Are you okay?
Fucking idiots.
Blow on my dices. Blow!
- Is it good? - What the fuck?
Oh, Dad! What the fuck?
What the fuck is wrong with you?
In my fucking room!
Fucking cunt!
Yasmin, where's your dad?
Fucking hell. Fuck, fuck, fuck!
You all right?
Where the fuck are you going?
- Was that the same one? - Cunt!
You all right there, mate?
Where the hell were you?
Should we call the police?
He was in your fucking skip.
A lot of you were asking about my phone case.
I swapped out the Bottega Green because I thought this matte black case
was more work appropriate.
Shout-out to all my corporate girlies for the steer.
So, this is a morning
in the life of a Sales and Trading graduate.
As I always say,
always be the first on the floor, and ABSTBB.
"Always be securing that bag, bish."
God, I sound like a fucking freak.
Just hit 50k followers, it's like a full-time job.
You're at your full-time job.
You can't just film on the floor.
Sorry. Sorry, that...
sidebar is literally like crack, isn't it?
I just wanna say, the way they're dragging you
for being someone who unashamedly
enjoys the lifestyle, it's sickening.
At least they didn't mention you work at Pierpoint.
Yeah.
The fact that I actually work would fuck with their narrative.
You look amazing in that boat photo.
It's not what it looks like. It was taken six weeks ago.
I've deleted all my socials.
They just ripped it off someone else's 'gram.
Bet your DMs were filthy when all this dropped.
I actually accrued quite a passionate gay following
for some reason.
But, yeah, like, I'm guessing a lot of, like,
unsolicited dick pics.
Sweetpea, could you just get me
some more Lumi IPO decks, please?
They're under your left hand.
Also, I started building this risk indicator model
when I was doing my rotations in Risk and Equity trading.
I can share it with you if you like, you know, when it becomes interesting.
James Ashford's called, like,
three or four times this morning already.
I guess it's in response to Lumi's Q2 earnings.
Why would that not be the first thing you tell me?
No, no. No. He's bent as they come, man.
Are you worried they're gonna, like, fire you?
You know, the article?
So, your dad just, like, left, right?
Like, he just disappeared?
Have you heard from him since?
At least you make the whole incognito look
work for you.
Sorry.
How is Elaine, she left you yet?
No, no, that's my best friend.
- Yes. - James, hi.
Sorry, I just got in. How are you feeling?
I tried Henry all last night, twice this morning.
Why is he harder to get ahold of than one of those
Obergruppenführer who joined the priesthood in Argentina?
Look, I'm sure he's just swamped with some last-minute
pre-IPO marketing.
He should be reassuring current investors,
not courting new ones.
No, I'm... Sorry, I mean press.
He's doing some news segment on founders.
Christ.
Look, James, if you need any twelfth-hour deal color,
I am happy to fill you in.
Now, I have to drive three hours to a part of London
that I worked very hard to escape,
to visit a business I used to believe in.
Make sure the founder is there with answers, okay?
Okay, absolutely, James. I am completely with you.
It's just, I'm...
- The answers to what exactly? - Answers to my questions. Bye.
Do I look like I need it?
James at Ashford Asset Management.
I could hear the vein in his forehead.
I'm gonna dig into it, but honestly, I have no idea what he wants.
Yas, he's a minutiae guy. Anal.
This'll be some non-material over-intellectual exercise.
She looks quite chic.
Sweetpea, could you print off the Lumi deck?
- Lumi's stock isn't gonna shift itself. - Yeah.
That newspaper's evil incarnate.
I mean, it's done more damage to this country than--
Private education?
Easy, Tom Selleck.
David Seaman, you look like the Thomas Edison
of pedophilia. What is this?
Have they offered you a Boohoo campaign yet?
- Every penny counts now, right? - Guys, seriously,
with the sheer fuck-offness of the size of this IPO
that's looming over the next 48 hours,
I'm putting a moratorium
on giving airtime to that tawdry bullshit.
Back to the coalface, everybody, now, please.
IPO build-ups. I get this fuckin' twinge in my asshole. It's incredible!
Our mission today is consistent
with when we began this journey nine years ago.
To bring renewable energy at affordable prices
to as many people as possible.
