Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 214

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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214. Of course! Absolutely!

Fifth Avenue 768, New York.
Debra, her long brown hair cascading down to her shoulders bound tightly with a ribbon, stood fidgeting anxiously beside the fountain across from the Plaza Hotel, a large shoulder bag slung over her arm.
Just as she kept glancing down at the watch on her wrist, a blonde woman in a hotel uniform with a coat draped over it hurried across the crosswalk.
It was Sarah, her friend and informant.

“Over here!”

Debra called out, raising her hand.
Sarah spotted her and quickly approached, speaking as she drew near.

“You got here fast.”
“I happened to be nearby, so I rushed right over.”

Sarah glanced around to ensure no one was watching before speaking in a hushed, rapid whisper.

“I snuck out during my shift, so I need to get back inside quickly.”
“Got it.”

Debra nodded and asked the most crucial question first.

“Are you absolutely certain the Eldorado Fund representative is staying in the Penthouse?”
“Do I look like I’d lie to you?”

Sarah answered with a sidelong glance, and Debra quickly placated her, worried she might take offense.

“Of course not. I’m just asking to be thorough.”

Sarah’s coy expression softened, and she spoke again.

“That’s right. Every time he stays, the Eldorado Fund covers the accommodation charges. And more importantly, I heard the Manager himself say that he’s the representative. So it’s definitely him.”
!

The moment Debra confirmed she’d landed a genuine scoop, her face flushed with excitement.
She gripped the bag on her shoulder tightly, looking as though she might dash toward the Hotel Penthouse at any second.

“Is he in his room right now?”
“He ordered lunch through room service, so he should be.”
“That makes sense.”

As Debra’s eyes sparkled, Sarah crossed her arms and asked.

“You’re not seriously thinking of storming straight into the Penthouse, are you?”
“The man’s famous for never showing his face in media interviews—what’s wrong with his personality or something? There’s no way the direct approach will work. I have to force my way in and get that interview!”

Debra clenched her fists, burning with determination.
She had sent dozens of interview requests and letters to the Eldorado Fund, only to be rejected each time.
That rejection fueled her stubbornness, but her motivation ran deeper than mere spite.
Recently, the Eldorado Fund had made headlines on Wall Street again after selling knock-in-knock-out options in Japan for substantial profits. If she could land the first interview with the mysterious fund manager, it would boost her company’s stock price—or so her calculations suggested.

“Hmph.”

Seeing Debra fully charged for battle, Sarah shook her head with a firm expression.

“That’s not happening.”
“Why not?”

Debra, who had been poised to charge like a wild boar, looked at Sarah in confusion.

“The Penthouse guests have their own private elevator. Plus, staff members can’t even access the floor where the Penthouse is located unless they’re authorized. How exactly do you plan to get up there?”

Debra faltered for a moment, then set her jaw stubbornly.

“He won’t stay in his room all day. I’ll catch him when he comes down to the lobby or the restaurant.”
“Ugh. I knew you’d say that.”

Sarah let out a small sigh.

“I don’t care if you embarrass yourself in front of people. But what about me?”

Debra blinked at her blankly, and Sarah’s brow furrowed.

“If you cause a scene and the Penthouse guest files a complaint, they’ll investigate how word got out that he’s staying at the hotel. If I get caught, I’m fired on the spot. Or worse—I might get sued.”

Debra, who had been too thrilled at the thought of landing a scoop to consider the consequences, suddenly realized her mistake and apologized with a sheepish expression.

“I’m sorry.”

Debra turned her head away, avoiding Sarah’s disappointed gaze.

“So what do we do?”

Sarah watched her for a moment, then pressed her forehead with an exasperated expression.

“I’m crazy for spouting off whatever came to mind after drinking.”

Then she pointed at Debra with her finger.

“Absolutely no approaching me inside the Hotel.”
“That’s ridiculous. You’re telling me to just sit around twiddling my thumbs?”

Debra protested indignantly.

“That’s not what I said.”

Sarah scoffed and continued.

