Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 216

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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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216. Since time is limited, shall we begin right away?

“Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview despite your busy schedule.”

Debra’s face was slightly flushed as she delivered her closing remarks, having unexpectedly landed such an exclusive story.

“Yan. Did the recording come out well?”
“Of course.”

Yan pulled his eye away from the camera viewfinder and made an okay sign by curling one finger into a circle.
Debra, who had straightened her head, looked at Seok-won, who was sitting with one leg crossed, and asked carefully.

“Won’t it be problematic if it becomes known that you’re holding a short position?”

If word got out that the Eldorado Fund had taken a short position in a specific stock or commodity, there was a risk that others would deliberately drive up the price to trigger a short squeeze against us.
That’s why keeping our position hidden was the most critical factor when shorting.
But Seok-won showed no concern whatsoever, picking up the teacup in front of him, taking a sip of coffee, and setting it back down before speaking.

“It doesn’t matter. If they come after me and the crash unfolds as I expect, panic selling will intensify, and the decline will be far greater than anticipated.”

Seeing his confident demeanor, she felt relieved that he probably wouldn’t ask her to edit out what he’d just said.

“You seem quite certain the market will crash.”

Debra asked with a hint of defiance, as if testing him.

“I wouldn’t be betting such a large sum if I weren’t confident.”
“You won’t tell me how much you’ve wagered on the short?”

Seok-won answered with a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
She hadn’t really expected him to tell her anyway, so she didn’t feel particularly disappointed and tilted her head in acknowledgment.

“In any case, I hope you achieve good results.”

Just then, Bockus, who had been standing a short distance away, stepped over to Seok-won’s side and held out his phone.

“Boss. It’s a call from Landon Shore.”

Seok-won took the phone while remaining seated on the sofa.

“It’s me.”
[Did the interview go well?]
“Well, it went okay.”
[I was quite surprised when you suddenly decided to do an interview with CNBC, since you seemed to avoid media exposure.]
“It’s not that I dislike it—I just didn’t see the necessity. It’s bothersome, too.”
[So your thinking has changed now?]
“No. I’ll do it if it’s absolutely necessary, but I have no intention of stepping forward on my own.”
[Then I’ll maintain our current approach toward the media.]
“Do that.”
[Right. And you do remember that you agreed to attend the NRDC year-end charity fundraiser this evening, correct?]

The NRDC was a nonprofit international environmental advocacy organization headquartered in New York.
Founded in 1970, it had offices in several major cities including Washington D.C and Chicago, and boasted a membership of 2.4 million worldwide, making it a considerably large and influential organization.
Every year at the end of the year, it held a charity gala to raise donations, attended not only by famous celebrities but also by major figures from Wall Street and the political world.
Though I didn’t have any particular strong interest in environmental protection, the Eldorado Fund made substantial donations to several organizations for tax purposes, and NRDC was one of them.
Naturally, this year they had sent an invitation to the year-end charity gala, and normally I would have simply sent a donation without attending.
However, this time I happened to be staying in New York, and it was a good opportunity to naturally network with prominent figures from various fields, so I had planned to bring Kinsley as my partner.

“Ah, right.”

Seok-won, who had momentarily forgotten, belatedly responded.

“It was supposed to be a partner-inclusive event, wasn’t it?”
[It’s not strictly necessary, but since everyone else is bringing a partner, attending alone might feel a bit awkward.]
“I suppose so.”
[Is there some kind of problem?]
“Well….”

At that moment, Seok-won’s eyes caught sight of Debra helping Yan gather his belongings.

“It’s nothing.”
[Then I’ll assume you’ll be attending the charity gala as planned.]
“Yes.”

After ending the call, Seok-won returned the phone to Bockus.
Then, turning his body toward Debra while remaining seated, he asked.

“When can I get the edited version?”
“You should be able to see it within two days at the latest.”

Seok-won nodded at Debra’s assurance that she would work as quickly as possible.

“Don’t forget your promise that if we point out any issues on our end, you’ll remove those sections.”
“Of course.”

Debra smacked her lips, certain he would scrutinize everything meticulously.

“And do you happen to have time this evening?”
“I’m sorry?”

Debra paused and looked at him.
Yan, standing beside her, stopped placing his camera in his bag and glanced between them with a startled expression.
A brief silence fell, and after composing herself, Debra asked with studied nonchalance.

“Um… why are you asking that?”
“It’s not quite instead of the interview, but if you don’t have other plans, I’d like you to spend the evening with me.”

I could feel Yan’s interested gaze from beside me.
His eyes seemed to ask if something had developed between us in the meantime.

‘Is this… a date proposal?’

Debra suppressed her racing heart and replied coolly.

“I apologize, but it’s my principle not to have personal meetings with interview subjects.”
“I see. I needed a partner to attend the NRDC year-end charity gala with me, so I apologize if that was presumptuous.”
“…!”

