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Chapter 455 The Real Landlord

Entering the crowd, Ernst walked toward Wenger.

However, before he had taken more than a few steps, a gentle breeze swept past him from behind, carrying a faint scent of perfume, and the smell was quite unique.

Immediately afterwards, someone gently patted his shoulder. Ernst turned around, and when he saw the person's face, a complex look flashed in his eyes, a mixture of surprise and doubt.

Everyone invited to this party tonight is a prominent figure in America, an absolute member of high society.

They can no longer be described as successful; they are the best in their respective fields.

Even Wenger, whose law firm is now considered one of the top five in California, only barely qualified to attend this party because he had connections with many prominent figures.

The appearance of this person in front of him truly surprised Ernst.

She wore a fiery red evening gown that perfectly accentuated her shapely figure. Tiny rhinestones adorned the skirt, sparkling brilliantly under the lights.

Although she has bright red lips, her personality carries a touch of innocence, making her exceptionally beautiful and charming.

Her long, wavy hair was casually draped over her shoulders, adding a touch of alluring charm.

The key is the two meaty balls, which almost make you feel like they might jump out at any moment.

"What, don't you recognize me?" the woman said, her voice soft and melodious, yet carrying a subtle allure.

Ernst saw a glimmer of joy in her eyes, but it wasn't the pure, heartfelt happiness of reuniting with an old friend; rather, it carried a seductive quality, like a hunter seeing his prey fall into a trap.

He pursed his lips, finally coming up with a more fitting description of the woman's state.

This is the feeling of a pond owner seeing fish in his pond, preparing to throw in fish food, and waiting for the fish to bite—it's full of a desire for control and a sense of purpose.

"No, I just didn't expect to run into you here," Ernst replied calmly, his tone revealing little emotion, showing neither excessive enthusiasm nor obvious rejection.

The person in front of him was none other than Madoff's daughter, Christy Madoff.

Wow, she really has a lot of power and influence; she even managed to bring her daughter in.

There's an unwritten rule at these kinds of parties: younger people are generally not allowed to attend.

Even if you want to bring it, the organizers may not let you in.

"What do you mean? Are you unhappy to see me?" Christy took a step forward, instantly closing the distance between them.

If viewed from behind, an uninformed person might actually think they were a close couple embracing.

"You think you can just run away after sleeping with me?" Christy's voice lowered a few decibels.

Ernst could clearly see the undisguised desire in her eyes, the naked demand, and the pursuit of a purpose.

A slight smile played on his lips as he teased, "Addicted?"

Christy scoffed, a disdainful look on her face, her tone brimming with arrogance, "Do I need a man?"

This time, Ernst didn't continue flirting, because he didn't want to get entangled with the other party any further.

Since Bill, who was led by Goldman Sachs, was established, and the cooperation with Madoff Group disappeared without a trace, he didn't want to get entangled with this woman anymore.

It's not that I'm angry, but rather that I don't want to engage in pretense with the other person.

This woman is definitely a pro at flying kites; she's incredibly skilled at both sending the kite through the air and pulling it back.

Sometimes they are enthusiastic and proactive, and other times they can suddenly become cold and distant.

Want to make Ernst orgasm over the phone? He's a playboy, you know.

Others may have the time to play along with her, but Ernst doesn't have the time to be a sycophant.

I wanted to find out about PayPal indirectly, and also to see if my expectations for PayPal's value had decreased, and if I could find a bargain.

This trick was far too childish for him.

Seeing that Ernst remained silent, Christy assumed that Ernst was angry about their previous collaboration, so she put on a pitiful and submissive act, saying, "You know, I really want to work with you, but I don't have the final say in the Madoff Group."

"Actually, my father was quite willing to agree, and he was very optimistic about PayPal's prospects. But as you know, Madoff Securities has always been managed by my two older brothers, and they were firmly opposed to selling Madoff Securities to Ernst Asset Management. My father had no choice; he couldn't ignore the opinions of my two older brothers."

Then, as if giving Ernst hope, Christy quickly added, "But don't worry, my father is trying his best to resolve this. He's been communicating and negotiating with my two brothers, trying to persuade them to change their minds. I believe there will be a good outcome soon."

Ernst snorted inwardly and calmly watched her performance.

Just wait and see. When your father truly comes to his senses and is willing to restart the partnership, PayPal's value will be much higher than it is now.

"I'm looking forward to a result that satisfies everyone," Ernst said calmly, maintaining a composed expression.

After saying this, he subconsciously glanced around and noticed that the guests in the hall had begun to walk one after another towards the second-floor meeting room, which meant that the core part of the party was about to begin.

"Sorry, I have to go in now," Ernst said, turning to leave.

But just as he turned around, his arm was grabbed by Christy.

"Want to grab a drink after the party tonight?"

Ernst turned to look at Christy, wondering if he should start by collecting some interest.

"We'll see, I don't know if I'll have time." Then, without lingering, he walked up to the second floor.

Upon entering, several hostesses stood at the entrance, and they were responsible for guiding each guest as they entered.

Just as the hostess leading Ernst was about to step forward, a man in his forties stepped forward first to greet him.

Upon seeing this, the hostess respectfully took two steps back.

"Mr. Garfield, welcome to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. I am very pleased to meet you on such a special day," the man said with a smile, his tone sincere and warm.

Before Ernst could answer, the man took out a beautifully crafted name tag from his pocket and handed it to Ernst.

"Louis Astor, you can just call me Louis," the man added with a smile.

Ernst's eyes narrowed slightly, but he quickly composed himself, extended his hand, and gently shook hands with Louis Astor. "Ernst, that's what my friends call me."

This is the benefit of attending such a top-tier cocktail party; if Ernst hadn't attended such a party, he probably would never have met this King of New York in his entire life.

The Astor family is the first American family to be publicly recognized as the richest family.

They are also regarded as the first aristocratic family in the United States and have long occupied a central position in the upper echelons of American social circles.

At the time, wealthy families like the Vanderbilt needed the approval and invitation of the Astor family to enter America's top social circles.

The founder, John Jacob Astor, initially made his fortune by monopolizing the fur trade between the United States, Canada, and Britain. He also conducted trade with China through the Thirteen Factories in Guangzhou, accumulating a large amount of capital.

In the early 19th century, he made a visionary turn to real estate, purchasing large amounts of land in Manhattan, which was then still wasteland.

By the time of his death in 1848, he held 470 land leases, leaving behind a $2000 million estate that represented one percent of the US GDP at the time.

His established model of buying land and leasing it for long-term rental income has led to a continuous surge in his family's wealth as New York's urbanization progresses. He is known as the landlord of New York, and the entire urban development pattern of Manhattan can be said to be dominated by his family.

Wherever this family releases land, that's where Manhattan's urban development will go.

The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where we are now located, was originally built by family member William Waldorf Astor after he demolished his villa here.

This early real estate tycoon owned vast amounts of land not only in the United States but also in Europe, and countless skyscrapers were associated with his family.

"I watched Titanic three times, and my mother Grace considers it a family film."

It turns out that it was because of this movie that the other person developed a liking for him.

John Jacob Astor IV, the world's richest man at the time who insisted on letting women and children board the ship first in "Titanic," demonstrating his gentlemanly character, was probably a direct relative of Louis.

"Next time you come to New York, be sure to call me. I think we can become friends."

"Definitely," Ernst promised, adding that regardless of the other party's motives, establishing a friendship with such a family was not a bad thing.

Louis nodded politely and waved behind him. "Take Mr. Garfield inside."