A Wall Street Genius’s Final Investment Playbook
Chapter 210

The core of the bet I proposed was ‘persuasion.’

But the one who would judge whether I succeeded in persuading or not was none other than Judy.

In that sense, this game was overwhelmingly in her favor.

‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.’

I wasn’t too worried.

Persuasion happens to be one of my specialties.

I looked at Judy and asked gently.

“Before we start, I’d like to ask something. You seem certain my plan will fail—may I ask why you think that?”

I’m an orca who’s achieved near-impossible feats several times.

So, if someone like me says I’ll make a plan, it’s strange not to trust me at all.

That’s why I asked, and surprisingly, Judy gave me an honest answer.

“I acknowledge your abilities. But the fact that your ability is too exceptional is actually the problem.”

She paused to take a breath and continued.

“You’re a weapon with excessively good performance. In the hands of an inexperienced hunter, it could bring about unforeseen disasters… Unfortunately, Gerrard is still too immature to wield you properly.”

I nodded and replied.

“I think I understand your concern.”

“It’s not your fault, but I hope you understand how I feel.”

“I do. It’s a perfectly reasonable concern for a parent.”

I readily agreed.

It was a completely understandable point.

But since I had now grasped her biggest worry, it was time to move into full persuasion mode.

I licked my lips once.

“You just compared me to a high-performance weapon… But even if a hunter isn’t fully prepared, wouldn’t it be wiser to at least pick it up? Ignoring it for such a reason could be risky—what if a more skilled hunter snatches it away?”

“Snatches it away…?”

“For instance, someone like your younger brother’s son.”

Judy’s expression froze.

She had understood what the ‘skilled hunter’ in my metaphor implied.

The younger brother’s son was currently Gerrard’s strongest rival in the succession battle.

Not only did he have legitimacy, but also the capabilities.

And what if that capable cousin got his hands on the ‘orca that predicts the Black Swan’?

Realizing my point, Judy bit her lip.

“So… what you’re saying is, if we don’t claim this weapon now, someone else will?”

“If you leave a good weapon lying on the ground, it’ll naturally end up in someone else’s hands. I mention this only because I’m concerned that might happen.”

At that, Judy’s expression hardened further.

She now fully understood the implication in my words.

“This feels… more like blackmail than persuasion.”

A fair observation.

Sometimes, when persuasion is too compelling, it can feel similar to coercion.

But there was a clear difference between the two.

Smiling gently, I explained that difference.

“Blackmail? That’s a misunderstanding. Blackmail forces something on someone. But I’m leaving everything up to your decision.”

Blackmail disregards the other party’s will and forces a decision, while persuasion offers a choice.

And as I said before, I intended to let Judy make the decision herself.

“As I already explained, I need the Marquis family’s infrastructure. Cooperation with the heir is inevitable.”

In other words, the Marquis heir would inevitably gain the power of the orca.

But the important thing was: who would that heir be?

“I hope that person will be Gerrard. Purely in terms of capability, the cousin might be the better choice for me. But I’d rather go a little out of my way to put Gerrard in that position. We work well together.”

“……”

“But that’s just my personal wish. Since this is a matter for the Marquis family, I think it’s only right to follow your decision, Judy. So I leave it in your hands.”

Would you give the orca’s power to the cousin, or to Gerrard?

That choice was entirely Judy’s.

Judy remained silent for a moment before responding in a heavy tone.

“There’s no real choice, is there?”

“What do you mean?”

“Yes… I’ve been… persuaded.”

As expected, she chose Gerrard.

But Judy’s expression was dark.

The whole situation must have felt like blackmail to her—it couldn’t be helped.

However, letting her continue to hold onto such negative emotions wasn’t ideal.

A cooperation based on coercion could break at any time.

I needed to smooth things over a little.

“I’m truly glad you’ve agreed. Honestly, this operation absolutely requires your help.”

“You need my help?”

“Yes. If you’re not involved, the person with the most crucial role in my plan would be missing.”

First and foremost, I needed to emphasize Judy’s importance.

That way, even if she ended up being used, she’d feel less like she was just being dragged around.