At his unexpected words, Debra’s eyes widened as she asked.

“Did you just say the NRDC year-end charity gala?”
“Yes. My original partner suddenly had something come up, so I ended up attending alone.”

Upon hearing this, Debra swallowed hard without realizing it.
The NRDC year-end charity gala, attended by titans of finance and entertainment, was a place she could never have dreamed of attending.
If she could establish even the slightest connection with the attendees, it would undoubtedly prove invaluable for her career as a journalist.
Beyond that, she might even uncover a scoop from the conversations between these powerful figures.

“But since you dislike it, there’s nothing I can do.”
“Wait. Hold on!”

Debra hastily cut him off.
Her carefully constructed image was about to crumble, but the bait was far too tempting to refuse.

‘What kind of man asks only once and gives up? Out of courtesy, he should ask at least twice!’

But with the NRDC year-end charity gala on the line, she was in no position to be picky.
Debra flashed a bright smile as she responded.

“You seem quite troubled, so I’ll make an exception this time.”
“You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with it.”
“No, really! Since I was rude this morning, I’ll be happy to go as your partner.”

Seok-won caught the desperate gleam in Debra’s eyes that contradicted her words, and he suppressed an amused smile.

“Then I appreciate it.”
“Of course!”

Debra turned to Yan, who was standing awkwardly beside her, barely containing her excitement.

“You heard that, right? Sorry, but could you handle the cleanup?”

Yan looked at Debra with a skeptical expression before letting out a deep sigh.

“Fine. I got it.”

Yan gathered his belongings and slung his camera bag over his shoulder, then whispered to her.

“Have fun on your date.”

Debra shot him a look and jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

“That’s not what I meant.”
“Sure you didn’t.”

Yan gathered his belongings with a playful smile and left the Penthouse first.
Then Debra, watching me from where I sat on the sofa, asked with eager anticipation.

“So what time are we heading to the party?”
“I heard it starts around 6 o’clock.”

Debra glanced at the watch on her wrist and murmured thoughtfully.

“Hmm. That’s going to be quite tight for preparation then.”

The clothes she was wearing were presentable and neat, but hardly suitable for a party.
At that moment, Seok-won spoke as if he already knew what I was thinking.

“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“What do you mean?”

When Debra looked at me with a puzzled expression, Seok-won snapped his fingers, summoning Bockus who was standing to one side.

“Call the concierge for me.”
“Yes, sir.”

Shortly after, the dedicated concierge who provided any service the Penthouse guests desired arrived after receiving the call.
Since VIP Penthouse clients required meticulous and refined service, the dedicated concierge was also a well-groomed, experienced middle-aged man.
The concierge wearing a nameplate that read Brandon Light bowed respectfully and asked.

“Is there anything you require, sir?”
“I’m planning to attend the NRDC year-end charity gala this evening with this lady, but as you can see, she’s not quite ready yet.”

Brandon then turned his gaze toward Debra, who was sitting on the sofa to the left.
He quickly assessed her outfit and hairstyle, then straightened up and asked.

“How extensively should I prepare her?”
“Everything—from head to toe.”

Brandon rolled up his sleeves, checked the time, and nodded.

“The timeline is a bit tight, but I’ll make sure to prepare something you’ll be pleased with.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Is there anything else you’d particularly like?”
“Ah, if possible, I’d prefer the clothes and bags to be Gucci products.”

Even in this situation, Seok-won didn’t forget to promote his own brand.

“Fortunately, there’s a Gucci boutique at the Bergdorf Goodman right next to our Hotel, so that shouldn’t be difficult.”
“That works out perfectly.”
“Since we’re pressed for time, shall we start right away?”

As Seok-won nodded, Brandon excused himself briefly and left the guest room.

“Do we really… have to go to all this trouble?”

Debra, who had been listening to the conversation with a blank expression, tilted her head slightly to one side.

“I think just preparing a party dress should be enough…”
“While it’s called a fundraiser, in reality it’s a social gathering where prominent figures from all walks of life come together. You do know that, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sure all the women attending as partners will come dressed to the nines. If you show up looking half-hearted, you’ll stand out in all the wrong ways.”

At an event like that, anyone would certainly dress impeccably.
Just imagining herself floating awkwardly among women draped in glittering dresses and dazzling jewels made her eyes instinctively squeeze shut.

“Besides, I don’t want to see Debra looking intimidated at the event after she’s done me the favor of accompanying me.”

Debra realized that Seok-won had an unexpectedly kind side and nodded with renewed enthusiasm.

“If that’s the reason, I understand.”

Shortly after, Brandon reappeared, bringing with him a whole team of makeup and hair artists from somewhere.

“Let’s start by doing your hair and makeup from scratch.”

