89th Street, Manhattan, New York.
In front of the Guggenheim Museum—famous for its spiral architecture that expands as it ascends—the scene was bustling with people, despite it being well past closing hours.
It was because the NRDC year-end charity gala was being held there tonight.
Luxury vehicles carrying attendees arrived one by one, and among them was the limousine carrying Seok-won and Debra, smoothly pulling up to the venue.
Draping a light shawl over her shoulders, Debra caught sight of the brightly illuminated museum through the car window and swallowed dryly.
"Are you nervous?"
"Not at all."
She replied with a deliberately nonchalant expression.
Her heart was pounding, but she didn't want to show any signs of weakness.
Seok-won, noticing how her slender fingers were slightly trembling as they gripped the small Gucci clutch on her lap, chose to overlook it and instead spoke in a reassuring tone.
"Even if they're big-na celebrities or Wall Street moguls, they're just people like anyone else. There's no need to be intimidated—just act naturally."
Since they had agreed to call each other by na earlier at the hotel, Debra responded in a slightly sulky tone.
"That might be easy for you, Seok-won, but not for ."
"If you let them see your nerves, they'll just ignore you. The key is confidence. What happened to that boldness you had when you confronted
this morning?"
"I'd really appreciate it if you could forget about that already."
Debra shot him a glare.
At the ti, she had been so eager for an interview that she had recklessly thrown herself into the situation. Thinking back now, she was lucky she hadn't been reported to the police and dragged away.
As Debra muttered to herself about how crazy she must have been, Seok-won let out a small chuckle.
"Well, your expression looks much better now."
"How did I look before?"
"Hmm… like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse."
"That's harsh."
She scrunched up her nose in protest.
But, truthfully, chatting with Seok-won had eased her nerves significantly.
Just then, their limousine glided to a smooth stop in front of the venue. Sitting in the front passenger seat, Baucus stepped out first, scanned their surroundings, and then opened the back door.
Seok-won erged first, his long legs unfolding gracefully as he stepped out in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. Then, he extended a hand toward Debra.
Taking his hand, she carefully stepped out of the car.
At that mont, an event staff mber holding a clipboard approached them politely.
"May I see your invitation, please?"
"Of course."
Seok-won retrieved the invitation from his inner pocket and handed it over.
After a brief check, the staff mber's expression brightened into a welcoming smile.
"Ah, Mr. Park Seok-won. Welco to tonight's event."
With that, he gestured toward the entrance.
"Allow
to escort you inside. Please follow ."
With Debra linking arms with him, Seok-won followed the staff mber up the carpeted steps and into the venue.
The mont they stepped inside, the paparazzi and reporters stationed behind the barriers on either side went into a frenzy, their cara flashes firing relentlessly.
One bearded photographer, hunched over his tripod, glanced at his colleague and asked,
"Hey, that couple who just walked in—both of them are stunning. Do you know who they are?"
"Not sure. Never seen them before. But they don't look like actors or models."
"You think so?"
Given that the event was attended by high-profile figures and industry giants, the press snapped photos of nearly every guest who arrived.
Yet, even in a crowd of distinguished guests, Seok-won's striking features and tall, commanding presence were impossible to miss. Still, no one suspected that he was one of the hottest investnt moguls on Wall Street.
The bearded photographer furrowed his brows slightly and tilted his head.
"Wait… doesn't the woman look familiar?"
"Probably just a minor actress from so drama or film."
"No… I swear I've seen her before."
The answer lingered just beyond his grasp, but before he could dwell on it further, another high-profile guest arrived. With no ti to waste, the photographer gave up on his train of thought and refocused on taking pictures.
anwhile, inside the venue, Debra walked beside Seok-won as he escorted her into the grand central lobby.
Soft classical music filled the space, and from where they stood, they could see all the way up to the top of the museum's signature cylindrical gallery.
A small stage had been set up at the front, and elegantly dressed guests—n in tuxedos and won in dazzling gowns—sat at round tables, chatting and laughing as they sipped their drinks.
Guided by the event staff, Seok-won and Debra made their way to table 36.
Seated there already was Rodney, the CIO of Quantum Fund, who imdiately recognized Seok-won and greeted him with enthusiasm.
