A Wall Street Genius's Final Investment Playbook-Chapter 203

“If Gerrard acts according to my Black Swan prediction and the Marquis still suffers a loss, I’ll take on half of that loss myself.”

Gerrard’s eyes widened.

It was quite a bold declaration on my part.

I was saying that I’d shoulder the burden if things failed.

Of course, there was a reason behind making such an outrageous promise.

‘Because I know exactly when the collapse will happen.’

What I told Gerrard about ‘needing to monitor the situation’ was a lie.

I didn’t remember the exact date, but I was sure it would be in June.

With that much information, there’s no way I’d fail.

So in a situation with zero risk of loss, there’s no reason I can’t make bold verbal promises.

Of course, I’m the only one who knows that.

“You’re willing to go that far? Why?”

To Gerrard’s suspicious voice, I gave a soft smile.

“Of course, I’m not making this offer for free. Naturally, there’s a condition.”

“A condition?”

“There’s no way I’d take responsibility for your failure for no reason, right?”

“……”

A kingmaker isn’t just someone who helps a crown prince.

The essence of the relationship between a successor and a kingmaker lies in a kind of contract, not goodwill.

In return for creating the throne, the kingmaker has the right to demand something equivalent.

“So… what’s the condition?”

“I’m considering entering the AI field. What do you think about co-founding a venture for pet healthcare? I’ll provide the AI technology, and Gerrard can provide the medical data for training.”

On the surface, my condition seemed simple.

A joint business using AI and data.

Gerrard appeared noticeably relieved upon hearing it.

“If that’s all…”

“I’d like to establish it within this month.”

“…This month?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re asking for the reward upfront.”

“You could say that.”

Yes.

Instead of waiting until after my prediction successfully solves the problem, I was asking for compensation now, while the outcome was still uncertain.

“Is there a reason you’re in such a hurry?”

Of course, there was a reason.

‘The earlier I get the data, the better.’

For me, the most important thing is time.

I need to secure veterinary data as quickly as possible and start AI training.

But there’s no advantage in revealing that I’m in a rush.

“Wouldn’t that be the fair thing to do?”

I shrugged and answered lightly.

“Gerrard said he’d trust my words unconditionally, but honestly, I can’t be certain. Yet I’m taking on half of the potential loss—doesn’t that mean I’m bearing too much risk alone? I’m just trying to balance things out.”

“…….”

“If you’re not interested, feel free to reject the offer. I’m a busy person, after all…”

“No, it’s not that I’m not interested.”

Only after I stood up did Gerrard hastily reveal his true feelings.

“But if I go along with what you said… then I have to suddenly ask the adults for full authority and establish a joint pet AI venture out of nowhere? Won’t it look strange to those who doubt my qualifications?”

“Being able to push through even against suspicion and opposition is the power of full authority. You need the resolve to say, ‘I’ll take full responsibility, so don’t interfere.’ After that, you just prove it with results.”

Gerrard still looked clearly hesitant.

‘As expected, he’s not quite up to it.’

Still, I had to make this guy king, no matter what.

‘I’ve already persuaded him with logic and terms…Now only one task remains.’

I deliberately spoke in a light tone.

“Of course, you can forget my proposal. After all, the current decision-makers are probably the elders of another house, so it might be difficult for you to speak up.”

“……”

“Besides, there’s no need to take on risk, right? Even if it takes some time, you’ll eventually rise to be an executive of your house. Honestly, taking the safe path brings the most peace of mind.”

“……”

“Above all, there’s a saying in the East: ‘If a wagtail tries to follow a stork, it’ll tear its legs.’ If you push yourself too hard, you might lose what you already have. The wisest thing is to advance only as far as you can handle. Not everyone is suited to be a leader.”

Just stay quiet and leave things to the adults.

You’re just a wagtail.

Born not as a leader, but a follower.

After I scratched at him repeatedly with those kinds of messages, Gerrard finally clenched his jaw and opened his mouth.

“It’s not that I won’t do it. But this is such a big decision that I need more time to think… Can I get back to you later?”

“Of course.”

I nodded obediently.

Making a decision like seizing the throne on impulse is dangerous.

It must be made only after weighing all factors and calculating every risk.

“Take your time to think.”

I smiled kindly.

But a terminal patient doesn’t have unlimited time to wait.

“Just contact me within a week.”

#

When I returned to the hotel, Crane was waiting with a bright expression.

While I was meeting with Gerrard, she had been talking with AI startups about the potential use of veterinary medical data…

Fortunately, the response was positive.

“They said it would be very useful for early model development and target validation. It could help in understanding basic biological mechanisms, and aid in pattern recognition or improving initial algorithm accuracy. Of course, clinical phases would require patient data, but…”

“So in short, it’s valuable for the early development phase.”

“Yes, they said they could start working right away if we just provide the data. When should I tell them we’ll deliver?”

“Tell them in a month.”

“Huh?”

Crane looked at me in surprise, but I replied with a relaxed smile.

“We might end up securing quite a promising partner. There’s a chance we’ll strike a joint venture with an animal hospital chain.”

“That’s… good news. But will we really be able to pull it off within a month?”

“Let’s prepare a contract to sign an MOU and launch a small pilot project within a month. That way, we can proceed with both the venture establishment and the partnership simultaneously.”

“Still, isn’t a month too tight?”

“No, it’s doable.”

Of course, this whole plan hinges on Gerrard making a decision.

But it wasn’t hard to push him to make that decision.