“Whenever I stay at the Hotel, if the weather’s nice, I go jogging around Central Park. Try to approach me then.”

Debra’s eyes immediately brightened as her spirits lifted.

“Really?”
“Yeah. Tomorrow’s supposed to be clear with warming temperatures, so I’ll probably head out for a jog.”
“Sarah! You’re the best!”

Debra threw her arms around Sarah in an embrace.

“Ugh, get off me.”

Sarah forcibly peeled Debra away and extended her palm.

“That’s enough. I need to get back inside, so pay up.”
“Of course I will.”

Debra handed over a bundle of twenty-dollar bills she’d prepared in advance, folded in half and bound with a rubber band, which Sarah quickly accepted and stuffed into her coat pocket.

“Right. When you’re out and about, one of my bodyguards will always be following you, so be careful.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get that interview no matter what.”

As Debra answered with firm resolve, Sarah let out a soft laugh.

“I really should get going now.”

With that, she turned and hurriedly crossed the crosswalk as the signal changed.
Left alone on her side of the street, Debra gazed up at the towering Plaza Hotel across the way, her chest swelling with anticipation.

* * *

The morning arrived cloudless and bright, the sun’s warmth pouring down unlike the previous day.
Central Park, New York’s iconic landmark, was filled with people in casual athletic wear jogging along the winding paths.
Among them, a dark-haired man ran at a steady pace—it was Seok-won.
Bockus, broad-shouldered and imposing, followed several paces behind, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.
Though the five-star Plaza Hotel boasted a well-equipped fitness center, there was nothing quite like running in this crisp, fresh air for a mental refresh.
While Manhattan had no shortage of luxury hotels, one reason I always stayed at the Plaza Hotel when visiting New York was precisely because Central Park lay right before it—perfect for jogging.
Seok-won ran lightly along the path, earbuds in place, listening to music.

Meanwhile, Debra had risen before dawn and made her way to Gapstow Bridge, located within Central Park.
The arched stone bridge, built to cross over Turtle Pond—named for the turtles that climb out to swim—was a famous photography spot, its beauty enhanced by the surrounding trees and the towering Manhattan skyscrapers rising in the distance.

“Yawn.”

Debra yawned repeatedly as she checked her face in a compact mirror.
Heavy makeup didn’t suit athletic wear, so she’d kept her makeup minimal, just enough to bring out a healthy complexion.
By her original plan, she should have been spending Christmas getting drunk with friends and cursing her ex-boyfriend to ease the pain of their breakup, then sprawling in bed for hours afterward.

“Ugh. It’s freezing.”

Shivering in the cold, she pulled her hat down low.
Fully bundled up in a jacket, gloves, and beanie, Debra grumbled with a drowsy expression.

“It’s already past nine. Why hasn’t he shown up?”

Having arrived at seven in the morning to wait, just in case she missed him, her anxiety was understandable.

“What if he took a different route?”

As I muttered to myself in growing agitation, I sensed movement from ahead. Debra craned her neck to see who was approaching.
But contrary to my expectations, the figure that appeared was a short-haired woman wearing a jumper tied around her waist and a form-fitting outfit that left nothing to the imagination.
Debra’s expression fell with disappointment, but as the woman passed in front of me, I found my gaze drifting downward at the sight of her ample curves.

“….”

And then came the unmistakable sting of relative deprivation.
Debra possessed both a beautiful face and an attractive figure—so much so that people had suggested I consider modeling—yet my one source of insecurity was my modest upper body.
I watched as the woman crossed over and disappeared to the other side, and I couldn’t help but grumble to myself.

“It’s freezing out here. Why would anyone wear a tank top in this weather?”

As I indulged in this petty jealousy, the sound of footsteps echoed again.
I turned my head without thinking and my eyes lit up at the sight of a handsome young Asian man, striking as a model, jogging toward me alongside a muscular Black man.

“Excuse me! Just a moment!”

