area51novel Page 6
Page 6
It truly lives up to its reputation as a city that never sleeps.
Off the coast of New York, the tidal forces create a shimmering surface where waves crash against the shore time and again.
……
The next day.
The fiery red sun rose from the horizon, radiating dazzling golden light.
As time passed, dappled golden light gradually fell on Hawke and his companion's faces.
Adriana showed no signs of waking up.
The ripped Victoria's Secret clothes and black fishnet stockings on the floor of the room were a clear indication of how exhausted the two were.
Hawke glanced to the side; Adriana was still fast asleep.
A smooth, slender leg peeked out from under the covers. He chuckled softly, then slipped his hand under the covers and wrapped it around Adriana's slender waist. He buried his face in her hair, took a deep breath, and inhaled the delicate fragrance that filled his nostrils.
I couldn't resist pressing Adriana down and feeding her a "breakfast"...
After washing.
"I should go now. I've been missing all night, and my family must be worried sick."
Adriana put on the ladies' clothes that were kept in Hawke's house.
She wore a black suit with a deep V-neck, revealing a white shirt underneath that accentuated her voluptuous figure.
She wore a black straight skirt and black stockings, her buttocks were perky, and her legs were long and shapely, exuding an alluring office lady vibe.
Supermodels truly live up to their name; they're walking clothes hangers, and any clothes they wear look perfect on them.
Adriana, carrying her Prada bag, bid farewell to Hawke.
"Give me your phone." Hawke's words were utterly unquestionable: "Let's exchange contact information and keep in touch when we're free."
Adriana, of course, wouldn't refuse.
Firstly, the Lane family is one of the most powerful and influential families in America. If she can establish a connection with them and maintain it, it will be of great benefit to her and her family.
Two things...
Standing at the foot of the Steinway Building, Adriana couldn't help but gently rub her toned abs, blushing slightly, and muttered under her breath, "How can he be so amazing? He's even more insane than someone on drugs..."
If she knew that Hawke had already scored twice before her, she would probably admire him even more!
After Adriana left, Hawke was already dressed.
A perfectly tailored dark gray cashmere suit paired with a light blue shirt, without a tie, and with one button casually undone at the collar, exudes both an elite aura and youthful energy.
At this moment, he is one of the most outstanding students in Columbia University's economics department, known as the "eye of the financial storm" on Wall Street—Hawk Lane.
On the Columbia University campus, ancient stone buildings intertwine with modern glass curtain walls, and the air is filled with the aroma of books, coffee, and crushed autumn leaves.
This is a temple of knowledge and capital, and also an arena for the struggle for status.
Hawke Lane is undoubtedly a natural protagonist on this stage.
"Hey, Hawke! Can I borrow your notes from last night's investment club meeting?" A blonde, blue-eyed, voluptuous girl approached with a smile, her tone familiar.
“No problem, Emily, I’ll email you later.” Hawke replied with a smile, his smile gentle and polite.
"Ryan, are you really going to 'condescend' to attend the finance tea party this afternoon? I heard you refuted the senior's model in just ten minutes last time."
A girl with an Arab appearance, carrying a thick textbook on economics, asked with a hint of admiration and teasing.
“Academic exchanges aren’t important; I just really like Professor Emilia’s desserts.” Hawke winked, eliciting a soft chuckle.
The charm of his persona lies not in exaggerated ostentation, but in his effortless composure, profound knowledge, and innate elegance.
A large part of this stems from past life experiences and academic pursuits.
In addition, the immense wealth and mystique associated with the surname Ryan made him the focus of countless eyes on campus.
The girls privately discussed which brand of suit he was wearing today, while the boys speculated about the investment moves of his family.
He weaved through the crowd, like a smooth yacht gliding across a noisy ocean.
When the bell rang, Hawke declined several classmates' invitations to have lunch together and walked steadily toward a small lounge on the top floor of the business school building that was not open to the public.
This is one of the Lane Family Foundation's "safe houses" on campus.
10 Counterattack
Pushing open the door, Andy was already waiting inside.
Andy changed out of her business suit and into a comfortable yet high-quality off-white cashmere sweater and slim-fitting trousers. Her long hair was casually tied up, revealing her elegant neck.
"The campus prince is back?" Andy looked up, a smile playing on his lips, his gaze sharp yet gentle. "Looks like things are going well today, at least a three-digit attention index."
Hawke took off his suit jacket, casually draped it over the back of the chair, and walked up to her.
"How well is Bates Capital's public opinion management going?"
"Proceed as planned."
Andy handed him a cup of coffee, his fingertips casually brushing against the back of his hand, leaving a subtle sensation:
"Several mainstream financial media outlets have begun to suggest Bates Capital's exposure to certain shady projects in East Asia. Evidence of transactions between Bates Capital and gangs and foreign criminal groups has begun to appear online."
