Chapter 6 One Year Later

The early days after Ren's bold decision to invest €30 million into Freedom Holding Corp. were filled with nervous energy. Despite Ren's calm confidence, the atmosphere at PrimeKick Investments was tense. Anna and Scott, though supportive, remained cautious and had frequent discussions behind closed doors about the risk they had taken. Ren, however, trusted in his knowledge of the future.

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Several months into the investment, the stock had fluctuated. There were moments when it surged, giving them hope, only to dip just as quickly. The rest of the market remained unpredictable, and both Anna and Scott had their moments of doubt.

One morning, Anna stormed into Ren's office, her tablet clutched tightly in her hands. "Ren," she said, her voice controlled but filled with tension. "We're down 8% this month. That's over €2 million of capital, just… evaporated. You know we should've diversified by now. How much longer are we going to sit on this?"

Ren glanced up from his desk, unfazed. "It's only temporary. The market's volatile, but Freedom Holding's growth is still intact. You've seen the reports."

Anna narrowed her eyes. "I have. And I've also seen firms implode from this exact same volatility. If this goes south, PrimeKick won't survive its first year."

From the corner of the room, Scott leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching Ren carefully. He had been quieter about his concerns, but his brow furrowed as he listened to Anna lay out the risk.

"She's right, Ren," Scott said, finally speaking up. "We could have cashed out at a 20% gain a month ago, but now we're in a dip. If this continues..."

Ren's expression didn't change. He stood, walking over to the window and gazing out at the Manchester skyline. "You're both thinking in the short term. I told you when we started this—Freedom Holding will grow. Their expansion is just beginning."

Anna crossed her arms. "And if you're wrong?"

Ren turned back to face her, his gaze steady. "I'm not. Trust me. In a year's time, you'll see."

---

Six months into the investment, the stock began to rise, and not just in small increments. Freedom Holding Corp. had expanded aggressively into new markets, making waves in financial news. The once-obscure firm was now being discussed in major investment circles. Still, the tension lingered—neither Scott nor Anna was fully convinced that the gamble had paid off.

One morning, Scott was pouring over the data on his screen, staring in disbelief at the steady climb. "We're up 300% since last quarter…" he muttered under his breath.

Anna, seated at her desk beside him, glanced over, her eyebrows raised. "Let me see that."

She leaned in, her eyes scanning the stock growth. For a moment, neither of them spoke. They exchanged a look, one that said, Is this really happening?

Anna exhaled slowly, leaning back in her chair. "Okay, so we're not crashing and burning yet. But Ren can't expect it to go up forever. Markets don't work like that."

Scott leaned forward, rubbing his temple. "Still... it's kind of amazing, right? I mean, we were panicking a few months ago, and now—this. Maybe he's not just lucky. Maybe Ren actually knows something."

Anna rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the faintest hint of a smile. "Or maybe he's just riding a wave and we're lucky enough to be on it."

---

By the time the year came to a close, Freedom Holding Corp. had grown by over 4,500%, just as Ren had predicted. The €30 million investment had ballooned into an eye-watering €1.39 billion.

Scott was the first to notice. Late one evening, when the office was quiet and the only sound was the faint hum of computers, Scott's monitor flashed with the updated stock figures. His eyes widened as he did a double-take.

"Anna!" Scott called across the room, his voice louder than intended. "You need to see this."

Anna, who had been reviewing reports, walked over, her brow furrowed. "What now?"

Scott spun his monitor around so she could see the latest data. "We've hit €1.39 billion," he said, still unable to believe the words coming out of his mouth.

For a moment, Anna just stared at the screen, her mind racing to comprehend the enormity of what she was seeing. When it finally hit her, she let out a stunned laugh. "Holy shit," she muttered, placing a hand on her forehead. "He actually did it."

Scott leaned back in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it. This is insane."

The door to Ren's office opened, and he stepped out, hearing the commotion. "What's going on?" he asked, though the slight grin on his face suggested he already knew.

Anna turned to him, her expression a mix of amazement and exasperation. "You… you were right..."

Ren simply nodded, calm as ever. "I told you to trust me."

Scott stood up, still shaking his head. "Ren, this isn't just some small win. We've made more money in a year than some firms make in a decade. This… changes everything."

Ren folded his arms, glancing between the two of them. "I told you this was just the beginning. Now, we have the capital to build PrimeKick into a force. We can invest in the long-term, diversify, and expand. But today? We celebrate."

Anna leaned against the desk, still absorbing what had happened. "I don't get it, Ren. How did you know? This kind of thing doesn't happen by chance."

Ren smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sometimes, you just have to trust your gut…..."

Scott clapped Ren on the back, laughing. "I don't know what kind of gut you have, but it's freakishly good. I'll give you that."

The three of them stood there for a moment, the weight of what they'd accomplished finally settling in. PrimeKick Investments had gone from a humble startup to a powerhouse with over a billion in capital, all in the span of a year. They had taken a massive risk, but it had paid off in a way none of them could have imagined.

As the team celebrated with a round of drinks later that night, Anna leaned over to Ren and shook her head with a grin. "Alright, you win this one. But next time, no more gambles. We play it safe."

Ren chuckled, lifting his glass. "No promises."