Chapter 54

Moon's appearance in the forum thread sent the entire comment section into an uproar.

Curiosity ran wild, and someone finally asked outright,"Moon, how do you really feel about Black Dawn Tech? Is it a long-term play or a sinking ship?"

His answer came fast and without hesitation. "A sinking ship."

Agreement between Moon and Luna was practically unheard of. Renowned for their legendary rivalry and constant sparring in financial circles, these two rarely landed on the same side of a bet. Yet here they were-both seeing nothing good in Black Dawn Tech's prospects.

Speculation spread at lightning speed after that. Two giants raising red flags? Clearly, something big must be brewing behind closed doors.

Meanwhile,Roger's glare bored holes into his monitor, his mood growing darker with every new comment.

What the hell was going on? One after another, these titans kept lining up against him. Did they truly think Black Dawn Tech was so weak, or was it just personal contempt?

Worse than the negativity itself was the sheer weight Luna and Moon carried. Their opinions had the power to move mountains-or topple them. With their influence and hordes of followers, the market's faith could crumble overnight, sending Black Dawn Tech's shares into free fall the next morning.

Meanwhile, Alexia logged into her account. The thread had already exploded, comments racing past ten thousand.

She scrolled the replies, stopping as soon as Moon's name appeared.

A sly grin crept across her face. "I even managed to drag him out of hiding."

Moon's reputation preceded him. One of the few players who could keep pace with her, no matter how wild the game got. Luna-her alter ego-loved stirring chaos in the markets, while Moon fashioned himself as a self-styled guardian of order, always swooping in to rein in loose cannons.

Eyes narrowing at his message, Alexia murmured, "Not bad at all."

In a world ruled by profit and power, Moon stood alone as the only rival she ever truly admired. Their clashes in the financial arena stretched back years, each one more intense than the last.

Black Dawn Tech's polished image never fooled her. Outsiders might fall for the buzz, but all she saw was a hollow facade. Just anotheroncept stock" whipped into a frenzy-an empty promise on the verge of collapse.

When she shared her latest portfolio, it was little more than a courtesy. The real onslaught had only just begun.

Alexia scrolled through the avalanche of opinions, letting the chatter wash over her, until a flood of messages from Zayne broke through her focus.

She didn't waste a second. Without opening a single one, she blocked him outright.

Barely a heartbeat passed before another chat popped up-this time, Moon's name flashed across the screen.

"Are you shorting Black Dawn Tech?"

A spark of excitement danced in Alexia's eyes as she typed her reply."That company's nothing but hot air.Leaving money on the table would be the real crime. What's the plan, Moon? You here to play sheriff again?"

"No interest in policing you."

A quiet laugh escaped her. "Oh? And what if Black Dawn Tech tries to hire you to go after me?"

"They wouldn't have the budget."

A sly grin played at the corners of Alexia's mouth. "Funny coming from you. Didn't you once leap to the rescue of a handful of mediocre firms? Seemed like you just wanted to mess with me."

"That was personal. I just couldn't stand you."

A laugh nearly slipped from Alexia, but before she could type out a comeback, a fresh notification interrupted her.

"But Black Dawn Tech? That company annoys me even more."

Almost immediately, a file attachment landed in her chat. Alexia clicked it open and her whole demeanor sharpened. The file was packed with privileged data-a deep dive into Black Dawn Tech's shadowy dealings, the sort of analysis reserved for executives.

What truly rattled her wasn't the dirt inside-it was how perfectly it matched her own secret findings, point for point.

Clearly,Moon's reach matched her own.

Alexia let her gaze linger on his username, the spark of a challenge in her eyes."So,you've been busy."

Waylon snapped his laptop shut and turned to Simon. "Everything on track for tomorrow's opening bell?"

"All preparations made, just as you requested," Simon responded with a crisp nod.

Waylon's fingers drummed an unhurried rhythm on the tabletop. "Excellent. Time to surf Luna's wave."

A trace of a smirk pulled at his lips when he thought of Gibson Group. That one was ripe for the fall.

The following morning, chaos erupted the moment markets opened. Black Dawn Tech's shares collapsed-panic selling everywhere. The company's staggering losses set off alarm bells. Enraged, Allen rang Roger and tore into him with a furious barrage.

After weathering the onslaught, Roger pressed his hands to his forehead, fatigue hitting him like a tidal wave.

A sinking dread gnawed at his insides. Every instinct screamed that this plummet was just the first sign of much bigger trouble looming.

Alexia followed her daily routine-she glanced over the markets, then drove over to Afoross University for the day's work.

She hadn't even turned off the engine when her phone started to buzz. Ada's name lit up her screen."Alexia, have you seen what's trending? Marilee's back at it!"

Annoyance creased Alexia's brow as she unlocked her phone and scrolled to her social feed.

The latest trending topic was impossible to miss-#StolenLifeForTwentyYears was climbing fast.

Curiosity piqued, she tapped on the hashtag. The first video to appear was Marilee, eyes glistening as she delivered a heart-wrenching interview for"Power Playersa high-profile feature. Through tears and shaky breaths, Marilee painted herself as the victim-a privileged life stolen by an imposter from the slums, lost for two whole decades. Her fragile act pulled the online crowd to her side, a tidal wave of sympathy flooding every comment section.