America: My Time

Chapter 331 Rejection
Chapter 331 Rejection

“John, we’ve already thought of this problem, so we certainly won’t put you in a difficult position. Rest assured, with the support of both Morgan and Rockefeller, this acquisition will be smooth sailing. Anyone who tries to stop it will be making an enemy of Morgan and Rockefeller and will have to bear our wrath!” Jimmy answered directly in response to John’s concerns.

"Although I believe in the power of Morgan and Rockefeller, this is no small matter. Even if you can suppress the voice of Hollywood and the voice of the media, can you suppress the voice of ordinary people? Can you get those guys at the White House to accept this? This is no small matter. I don't want to get Phoenix Group into trouble because of momentary greed!"

At this point, John remained skeptical and did not truly believe Jimmy's assurance, because such an assurance was useless. If it really stirred up a storm, both Morgan and Rockefeller would stay out of it and leave all the trouble to Phoenix Group, which was not the outcome John wanted to see.

Of course, this was also a small test to see if Morgan and Rockefeller were prepared. They couldn't possibly be without any backup plan for such a deal. If I were to accept it based on just these words, I would be too arrogant and underestimate my own wisdom. Such an acquisition is no small matter!
“John, we’ve solved all these problems for you. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have taken so long to come see you. What others think or think is not important, but what we can guarantee is that the White House will not have any objections, the media will not take any action, and Hollywood will not have any ideas. As for some people on Wall Street, we cannot influence them. After all, everyone’s choices are different, and we cannot influence what they think or think! So although there is danger, it is very small!”

“Jimmy, we’re old friends. If possible, I wouldn’t refuse such an acquisition. Acquiring AMC Theatres isn’t a problem, but for Paramount Pictures, I need a guarantee—a guarantee without any hidden risks, especially regarding personnel. I don’t want any changes. Only then will I accept it; otherwise, I’ll have to disappoint you!”

“That’s not a problem, we can guarantee that. However, John and Rockefeller don’t want cash. They want to exchange it for a portion of Dreamworld shares, just like they did with Pan Am. What do you think?” Although reluctant, Jimmy had to speak up for Rockefeller, since he had received demands from Rockefeller and Morgan before coming here.

"Jimmy, your request is a bit too much. I suffered considerable losses in the game world's transactions. If Dream World goes public, it won't be any worse than the game world. Don't you think this request is a bit excessive?"

“John, I know this request is a bit much, but we need to help you withstand all the pressure. And don’t you think this is the best time? If we miss this opportunity, it won’t be easy for Phoenix Group to expand again. After all, this is Paramount Pictures, one of the Hollywood giants!”

“Jimmy, things aren’t as simple as you make them out to be, and this doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Morgan. If I accept this offer, I’ll suffer a huge loss. Paramount isn’t worth that price, and I have many other options if I have to pay that price. Most importantly, I already have Legendary Entertainment, NBC, and Universal Pictures. Paramount isn’t a necessity!” John wasn’t convinced by Jimmy’s words. Even though it would indeed benefit Phoenix Media, it would damage their own interests, and it wasn’t worth trading for such a small gain!
“Okay, I admit you have a point, and I understand that Paramount isn’t essential, but this is a rare opportunity, and once it’s gone, it won’t come again! If you have any other requests, you can bring them up. You know Morgan is also under pressure!” At this point, Jimmy stopped insisting and instead told John about Morgan’s pressure.

"Hehe, it's normal for Morgan to be under pressure. After all, you guys made such a huge profit from listing the game world. It's no wonder those old guys are anxious. That's why I can't make such a decision and can't sacrifice such a huge profit. Besides, the game world has just been listed, so there's no need for me to rush to list Dream World. I have enough time to wait."

Faced with John's stubbornness, Jimmy couldn't help but sigh. He stretched out his hands to indicate to the Rockefeller representative that he had done his best and there was really no other way.

“Mr. John, Paramount Pictures is also a valuable asset. The film industry is recovering now, so this exchange should be considered a win-win situation. You can improve Phoenix Group’s layout in North America, and we can get what we want.”

