Chapter 7: Opportunity in the Trash

Volume 1: Fallen from Grace

Summary: Using his financial expertise, Jack uncovers a hidden opportunity at the scrapyard and begins his first "investment."

Chapter 7: Opportunity in the Trash

"You really are brilliant, Isabella," Jack said sincerely. "I always knew you had a story to tell, but I never imagined how sharp your mind truly is."

A faint blush appeared on Isabella's face. She wasn't used to receiving compliments.

"Don't flatter me too much, Jack," she replied with a smile. "Honestly, I just felt something was off lately—but I never thought too deeply about it. You're the one who made me realize there might actually be something going on."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"There's something strange about Oscar, the owner of the scrapyard. He's secretive, almost obsessive, especially when it comes to those documents coming from high-end office buildings. He personally checks them and handles them separately."

Jack's heart pounded with a sudden rush of intuition. This Oscar could very well be the key.

"Do you know where Oscar sends those documents?" Jack asked urgently.

Isabella shook her head. "Not exactly. All I know is that he uses a black van to transport them. Where they go after that, I can't say."

"What about unusual behavior lately?" Jack pressed.

Isabella thought for a moment. "He's become more nervous than usual—always looking over his shoulder like he's afraid of something. And he's been getting a lot of mysterious phone calls. Every time, he steps aside to talk in private."

Jack nodded. It was clear now—Oscar likely knew something valuable. He decided to start with him and trace the origin of those files.

"Isabella, thank you for telling me this. It means a lot," Jack said sincerely.

She smiled and shook her head. "You don't have to thank me. I'm glad I could help. But be careful—Oscar isn't an easy man to deal with."

"I will be," Jack replied, determination flashing in his eyes.

Over the next few days, Jack began observing Oscar from a distance. He noticed that Oscar was indeed highly alert, constantly scanning the area, suspicious of everyone around him.

Jack didn't act rashly. He knew rushing in would only scare him off. He needed a chance—an opening to get close to Oscar and extract information.

The opportunity came sooner than expected.

One day, the main machine at the scrapyard suddenly broke down, throwing the entire operation into chaos. Workers scrambled to fix it, but none succeeded.

Oscar stood nearby, his expression dark with frustration. The malfunction meant a significant loss in productivity—and money.

Jack seized the moment. He approached Oscar and said calmly,

"Mr. Oscar, I used to work in finance, but I also have some basic mechanical knowledge. Maybe I can help."

Oscar shot Jack a skeptical glance. "You? Fix this? Come on."

Jack gave a confident smile. "Let me try. Not like anyone else has figured it out yet, right?"

After a pause, Oscar finally nodded. "Fine. Give it a shot. If you fix it, I'll pay you well."

Jack picked up the tools and carefully examined the machine. He quickly identified the issue—a loose component.

Drawing on some mechanical basics he'd learned in college, Jack located the problem and tightened the part securely.

"Try starting it now," he told one of the workers.

The machine roared back to life, running smoothly once again.

A wave of cheers erupted across the scrapyard. Workers looked at Jack with newfound respect.

Oscar cracked a rare smile. He walked over and patted Jack on the back.

"Well done, kid. You've done me a big favor."

"Thank you, Mr. Oscar," Jack replied humbly. "It was nothing, really."

In a surprisingly good mood, Oscar invited Jack to his office for a drink.

Jack knew this was his chance. He accepted the invitation without hesitation.

Inside Oscar's office, Jack sipped cheap whiskey while making small talk.

"So, what did you do before?" Oscar asked curiously.

Jack had prepared his cover story.

"I worked at an investment firm. Lost my job recently because of some issues."

Oscar nodded, not showing much interest.

"You seem busy lately," Jack remarked casually. "There's so much trash coming in every day, especially all those documents from fancy offices."

Oscar's expression shifted slightly. His eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Why are you asking about that?"

Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "Just curious. Those documents look valuable. I wonder what's inside them."

Oscar remained silent for a moment before replying slowly.

"They're just some business secrets. Nothing worth reading."

Jack smiled but didn't press further. He could already sense Oscar's growing suspicion.

"You know, Mr. Oscar," Jack changed the subject, "you really have an eye for opportunity. Turning trash into profit—while protecting the environment—it's genius."

Oscar smirked proudly. "That's right. I'm no ordinary guy. I always say—there's opportunity in garbage."

Jack suppressed a smirk of his own. He could see Oscar was beginning to relax.

"Mr. Oscar," Jack said, leaning closer, lowering his voice. "I have an idea. Would you be interested in hearing it?"

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "What kind of idea?"

Jack leaned in even closer.

"We could partner up. Work together on this business. I have a strong background in finance—I can help you scale up and make even more money."

A flicker of greed passed through Oscar's eyes as he studied Jack carefully.

"You really think you can help me make more money?" Oscar asked.

Jack nodded confidently. "Absolutely. Just give me a chance, and I guarantee I'll take your business to the next level."

Oscar considered for a moment, then made his decision.

"Alright," he said. "I'll trust you. But remember—one wrong move, one betrayal, and you'll wish you were never born."

Jack gave a calm smile.

"Don't worry, Mr. Oscar. I won't betray you. Ever."

At that moment, Jack knew—he had officially begun his path of revenge. Step by step, using his intelligence and courage, he was moving closer to the truth. He believed that one day, he would return to Wall Street and make those who betrayed him pay dearly.

And it all started here—in the middle of a stinking pile of trash.