And so...
What?
James Ashford is on his way to Lumi.
His bloodlust is up.
Whose blood? Why?
He wants to speak to Muck,
says he's deliberately gone to ground.
He mentioned something about a PDF,
so I think he's talking about the quarterly report.
Yeah, well, he's in an interview.
You're not a fucking press officer.
The whole point of you wall-crossing
is so that you can manage him for Pierpoint's benefit.
Manage him.
Questions about the purpose of going public won't go away.
I wouldn't be so crude as to use the phrase "cash grab," but...
Come on. What?
You know, you see, these are the typical whispers
you get around something this seismic.
And I might add that the Luddites
always sharpen their knives for disruptors.
Crude scrutiny is important.
And no one is more scrupulous than me, than us.
See, this...
This is what animates a decade-long mission.
Personally, I find I sleep deeper under my desk.
That was me being humorous.
Yeah. No, we can,
we can cut that, it didn't really land.
Anyway, over here we have a...
Thank you.
Sir.
Thanks.
And to our newest partner,
a nod to Pierpoint's agricultural roots.
Cotton to credit default swaps. And in our 150th year.
Think of it as a gift from our founders,
Randolph and Mortimer Pierpoint, straight to you.
They were a family of slavers, right?
Pierpoint's been overexposed in sales and trading.
This has been ameliorated
by our commitment to the green shift.
And on the day of his partnership,
it's important we credit Eric's work in the trenches.
Lumi is just the first in a pipeline
of environmental, social, and governance-oriented deals.
We have a suite of in-demand, ethical and social impact IPOs
that we've won over our competitors.
Look... ESG's a great marketing tool,
and I'm sure it's helped Pierpoint's stock price
to be included in all the ethical investment baskets,
but...
shouldn't we be wary of increasingly gearing
our balance sheet toward a fad?
Excuse me?
Woke investing. Greenwashing.
So our business model
isn't a rigorous balance sheet examination.
We just look at the org chart and then...
Chatham House rules apply.
Pray that the CEO is a Black lesbian with one leg,
then without even meeting her,
sign "they/them" a blank check.
Have I got that right?
I'm sorry.
Chatham House rules means carte blanche for bigotry?
Maybe you can leave your cynicism at the door
while this trade still has legs.
Pierpoint Asset Management, our private equity division,
is heavily invested in these companies.
Lumi, Europa Gaz out of Frankfurt.
Momentum is everything.
With the successful launch tomorrow of Lumi,
the first domino falls and will signal to the market
that the other European live IPOs
we have in the pipeline will hit.
Good thing for me to tell
the CEO about in our weekly catch-ups.
How is the old man?
Still on three hours of sleep a night in his sixties.
And that's not because he's getting up to piss.
It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Wilhelmina.
Of course.
It's about time we had you in the family.
- That kid in there. - Kid?
You mean our new CFO.
She's been at the firm since the dot-com crash.
Is she good, or is she just another
senior woman ticking the governance box for ESG?
Hey, I got an email from our EMEA PR head
about a girl on your desk dealing with some bad press.
Some ugly noise about embezzlement,
- and a missing daddy? - Yasmin.
Yeah, she's been pinballed around desks.
PWM didn't want her.
Ken Kilbane, ED on our floor, has been vouching for her.
She's a nepotism hire, no?
Should we do the honorable thing and put her out of her misery?
Management in New York wouldn't mind seeing your teeth again.
We're leaning out at random over there,
cutting across every level, from AN1 to MD.
I'm sure it's not lost on you
how late this partnership has come in your career.
I lobbied hard for it.
I said, "Look around the room."
"It's a bit monochromatic, right?"
I'm joking.
The look on your face!
That was an ESG joke, my friend.
You don't think I can manage people.
We make tough decisions.
Otherwise, we're no longer partners.
You guys need to know that constant cuts
are the state of our industry now.
No better motivator than death.
Oh...
Lumi's closing above 4.80, right?
Above 4.80.
Fucking tote bag journalists won't allow us to do a good thing.
I'm dead on my feet!
All right, so James Ashford
from Ashford Asset Management is on his way in.
When? Why? Why did you allow this?
He's one of your investors.
