanny events.

‘This is…?’

An unusual current was forming.

Sensing that the momentum was shifting against him, Desmond made an immediate decision.

He had to cut this flow off.

“You? CEO? That’s ridiculous. I told you over and over to do proper analysis, and you still don’t get it!”

He tried to overpower Gerrard with harsh words.

That kind of pressure had always made Gerrard retreat in the past.

But this time was different.

“Me?”

Gerrard pointed to himself with an innocent expression.

“As you advised, I found the top expert. Ha Si-heon is renowned for his Black Swan prediction algorithms. He accurately foresaw the Genesis Pharma stock surge and the Ebola crisis, earning the trust of numerous sovereign funds and institutional investors. My conclusions are based on his predictions.”

“When did I ever say to rely solely on a single piece of information!”

But Gerrard wasn’t fazed.

He looked straight at his uncle and calmly asked a question.

With a relaxed smile that somehow felt irritating—

It was the kind of smile one gives when looking down at a trapped animal.

“So, Uncle, are you saying you oppose my proposal?”