"Mr. Park! It's been a while."
Seok-won smiled as he shook Rodney's hand.
"Good to see you. I didn't expect to run into you here."
"Neither did I. I heard you rarely make appearances at these kinds of events. I'd say I'm lucky."
Rodney gestured to the elegant blonde woman sitting beside him, whose poised beauty resembled that of an actress.
"This is my wife, Rose."
"Rose LaBelle," she introduced herself, offering a graceful smile.
"Seok-won Park. It's a pleasure to et you. You're absolutely stunning."
Rodney chuckled.
"Oh, trust , I'm not just saying this because she's my wife, but back in the day, it was nearly impossible to even get a word in with her. I had a lot of competition before I finally won her over."
"And in the end, you erged as the victor."
"Out of all the bets I've ever made, I can say with confidence—this one paid off the most."
Rose laughed softly and gave her husband a playful nudge.
Watching the couple's warm exchange, Seok-won gently pulled Debra closer.
"This is Debra. She's my partner for the evening."
"Oh! Hello, I'm Debra Hayes."
Rodney studied her with a curious expression before tilting his head slightly.
"You look familiar… Have we t before?"
"I'm a journalist with CNBC."
"Ah! That explains it."
Rodney snapped his fingers in realization.
"No wonder your face seed familiar."
Then he turned back to Seok-won with a smirk.
"So, when do I get an introduction of my own?"
"Ah, I almost forgot."
Apart from Rodney and his wife, another couple was seated at the table. One was an older, stocky man with a toad-like appearance, and the other was a modest-looking woman with brown hair.
With a broad smile, Rodney gestured toward the man.
"This is John Miller, the head of P&P Partners."
"Pleasure to et you. I'm John Miller."
Miller was on the shorter side, with a slightly heavyset fra.
He openly gave Seok-won a once-over before extending his thick hand for a handshake.
"Seok-won Park."
"I hear you're the CEO of Eldorado Fund. Is that right?"
"That's correct."
Miller let out a low whistle.
"Huh. Must be the Asian genes—you look a lot younger than I expected. Don't tell
you're actually over forty with that face?"
His blunt remark made Seok-won's brow twitch slightly, but before he could respond, Rodney cut in with a firm tone.
"Mr. Miller, that's quite inappropriate."
"Ah, my apologies. I didn't an anything by it. If it ca off that way, I apologize."
But his dismissive attitude made it clear the apology was far from sincere, which irked Debra.
What's his deal?
Seok-won, however, remained unfazed and responded coolly.
"On Wall Street, skill matters more than age, doesn't it?"
Rodney, recalling his own first eting with Seok-won, nodded in agreent.
"That's absolutely right. Considering what Eldorado Fund has accomplished in the past few years, 'impressive' doesn't even begin to cover it—it's nothing short of remarkable."
Then, turning to Miller, he added,
"Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Miller?"
Under the weight of everyone's expectant gazes, Miller begrudgingly nodded, though his expression remained sour.
Eldorado Fund operated as a closed-door family office, aning its exact returns weren't publicly disclosed. However, even with the limited information available—its role in the Quantum Fund's yen attack, Netscape's IPO, and recent currency option deals with Japanese corporations—it was clear that the fund was generating staggering profits.
But Miller, ever the contrarian, muttered as he settled into his seat,
"Could just be that he's got excellent people working under him."
Rodney pinched the bridge of his nose, internally groaning at how Miller had once again soured the atmosphere.
Thankfully, Seok-won didn't react with anger, but his voice took on a distinct chill.
"No matter how skilled the crew is, if the captain is incompetent, the ship is bound to run aground."
"What was that?"
Ignoring Miller's now-reddened face, Seok-won smoothly pulled out Debra's chair for her before taking his own seat beside her.
Not backing down in the slightest, huh?
Miller was notorious on Wall Street for his authoritarian attitude and abrasive personality. Yet, Seok-won hadn't flinched, calmly but decisively putting him in his place.
Rodney couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction.
At that mont, a passing waiter placed fresh glasses of champagne in front of Seok-won and Debra. Seizing the opportunity to lighten the mood, Rodney spoke up with a bright tone.
"Since Mr. Park and Debra have just joined us, why don't we all have a toast?"