Wasn't he in the friends and family round?
Yes, and his investment is friends-and-family-sized.
He's fucking insignificant!
Thought your blood sugar might be low.
Thank you so much, that's so kind.
They didn't have a keto option,
so I just got you what I'm getting.
Don't worry at all. It's very kind.
Hi, yeah, it's Chris from Lumi, how you doing?
We would love to offer you one of our exclusive introduction rates...
You thought I was going to launch my lunch at the wall, didn't you?
Tell James I'll meet with him, and patch Pierpoint in.
How long have we been working on this?
Don't know.
Close to half a year.
You know, ever since Pierpoint put you on this IPO,
I feel like my luck has turned.
What, for the better?
No.
- Hey. - Hey, hey.
- Congratulations. - Thank you, buddy.
I know you've been through hell lately, but you deserve this.
- Thank you. - The good lady wife her indoors,
she said she'll do chicken à la Eric this week
if you wanna drop by and celebrate.
Don't be ridiculous. I'll take you guys for omakase at the Araki.
Kamikaze at the Araki. I love it.
At 380 a head, the kamikaze's my fucking wallet.
Hey, is her head in the game?
Level with me.
From a management perspective, do we really need her?
Yeah, she's good. She's capable. Firsthand. Trust me.
With all these rumors of her dad swirling around,
I'm getting pressure from above.
This is a reputation-defining 24 hours ahead of us.
- I can't carry passengers. - Hundred percent.
Eric.
I wanted to say congratulations. It's very well-deserved.
I am glad you think so.
How are you finding the countryside?
I mean, loads of chinless inbreds
bickering over inheritance tax, what's not to like?
Right, no throat clearing.
We've got some last-minute concerns about your valuation...
based on the very sneakily timed earnings report
with its surprising net debt figure.
The debt profile of the company has seemingly shrunk overnight,
just as you're about to go public?
So?
In your cash and cash equivalent,
you've added in receivables
which you know won't get settled.
You've calculated your indebtedness
as a net debt to EBITDA ratio, and it looks like you just
massaged the EBITDA to make that ratio decrease.
What are you accusing me of?
This earnings report, your first as a public company,
will legally have to be published
on your website for anyone to see,
and you're putting lipstick on the pig
at the last minute.
Which got me thinking what else you're keeping from people.
So I had my analysts up all night
modeling what would happen if, say, given your debt profile,
natural gas prices spike.
My conclusion is that you'd be sailing into a storm
on a shit boat.
Therefore, we disagree with Pierpoint's price
of 4.30 pence a share.
- It should be closer to four pounds. - What?
- I don't know. - We have doubts
over the projected closing price of 4.80.
James.
Let's...
Let's drill down to the crux here, shall we?
You know the fundamentals are strong.
Sir Henry.
Sorry, I know that doesn't make you sound very modern.
I'm going to be reasonable.
I'm going to offer you back half my equity
at 4.30 a share
as per the Pierpoint valuation.
Hi.
Hi, James, it's Yasmin from Pierpoint on the line.
Look, Lumi is at the forefront
of the democratization of the energy sector and--
Yeah, I keep hearing that
and I still have no idea what it means.
Okay, well, from our perspective on the floor,
the IPO is oversubscribed. Investors are very eager to buy.
You know, people are clamoring for this.
We know that street-wide, it is going to be a buy.
Our traders are expecting
a very strong bid for it tomorrow, James.
The market won't support it for long.
You know, I truly hate how you sell-side guys speak.
It's all just fucking smoke and mirrors
with you guys, right? Just jargon, tarting it up.
- And you're incentivized... - My hands are full.
...to overvalue it.
Your private equity division is invested in it.
My offer is 4.30 for half the equity,
and we will see what happens to the other half tomorrow.
You know, you can have it all back at 4.30.
And whoever's voice I keep hearing
evangelizing on that phone,
that belief, that one, is why I feel
we should let the market decide how valuable we are.
All of it?
Okay.
You've got a deal.
And, you know, Henry, I...
I always wanted to be wrong about you.
You know what comes after hubris.
Did I just fuck that?
He raised a pretty big red flag, didn't he?
I'm sure that Pierpoint's I-bankers will have done their due diligence
to make sure this trades well on day one.
