[Chapter 264: The Wolf of Wall Street]
Eric sighed and said, "It's hard to explain in just a few words. Anyway, I'm just thankful that those two didn't burn my house down these past few days."
On the other end of the line, Jeffrey laughed again and then added, "You must not be feeling well at ho, huh? Dinner ti is fast approaching. How about coming over here for a al? You could also get acquainted with Chris."
Eric was just looking for soone to chat with and didn't want to disturb Jeffrey's family ti. He hesitated before asking, "Is that appropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about it? It's a holiday, after all. The more, the rrier! It's usually pretty quiet around here; it'd be great if you ca over. Oh, and if you want, you can bring those two girls with you."
Eric figured that the two girls wouldn't have a chance to squabble in front of others, so he agreed, "Okay, I'll head over now."
"Get here quickly! I gotta go; I have things in the oven!" Jeffrey said, not waiting for Eric to respond before hanging up.
...
Eric put down the receiver, returned to his bedroom to change, and then went downstairs.
Drew and Aniston were fighting for control of the TV when they spotted Eric walking downstairs in nice clothes. They both felt a twinge of alarm.
"Eric, where are you going?" the two girls asked in unison.
Eric feigned annoyance and said, "You two are being too noisy. I've decided to spend Thanksgiving elsewhere."
"No way!" The girls jumped off the couch and rushed to Eric, wrapping their arms around him from either side. They exchanged glares before both chanted, "It's your fault!"
Eric rubbed his temples and said, "Alright, enough already. Jeffrey just called and invited over for dinner. Who wants to go?"
"I do!" ca their simultaneous response.
"Okay, you have ten minutes to get ready. Anyone who dawdles isn't going."
With that, Drew and Aniston dashed up the stairs in a flurry.
Arriving at Jeffrey's place, Eric rang the doorbell, and the door quickly swung open.
A young man, dressed sharply in a suit and bearing a resemblance to Jeffrey but noticeably taller, greeted them with a faint smile and extended his hand. "Hello, Mr. Williams."
"Just call Eric," he replied, shaking the young man's hand. "It's great to et you, Chris."
Chris Hansen nodded at the two girls and took the red wine that Eric had offered, saying, "Please, co in."
The three of them followed Chris inside. Jeffrey's ho looked just as it did before -- no, even tidier than the last ti Eric visited, likely because his son was back.
Since it was Drew and Aniston's first ti at Jeffrey's place, they exchanged surprised glances upon seeing the modest apartnt that didn't quite match Jeffrey's wealth. Aniston managed to keep her mouth shut, but little Drew blurted out, "If Jeffrey is so rich, why does he still live here?"
Eric shot her a warning look to keep her comnts in check, but Chris Hansen chid in, "My dad is a bit sentintal and hasn't wanted to move."
"Oh," the little girl nodded lightly, a bit chastised.
...
The three of them settled in the living room, and Jeffrey quickly erged from the kitchen wearing an apron. Upon seeing them, he said, "Eric, you all sit tight. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Need any help?" Eric imdiately asked.
Jeffrey shook his head, "No, no, it's fine. Emily is helping out; you all just chat with Chris." With that, he disappeared back into the kitchen.
Chris Hansen laughed awkwardly and explained, "When I was seven, I ssed around in the kitchen and got burned by hot oil. Ever since then, my dad wouldn't let near the stove."
Eric chuckled, nodding in understanding, and exchanged glances with the two girls, who then obediently made their way to the kitchen.
The sounds from the kitchen included Jeffrey's muffled voice and another sweet-sounding girl's exclamation of surprise, quickly fading into hushed whispers.
The two n exchanged amused glances in the living room.
Eric had been quietly observing Chris Hansen from the beginning. So far, he hadn't sensed any of the fierce aura associated with a Yale grad, which was sothing Jeffrey once ntioned about him receiving a full four-year scholarship and working for one of the big four investnt banks, Morgan Stanley.
Eric could only surmise from Chris's impeccably tailored suit that he must be either a perfectionist or have quite a reserved deanor. Of course, the forr seed more likely.
"Eric, what are you thinking about?" Chris asked suddenly.
Since he was Jeffrey's son, Eric naturally felt a bit of kinship and replied candidly, "Jeffrey ntioned you worked at Morgan Stanley. I was wondering why you don't give off any of that Wall Street Wolf vibe?"
Chris paused, then smiled and asked, "What do you think a Wall Street Wolf looks like?" Eric thought for a mont before responding, "At the very least, should be aggressive, right? But you seem more like a ticulous researcher from so lab."
Chris shook his head and replied, "Eric, you're wrong. The more 'aggressive' you say a Wall Street Wolf is, the less aggressive they appear on the surface. You can look up photos of so of Wall Street's top executives -- most of them blend in so seamlessly that you wouldn't even notice them in a crowd."
It was Eric's first ti hearing this perspective. He pressed on, "Why do they do that?" "It's because it helps them blend in and dulled the instincts of the enemy, making their opponents less vigilant."
Eric nodded thoughtfully, "By the way, Chris, what do you actually do there?"
"Pretty much whatever makes money," Chris answered simply.
Eric chuckled and asked, "If Firefly Films wanted to go public, could they co to you?"
At this, Chris's smile faltered slightly, and he replied, "Eric, whether you ant it as a joke or
not, if Firefly does want to go public, it must be with handling it. You know what the na ans to ; I want it to develop well."
Noticing the seriousness in Chris's tone, Eric nodded earnestly in response.
*****
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