The American Kill Line: I Can Predict the Future

Chapter 114

When Annie woke up in the morning, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and turned her head to look at the empty space beside her.

She stared blankly at the carved patterns on the ceiling.

I watched for quite a while.

Suddenly I laughed.

She felt like she must be going crazy.

Perhaps it's the anxiety and despair of the past month or so.

In a panic, people may become so desperate that they actually believe someone can help them solve the problem.

"OK!"

Annie rubbed her eyes, spread her hands, and smiled, "Consider it a way to relieve some stress last night. At least he's strong!"

She comforted herself, threw back the covers, picked up the bathrobe from the floor, and wrapped it around herself.

Then go find your own clothes.

Unfortunately, the carefully prepared dress was torn to shreds by this cowboy.

Even though she didn't buy it herself, she could at least tell that it was an expensive dress.

Annie ruffled her messy hair and pulled out her phone from her purse.

She dialed her friend's number: "Emily, it's me—"

She rubbed her hair again, unsure how to begin: "Could you send me some clothes? No, that's not what I meant. Anyway, things are a bit complicated. I'm not home. Can you help me? What's your address?"

Annie paused for a moment, having come back directly in the car last night.

She really didn't know the address.

"Hold on!"

Anne covered herself with her bathrobe and pushed open the luxurious door barefoot.

The first thing you see is a retro-style corridor, covered with carpets and decorated with famous paintings on the walls.

We got into a fight as soon as we got back last night, and didn't have time to observe the surroundings at all.

Only then did she realize the grandeur of the place.

Even the room doors were much taller than usual.

"hello?"

Anne tiptoed down the corridor toward the outside.

"Hello, Miss Hathaway, I'm Elodie, Mr. Hunter's personal butler. How can I help you?"

A middle-aged woman appeared at the end of the corridor.

She was dressed in a well-fitting blue uniform, her hair was neatly styled in a bun, and her shoulders and back were ramrod straight.

This is a woman whose manners and propriety are ingrained in her very being; Anne even felt that every step she took was the same.

"Such a commanding woman is just a housekeeper?" Lost in thought, she replied, "I'm sorry, this is my first time here, I think it's my first time. So, Elodie, could you tell me the address?"

The butler smiled slightly, a smile that seemed to calm and relax people unconsciously.

She stepped forward, smiling, and said, "I suppose Miss Hathaway needs some clothes, doesn't she?"

"Yes." Anne smiled helplessly.

The butler, Elodie, gave a knowing smile and led her into the room, reassuringly saying, "Don't worry, Miss Hathaway. What you need to do now is go back to your room, wash up, and take a warm bath. Then your clothes will naturally appear where you want them. If you have any other requests, such as colors, styles, or a particular workshop, you can also let me know."

Annie shook her head: "No, it doesn't need to be that complicated. I just need a set of clothes that fit me."

"OK."

Anne, remembering something, asked, "Sir, did he go to work?"

She was used to this title and hadn't had time to change it.

Almost every girl who comes and goes here has a special title, which the butler is used to. She smiled and said, "Mr. Hunter has just finished his workout and is having breakfast downstairs. He probably won't be working anytime soon."

"He actually trains? No wonder he's in such good physical condition."

Anne muttered to herself.

He is truly a self-disciplined man.

She seemed to be savoring a box of chocolates with various flavors.

At first glance, I thought he was the heir to a wealthy family; beneath his resolute exterior lay a kind and gentle heart.

When we met again, he exuded a newfound composure and confidence.

Then I discovered that he also had a mischievous side.

But that tenderness hidden deep within remains.

Uh—not counting the time spent fighting.

That was a wild bull that had broken free of its reins.

I came out of the shower and found the bathtub filled with hot water, with flower petals floating on the surface.

Annie tested the water temperature and found it to be just right, so she lifted her feet and lay down in.

I just sat down and felt a slight pain in my buttocks.

"A raging bull!"

Annie rubbed her bottom; it almost fell apart last night.

But it really felt great.

And so, Annie hummed a little tune and happily took a bath.

When they came out, they found a white dress and a red casual outfit placed at the bathroom door.

They even have underwear.

Annie has good taste; although it's not branded, the fabric feels very high-end.

"Looks like we didn't run into a scammer this time."

Annie changed into casual clothes and found that the clothes fit perfectly, even her underwear was the same size.

After leaving the room, we were led by the butler to the restaurant on the first floor.

Ron was sitting at the dining table looking at news about the European Central Bank's interest rate hike on his computer.

The European Central Bank's interest rate hike signals positive news for the euro.

The nuclear crisis in Japan has not been completely resolved.

As a safe-haven asset, gold will also see a surge in prices.

Unfortunately, it's not advisable to make any major moves at the moment.

I wonder when they'll be able to get the regulatory authorities on board.