Yeah, but like, day two, day 200?
Practically, it's not really our concern.
Eyeballs are on this day one.
How it trades day 200 is lost in the noise.
Look, I know this feels huge
because he's your client, but really he's a minnow
on a day of big players.
Surely it's bad to risk more shares on the open market
if there is any kind of noise
about Lumi diddling with the numbers so late.
I'll tell Eric we handled it.
James from Ashford Asset Management
is pulling back.
He raised some red flags about debt with him and Lumi,
non-transparency,
but Yasmin handled the whole thing really well.
So we've more stock to shift, but we'll shift it.
There's plenty of demand.
- All right. - Yeah, thanks.
- Ask why I'm a pituitary gland. - What? No.
Go on, ask me why I'm a pituitary gland.
Okay, why are you a pituitary gland?
Because I make a whore moan.
Kenny filled me in on Ashford.
He's not a significant voice,
but anything destabilizing this close to IPO
can fuel a rumor mill.
It can metastasize. Keep a lid on it.
Didn't Ashford raise some pretty legitimate concerns
about the CEO's integrity?
Look, our job is to sell the story
that makes Lumi trade well tomorrow.
Is Ashford a canary in the coal mine?
I'd wager our bankers and the Lumi CEO know better
than Ashford Asset Management.
But if you want to feel better, this business
is people making money on a hill of dead yellow birds.
What do you want from this job?
I want to prove to you that I belong here.
I need a functional member of a functioning team.
I need a worker.
- Are you a worker? - I am. I am a worker.
I had a wrecking ball in that seat.
I would just as quickly fire another one.
What is it? Veja? Vanilla?
Not enough money to live in Notting Hill, but frequents the pubs.
Grim.
She should definitely marry him,
she's not got liquidity to freeze her eggs.
Hi.
I don't wanna kinda dip my little oar in,
but I have spied
you putting your disposable coffee cup
- in the general waste. - Sorry, yeah. I...
With the liquid in it, I'm like never sure if it qualifies.
So, if the receptacle is sullied, you just clean it out
and then pop it in the paper recycling.
It's five seconds out of your day.
- You might even feel good. - Right.
No, that's totally rational.
I agree. Apologies.
Okay.
How does Lumi feel on the sales side?
Between us, I think this one really needs to hit
for us from a bright side perspective.
Feels like it's a tone-setting...
FutureDawn. Anna Gearing's office.
Hey, Harper, it's Yas.
Hey. Oh, my God.
Rob told me what happened last night.
I'm so sorry I slept through it.
Can I get Anna urgently?
She is in with Petra at the moment. What's it about?
I have some more Lumi stock, if Anna would like to add.
Are you trying to dump more on her?
You should probably change your tonality.
Okay.
I didn't ask you for advice on my job, but thank you.
Hey, I have no skin in this game.
Just some friendly advice.
Just get her, Harper.
FutureDawn isn't a vanity project for your own trading book.
I signed a contract to work for you under the proviso
that I'd have autonomy. I want to place my own trades
without an autopsy on every single one.
I don't do well with micromanagement.
This is a company-wide strategy.
All of your trades are hedges that cap FutureDawn's upside.
This is about being clear-eyed.
My book is the only book outperforming.
I've been keeping us afloat since the move from Berlin,
- and you know that. - Sorry.
Sorry, I can come back.
Do you think ethical investment actually works,
or is it just a palliative
we give ourselves to feel better?
Why the fuck are you asking her that?
I just do the diary.
And I agree with Anna.
Impact investing is the foundational ethos
of this company.
See?
I don't think anybody's thinking for themselves
'round here anymore.
I'm so sorry about her.
I have Pierpoint on the line.
Hello.
Hi, Anna. It's Yasmin.
You're my first call.
I have some more Lumi stock
if you would like to add to your initial position.
The only reason why you'd call me to sell me more this close to the IPO
is 'cause someone is dumping.
Yasmin.
You know how invested we are in Lumi's listing.
Don't freak me out. Is there something I should know?
You know-- Let me just, let me call you back.
How much of the fund is in Lumi?
Can you make sure that my diary is printed
and on my desk when I come in?