Hawke nodded, took a sip of coffee, and looked at Andy.
Having shed the absolute tension of work, she now exudes an intellectual languor and profound charm.
Where are the two of them?
“Ziyun,” Andy said, her tone turning serious, “is adapting. Her learning speed is astonishing, especially in combat skills and weapon handling, far exceeding expectations. But her common sense… is like that of a newborn beast. We’ve given her basic lessons, starting with recognizing money and riding the subway. She spends the most time in the shadows of the apartment, her vigilance never waning. As for Shiya…”
Andy's expression softened. "She was very happy. Like a real child who had discovered a new world. I bought her a whole set of art supplies, and she painted the view outside the window all day, and... you. It was quite abstract, but you could tell it was 'Mr. King' in her eyes."
Andy opened his tablet and showed a drawing with bold colors and naive lines: a black figure wearing a long trench coat stood on the top of a tall building, with the city lights as bright as stars in the background.
Hawke looked at the painting and pursed his lips: "Hmm... she perfectly avoided showing my most handsome face."
He was met with a sharp eye roll from Andy.
"Protect this purity; it is her most precious part, and it may also be her most powerful weapon in the future."
“Understood.” Andy put down his tablet, walked to the window, and looked down at the campus. “Bates must be in a real mess right now.”
"Moreover, they seem to be following someone's instructions and are trying to quickly transfer core assets through several offshore shell companies. The method is very crude and leaves a lot of loose ends."
“That’s exactly what we want.” Hawke walked up behind her, his voice lowering. “Make them panic, make them make mistakes, expose all their ‘tails.’ In one month, I want the name Bates Capital to disappear completely from the map of Wall Street.”
He reached out, his long, slender fingers gently stroking the back of Andy's neck, where her long hair was pulled back, revealing delicate, warm skin.
Andy's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, a deeper level of trust and tacit understanding flowing silently between them.
She didn't turn around, but leaned back slightly, letting her back touch his chest.
"Be careful. Get more bodyguards during this time. Be careful they don't do anything desperate. But it won't be long."
"I know."
Hawke's hand slid from the back of her neck to her shoulder, slowly turning her around.
The distance between the two instantly closed, and they could hear each other's breaths.
The sunlight outlined his well-defined jawline, and his light brown eyes were as deep as an abyss.
Andy did not resist, but simply looked up at him with her eyes veiled in tears.
The air seemed to freeze. She was not an innocent girl, but Hawke's aura, a mixture of absolute power and fatal attraction, could easily erode her proud self-control.
She tilted her head slightly, showing no sign of backing down, but rather like a queen preparing to meet a challenge: "Instructions?"
Hawke's lips curled into a smile, but he didn't answer; instead, he abruptly lowered his head...
“…Hawk…this is…” Andy gasped between kisses, trying to remind him that although this was a secluded safe house, it was still inside the school.
“Safe house! Very safe!” Hawke’s voice was thick with a nasal tone.
Andy's last line of rationality collapsed.
The suit jacket, cashmere sweater, shirt... were stripped off one by one and silently slid onto the thick carpeted floor.
Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting the shadows of the two people onto the ground.
After the storm, there was a desolate stillness.
In the days that followed, the skies of Wall Street were ignited by an invisible flame.
The massive financial machine under the Lane Group, Lane Capital, operates efficiently and ruthlessly under the command of business genius Andy.
The first step is the escalation of the public opinion storm:
What were initially just "anonymous hints" from financial media outlets have begun to feature investigative reports and in-depth analyses that name names.
Bates Capital's carefully concealed connections with the gray areas and even criminal groups in East Asia have been exposed like a Pandora's box, with a large amount of shockingly detailed "evidence" being continuously thrown into the public eye.
On social media, labels such as "blood on his hands" and "financial mafia" have spread wildly, sparking public anger and panic.
11. The Ryan family's bitch!
The second step was for Ryan to use official resources to prompt the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and the Department of Justice to quickly launch a formal investigation into Bates Capital based on the anonymous but extremely detailed whistleblower materials he had received.
Accounts frozen, senior executives summoned, offices raided...
A series of swift and decisive measures followed, leaving Bates Capital no chance to breathe.
At the same time, the market reacted in the most realistic way: negative news came like an avalanche, severely damaging investor confidence.
Investors in Bates Capital's hedge funds, like sharks smelling blood or a herd of frightened deer, began frantically withdrawing their funds.
The immense pressure of redemptions instantly drained Bates Capital's liquidity.
Meanwhile, in the futures and options markets, short-selling pressure on Bates Capital suddenly intensified several times over, targeting its heavily invested stocks and bonds with precision and ferocity.
The third step is to breach Bates Capital's fortress from within!
Bates Capital is not a monolithic entity.
Under immense pressure, and with the irresistible terms offered by the Lane family through clandestine channels.