Although hedge funds are subject to strict regulation, his family's personal accounts are relatively more relaxed.

As long as you don't cause trouble in the domestic market and avoid high-frequency trading in the foreign exchange market, there shouldn't be any major problems.

Moreover, company employees cannot be allowed to rest indefinitely.

Ron deployed $60 billion, with 15 times leverage, or $900 billion in nominal gold, to go long on the euro and gold.

Just then, footsteps sounded. Ron raised his eyebrows and looked at Annie as she approached: "Awake? Why didn't you sleep a little longer? Not used to it?"

"I'm alright," Annie said, sitting down.

The nanny served up more than a dozen kinds of sumptuous breakfast dishes, including some Chinese-style ones.

Seeing her confusion, Ron smiled and explained, "This is sweet tofu pudding, a Chinese breakfast. It tastes pretty good, you should try it."

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He even thoughtfully stirred it with a spoon.

I ate at Chinatown with Fang Wei once that day, and now we have another chef in our family who can cook Chinese food.

Annie took a small spoonful, her brow relaxing, and said as she ate, "It's really delicious. What's it called?"

"Sweet tofu pudding".

"Tofu pudding? What a strange name."

Annie has a small appetite; after drinking a small bowl of sweet tofu pudding, she only ate half a sandwich and a vegetable bun.

It was during breakfast that she learned that Ron was half Chinese.

"But your features aren't very distinctive, except for your eyes—wait, now that you mention it, your face shape does have a bit of an East Asian feel to it."

Anne stared at Ron's face, as if she had discovered something new.

Ron was a generous gentleman who, that morning, when the old-money fashion designer was taking Anne's measurements, immediately helped her out of her predicament.

She even personally called Shapiro to briefly explain the situation.

Anne listened intently, her ears clenched.

"Anne Hathaway? I know about her; it looks a bit troublesome."

Shapiro has been busy integrating the two companies lately.

Both companies actually had many internal problems, especially after the merger, when competitors were poaching their employees.

Fortunately, the advantages of the merger are very obvious: IMG can provide CAA stars with commercial endorsements in sports, fashion, and events.

IMG's athletes and models can leverage CAA's resources to create opportunities for cross-industry entertainment collaborations.

Another aspect is establishing a customer database to achieve integrated brand marketing.

Of course, there were also some job transfers.

Fortunately, Ron presented IPO as a "poisonous apple," so even though the executives of both companies were unhappy, they couldn't directly stop it.

Overall, although there were many things to do, they were relatively simple for Shapiro.

Within a month, the two merged companies had basically stabilized.

Next came his commercial conquests.

With Anne Hathaway's situation causing such a stir, Shapiro naturally paid some attention as well.

To be honest, in the early stages of his strategic goals, he didn't want to be too conspicuous.

Otherwise, it would be easy to encounter resistance from major production companies and regulatory authorities.

"I wouldn't have bothered you if it weren't for the trouble," Ron laughed. "Have you thought about it? It's been over a month since the CAA-IMG merger, and there's been no movement at all. I think now is a good opportunity."

Shapiro seemed to understand Ron's intention almost instantly. He pondered, "It's a good idea, but it's a bit of a waste to use it on an actress like Anne Hathaway who's just starting out. I'd prefer to choose a more famous superstar or athlete."

To put it bluntly, what the merged company will actually look like is only on paper, both to the outside world and to the artists within the company.

At this point, the most effective approach is to create a case study.

Using a top superstar like Tom Cruise is relatively easier and more cost-effective.

"From a business perspective, you're absolutely right; top superstars or athletes would be a better fit."

Ron also agreed that Shapiro's choice was better from the perspective of the company's development.

But he has his own ideas, such as things outside of business.

"But if CAA-IMG still needs these top stars to have a voice, now or in the future, then what's the point of our merger? Am I paying such a high price just to connect two fields?"

"You mean—creating stars?" Shapiro's eyes lit up slightly, and he nodded unconsciously. "You're right. The future CAA-IMG shouldn't be controlled by artists. If that's the goal, Anne Hathaway is indeed a good option right now. However, to be on the safe side, we'll select another Hollywood superstar and a sports superstar to work on simultaneously."

Imagine a universally despised, infamous actress on the verge of being kicked out of the entertainment industry, at CAA-IMG

Under its operation, it has regained its peak and even gone further.

This is even more difficult than making an actor famous.

But if successful, the rewards are also very substantial.

No Hollywood actor could resist.

This is the strength that a true industry leader should possess.

Conversely, if they can revive a disgraced actor, they can also cause a once-popular actor to fade into obscurity.

However, that's a matter for the next step.

As for who it will be, we'll just have to see who's unlucky at the moment.

To be on the safe side, Ron also contacted several shareholders.

Ask their film companies to help cooperate.

