8:17 AM.
Ethan had just closed the conference room door when his phone buzzed repeatedly. Email notifications came in. Notifications from the legal team. Notifications from the finance division. Then a message from the CFO, who rarely sounded panicked.
"We're under attack."
Ethan stopped in the middle of the hallway at his headquarters.
Attacked.
Not a word commonly used in the business world. Not for ordinary stock corrections. Not for daily market fluctuations.
He opened the first email.
Subject: URGENT – Massive Short Position Against Our Stock
His heart beat faster.
Within hours of the market opening, their company's stock had dropped nearly 12%. Trading volume had spiked abnormally. Someone or rather, a large entity was aggressively short selling in massive quantities.
The company name listed as transaction coordinator?
An international holding firm.
A shell subsidiary.
And at the end of its ownership structure.
Marcus.
Ethan closed his eyes for a moment.