‘Gerrard’s a good example of that.’

I’d pressured him using blackmail, but after praising his leadership and persuading him, he became CEO and seemed to forget all about the blackmail.

So I was using the same strategy with Judy.

“A crucial role, huh…”

For a brief moment, I noticed satisfaction flicker in her eyes.

It was more than just happiness.

‘Come to think of it…’

She’s the niece of the uncles and a half-sibling, so she’s always wanted formal recognition as a family member.

In other words, she might be someone with a strong desire for recognition.

That was an important clue.

I could confirm that further in time.

“Well then… Raymond…”

I turned to look at Raymond.

His face, which seemed to have a lot to say but had been holding back for a long time, caught my eye.

It was probably because I still had only two fingers folded.

If he had jumped in, I’d have folded the third and ended the meeting on the spot.

‘Maybe I should let him leave now…’

Suddenly, the idea struck me—maybe Raymond could be used as a valuable card.

There’s nothing in this world that can’t be used.

Especially given Raymond’s status and influence, there had to be a way to use him.

“Raymond, why don’t you stay and hear the rest of the discussion?”

“That man has nothing to do with our family anymore.”

Judy immediately opposed my suggestion, but I raised my hand again.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have time to waste on minor squabbles right now.”

Speaking firmly, I looked directly at Judy and continued.

“I also need Raymond’s cooperation. If that’s uncomfortable for you, you’re free to end our partnership right here. The choice is yours, Judy.”

In other words, excluding Raymond meant no more cooperation with me.

In that case, the orca would only have one remaining option.

What would Judy choose?

***

Meanwhile, outside the parlor, Rachel was pacing nervously.

Her mother Judy, thanks to the Marquis family’s inherent paranoia, tended to distrust people easily and attack persistently.

‘That only ends up hurting herself…’

Rachel had long hoped her mother would change, but based on what she’d seen so far, it was nearly impossible.

However—

‘Maybe…’

Maybe Ha Si-heon could change her.

Just like he had changed Rachel and Gerrard.

For a moment, that hope passed through her mind, but she quickly pushed it away.

Her mother would never change so easily.

Even now, she might be digging into Ha Si-heon’s weaknesses inside the parlor.

That thought made a wave of worry wash over Rachel.

“What if Mom says something that could hurt Si-heon…?”

He looked strong on the outside, but Ha Si-heon was a soft-hearted person.

He even carried deep emotional scars.

He’d experienced losing someone precious because of Castleman.

If her mother found out about his past and connection to the Castleman Foundation, and started digging relentlessly into that…

Rachel’s eyes filled with deep concern.

But—

“Hurt him? That guy?”

Hearing Rachel’s mutter, Gerrard asked back with a look of disbelief.

“That’s what I mean when I say you’re too naïve. You’re worried that guy might get hurt?”

“Si-heon is sensitive. He’s… more compassionate than he lets on.”

Recalling the inscriptions she’d seen on his wrist before, Rachel said it firmly.

But Gerrard only scoffed.

“Compassion? Don’t make me laugh… That guy throws anything away the moment it’s no longer useful.”

That’s because the image of Ha Si-heon engraved in Gerrard’s mind was singular.

[So, shall we go with the exposé?]

No matter how much Gerrard pleaded, Si-heon had coldly pushed forward with the exposé for the sake of efficiency.

After seeing that side of him, talk of softness or compassion didn’t feel convincing.

“That guy is never swayed by emotion or sentiment. And there’s no way he’d ever be hurt.”

“If you really believe that, Gerrard, why are you so nervous?”

“Me?”

Rachel’s gaze turned to Gerrard’s hand.

The hand that had been fidgeting non-stop for a while now.

When it was pointed out, Gerrard hurriedly lowered his hand and said,

“I’m not worried about him. I’m just not sure if the persuasion will go well.”

Ha Si-heon’s plan required the cooperation of his mother, Judy.

But… would she really be willing to help him?

The Marquis family members were extremely wary of outsiders and tended to distrust the younger generation.

Ha Si-heon, in particular, was an outsider even younger than Gerrard.