Ron also sought help from old-money figures like Philip, who worked for television stations and online media.

That afternoon, positive reviews for Anne Hathaway appeared frequently online.

CAA subsequently issued a statement strongly criticizing the actions of those unscrupulous media outlets that defamed the artists, and stated that it would take legal action to protect its rights if necessary.

On the same day, feminist organizations also listed Anne Hathaway's various achievements and stated that the remarks made against Anne Hathaway were an attempt by some people to undermine women's independence.

James Franco, the actor who co-hosted the Oscars with Anne Frank, was also labeled as someone who was instructed to deliberately embarrass Anne at the awards ceremony.

In short, it was all a conspiracy.

In this situation, people are skeptical of any explanation, except for conspiracy theories.

Anne Hathaway spent the entire afternoon grinning at her computer.

My good friend also called to share the good news.

The agent coaxed Annie back in a fawning tone, saying that several top luxury brands and big-budget movies had extended offers for her endorsement.

However, Anne wasn't in a hurry to go back; she knew perfectly well who was behind all of this.

She also took for the first time to seriously consider the connections and influence of this "good gentleman" in her eyes.

Footsteps sounded, and Anne saw the housekeeper bringing a plate of fruit to the study. She walked over with a bright smile and said, "Elodie, let me do it."

Anne took the fruit platter and gently knocked on the study door.

He then pushed the door open and entered.

Ron was on the phone discussing with the Mellon family the acquisition of a Texas bank.

He has nothing else but money.

"Since acquiring FrostBankers is so troublesome, forget it. TCBI is fine too. Tell those holding institutions that I'm willing to pay a 20% premium to acquire their shares."

FrostBankers (CFR) is the largest local bank in Texas, with total assets exceeding $200 billion, deposits exceeding $160 billion, and a market capitalization of approximately $33 billion.

Branches and outlets are located throughout major cities in Dezhou.

Given Ron's current asset allocation, this bank is the top choice.

The problem is, it's not something he can just buy whenever he wants.

Money is a minor issue; Ron could easily acquire it outright.

The main reason is that this bank is secretly controlled by two major families.

Similar to Nvidia, it appears to have a very low shareholding, but it firmly controls the banks.

Gaining controlling interest is extremely complicated.

Taking everything into consideration, we decided to settle for TCBI, a mid-sized local bank in Texas.

TCBI currently has total assets of $64 billion, deposits of $55 billion, and a market capitalization of only $12 billion.

The core clients are all Texas energy and oil and gas companies, which are highly compatible with Ron's assets.

Most importantly, this bank does not have a truly absolute controlling shareholder or family; more than 70% of its shares are held by hedge funds, mutual funds, and passive funds such as BlackRock and Vanguard Group.

Senior executives of banks shall not hold more than 3.5% of the shares in their companies.

These funds all entered the market during the subprime crisis, and Ron's premium purchase was in their interest.

More importantly, there is no such thing as a "poison pill" to prevent a takeover.

As long as Ron can boost lending in a way that benefits the bank, the bank's board of directors will not refuse.

Ron happened to be heavily in debt, including $20 billion in outstanding loans from the Bass family for the oil field acquisition.

It can be transferred directly to the bank's account.

There's also a $6.5 million loan from CAA-IMG, which can also be transferred there.

They're all paying interest, so why not give it to their own bank?

Moreover, all the funds for his Texas oilfield project, including loans, inflows and outflows of idle funds, settlements, etc., can be placed under TCBI's name.

Ron can deposit no less than $35 billion in demand deposits under the name of his family office.

In addition, he can persuade Silicon Valley technology supply chain companies such as Nvidia, Instagram, Uber, Airbnb, and Tesla to launch "investment-loan linkage products".

Anne Hathaway couldn't understand what they were talking about, but she found it all very impressive.

She nestled beside him, tenderly feeding him.

They even went so far as to boldly flirt.

"In that case, I believe the TCBI board will not refuse," said Robert Kelly, president of Mellon Bank, with a confident smile.

With this configuration, TCBI's level is directly elevated.

After thinking for a moment, Robert pondered and said, "If possible, we could acquire a few more small and medium-sized banks in Texas cities that have good assets but are not yet covered by TCBI."

The goal of this is to quickly transform TCBI into a major Texas bank.

"Your idea is good. Give me a plan."

Ron hurriedly ended the call because Annie had already sat down.

"Damn it, you better not beg for mercy later."

"Hmm!" Annie grunted.

Then, she pressed her forehead against hers and bit Ron's lip: "My gentleman, you forgot, I can take turns."

Ron lifted her collar and bit back.

Anne groaned again, and after a brief pause to adjust, she grabbed Ron's shoulder and began to coax and plead—

(P.S.: The story is about to move to Japan, please give me some monthly votes!)

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