You know I need to hold it.
- Digital just won't do. - Yep.
Double-sided, right? For the environment.
Sorry, it was a joke.
And can you move my car an hour?
Yeah.
Who is this? What do you want?
Yasmin, hi. It's Henry Muck.
We were on a call earlier, Rob gave me your number.
I hope you don't think this is inappropriate,
but can you come meet me a little later tonight?
Near Green Park.
Oh, my God.
Did you move my car?
Oh, my God. Anna, I'm so sorry.
It, like, totally slipped my mind.
It's okay. I knew you'd forget. Seems to be a trend with you.
I was actually going to suggest
that you get some sleep before tomorrow.
You do realize displaying total incompetence
won't expedite a move to trading?
- Good night. - Night.
Hi.
Can I help you?
I was hoping you might indulge me and allow me to finish my earlier thought.
I'm listening.
ESG is a fad.
Ethical investing is a fad.
Everybody and their snotty brother
claim to be ESG.
Assets that qualify as it are so bid,
the valuations are making them stupid investments now anyway.
Not to mention the macro headwinds, the election,
lack of clear-sided investment in fossil fuels.
Really, it's like a utopian opiate for morons
who believe in a "better world."
Like, whatever the fuck that means.
And Lumi...
do you really believe that cheap green energy
for the masses exists, or...
is someone spinning a story?
Fourth floor.
Going down.
- Night. - Night.
Hey.
I was actually just composing an apology email to you.
I've really not had my eye on the ball.
I left my keys. Sorry. I'm rushing.
Yeah.
Actually, I...
I wanted to apologize to you too, for my tone earlier,
my cortisol levels.
I constantly feel like there's an active shooter in the building.
I don't know why I let myself feel
like my life is on the line. I've...
Turns you into somebody who you don't wanna be.
I totally get it.
I mean, I don't even want the people who work for me
to feel like my employees, if you know what I mean.
Yeah, I mean, we are your employees, so...
Keys.
I'm really, really appreciative of you taking a chance on me.
Don't stay up too late. Big day tomorrow.
Yeah.
In the spirit of honesty,
I'm wondering if maybe we could just have, like,
a dialogue about the firm's investment choices,
just to keep my brain alive.
It's been a really long day.
- Okay. We'll talk first thing. - Yeah, cool. Thank you.
- Good night. - Good night.
My friend designs the necklaces herself.
- Do you actually like it? - Yeah, I love it.
Do you think you'll stay over tonight?
- Do you want me to? - Who do you think you are?
What gives you the right to divulge my personal information to a stranger?
What are you talking about, a stranger?
He's our business. He asked.
Since when do you care about boundaries?
He asked! Sorry, I didn't realize that.
And next time he asks you
- to blow him-- - What, again?
Sorry, he's kind of got BDE.
Yeah, you bet he does.
And I've actually got a very sensitive gag reflex.
Do you think this is funny?
Look, I'm sorry, all right?
I really didn't want to,
but I've basically never said no to him.
He says that no is just a step on the way to yes.
But, you know, it's your work phone. He's work.
No, he called my personal number.
Yas, I promise I didn't give him that.
I never would. What does he want?
He wants me to go and meet him tonight.
Nothing more bleak than a financial flatshare.
Another a day at the coalface?
Privatizing profits and mutualizing losses, yeah?
Hi, Dave.
Oh, yeah, Harper, let's Park Chan-wook, babe.
Oh, and a sobering glass of water for you, Harper Lee.
Is he staying over again?
Are you okay?
The press are animals.
Ignore them.
You move ahead, right?
Night.
I'll be in my room,
continuing to make poor decisions.
I'm sure Henry's being innocent.
You gonna go?
I don't really have a choice, do I?
I'm waiting for his car now.
Yeah, there's a Tesla outside.
Great. So now I'm late.
You just passed your managerial role onto me
because you don't know how to do your fucking job.
- Yas, I'm sorry. - No, you know
how exposed I am right now.
An unknown number gives me a fucking heart attack,
and I'm about to lose my job, probably, over a fucking photograph
I didn't even know was being taken.
Can you just try? Just try and understand that.
Really?
So, are we oversubscribed?
Shot!