‘Since I’m thinking about it anyway, why not provoke him a bit more?’

I took out my smartphone and sent a short message.

<On second thought, it’s probably best you don’t do it. Stick to the safe path.>

Gerrard is weak to provocations, so if I keep poking, he’ll crack.

And if he doesn’t? I’ll just keep poking until he does.

With Gerrard roughly handled, now the remaining issue is…

‘Next AI, huh?’

In exchange for promising Alex a massive $1 billion investment, I gave him one condition.

Don’t cooperate with Stark.

Will he accept my proposal?

Fortunately, the answer was yes.

On the last day in California, Alex came to me and said this.

“I’ll do as you said, Sean. Let’s keep it that the founder remains just me.”

“Are you certain? I plan to include this as a binding clause. If violated, I’ll reclaim my entire investment.”

“Yes, I promise. After discussion within the team, we believe this is the right direction.”

Truly, the power of money was immense.

No matter how renowned Stark was, it couldn’t compare to the influence of the one billion dollars I offered.

After that, we discussed the details—where the investment would be used, project timelines, and a draft contract.

My role on the board was also included in the discussion.

“You’ll attend monthly meetings, and Sean will also oversee the exclusive Castleman team…”

The negotiations went smoothly.

After discussing the contract without issue, as we were wrapping up, I asked Alex a question.

“If all data is provided and you collaborate with other startups, how long do you think it would take to develop an AI model applicable to Castleman?”

“To be honest… it’s hard to predict at this point. Maybe 3–4 years?”

Three to four years.

That was far too long.

“I’d like to shorten that to two years.”

“Excuse me? Two years? Even 3–4 is the most optimistic scenario…”

“It’s our job to figure out how to make that happen.”

Since I already know the successful path for AI, I can reduce trial and error.

If so, development can proceed much faster.

Two years wasn’t impossible.

“It’d be great if I could shorten it even more…But realistically, this is the best I can do.”

Until then, just like I did with Dylan, I’d have no choice but to pull the trigger based on patient decisions.

I ended the meeting and reached out to shake hands.

“Well then, I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise. And as promised, I won’t approach Stark first, so don’t worry.”

But in Alex’s words, I caught a sense of foreboding.

In a few months, Stark will likely reach out to Alex himself.

What will Alex say when he turns down the offer?

What if my name is mentioned during that conversation?

Stark would immediately come find me and demand an explanation.

That was exactly what I wanted to avoid.

“Staying away from him is the best course.”

I made a quick decision.

“One more favor. If you ever meet Stark later, please don’t mention my name.”

“Sorry?”

Alex looked puzzled.

“You don’t want me to mention Sean in front of Stark?”

“My opposition to his involvement is purely because of the organization’s internal dynamics. But if that’s misunderstood as a personal grudge, it’ll be a problem.”

“I understand. Don’t worry.”

But would that be enough?

“I mean it. If possible, I’d even like to add a confidentiality clause to the contract.”

“What? In the contract?”

“If even the slightest rumor spreads, it could negatively affect my other investments.”

Seeing how firm I was, Alex still seemed confused, but I had no choice.

I even wanted to prevent employees from carelessly leaking anything.

My name must never reach his ears.

“I’m counting on you.”

The business trip to California had been a complete success.

Back in New York, I was swamped finishing up all the contracts I had secured.

Everything was going smoothly.

There wouldn’t be any major issues or new projects for a while.

With calm days ahead, I also had plenty of room to help Gerrard.

If I could make him owe me a favor…

But with a bit of breathing room, a new thought snuck into my head.

“Come to think of it…”

Speaking of debt, I too was in debt.

To none other than Pierce.

Back in the Goldman days, I owed him not once, but twice.

Once when I asked to be sent on a business trip to see Theranos’s facilities.

And again when I requested his help in forming a due diligence team for Theranos.

Quite a bit of time had passed since then, and I’d grown enough to gain significant recognition.

But Pierce still hadn’t said a word about the debt.

“Is he planning to wait as long as possible?”

The higher my position, the more he could collect from me.

But still.

That left an odd feeling in my gut.

What if he demands repayment just as I’m handling something important?

I hate the idea of my plans being shaken by external variables.

There was only one answer.

“It’s best to repay it now, while I’m free.” freewёbnoνel.com

And conveniently, there was a suitable incident on the horizon.

If I remembered correctly, Goldman would soon face a massive crisis.

“What if I step in to prevent that?”

Pierce would probably refuse, thinking ahead to the future.

But that didn’t matter.

If I want to repay, it’s not up to him.

Having decided that, I sent Pierce a message.

<Are you busy? How about grabbing a meal sometime soon?>

The reply came surprisingly fast.

<What’s going on?>

<I could even come today>

<Are you at the office now?>

He fired off messages one after another, not even giving me time to type a reply.

“What the…? Is something urgent going on?”

While I hesitated on what to say back, the door opened and my secretary peeked in.

“Sean, you have a visitor.”

“No way…”

Given how rushed the texts had been, I briefly wondered if Pierce had already arrived.

But that didn’t make sense.

And indeed, the person who appeared behind the secretary was someone completely different.

Blond hair and green eyes, always well-dressed—Gerrard.

But today, he wore a particularly grim expression.

After the secretary quietly closed the door and stepped out, Gerrard let out a heavy sigh and finally spoke.

“I went and did it.”

I looked at him and gave a calm smile.

“Why don’t you take your time and tell me what happened?”

Visit freewe𝑏nove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺 for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience