+BNB Pitch

The minutes ticked by as Lex stayed in his office, eyes locked on the half-drawn blinds of Barnie's office. From this distance, he could see shadows moving—Trent's heavy frame pacing the room while Barnie sat, likely reclined, arms folded like a monarch indulging his knights.

Lex didn't need to hear the conversation to know what was happening. Barnie was doubling down—buying cheap and betting on resurrection.

But resurrection didn't come for everyone.

Next Lex was going to drive the nail into the coffin. The funds were ready, and he opened his trading platform and navigated to the options market. He was doubling down on VIX call options at the Strike Price of $25 at December 12, 2008, holding over 30.4 million contracts.

Across the floor, Trent emerged from the office. Lex's gaze met Trent's briefly, and in that moment, the game was clear.

Barnie wasn't stupid. He'd built Maddox Holdings by sniffing out threats early—and Lex's sudden interest in the company wasn't subtle.

Trent crossed the trading floor slowly, cutting through clusters of analysts. Lex let him take his time.

By the time Trent arrived, Lex was still calm, fingers hovering over his keyboard.

"Barnie's ready for you." Trent's voice was casual, but the weight behind it wasn't.

Lex rose from his chair, adjusting his cufflinks in mock reflection of Trent. "I guess I'll go in then."

Barnie's office door was already half-open as Lex approached. The glass reflected the city skyline behind Barnie's desk—expansive, untouchable.

Barnie didn't bother to look up as Lex entered. He was flipping through documents, fingers drumming on the edge of his desk.

"Lex." Barnie's voice was smooth, but there was an edge of distraction to it. "Sit."

Lex slid into the leather chair across from him, legs crossed, projecting ease he didn't feel.

"Trent says you've been paying too much attention to the gallery." Barnie finally glanced up, piercing blue eyes meeting Lex's without a flicker of warmth.

"It's a family business," Lex replied with a faint smirk. "I figured it was time I acted like family."

Barnie studied him for a long moment, thumb tapping rhythmically against the desk.

"Family's tricky." Barnie leaned forward slightly. "Sometimes, they get ideas that don't belong to them."

Lex's smile didn't waver. "And sometimes, they see cracks others miss."

Barnie held the stare, neither blinking nor shifting. The room felt heavier than it should have.

Then, slowly, Barnie leaned back, exhaling as if the tension had passed.

"Smart kid." His tone softened, though it felt like a pat on the head more than respect. "But careful. Cracks have a way of swallowing people."

Lex rose, buttoning his jacket smoothly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Barnie smiled faintly. "See that you do."

As Lex stepped out with a smirk on his face as he look around the office space. Speaking of professional work space, he thought of a business idea. Lex wasn't just playing small anymore—he was playing to win.

Sitting at his desk with a spread sheet full of numbers, he made a phone call. Natalie Zhang picked up on the second ring, her voice crisp and curious. 

"Lexington Latham, what's this? Another million-dollar brainstorm?"

Lex smiled wryly. "You're not wrong. But this one's got a ten-figure ceiling if we play it right." 

Natalie laughed-the sound was light but laced with interest. "Alright, you've got me curious. Let's hear it.

"Short-term rentals," Lex said, his voice measured, casual. "We target houses sitting on the market too long-ones that aren't selling. Instead of leaving them to collect dust, we turn them into rentals by the day. Owners make money while they wait for a buyer, and there's no messy eviction process since it's all short-term."

Natalie was silent for a moment, then laughed softly. "You know, it's funny you mention that. I just met some guys pitching something kind of similar. They're calling it BnB or something. Renting out rooms in people's houses, air mattresses even. They're in alpha--no real code yet, just big ideas that has my dad flying us into talk."

Lex raised an eyebrow, interested yet unimpressed. "Air mattresses? Cute, but we're playing a different game. I'm talking whole properties-fully furnished, no shared spaces, clear contracts. It's scalable, it's marketable, and it solves a real problem. Owners get cash flow, and we get a cut." 

Natalie hummed thoughtfully. "Okay, I'll admit, that's a much bigger swing than a few spare bedrooms. What's your plan?

"Fifty million starting fund," Lex said smoothly. "Five million buys you a seat at the table. I'll hold the majority." 

Natalie let out a low whistle. "You're throwing down some serious money. So what's the play?"

"I need code geniuses—people who can build something solid, fast." Lex replied. " And I've already got a network ready for marketing. The moment the product's live, I can have it in front of every property owner sitting on a dead listing."

Lex leaned back in his chair; the soft crackle of leather broke the silence. "Natalie, it's not just your money I need for this, but I need you to help find the right team." 

Natalie laughed over the line, light and curious. "You're putting an awful lot of faith in me, Lex. What kind of team are we talking about here?

"Code geniuses," Lex said smoothly, "people who can build fast, clean, and scalable. I'm not interested in hobbyists or freelancers; I need the best. You find them, and we give them carte blanche to make this work." 

After a moment, Natalie spoke. "You know that's not going to be cheap, right?"

"I don't care about cheap," Lex replied. "I care about good. And here's the thing: you don't just get to buy in for a flat fee. You pick your stake. Want to go big? Great. Want to start small? That's your call. Just know this: the bigger your piece, the bigger your influence." 

"Interesting," Natalie murmured. "So, you're not locking me into a number. That's bold."

"It's smart," Lex countered. "You bring me the team, you decide how much you're putting on the line. But let me warn you, this thing's going to move fast. You wait too long, you're playing catch-up with everybody else." 

Natalie let out a thoughtful hum. "Alright, Latham. I'll find your team. And when I do, I'll tell you exactly how much I'm buying in. Deal?"

Lex smiled. "Deal. But just so you know, I'm betting you're going big." 

"We'll see," Natalie teased. "Send me the requirement for the platform, and I'll get started." 

"Already on it," Lex said with full confidence. "And Nat? When this pays off, you're gonna be kicking yourself that you did actually hold out." 

"I never hesitate, Lex," Natalie retorted playfully. "I just like keeping you waiting."

The call was over, and Lex leaned forward, his pen tapping against the desk. Natalie had the contacts, the intuition, and finally the challenge.

It was what he needed-and he knew she would not disappoint. 

And Lex was already two steps ahead in the game.