Chapter 17 - The Wall Street Siege
The following Tuesday, at 9:30 AM Eastern Time, the bell rang at the New York Stock Exchange.
Inside the high-floor penthouse office of Vanderbilt & Croft in Manhattan, Richard Croft—a ruthless man in his fifties with sharp features and cold blue eyes—sat behind a glass desk, watching six trading terminals.
"Execute the purchase of the remaining Hale bond notes," Croft ordered his chief trader. "Squeeze them until they surrender the software license."
"Sir..." the trader whispered, his voice shaking. "We have a massive sell-off occurring in our European real estate portfolio."
Croft frowned. "What? Who’s selling?"
"The London Global Infrastructure Trust just dumped forty million shares of our primary holding company," the trader reported frantically. "And Tokyo Capital just canceled their ten-billion-dollar credit facility with our Asia branch!"
Croft stood up, his heart hammering against his chest. "That’s impossible! Why would they cut ties with us?!"
Before the trader could answer, the red phone on Croft’s desk rang.
Croft snatched up the receiver. "Croft!"
"Good morning, Richard," a cool, clear voice spoke through the line.
Croft froze. "Nora Hale..."
"You spent the last three weeks trying to corner twenty-three percent of my municipal bonds," Nora said, her tone as smooth as silk. "While you were focused on my backyard in Austin, I spent the last forty-eight hours speaking with the managing directors of the four largest sovereign wealth funds in the world."
Croft’s eyes darted to his screens. The stock price of Vanderbilt & Croft was cascading downward in a terrifying red line: -15%... -28%... -42%...
"What did you tell them?!" Croft roared into the phone.
"I told them the truth," Nora replied calmly. "That your firm was using illegal offshore leverage to manipulate public infrastructure bonds in Texas. By noon today, the SEC will execute a complete freeze on your trading licenses."
"You... you can't destroy my company over a bond squeeze!" Croft stammered, panic finally breaking through his arrogant facade.
"You tried to take my family's legacy, Richard," Nora said, her voice dropping into a register of pure, lethal absolute authority. "I don't just protect my legacy. I erase anyone who tries to tear it down. Have a wonderful day."
May you like
The line went dead.
Croft collapsed back into his chair as the screens turned entirely red, signaling the total collapse of his corporate empire.