"The film industry is recovering? You must be joking. I admit that Hollywood's box office increased last year, but that doesn't really reflect the overall state of Hollywood. And Paramount Pictures hasn't demonstrated enough convincing capabilities. But Dreamworld has proven its worth. Do you think I would agree to such a deal?"

“Alright, Mr. John, you win. Do you have any other requests? We won't refuse anything we can do.” “To be honest, I don't really have any special requests. I've already told Morgan that I don't want to expand this year, at least not domestically. I need time to consolidate myself!”

“Mr. John, as far as I know, Bentley is expanding and has connections with Western Star Trucks, discussing an acquisition. Is this what you mean by not expanding?” At this point, Rockefeller’s representative finally produced some evidence.

"Hehe, I meant we won't expand domestically, not overseas. West Star Trucks isn't a domestic company, it's a Canadian company. Most importantly, the Bentley Group has already completed its integration, so there's no need to wait."

Jimmy was well aware of the situation at Bentley Motors. Due to the rapid expansion of Quantum Mining, there was a huge demand for construction machinery, so it was only natural for Bentley Motors to expand at this time. It was better to keep the profits within the family, so such procurement should naturally be handled by Bentley Motors. Moreover, Weststar Trucks was a Canadian company, so there wouldn't be any major problems with its acquisition, at least no one would object.

“John, we’ve come with good intentions, and this kind of cooperation is a win-win situation. If you have any other ideas, I can bring them up, and we can discuss them. And if you really feel that the deal is not fair, we can make other arrangements. Aren’t you interested in developing in retail? Morgan is willing to help you achieve this goal, how about it?”

Upon hearing Jimmy's words, John was secretly pleased; this was exactly the outcome he wanted. However, he couldn't show it too openly. After a moment's thought, John said, "Jimmy, we're old friends. Logically, I should give you and Morgan face, and also give Rockefeller some face, since they didn't make things difficult for me with the oil refineries and gas fields, allowing me to complete my plans. But I can't sacrifice too many interests. Since Morgan is involved in this matter, I want to know which company you're preparing. If it conflicts with my plans, it might not be of much use, so we'll have to abandon this idea!"

Hearing this, Jimmy finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as John, that little fox, was interested, it wouldn't be a problem. The real problem was if he wasn't interested and kept refusing such cooperation.

“John, Morgan Stanley has selected Costco, a warehouse supermarket, and Best Buy, an online retailer, for you. Acquiring these two companies will make Southern Group more comprehensive in the retail sector. Of course, if you also have ideas in the pharmaceutical field, we can also provide more assistance!”

"Alright, you win. Pharmaceutical retail is out of the question; Langs Pharmaceuticals is enough. I'm willing to accept warehouse supermarkets and e-commerce. However, I have one small request: I need a pharmaceutical company and an experienced hospital. You know I have a security company, and if something happens, it could significantly impact their lives. I believe the power of Morgan and Rockefeller might be able to help me achieve this. If you can do that, then I'll accept your offer. Of course, I also know this isn't something you can decide. I can wait for you to go back and discuss it before making a decision!"

As John said this, a faint smile appeared on his face. He didn't think there was anything wrong with his request, nor did he think he had done anything wrong in this transaction. It was an exchange of benefits, and he couldn't afford to lose out. The other party had to give corresponding benefits.

“John, your request is indeed beyond our ability to make a decision. It's beyond our imagination. To be honest, if it were a retail business, we would agree to your request without hesitation. But a hospital is something we really can't do. Acquiring a reputable private hospital isn't easy. There are many interests and too many troubles involved!”

John knew this all too well. In a capitalist society, the network of relationships behind private hospitals is incredibly vast, involving countless wealthy individuals. This requires dealing with a multitude of relationships, especially since John, the shrewd fellow, pointed out the security company's problems, which made Jimmy even more cautious.

John wouldn't have even mentioned a regular hospital. Jimmy understood that John wanted a top-tier hospital, and while there were many such hospitals in the US, acquiring one was extremely difficult. With resistance from all sides, a slight misstep could affect Morgan and Rockefeller. Naturally, such a troublesome matter had to be decided by the powerful figures behind them!
(End of this chapter)