He pointed furiously at the syndicate leaders across the exchange floor. "Give me my money back! Give me my dollars! Give me my life's work! Give me—"
Soon, others in the syndicate echoed the exact same desperate demand. "Give it back... Give it back... Give it back..."
Then, more and more voices joined the frantic chorus. "Give it back... Give it back... Give it back..."
When they collided in the center of the room, they reached out, screaming the same words at each other. "Give it back... Give it back... Give it back..."
The moment their hands met, the demands instantly escalated into a violent brawl.
Everyone began throwing punches. Trading terminals were smashed, chairs and desks were overturned, and equipment was shattered into pieces...
The security guards wanted to rush in and stop the chaos, but Jason Croft had previously paid triple the price to rent out the entire exchange floor, explicitly ordering that no unauthorized personnel be allowed inside.
However, letting them destroy the place didn't seem right either. A few guards nervously picked up their phones to call for backup...
Meanwhile, tucked away in an inconspicuous corner, a triumphant smirk played on Jude Vance's lips. The Mavarians had succeeded. His country had won.
Moreover, the funds he had donated to the national defense effort were guaranteed to yield a massive return.
All around him, the foreign investors were roaring, their varied languages blending into a harsh, ear-splitting cacophony. But to Jude's ears, it sounded like a beautiful symphony; the louder they screamed, the sweeter the melody.
Slipping quietly into the security room, Jude asked the supervisor for his confiscated phone. He then sneaked back to his corner of the hall and began recording the mayhem.
He made sure to capture as much footage as possible, planning to send it to Mira Mercer and the Mavarian public. Hell, he wanted to broadcast it to the rest of the world.
Let everyone see the ugly, pathetic state of these greedy tycoons. This was the price they paid for trying to bully Mavaria!
Since they had already secured the victory, the exchange rate and core stocks would naturally begin to climb steadily from here on out.
But for now, Mavaria absolutely could not take the blame for the sudden market crash.
Didn't those international syndicates want to short Mavaria? Since their aggressive tactics were already public knowledge globally, they were the perfect scapegoats to take the fall.
The major stocks and exchange rates were the lifeblood of Mavaria's economy. Since they were the house, they couldn't afford a reputation for inexplicably draining capital.
After all, their stock market still needed international investors in the future. If a bad reputation spread, no one would dare invest in their market again.
The financial experts in the room paused for a moment before realization dawned on their faces. "She's right! We can't carry this blame. Let them take the heat!"

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Too Late to Hold Me Back