Fuck!
There is a very exciting level of appetite.
I really think
that Ashford's bearishness was local to him.
How's Aurore?
Yeah, is she electable yet?
Get one of the Sundays to do a profile.
Yasmin, this is my uncle, Lord Norton--
Alexander. Pleasure.
My godfather, Otto Mostyn.
And this is Reynolds.
Fuck!
Where do I know you from?
I work at Pierpoint.
Pierpoint? My God, is that place still solvent?
Actually, they've done a pretty first-rate job marketing Lumi.
It's closing up, isn't it?
Four pound eighty, Botty!
"The morning has gold in its mouth."
She's Charlie's kid.
I was at Balliol with your father.
Oh, my God, Charlie Hanani?
He used to double-park his Jag on Radcliffe Square.
He punched the air when he took a third.
Dangerously handsome. Dangerously stupid.
I admired him.
You're on.
Sorry about my papers' coverage.
I empower my editors. Not my decision.
But a lot of people are very angry with Mr. Hanani.
I'd gently nudge him to come out of hiding
and stop letting his daughter take all the punishment.
Scuttling away from his own boat in a dinghy
and going on the lam.
- It's a coward's way out. - All right, come on.
Well, if that's everything. Thank you.
No, wait a minute. Hang on.
- Hang on. - For fuck's sake.
Thank you for the hands-on service.
Let's keep this dialogue going, shall we?
Oh, and... Yeah.
I know what it's like having a family member
ruin your life,
so I know what you're going through.
The kids are always collateral.
I really do wonder
- if Charlie's recovering... - Come on!
...from syphilis he got at some Mediterranean whorehouse.
- Give me a sec. - Fuck's sake, Botty!
Can I have a minute? Otto Mostyn.
Yes, I know.
I'm having lunch tomorrow at my club with Gregory Clark
from British Electric,
and he's got more social pretensions than Barry Lyndon.
We could all go for a drink out afterwards.
Gregory, he's still looking for a Lumi comp to buy
given he missed out on Prince Hal's little project.
Well,
you should really speak to the investment banking division
about that kind of deal making.
Do you know, your father...
he owes a lot of people a lot of money.
Including, but not limited to, his bill at our club.
So, stop by...
as his proxy.
I just have to do something about this article.
I mean, surely I can sue.
It's not going to stay news for long.
And everyone loses on a libel case,
except the lawyers, of course.
The thing is
the photo was taken completely out of context.
It looks like I was partying with, like, stolen money.
So... So, wait.
So, what are the financial implications for you?
I mean, your family weren't involved
in Hanani Publishing anymore, were they?
No, but it's historic embezzlement.
He was skimming off the pension pot for years.
Some of the employees are actually suing me directly.
Yeah, but surely they haven't got a case
against you while he's still missing.
Yeah.
Apparently not,
but it's still costing me a fuck ton in lawyers' fees
to fight them off.
If only the press knew I was broke.
Oh, my God.
My boss is sat over there
with someone that is not his wife.
Don't look. Oh, fucking hell.
He's coming over.
- Hey. - Eric.
I'm not on the piss.
I-- This is a meeting. She's a lawyer.
And she used to fuck my brother.
Okay, well, I am on a date, and I am separated from my wife.
Just wanted to get ahead of that.
So, how's it going?
She keeps talking about her kids.
One's transitioning. Not my area.
I mean, I fucking hate kids. So, join us?
One never hurt.
Let me just extricate myself from this situation
with as much grace as I can summon up.
- Great. - Of course.
Why the fuck would you do that? Now I can't leave.
I just love an old dog with new appetites.
You're just a useless little boy, aren't you?
My chambers are around the corner.
I have a key.
We have a massive day tomorrow.
Just when you were getting interesting.
When we separated, I promised myself
I'd say yes to everything I used to say no to.
Okay, fuck it.
- Okay, fuck it. - Okay.
I won't do it. It's not really...
It's not who I am.
Not what the newspapers imply.
Kidding.
I haven't done blow since 9/11.
No, really, it's, it's just not who I am.
Me neither.
Yeah, I'm lying. This is what I'm good at.
On Pierpoint?
I sentence you to a line.
Fat boy.