I busily swung my arms as if stretching, then timed my movements to block Seok-won’s path as he tried to pass.
Startled, Seok-won stopped in his tracks, and Bockus, who had been following behind, quickly rushed forward and shielded him with his massive frame.

“Who are you!”

The intimidating tone made me flinch for a moment, but I steeled myself and pulled out my credentials from my pocket.

“I’m a CNBC reporter. Would you mind giving me a brief interview?”
“A reporter?”

Seok-won’s eyes narrowed as he responded coldly.

“Since when do reporters have the right to behave so rudely?”
“I apologize for that. But after submitting interview requests dozens of times, only to be rejected each time, I had no choice but to resort to this.”

Seok-won regulated his breathing, which had grown slightly rough from his run, and wore an expression of exasperation.
Debra was the first person to come at him so directly and unreasonably after he’d rejected an interview request.
Only then did Seok-won slowly examine Debra, who stood blocking his path.
A slender jawline and large brown eyes.
Despite her face being nearly bare of makeup, she was quite a beauty.
Though she appeared not to pay much attention to her appearance, with just a bit of proper styling, she could rival most models.
But what captured Seok-won’s attention more than such feminine charm was Debra’s passion for her reporting.
Uncertain as it was whether they would even meet, the fact that she’d come out to the walking path early in the morning despite the cold weather and waited for him spoke volumes about her tenacity.
Seok-won glanced at the tips of Debra’s trembling hands, which showed she was feeling the cold, and spoke with an expressionless face.

“Rejecting an interview request is simply expressing that I don’t wish to do an interview. I’ll let it slide this time, but if you do this again, I’ll file a formal complaint with your company.”

Yet Debra didn’t give up despite his cold attitude and clung to him persistently.

“You know there’s a lot of interest in the Eldorado Fund on Wall Street, right? If you’d like, I can prepare a questionnaire and get approval in advance—please, just one interview.”

As Seok-won was about to ignore her and move on, his phone rang.
He stopped and pulled his mobile phone from his pocket.

“Hello.”
[Are you busy right now?]

At Kinsley’s voice, Seok-won’s expression relaxed slightly as he replied.

“No. I was just finishing my morning workout.”
[You’re quite diligent.]

Kinsley laughed briefly before apologizing.

[But I’m sorry—it looks like I won’t be able to make it today after all.]
“Is something wrong?”
[The shoot is taking longer than expected, so it looks like I won’t be able to get back to New York today.]

I’d thought I’d finally get to see her face again, but as a famous model, Kinsley was busy too, it seemed.

“That’s unfortunate, but if you have work, there’s nothing to be done. We’ll see each other next time then.”
[I’m really sorry.]

Even as they spoke, he could hear her manager shouting on the other end of the line that they’d be on standby in five minutes.

“It’s fine, just call me next time.”

Seok-won hung up the phone after saying that.
While I was disappointed not to see Kinsley, since we were still just good friends rather than lovers, there was no real sense of regret.
As I was about to pocket my phone and move on, I paused for a moment, then turned my head to look at Debra.
She was blocked by Bockus, who stood like an immovable wall, and could only bounce on her toes behind him in frustration.
Remembering that my afternoon had opened up since my plans with Kinsley had fallen through, I suddenly blurted out on a whim.

“Come to the hotel where I’m staying in an hour.”
“Pardon? What did you say?”

Debra’s eyes widened as she asked me to repeat myself.

“You wanted an interview, didn’t you? In exchange, I’ll review the edited version first, and if there’s anything problematic, it won’t air.”

For a moment, Debra doubted her own ears at my matter-of-fact tone, then hurriedly nodded her head.

“Yes, yes. Of course!”

Without responding, I simply turned and ran across the bridge again.

“You’re having quite the lucky day, Miss Reporter. Maybe you should buy a lottery ticket.”

Bockus offered a brief remark before immediately following after me.
Left alone behind us, Debra stood dumbfounded for a while, then threw a punch into the air.

“Yes! I did it! I actually pulled it off!”

Hearing her cry from behind me, I chuckled softly, plugged my earbuds back in, and continued running.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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