America: My Time

Chapter 1457 Struggle
Chapter 1447 Unending Entanglement

"There's no way you'll make me stop. I won't trust you anymore. I've already been burned too many times. You shouldn't even think about it. I'm here for a Wall Street party, not to listen to your advice!" John's words caused everyone's expressions to change, especially the Morgan tycoon. After all, they were the ones hosting this party, and now someone who shouldn't be there was at this Wall Street party!
Seeing John's resolute attitude, Lassoton's expression also became serious. He wanted to persuade him, but he swallowed his words. He knew that there was no way to convince John to make a change at this time. Donkey's integrity was too poor, which made him feel boundless pressure, because it affected not only Donkey, but also himself, the president!

"Alright, let's leave it at that. I've given you all enough face, and I hope you won't make things difficult for me!" At this point, Morgan had no choice but to stop Donkey's group and President Laugh Tale, because he was worried that if they continued, it would provoke John's anger. After all, they were the ones who started the trouble, and it was too late to beg for forgiveness now.

Seeing Morgan step in, the old guys like Rockefeller breathed a sigh of relief, as did the Wall Street figures. They were all worried that things would spiral out of control. If John were truly angered, the consequences would be dire, given John's unwavering stance and his absolute right. Even if this reached the public eye, it would still be Donald's fault, and if it really came to that, Donald would pay an even greater price.

If it ended like this, the donkey was not willing to give up. Those guys turned their attention to Lancelotton. It was obvious that these guys wanted Lancelotton to speak. Now only he, the president, had the face to do so. Whether it was Morgan or John, they had to give him face!

“Mr. John, I understand your anger, but the United States cannot withstand such turmoil right now. Could you please reduce the scale of your actions? Even if you are relocating, could you please keep it from causing such a commotion and give us some time to stabilize the situation? Don’t worry, as long as you agree, we will provide appropriate compensation and will not put you in a difficult position!” Lalston finally spoke up. After all, he was a member of the Donkeys, and if he backed down at this point, he would never be able to hold his head high among the Donkeys again!
When Lackton spoke, Morgan frowned. This was a complete disregard for his warning and a provocation of his bottom line. However, given Lackton's status, Morgan couldn't directly confront him. Doing so would make Morgan seem impolite and disrespectful to the President, a reputation he couldn't afford to have!

At this point, Morgan could only turn his attention to John to see his reaction. If John objected, he would have to step in and stop him from being affected. Otherwise, the relationship between Morgan and John would suffer, since this was a party hosted by Morgan.

“It’s not impossible, but what price can you offer? If it’s just a little gratitude, then don’t even bother. I want tangible benefits. As for guarantees, forget about them. No one will believe your integrity, not even you, the President!” Although John’s words sounded like a slap in the face to President Lancelot, no one present thought so, because it was the truth. Neither Donkey nor Lancelot had any integrity, and they had lost everyone’s trust.

Upon hearing John's words, Zipperton's expression hardened. He couldn't bring himself to offer benefits directly. If it was Donkey's promise, it would be useless. But if he were to offer John benefits in the name of the White House or the official name, that was not a decision he could make alone. This put him in a dilemma!

"Heh, I knew it. You still want to play these ridiculous tricks. Do you really think everyone else is a fool? Without sufficient benefits, don't even open your mouth. Even if you're the president, you can't go back on your word. For Morgan's sake, I can give you three days to prepare!" John paused here, then turned to Morgan and said, "If this is the theme of the party, then I won't talk to you any further. I don't have that much time. You all know I'm very busy right now!"

While it seemed that John was giving Morgan face, his words also made it clear to everyone that John was very dissatisfied with Morgan's arrangements, creating a rift between the two sides. Moreover, saying it in front of everyone made many people tempted. If they could win John over from Morgan, it would be a significant benefit for them!

At this moment, Morgan sighed inwardly: "Just as I thought, I knew John wouldn't forgive me this time. It's a pity those fools insisted on accepting the donkey's benefits and made me step in!"

Although Morgan is the head of the family, the Morgan Group cannot be decided by him alone. When most people were persuaded by the donkey, he had no choice but to compromise under the principle of majority rule. However, this compromise clearly damaged the relationship between Morgan and John, widening the rift between them.
Trying to explain was pointless; what's done is done, and no amount of talking would change anything. Moreover, their repeated scheming had made John very dissatisfied with them, and even the best of friendships would be affected by such an impact.

"John, we've come to discuss next year's financing and the Asian financial crisis with you. Although it's nearing its end, no one wants to attack each other over trivial matters and ruin their respective interests and plans!"

"I have no problem. Everyone knows my plan, which is to complete the asset restructuring. It should not conflict with any of you. As for the financing issue, everything will be done according to the agreement. I will not go back on my word, so you don't need to worry. Even if the internet develops faster and faster, I will not go back on my word. If I say I will sell, I will sell. Besides, I don't have that much energy to put into this aspect. After all, I just want to stabilize myself right now!"

Although John said those words, none of the people present dared to think that way. Anyone who believed John would be a fool. Even the most foolish person understood that John's words were just for show. If they actually thought or did that, they would pay a heavy price. John, such a major client, would not possibly be lost to Morgan.