There was no way she would be easily persuaded by someone like him.

What’s more, their father was also inside that room.

Those two often got into arguments just by being in the same space, so it would be difficult to bring anything up in that situation.

But just as Gerrard was lost in such worries—

The door burst open, and Judy and Raymond walked out.

Both of them looked somewhat dazed, while Ha Si-heon looked oddly relieved.

“How did it go?”

“Let’s talk in detail after dinner. It’s about time the staff finished work.”

Gerrard understood what he meant.

The staff had ears too, so they should save the important talk until after they left for the night.

Thus, the mealtime that followed was oddly peaceful.

“What time does the hunt start tomorrow?”

At the father’s question, the mother’s gaze turned sharp.

Normally, she would’ve snapped, “Why do you need to know that?”

But instead, she glanced briefly at Ha Si-heon and answered,

“Six a.m.”

At that moment, Gerrard noticed something.

His mother was clearly… being mindful of Ha Si-heon.

And not just that.

She was also noticeably restraining herself from saying anything hostile to Raymond, and barely participated in the conversation.

Considering the usual tension between the two, this was unthinkable.

‘Could it be…’

Had Ha Si-heon blackmailed his mother using a threat as well?

It was suspicious enough to consider that possibility, but Rachel seemed to be thinking something entirely different.

“You two seem to be getting along well today.”

A naïve comment, as if Ha Si-heon had improved their relationship.

‘This is why I worry… she’s so naïve.’

But Rachel would soon come to know the truth.

Once dinner ended and the real discussion began, Ha Si-heon’s true nature would be revealed.

At that point, Gerrard would finally learn whether his parents had agreed to cooperate—and what the specific plan was.

It was hard to hold back his curiosity…

But he knew he wouldn’t get answers until after the meal.

Gerrard suppressed his impatience and stuffed food into his mouth.

After dinner, once all the staff had left, the group moved to the study.

But during the entire walk, Judy couldn’t focus on the conversation.

Her mind was tangled in a web of complicated thoughts.

‘He’s dangerous.’

She had felt it during their earlier conversation.

Ha Si-heon was undoubtedly a dangerous person.

But—

‘It’s better to bring someone like him to your side than make him an enemy.’

That was one of the reasons she had decided to cooperate with him.

After all, he would be useful…

Moreover, Ha Si-heon’s goal was to make Gerrard the successor.

That aligned with her own goals.

That should’ve been reassuring…

But the fact that their alliance had been forged through what was practically blackmail left a lingering unease in her heart.

While lost in such thoughts, they arrived at the study,

And there, Ha Si-heon finally spoke.

“My plan is to secure the votes of the collateral relatives and the trust manager.”

Ha Si-heon’s strategy was to win support from everyone except the uncles.

He had mentioned it earlier, but Judy frowned.

“You don’t seem to understand how voting rights are distributed in the family council.”

Voting power in the family council was not evenly distributed.

Each person’s vote carried different weight.

The eldest son, Rupert, held 30%, the second son, Desmond, held 30%, and the collateral relatives plus the trust manager each held 20%.

“If a proposal is submitted to appoint Gerrard as permanent CEO, Rupert and Desmond will definitely oppose it. That means 60% of the vote will be against it—it’ll never pass.”

Neither of the two uncles—especially Desmond, the younger one—would ever accept Gerrard as the successor.

Rupert wouldn’t allow Gerrard to become independent and slip out of his control either.

So as long as both opposed it, Ha Si-heon’s plan would never work.

But despite that fact being laid out, Ha Si-heon remained calm.

“We’ll just have to find a way to pass it.”

“How…?”

“We just need to ‘persuade’ one of the uncles.”

The moment the word “persuade” left Ha Si-heon’s lips, Judy’s face stiffened.

She had just experienced that ‘persuasion’ firsthand.

“There’s no need to worry. I’m quite persuasive.”

This was, in effect, a declaration that he planned to blackmail her brothers.

And if that happened…

Their simple family feud could escalate into irreversible hostility.

‘That can’t happen.’

It was a dangerously reckless idea.

