Bring Your A Game, Mr

“There’s no need for praise.” Whatever Penny was doing now went against her good conscience and she was already uneasy as things were. However, she knew she didn’t have a choice, not while Matthew was threatening to hurt her grandson, who had only just started schooling not too long ago. “I’d be grateful enough if you could keep your word and leave my family unhurt, Young Master Matthew.” “Don’t you worry, Penny; I wouldn’t lay a finger on your family as long as you cooperate with me,” he drawled with an icy smile. “Well, you best keep that in mind!”

After having thrown the words brusquely over her shoulders, Penny closed the door to the backyard and lightly tread back into the house. She had never done anything as unsettling as this before, and to make matters worse, she was cohorting with a criminal whom the police were after. She had a feeling that she would not be able to get any sleep for the rest of her days. Meanwhile, under the moonless night sky, Matthew slowly turned away from the house and walked into the distance as he took the phone out of his pocket… The next morning, news of Alexander cutting off the Griffiths broke all over the city, and along with it came word of the Griffith Family’s hard fall from grace.

Within an hour of the stock market opening, the Griffiths saw a steep decline in the value of their shares that amounted to hundreds of billions; they were merely a fraction away from entirely falling out of the market. The Securities Regulatory Commission were worried that a shift in market dynamics such as this would turn the shareholders manic and it was only when the Commission intervened that the Griffith Group was saved from plummeting even further. Despite the damage control, everyone knew that the Griffiths’ reign was coming to an end; the thread that tied them to capitalist privileges was fraying fast and it would break at any second.

every once in a while like she was pondering life’s biggest conundrums. At some point, Elise finally couldn’t stand the girl’s plaintive disposition any longer

in college anymore. I’d probably have to immediately find work so that I can pay my dues.” “That sounds pretty serious.” Addison had always been the life of the party, as if she had not a care in the world. Elise didn’t think that things could turn so bleak that bankruptcy would be

thought that our situations are close enough by comparison…” To be fair,

they could pay those off if they just tightened their belts a little. “It’s fine,” Elise said, not at all bothered. She lowered her gaze in thought before she asked, “Does your dad invest in stocks?” Addison shook her head, a little stunned as she pointed out, “You overestimate me, Elise. Stocks are for upmarket companies, and a business like ours—” “That’s not what I meant,” Elise interrupted when

really know about stuff like this,” Addison confessed sheepishly. She might have been a major in Mathematics, but the concept of stocks was foreign to her and she treated it

the stock market was not a playground for the faint-hearted. More to the point, Addison’s father was a down-to-earth man with principles. He liked knowing that the profit he earned was out of honest work and while the pace was much slower than investing in stocks, it still gave him a peace of mind. “Take it easy. People like us aren’t meant to become millionaires overnight!” Those were the words with which he imparted his wisdom and philosophy and Addison kept those same words close to her

her more. Her hands darted out to grab Elise by the wrist as she stared at Elise with a fanatic gleam in her eyes, “Elise, I believe in you. I’ll have my dad gamble what’s left of our money on your boyfriend!” Elise let out a light chuckle at the girl’s sudden bold decision. “There’s no need for that. The Griffiths are rotten to the core, and so is their worth.” “Huh?” The spark of hope that Addison had felt seconds ago now