Yeah!
Here you go. Careful, it's hot.
Ta.
You know, I've bitten off more than I can chew with this house.
I'm broke.
At least the lights are still on, just about.
Well, I know a few illegal Croats that'll give you a good up-front price.
Of course you do.
And actually have an appetite for work.
When did the English get so bad at building things?
What is that bullshit around your neck?
Did your little girlfriend give you that?
Don't.
You look like a fucking club rep from Zante.
Fuck off.
Let's have a look.
Why do you stay...
after you fuck me?
Here's me thinking that we were making love.
I don't know why I'm still here.
You desire me.
We get each other off.
You're you with me.
I don't need this...
toff CEO to say "well done" to me.
Yeah, you do.
That's all you've ever wanted.
Validation of your betters.
And functioning codependence
with someone as fucked up as you are.
Hey, listen, I'm not knocking it.
It's a good a north star as any.
We're all just chimps in a hierarchy.
What's the deal with you and Wolfe Tone?
- Kenny? - Oh...
God, how do you know about that?
I mean, it was brutal at the time,
but I think we've sort of readdressed the balance.
He pushed me hard on rehiring you. He took me in.
After my wife... kicked me out,
I sort of lost three days to Jim Beam.
I went to Kenny.
He and his wife were very kind.
It's like Robbie Williams turning up at Elton John's.
Like, the patron saint of pissheads.
I shouldn't have shown him that side of me.
Let me level with you.
I am terrified of you
because I want to be seen by you.
But, right now, like, I feel seen by you,
and I'm not scared of you.
I do feel like we've just
skipped several awkward stages of a relationship.
Right, and then let's try and remember that feeling
when we're sober, you know?
Because I do want to impress you.
Eric, you're kind of a fucking rock star
on our desk.
Keep talking.
I shouldn't need the validation. I just bailed on therapy.
Oh, I've never done it.
I'd be so scared about what would actually come out of my mouth.
Yeah.
A lot of money to just talk about your parents.
- Right. - Where's your father?
I really wish people would just stop asking me that.
How do you feel about it now?
I hate the way it makes me look.
What did you and Harper have that was so special?
There was nothing special.
You don't have to be anything like her, you know.
I'm baffled she's gotten another job in the business.
Yeah, well, I kind of twisted Anna's arm on that one.
I, you know, I took Anna out to a bunch of dinners,
and I had to pay for them.
Are you going to fire me?
You know, we can keep dancing around it,
but, you know, it's on my mind,
- and we're here now. - Yeah.
- Given our current situation. - It hadn't crossed my mind.
Well, that's not entirely accurate.
- I do have to let someone go. - Who?
Someone worth letting go, associate or above.
I don't want to, but if I don't do it,
they'll think I'm weak.
Right, but Robert and me are the only associates on the desk.
And he's made himself completely indispensable managing Muck.
He's indispensable till the IPO launches,
then he's more dispensable.
Why did you put in a good word for Harper?
I think that, deep down, Harper is a good person.
I don't think she is.
I cannot believe
we're doing this the morning of the IPO.
Yas, Yas, take a picture of me.
I'm beautiful.
The fuck are you doing?
What?
Oh, okay.
- Can you go? - Yeah.
Bye.
I probably shouldn't take Cialis on blow.
Hello? You okay?
- Are you okay? - Yeah.
I'm fine.
Why are you calling?
I don't know.
Well...
Well, you called me. What's the matter?
Why aren't you at the exchange?
Do you think I'm cursed?
It's just...
It's just that everyone-- everyone-- everyone dies.
Yeah.
Yeah, everyone does die.
Are you fucked?
What have you taken?
Maybe you should stop drinking. Again.
But I'm-- I'm sure you're okay.
I actually-- I wanted to say I'm sorry for-- for last night.
I overreacted. Okay?
See you at home, yeah?
Lumi close to opening here.
- Offer price is 4.80. - Bye. Bye-bye.
Where have you been?
Phones are ringing off the hook.
Apparently, Adler's coming onto the floor to oversee Lumi.
Where's Eric?
His wife just dumped the kids with me.
Apparently, it's his day and he hasn't seen them for weeks.
I don't know. Why would I know?