But just as she was about to stop him—

“More importantly, the immediate concern is how to bring the collateral relatives to our side… and for that, we’ll need your insight, Judy.”

As he spoke at length, Ha Si-heon suddenly looked at Judy and said this.

‘He needs me…?’

That one word pierced strangely deep into her heart.

Because it was something she had never heard so directly before.

Born from a concubine, Judy was never really considered necessary by her family.

If anything, it was the opposite.

Her half-siblings constantly worried that she might take over the management rights, and they didn’t even bother to hide it.

“Marriage is one thing, but did she really have to have a child too…”

That was something she often overheard in the house as a child, back when she had just begun to speak.

They made her feel like someone who should never have been born.

She had lived with that sense her whole life—until her marriage changed things.

Her husband, Raymond, needed her.

He may not have said it aloud, but it was clear.

So Judy gave her all to support her husband, using her family’s power to raise him to the top.

That strange sense of accomplishment she had felt then…

For the first time, she had been truly happy.

But once her husband’s success took off, everything changed again.

He no longer needed her.

Maybe that’s why she clung to her son, Gerrard.

She gave everything she had to support him…

But sometimes, even Gerrard seemed reluctant to accept her help deep down.

And yet…

Ha Si-heon was now saying he needed her.

Not her background—but her insight.

In other words, he needed her abilities…

A strange emotion welled up inside her, but Judy forced herself to push it down.

‘It’s just cheap flattery.’

It was just a shallow trick to win her favor.

She wasn’t foolish enough to fall for that.

But—

She had already agreed to cooperate, and she had to honor that promise.

“There are two people among the collateral relatives with the strongest voices—Harold and Patricia… If we persuade those two, we can sway the rest as well.”

This was key information.

If they could win over just those two, they could secure the support of the entire collateral faction in one move.

“But persuading them is nearly impossible.”

“Why’s that?”

“They’re both on Rupert’s side.”

“Can’t they change sides?”

Judy shook her head.

“They won’t. What they truly want is recognition of their influence and position.”

Judy understood the mindset of the collateral relatives.

They weren’t involved in management either.

Like her, they were rich but lacked meaning in their lives.

“But Rupert always brings them along to official events. He lets them act as representatives of the Marquis family. He gives them exactly what they crave—so why would they betray him?”

After explaining with that analysis, Ha Si-heon nodded in surprise.

“As expected… Your insight is something else, Judy. Honestly, I’m a bit impressed.”

Another unfamiliar compliment.

Judy hardened her expression.

“Flattery like that won’t work on me.”

She shut it down firmly, but Ha Si-heon continued with a sheepish smile.

“Not flattery at all. Most people would look at those relatives and just see ambition, but you focused on their lack, not their greed. It made me think… maybe what truly moves people isn’t desire, but what they’re missing. You saw that clearly… I learned something new.”

Judy wasn’t naive—she knew this was all part of a ploy to win her over.

But to be honest, it didn’t sound bad.

And the pattern continued after that.

“Good thing I asked for Judy’s advice. If it had just been Gerrard and me…”

Ha Si-heon kept offering her praise.

Without her, the plan would’ve failed.

She was pointing out the blind spots they missed, and so on.

It was surely flattery.

But the way he described how her insights specifically helped and how they were different from others…

It didn’t feel just like empty praise.

In fact, it felt oddly… fulfilling.

“What do you think, Judy?”

“Yes?”

Ha Si-heon even paused from time to time to ask for her opinion.

As if everything depended on her judgment.

And somehow… that was addictive.

Maybe it was that sweet taste.

Without even realizing it, Judy began revealing more than she intended.

She hadn’t planned to share this much.

Then, as the meeting neared its end, Ha Si-heon made a surprising suggestion.

“Then let’s have Raymond join tomorrow’s fox hunt.”

“What?”

She had clearly said just a moment ago—

That her maternal family didn’t look favorably upon Raymond.

Yet now, he wanted Raymond to participate in the hunt…

She was confused, but Ha Si-heon continued calmly with a smile.

“It’ll be easier to ‘persuade’ them that way.”