"Trading Places" - Was Mortimer Secretly Trying to HELP Billy Ray?

Okay, hear me out, because I know this sounds crazy. We watched 'Trading Places' as a family last night (the kids were surprisingly into it, though we definitely skipped a few scenes and had some… discussions afterward, lol). Anyway, I've seen it a million times, but something struck me this time. What if Mortimer Duke wasn't solely motivated by malice in how he treated Billy Ray Valentine? I mean, initially, for sure, it's just a cruel bet. No doubt. But think about it: Mortimer could have just ruined Billy Ray completely. Instead, he kinda...guides him? He hires him, puts him in a position of power (albeit manipulated power). He exposes insider trading secrets to him, even if unintentionally. The whole orange juice incident at the train is hilarious, but it's also showing Billy Ray the ropes of sophisticated (if morally bankrupt) commerce. Maybe, just maybe, deep down, Mortimer saw potential in Billy Ray, something beyond just a pawn in a bet? I'm not saying Mortimer's a secret philanthropist or anything, LOL. The breakfast scene where he's gloating with Randolph is super cringey. But maybe there's a tiny, twisted part of him that thought, "Hey, let's see what this street kid can really do." It would explain why he didn't just crush him immediately. What do you guys think? Am I reading way too much into this, or is there a hint of a mentor/mentee thing hidden under all the ridiculousness? It does make me like the movie even MORE! Also, can we all agree that Jamie Lee Curtis is a queen in this? Especially loved her in 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' recently, so watching this throwback was awesome. Ok, back to my theory: thoughts?!