Adrian’s caution didn’t disappear overnight; it eroded slowly. After six months of reliable payouts, he invested another twenty thousand dollars. After a year, he rolled his profits back into the fund. When Victor invited him to a private meeting at a hotel lounge, Adrian went with questions and left completely reassured.
The meeting featured charts, risk models, and a handful of other investors who looked calm and ordinary. There was a retired engineer, a tuition center owner, and a dentist. No one looked foolish or desperate. This comforted Adrian more than the paperwork. Scams were supposed to attract reckless people, not professionals with mortgages and calendars.
Soon, Victor became a household name. Mei teased Adrian about his investment hobby, and her father, Mr. Chua, asked how the trading was going over dinner one night. Adrian tried to sound casual but couldn’t hide his excitement. “It’s been very steady,” he said, explaining the high returns. He should have changed the subject, but he opened a door he would regret for years.