sleek leather couch, a glass of whiskey in hand, swirling the amber liquid absentmindedly. His laptop rested on the coffee table in front of him, the numbers on the screen still displaying his lates

deal. You've put a target on your back." Johnny's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?" "I'm talking about the fact that you just made millions betting on Silverstone's collapse," Alan explained, his tone firm. "Do you have any idea how many people are about to lose their jobs because of this? Thousands, Johnny. Entire families are going to be ruined. And they're going to look for someone to blame. That someone is you." Johnny scoffed, walking past Alan and grabbing his whiskey from the coffee table. "Oh, spare me the lecture. I didn't force anyone to work for a failing company. I just saw the opportunity and took it. That's business." "Sure," Alan said, crossing his arms. "But business comes with consequences. Do you think people care about the nuance of how you make your money? All they're going to see is a rich guy profiting off their misery. You're already the villain in their story." Johnny sipped his whiskey, his eyes narrowing. "So what? Let them talk. It's not my problem." "It will be your problem when the lawsuits start piling up," Alan said sharply. "When regulators start sniffing around. When the media paints you as the face of corporate greed." Johnny smirked, setting his glass down. "Let them try. I've got enough money to handle whatever they throw at me." Alan shook his head. "Money won't be enough, Johnny. You need someone who knows how to navigate this kind of storm. You need me." Johnny's expression hardened. "Why am I supposed to believe that you're here to help me? After all this time?" "Because I know what it's like to fall," Alan said quietly. "You're not the only one Marcus screwed over, Johnny. He burned me too, back in law school. That's why I want to help you. Because I know how much he's taken from you. And because I believe you can come back from this." Johnny stared at him for a long moment, his jaw tightening. "Why do I feel like there's more to this?" Alan hesitated, then nodded. "There is. If you want to survive this, you need to stop thinking like someone who's fighting to stay afloat. You need to think like someone who's already won. And the way you do that is by taking c