A woman with hair dyed a vibrant red smiled widely and led Debra into an inner room.

“Leave it to me. I’ll transform you into something absolutely stunning!”

The woman who introduced herself as Sally immediately seated Debra in a chair and had her remove her clothes first.

“We’ll take care of the clothes you were wearing separately.”

With that, one person dressed her in a hotel robe, another began massaging her feet, and yet another handed her a straw and said it was water to reduce bloating.

“Um, excuse me…”
“It’s fine. It’s all fine!”

I had no idea what was supposed to be fine, but as the people around me bustled about frantically, I found myself being swept along helplessly.

“You have such lovely hair. If we add some waves here, you’ll look even more beautiful!”
“Oh. Yes, I suppose.”

Just then came a knock at the door, and another group of people pushed in mobile racks laden with clothes—so many clothes that it seemed they’d emptied an entire store.
Debra’s expression turned weary at the sheer volume of garments.

“We brought everything we could on short notice!”
“Good work. What about bags and shoes?”
“Right here.”

In an instant, the room filled with boxes bearing the Gucci logo.

“We don’t have much time. Let’s prepare ten of the best options first.”
“Yes!”

At Sally’s words, Debra interjected in alarm.

“Do I really have to try on ten outfits?”
“It’s fine. We can do it!”
“But I’m worried it might be too much…”

She attempted a mild protest, but it was drowned out by Sally’s hearty laughter.
While Debra sat helplessly in the chair receiving hair and nail care, the staff huddled behind her, deliberating at length over which dresses to select.
Sally carefully curated five dresses from her selections, hung them in a row on a rack, and displayed them before Debra’s eyes.

“Which of these appeals to you?”

They all wore equally elegant and expensive-looking dresses, so she hesitated and couldn’t decide easily.
Brandon, who had been watching silently, gently interjected with some advice.

“Since distinguished guests will be attending, wouldn’t it be better to choose something elegant without being too flashy?”
“Yes. That sounds good.”
“Ah, is that so? Then this black dress and… the blue one would also suit you well. Hmm.”

Sally picked three more dresses and pushed Debra toward the fitting room to try them on.

“How does it look?”
“Wow. It’s stunning!”

Just by changing clothes, Debra’s reflection in the full-length mirror had transformed completely.

“It’s not bad, but it feels a bit too conservative.”
“I think it would be fine to boldly expose the shoulders.”

Brandon and Sally exchanged words and began the process of selecting dresses again.
Debra, who had been reluctantly dragged along, soon found herself absorbed in the styling process, thinking that something that sparkled more under the lighting would be better.
After trying on several more outfits, the final choice was an elegant black dress.
The neckline and shoulders were exposed, creating a soft, flowing line, and the cubic crystals embroidered throughout the fabric sparkled brilliantly like stars with every movement.
And next came the matter of selecting shoes.
She tried on shoes spread out from Debra’s closet—there seemed to be several times more than what she already owned—and that took quite some time as well.
After selecting the dress and shoes and finally completing the hair styling and makeup perfectly, the afternoon had already passed and evening was approaching.

“Is this really me?”

Debra was startled by her unrecognizable transformation and turned this way and that in front of the full-length mirror.

“You look so beautiful. You’ll definitely stand out at the party!”
“Phew. It was tight, but fortunately we managed to finish everything in time.”

Sally clapped her hands and kept saying how well it suited her, and Brandon wore a satisfied smile on his face.

“The CEO will be waiting, so shall we head out now?”

Debra nodded with a nervous expression and followed Brandon to the living room.

“It’s all done.”

With Central Park fading into twilight behind me, I lifted my head from the sofa where I’d been sitting.
Watching Debra emerge from the room with careful, measured steps, my eyes widened in genuine astonishment.

“You look absolutely stunning.”

As I smiled broadly, satisfied with the result, Debra’s cheeks flushed with shy delight.

“You went to so much trouble.”
“I’m glad you’re pleased.”

Brandon Light bowed his head as he spoke.

“Though there is one thing that feels incomplete.”
“What do you mean?”

At her puzzled expression, a luxurious velvet case suddenly appeared in my hand.
As I opened it, a necklace and earrings adorned with diamonds gleamed into view.

“A woman as beautiful as you deserves jewels to match her elegance.”
“This must be incredibly expensive.”

At her hesitant expression, I shrugged lightly.

“Don’t worry—it’s not as extravagant as all that.”

I removed the necklace and held it carefully in both hands, fastening it around her neck. Debra’s face flushed crimson without her realizing it.
Each time my fingers brushed her skin with deliberate gentleness, her heart raced so wildly she thought it might burst.

“Perfect. It suits you beautifully.”
“…Thank you.”

Worried her face might actually catch fire, Debra gazed into the mirror.
In that instant when our eyes met through the reflection, her heart plummeted.

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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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