The Useless Son-in-law Who Became A Crypto Genius

First Contact... The Interview

"Ames Digital. They just announced a Series A. Fifty million valuation."

Mark grabbed the tablet. Read. His jaw tightened.

"Who the hell are they?"

"That's what I want to know. They appeared out of nowhere. High-frequency trading. Crypto focus. Sound familiar?"

"There are dozens of firms doing that."

"Not ones that undercut our prices and poach our potential clients." Douglas paced. "Three deals we lost this month. All to Ames Digital. They're either incredibly lucky or—"

"Or what?"

"Or they know something we don't."

Mark stared at the screen. Neo zoomed in on his expression.

Suspicion. Paranoia. The gears turning.

'That's right, Mark. Wonder who they are. Wonder how they knew. Wonder if maybe, just maybe, someone's targeting you specifically.'

"I'll look into it," Mark said finally. "See who's behind them."

"Already tried. Ownership structure's a maze. Shell companies and offshore trusts. Very deliberate."

"So they're hiding something."

"Or they're smart about tax law." Douglas shrugged. "Either way, they're competition. Real competition. For the first time in years."

Mark's fingers drummed against his desk. "What if—"

He stopped. Shook his head.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just—the timing's weird. They launched right after Noam died."

Douglas frowned. "You think there's a connection?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Or maybe I'm being paranoid."

'Oh, you're being paranoid. But you're also right. And that's what's going to destroy you.'

Neo saved the recording. Added it to his evidence file.

The Carvers were noticing. Starting to connect dots they couldn't quite see.

Perfect.

–––––––––––

Lyra arrived at Meridian Tower on Thursday.

Neo watched her enter the lobby through security cameras. She looked—tired. Determined. Red hair pulled back, notepad clutched like a weapon.

She took the elevator to the thirty-first floor. Where Ames Digital's main offices were.

Adam met her in the reception area. Handshake. Smile. The corporate charm he'd learned over the years.

"Ms. Chen. Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for agreeing to talk. I know you're busy."

"Always have time for press." Adam led her to the conference room. Glass walls. City view. Very impressive.

Neo was two floors below. Earpiece in. Watching through hacked security cameras.

He'd coached Adam for hours. What to say. What not to say. How to deflect without seeming defensive.

'Just be confident. You built this. You're the CEO. That's the story.'

Lyra pulled out her recorder. "Mind if I—"

"Not at all."

She hit record. Settled back. "So, Ames Digital. You've had remarkable growth in a very short time. How'd you do it?"

Adam smiled. Rehearsed. "Right place, right time. We identified inefficiencies in the crypto trading market and built algorithms to exploit them. Legal arbitrage, essentially."

"And the funding? Your Series A announcement mentioned fifty million valuation. That's impressive for a company that's—what, two months old?"

"Six weeks, actually." Adam's smile didn't falter. "We had strong angel investors who believed in the vision. And our returns speak for themselves. Twenty-three percent average monthly gains."

Neo listened. Adam was doing well. Confident but not cocky. Specific without revealing too much.

Lyra made notes. "Can you name the investors?"

"They prefer to remain private. Standard in this industry."

"And you founded the company yourself?"

"I'm the CEO, yes. Built the team from the ground up."

Lyra's pen paused. "But not the sole founder? The incorporation documents list multiple partners."

Adam shifted slightly. "Silent partners. Again, common in—"

"In ventures where people want deniability." Lyra's eyes sharpened. "Why the secrecy? If the business is legitimate—"

"It's not secrecy. It's privacy. There's a difference." Adam's tone stayed even. "Our investors value discretion. Especially in crypto."

Neo's jaw clenched. 'She's pushing. Careful, Adam. Don't get defensive.'

Lyra switched angles. "Your main offices are in this building. The Meridian Tower. You lease from Phoenix Holdings?"

"Correct."

"Who owns Phoenix Holdings?"

"I couldn't tell you. That's not my area."

"But you must have met them. Signed the lease—"

"Through a property management company. Standard commercial lease." Adam was sweating slightly now. "Ms. Chen, what does this have to do with Ames Digital's business model?"

"I'm just trying to understand the structure. Who's really running things."

"I am. I'm the CEO. I make the decisions."

"All of them?"

Pause. Too long.

Neo typed into his phone. Message appeared on Adam's laptop screen, hidden from Lyra's view: [YES. ALL OF THEM.]

Adam cleared his throat. "Yes. All of them. I have excellent advisors, but ultimately, the company's direction is mine."

Lyra made another note. "And you've never heard of Noam Ash?"

The question landed like a bomb.

Adam blinked. "Should I have?"

"He died six weeks ago. Bellvue incident. Made the news."

"I—yes, I remember hearing about it. Tragic. But what does that have to do with—"

"He had cryptocurrency investments. Similar timeline to when Ames Digital launched. Similar strategies."

"Ms. Chen, I don't know what you're implying, but—"

"I'm not implying anything. Just asking questions."

Neo's knuckles went white around his phone. 'She's connecting dots. Fuck. This is bad. Or—'

Or maybe not. Maybe this was the push he needed to create more distance.

He typed: [NOAM ASH DIED BROKE. CHECK THE RECORDS. FAMILY TOOK EVERYTHING.]

Adam glanced at his screen. Relaxed slightly. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened to that man. But I didn't know him. And frankly, plenty of people trade crypto. It's not exactly rare."

Lyra leaned forward. "But the timing—"

"Is coincidence. I've been planning this company for years. The launch happened when funding came through. That's it."

She studied him. Long. Searching.

Neo held his breath.

Finally, Lyra sat back. "Okay. Different question. What's your background? Before Ames Digital?"

"VP at a tech startup. It failed. I spent eight months looking for work. This opportunity came along and—here we are."

"Seems like a big jump. VP to CEO. Failed startup to fifty million valuation."

"I saw an opportunity. Took a risk. It paid off." Adam's confidence was returning. "Isn't that what America's about?"

'Good. Turn it around. Make her the cynic.'

Lyra smiled. Thin. "Sure. One more thing—your investors. The silent ones. Are any of them connected to the Carver family?"

Adam's face went blank. "The—who?"

"Carvers. Douglas Carver. Mark Carver. Alina—"

"I don't know those names. Should I?"

"They're in the same industry. Tech investments. Crypto adjacent."

"Lots of people are." Adam shrugged. "But no, I've never worked with anyone named Carver."

Truth. Because he hadn't. Neo had made sure their paths never crossed directly.

Lyra made a final note. Clicked off her recorder.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Stone."

"Of course. Always happy to talk about the company."

They shook hands. Adam walked her to the elevator.

Neo watched her go. Watched her pull out her phone the moment the elevator doors closed. Start typing furiously.

'Shit. She knows. Maybe not what, but she knows something's off.'