I wanna feel the flow coursing through my body.
- You forgot about us. - No, no, I didn't.
You sure you wanna let his kids see those heels, Sweetpea?
They'll be destined for a life on the pole.
Rishi, do not shame me for dressing in a way
that gives me confidence
and then look at me like I'm lunch.
It's completely inappropriate.
I love it.
Opening price is 4.30. We're expecting a 4.80 close.
- So, where the hell were you? - Please, don't.
- I can't do this now. - Hey. Hey!
Shit. Are you all right?
Robert, what are you doing here? Who's with Henry?
- Hey, man, are you good? - Rob.
I need to talk to you.
Hey, soft lad.
Whoa, you got the dead eyes of a porn star. What happened?
Fuck off, Rishi.
Please.
That's... I can't... I can't...
Rob.
Off the desk.
Rob...
I am sorry.
I'm really embarrassed. That was so unprofessional.
Don't apologize. Sometimes things just bubble up.
What happened?
I lost a client.
Huh? That's all?
Where are you meant to be right now?
At the stock exchange with Lumi.
Look at me for a second.
Are you going to stop being such a pussy?
Look at me.
Say it with me.
"I'm a man and I'm relentless."
- I'm a man and I'm relentless. - Good.
Now, say it properly.
Stay with me.
I am a man... and I'm relentless.
I'm a man...
- and I'm relentless. - I'm a man.
- And I'm relent-- - I'm a man!
- I'm a man. - And I'm relentless!
- I'm a man. - I'm a man!
- I am a man! - And I'm relentless!
I'm a man! And I'm relentless!
Now, go to work.
Now, we do our jobs.
Wait, what did you want to talk about?
Give me that.
Hey man, are you good? I can smell it on you.
Maybe you should come to another meeting with me, huh?
I need a word.
This morning's set pretty fair.
Phones are ringing off the hook like the old days.
Hey, man.
Do you want to talk about what prompted the relapse?
I'm not like you, Ken.
I don't need judgment from you.
This is empathy.
That's worse.
I have to let you go.
What are you talking about?
You'll have a very healthy redundancy package.
- I've been performing. - Part of my new role
is making tough decisions.
On the morning of the IPO?
I'm mortgaged up to the fucking hilt,
I just got married.
You drained the open bar. Jesus Christ.
What is this, some sort of signal to the others?
I'll give you whatever recommendation you need.
Hi.
Please rethink this.
Eric, you were a state. I looked after you.
You made a practical decision.
You looked after me because I pay you.
I'm so sorry, Kenny. It's your wife.
I picked it up. She's called three times.
- She says it's urgent. - You can take it.
Hello?
Come on, come on.
I'm a man and I'm relentless.
Eric, you listen to me, okay?
This is wrongful dismissal.
I will take you to a fucking tribunal.
I decide who lives and dies here.
Can you hear yourself?
Yes, I can.
For the first time in a long time, I can.
Now, leave quietly.
Or shall we bring up your history?
The litany of sins against a specific colleague.
I've been generous.
I've acted with compassion.
Now, pack your fucking box and leave.
You're dripping.
Wipe yourself off, you're dripping.
I pity you.
I know that shame.
- What's this? - Oh.
Play with this instead.
- Thank you? - Thanks.
How could you do this to me?
What?
Lumi closes above 4.80. No prisoners!
Kenny!
Guys, Sweetpea's gonna watch you.
My wife's trying to punish me.
- With your own kids? - Yes, Sweetpea.
Find them a last-minute sitter.
Today is the only day that matters!
Above 4.80, kids!
Enjoy. This is gonna be exciting.
This is surreal.
Rob.
Your friend Yasmin.
Is there more to her than just a photo?
You know they're a customer.
The exchange. We supply their energy.
I'm a bit scared.
After all this, the ringing of the bell, the IPO...
it's all gonna feel rather pathetic.
An anticlimax.
Absolutely not.
No way.
I mean, look at all this.
You've done this.
You're gonna feel very...
alive.
Hey man.
Good job.
They're ready to ring in three,
two...
- What the fuck? - What the fuck?
- No, no, no, no! - What the fuck is going on?
Which prick forgot to pay the bill?
What happened?