"Yes, let's do that," Rose chid in, quickly picking up on his intention and lifting her glass.
"Tch."
With a reluctant click of his tongue, Miller begrudgingly raised his glass, his wife following suit.
After they clinked glasses and took a sip of champagne, the host of the evening, the head of NRDC, stepped onto the stage and approached the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlen, thank you for joining us once again for NRDC's annual year-end charity gala. Over the past year, we have…"
After a brief welco speech, the host began announcing the nas of prominent donors who had contributed generously to the organization, inviting them onto the stage.
Among them were a veteran Hollywood actor and a few billionaires, all of whom shared a few words before stepping aside.
With the formalities out of the way, the event transitioned into a more relaxed atmosphere, where guests mingled over light refreshnts and drinks.
As one of Wall Street's most influential investors, Rodney quickly found himself surrounded by attendees eager to greet him.
Each ti, he took the opportunity to introduce Seok-won.
"Ah, so this is the CEO of Eldorado Fund?"
"A pleasure to et you. I'm…"
"Regarding your recent investnt picks, what are your thoughts...?"
At first, people were surprised to learn that Seok-won was the head of Eldorado Fund, one of the hottest nas on Wall Street alongside Long-Term Capital Managent (LTCM). But as soon as they processed it, they scrambled to hand him their business cards.
After dealing with a round of introductions, Rodney took advantage of a brief lull, sipping his champagne before speaking.
"By the way, I heard rumors that Eldorado Fund made a short bet. With the Fed cutting rates, the market rebounded—must be disappointing for you."
It was a subtle attempt to probe for information, but Seok-won replied indifferently, as if it didn't concern him.
"The market is reacting strongly to even small positive catalysts because of the internet frenzy. But it won't last long."
"So you believe the market will decline again?"
Rodney's eyes glead with curiosity.
Without hesitation, Seok-won nodded.
"They may cheer for the rate cut montarily, but the fundantal issue—the federal governnt shutdown—remains unresolved."
"Ha! Such a naive take—must be your youth showing."
Miller, who had been sulking as Seok-won absorbed all the attention, abruptly inserted himself into the conversation, his expression twisted with annoyance.
"The White House and the GOP may be locked in a standoff, but with the presidential election next year, they'll reach a compromise before the year's over. That much is obvious."
His condescending tone made Rodney frown.
"Mr. Miller…"
Just as Rodney was about to say sothing, Seok-won spoke first.
"Are you so sure?"
Holding his champagne glass in one hand, Seok-won tilted his chin up slightly—an unmistakable challenge.
"Since we're at a charity event, why don't we place a bet?"
Miller's eyebrows twitched as he narrowed his eyes at Seok-won.
"A bet? On what?"
"Whether the S&P 500 will drop by at least 50 points within the next two weeks."
Rodney wasn't the only one taken aback—Miller looked equally surprised.
A 50-point drop in the S&P 500 wasn't just a dip—it would be a full-blown market crash.
"Ha! That's ridiculous."
Miller scoffed, letting out a dry laugh.
"The market is this strong, and you think it'll plunge 50 points? Do you even hear yourself?"
"I do. And I believe it will happen."
Seok-won took a slow sip of his champagne, a confident smile playing on his lips.
"If it doesn't drop at least 50 points from its peak in the next two weeks, I'll donate a million dollars to NRDC."
"…!"
Gasps rippled through the group. Even Debra, standing beside him, widened her eyes in shock.
Seok-won's gaze challenged Miller, daring him to take the bet.
Miller, provoked, clenched his jaw.
"Fine! You're on."
As soon as Miller took the bait, Seok-won turned to Rodney.
"Would you be willing to officiate the wager?"
Rodney blinked in disbelief for a mont before his expression shifted to one of intrigue.
"It's certainly an unexpected turn of events, but either way, the money goes to a good cause. I'll do it."
Debra, still stunned by the high-stakes bet, leaned in and whispered,
"Isn't this a bit reckless?"
Seok-won, unfazed, gently took her hand under the table, his grip reassuring.
"Don't worry. I'm going to win."
What kind of confidence is that?
But seeing the playful smirk on his face, she couldn't help but feel that sohow, everything was going to work out.
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