Chapter 364 A Turn of Events
Three million dollars was the whole investment, not a cent less. Joshua was a bundle of nerves. The company felt like a pressure cooker. No one dared to breathe hard, fearing they'd set Joshua off. Only Luann came and went on time every day, doing no work and living carefree.
Joshua kept staring at his computer, checking stocks every half hour, only to see them drop.
He sighed deeply, massaging his aching temples.
Suddenly, someone nearby was whispering.
"What are you mumbling about? Speak up! It's annoying!" Joshua snapped.
The person quickly replied, "Mr. Curtis, we were talking about that jewelry company. They got busted for using fake jewelry. It's a huge scandal."
"Yeah, and that second real estate company we were eyeing. Residents reported shoddy construction, water leaks, and even a balcony collapse. Luckily, it was just the second floor, but still. The building's exterior is already peeling after just a year. It's a nightmare! No one would live there, even if it's cheap!"
"And the third one has issues, too..."
Listening to them, Joshua instinctively walked over to Luann. He pulled up a chair and watched her play games. When she finished, he asked, "Was it you?"
"A lot of people wanted to do it but couldn't. I just lent a hand," Luann said with a bright smile.
Joshua's emotions were all over the place. "How are you so amazing?" Nothing escaped her.
"Thanks."
Joshua went back to his seat, staring at the stocks until his eyes were red.
Three anxious days passed.
After another sleepless night, at four in the morning, Joshua yawned, turned off his laptop, and went to bed.
But just as he fell asleep, Lisa called. "Mr. Curtis, we're rich! Look at the stocks! It's all money!"
Joshua jumped out of bed, walked barefoot to his desk, and frantically refreshed his laptop.
Ten seconds later, he saw a nearly vertical rise in stock prices. Joshua rubbed his red eyes in disbelief. "Oh my God!"
Three days ago, this company was rock bottom, a bad investment. Now, in just three hours, it had turned around dramatically!
'Am I dreaming?' Joshua pinched his thigh hard, yelping in pain. He hugged his laptop, kissing and nibbling on it. The exhaustion of the past few days vanished.
Joshua cleaned up thoroughly, washing his greasy hair three times, shaving off all the stubble, and even spraying some cologne. He happily went to work.
The company was buzzing with joy. When Joshua arrived, everyone started praising him.
"Mr. Curtis, you have such great vision!"
"Who would've thought Mr. Curtis's persistence would pay off!"
"Good thing we listened to Mr. Curtis!"
Joshua was pleased but knew he had just backed Luann's choice. Without her, he wouldn't have invested in that company, even if his life depended on it.
"Alright, everyone, don't get too excited. This is just the beginning. We need to wait for the stock price to stabilize."
Everyone nodded eagerly. They finally saw hope.
After the crowd dispersed, Joshua walked over to Luann, who was lazily leaning on the desk.
"Congratulations."
Joshua felt a bit embarrassed. "Congratulate me for what? Are you being polite? The company we invested in was your pick. This is your credit."
Luann raised an eyebrow. 'That's rare. Given Joshua's past, he'd usually take all the credit. Now he's being modest?'
"But I have a question." Joshua leaned closer to Luann, whispering, "How did you know that company had potential? Tell me, so I can learn too."
Luann smiled lightly. "I think it's better if I don't tell you."
Joshua felt displeased. "Come on, we're partners now, and we'll be managing Aspire Securities together. We're this close. No need to keep secrets, right? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone!"
Joshua knew investing required skill, vision, and luck. If Luann shared some tips, it might help him in the future.
Luann sighed. "Do you really want to know?"
Joshua nodded eagerly. "Yes!"
Luann hummed, looked around, and gestured for him to come closer.
Joshua leaned in. Her warm breath brushed against his ear, sending shivers down his spine. He heard her melodious voice slowly say, "Because..."
Joshua's heart pounded, almost jumping out of his throat. He wasn't sure if it was because Luann was so close or because he was excited she was about to share her secret.
"Because I own that company."
Joshua was stunned. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, shattering all his mixed emotions. He shivered in shock, looking at her in disbelief. "What? What did you say? Are you joking? This joke isn't funny at all."
Luann just smiled without saying anything.
Joshua struggled internally for a long time before he finally spoke, "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?"
He thought, 'So the money Aspire Securities made is based on Luann's foundation? Without her company, they'd still be bankrupt?'
"I just started it for fun and didn't pay much attention to it, only visiting two or three times. It wasn't a big deal, so I didn't tell you."
Joshua listened to her casual words and felt defeated. As if starting a company was as simple as having a meal for Luann.
Joshua made a stop gesture. "Wait, let me process this first. I'm afraid I might jump off the balcony."