"Every man for himself!" Everyone is here for their own benefit. Expecting others to pay a price while offering no benefit in return is foolish and will only lead you down a dead end. Everyone has selfish desires, but your selfishness cannot override everyone else's, especially in such a significant matter. If the donkey had discussed things with everyone beforehand and everyone had been prepared, this situation wouldn't have occurred. Unfortunately, everything has changed now and is no longer easily under control.

“Mr. John, will you be focusing your energy on the development of Oregon for the next few years? Your frantic relocation of the company will have a significant impact, no matter how well Oregon is prepared. Moreover, it could easily lead to greater chaos. It would be better to slow things down and take it in several steps so that we can all be prepared!” Upon seeing John's statement, Donkey's guys couldn't help but jump in again. For them, they wouldn't give up as long as there was even the slightest chance. After all, if things really got out of hand in California, their losses would be too great. It could easily ruin Donkey's control over California, which was also an outcome that the California conglomerate didn't want to see.

If California descends into chaos, the impact on the California financial groups will be enormous. This is why Donkey has been trying to persuade John. If they cannot satisfy John, they will face the wrath of the California financial groups. Even the Kennedy family will pay a heavy price, since the financial groups don't care about them.

How much benefit could the Donkey offer John? Almost nothing. After all, although the Donkey has a strong influence in California, it's impossible for them to offer John enough benefits at this time. If the benefits are too small, John won't even notice them; if they are too large, they won't be able to explain it to the California conglomerate.

"Alright, gentlemen, let's not put John in a difficult position. Whatever your thoughts are, go back and discuss them. We're discussing financial matters now, and it's not right for you to keep bothering him like this!" When these Wall Street crocodiles saw that the donkey was still pestering them, their faces showed anger. This was completely disregarding them, even slapping them in the face. How could they not be furious?

If this party hadn't been held in the name of Wall Street, they wouldn't have said anything, and all the pressure would have fallen on Morgan. But it was arranged by Morgan's bigwigs, and holding it in the name of Wall Street would affect their interests, so they didn't want things to go in a bad direction!
"I have no ill intentions towards any of you, nor am I deliberately making things difficult for you. It is because you have repeatedly targeted me that this time, no amount of pleading will help. I am sticking to my decision and will not waver because of you. I understand the situation in the United States. As long as no one causes me any more trouble or targets me, I will not fight back. As long as you provide sufficient compensation, I don't need to care about anything else. I can accept it."

Anyone who believes John's lies about having no ill intentions is a fool. If they dare to think that way, they'll soon be completely taken advantage of and waste their time. They know how terrifying John is; if they think he's easy to talk to, they'll pay the price for their stupidity. His repeated successes and the strategic planning before the Asian financial crisis have made everyone hesitant to take John's views on the situation seriously. But now that John is silent, they are left feeling helpless.

There were many things these old guys wanted to talk to John about, and some even wanted to find a balance through him. However, John didn't want anyone to interfere in their conflicts. Some people were better off suffering a bit, otherwise they would pay a heavy price.

Although it can't be said that the meeting ended badly, the party hosted by Morgan did not satisfy John. Morgan's decision was too reckless, as he made arrangements without consulting John, which affected their relationship. John's attitude has now become ambiguous, and if something goes wrong, it could be an even bigger disaster!

“John, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, nor that I’m deliberately targeting you. With Donkey and Labington involved, I have to give them some face. Besides, they’re really desperate this time. California can’t hold on. If California’s economy has problems, Donkey will face retaliation, but you won’t have an easy time either!”

After the party, Morgan kept John behind and tried to persuade him. He knew he had gone a bit too far tonight, but he had no choice. Some favors had to be repaid, and he was often powerless to do what he was told.

“I understand, but I can’t accept it. I can’t let the internal strife within Morgan affect my own interests. You can’t keep making me suffer losses. There’s a trade-off between us. You’re just sucking my blood, which I can’t accept. Besides, if these guys were really sincere, they wouldn’t have left without any indication of their sincerity!”

Wanting to reconcile without paying a price? There's no such thing as a free lunch. If there were, these guys would naturally step in, since the impact is no small matter. If something goes wrong, someone has to take the blame, and someone else has to take the fall.

Morgan was fully aware of his own situation, and he was equally aware that in the face of such danger, everything he had encountered before was insignificant. There's no such thing as getting something for nothing; there's no such thing as a free lunch. John wasn't a fool to let them scheme and manipulate him.

The more some people make a scene, the worse the outcome will be. There will be a major purge within the donkeys, and these guys will all be dealt with. So now that someone has approached him, they want him to take all the responsibility. Unfortunately, John has no desire to have any more dealings with them. Favors always have an end.

Knowing his own situation, he understood that the internal strife within Morgan was far less severe than the predicament John faced. Moreover, with Morgan in such turmoil, many were likely eager to seize opportunities and gain their own benefits. John's stake was too high, and persuading him to change his relationship with Morgan would have far-reaching consequences!
(End of this chapter)