For three days, nothing happened. He checked his empty bank account. He checked the silent forum. He felt like he’d sent his money into a black hole.
Leo filled it out, linked his bank account, and hit "Submit."
Leo stared at his laptop screen, the cursor blinking like a taunting heartbeat. The headline on the sketchy forum read:
The stock didn't just move; it teleported. $0.004 became $0.08. Then $0.40. Leo’s deli-sandwich investment was now worth a used sedan.
He logged back onto the forum to brag, but the thread was gone. The "Direct Path" post had been deleted. In its place was a warning from the SEC about "Pump and Dump" schemes. Leo looked at his gold-sealed paper. His heart hammered. He realized that while buying without a broker felt like a revolution, it also meant there was no one to catch him if the floor fell out.