The American Kill Line: I Can Predict the Future

In the early morning, Ron leaned against the headboard, his brow furrowed in deep thought, as if he had encountered a problem. His fingers, gripping the bowling ball, suddenly tightened.

Viva, who was nestled in his arms, winced in pain and, in a fit of anger and embarrassment, grabbed little Ron.

Instantly, Ron's veins bulged as he glared angrily at the woman who had disturbed his rest.

"Are you provoking us? We brothers aren't so easily bullied."

When his younger brother is bullied, Ron, as the older brother, naturally has to seek justice for him.

Viva paused for a moment, then chuckled and mounted her horse, her alluring blue eyes curving upwards.

"You think you're the only one with brothers who doesn't have sisters? She's got quite the appetite!"

"Looks like your sister didn't cry enough last night." Ron was unfazed by the bowling ball that came crashing into him.

Viva gently raised her head, murmuring dreamily, "A woman's tears are a weapon to protect herself. Otherwise, why would little Ron be willing to take out his treasured Stonyfield?"

Ron originally planned to end the game with a friendly bowling match against Viva, as a way to make up for the past when he could only watch helplessly in front of the TV.

But this woman is very charming and also loves to cry.

Feeling pity for him, he decided to get a VIP membership card.

After getting up, Ron called a nearby bespoke clothing store he frequented.

Once the call connected, he handed the phone to Viva: "Just tell her what style you want."

Viva was still wearing Ron's white shirt—the haute couture evening gown she had borrowed the night before, which had been torn.

She was racking her brains trying to figure out how to explain when she casually picked up the phone and heard the person on the other end say:

"Hello, miss, this is Oscar de la Renta. It's a pleasure to serve you!"

"Oscar de la Renta?" Viva, true to her acting skills, instantly recalled information about the store and blurted out, "The de la Renta on Madison Avenue?"

"Yes, miss!" came the respectful yet proud voice from the other end.

Viva had only heard about this brand from friends before, but had never visited it.

Perhaps Oscar de la Renta isn't as well-known as those luxury brands.

But in New York, it is a symbol of status.

It is the brand of choice for the First Lady of the United States and top socialites.

Viva glanced excitedly at the man sitting at his computer desk, then, based on what she knew, asked curiously:

"Don't you only offer bespoke clothing? I mean, I need a set of underwear and a ready-made outfit now."

"Yes, Miss. Oscar de la Renta is best known for his bespoke gowns, but Mr. Hunter is one of our most exclusive private privilege clients."

The other person paused, a hint of pride in their voice, but not ostentatious:

"No need for you to come to our apartment for a fitting. Our dedicated designer will arrive at your doorstep within half an hour with a complete set of sample garments and alteration tools. All fabrics are Italian-exclusive mulberry silk, understated and elegant, perfectly suited for everyday wear as well as for a sophisticated evening layer."

"Okay, thank you for your help."

Viva was completely bewildered. She had played wealthy socialites and memorized many fashion scripts.

But this is the first time I've actually enjoyed this kind of service.

After hanging up the phone, she walked a few steps to Ron's side and straddled his lap:

"What should I do, my dear lord? My sister is crying again."

Power and wealth are the best tonics for men, while vanity is a deadly poison for women.

Ron slid his hand down to her ample thigh, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure you can coax her in this little bit of time?"

Viva gently nibbled at his earlobe: "This time is different, she won't listen to me. But I have a way to make her cry even harder."

As she spoke, she stood up, took Ron's hand, and led him to the living room balcony, where she suddenly flung open the curtains.

……

At noon, Ron returned to the same private French restaurant he had visited before.

Philip was already waiting there.

Seeing Ron and Viva come in, he smiled knowingly: "I really envy you. Youth is a man's greatest asset."

"Philip, be careful Viva won't be happy. Youth isn't just a man's asset."

Sitting across from him, Ron took the menu from the waiter without a second thought.

Philip laughed and said, "My mistake, I'm willing to bring out my treasured wines."

"You're in luck, Viva. Philip's wine collection is absolutely excellent."

Ron ordered a few of his favorite dishes and handed the menu to Viva.

Viva thanked Philip across from her, saying, "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Vanderbilt."

"You're welcome. My wife is hosting an art salon at home this afternoon. If you don't mind being bored, you can come and keep her company."

Philip extended an invitation, which is a common practice among the old money folks to maintain relationships.

Viva glanced at Ron, and only after receiving his tacit approval did she nod in thanks.

Given the Vanderbilt family's status, the salon hosted by his wife was definitely not ordinary.

The guests invited were all socialites and ladies of the same social standing.

Given her status, she was not qualified to enter.

Viva couldn't help but feel proud of her choice last night.

After chatting for a while, during the meal, Ron asked Philip to recommend some people with expertise in finance.

Hunter Capital rose too fast, managing $15 billion in just ten days.

However, the company structure is still not complete enough.

More importantly, he has always been regarded as a "lucky guy" by the outside world.

A $5 million hedge fund is considered very low-end on Wall Street.

Even though yesterday's newspapers reported how he raked in billions in the euro market, few savvy financial professionals took it seriously.

This group of elites is still observing.

After listening to Ron's job requirements, Philip fell into deep thought.

"Risk specialists and strategy directors under the age of thirty cannot have complicated interpersonal relationships..."

He roughly understood the underlying meaning of Ron's request.

After a moment, he nodded and said, "I will help you write a letter of recommendation for Harvard Business School and Columbia University."

After finishing their business, the two strolled and chatted by the roadside.

Philip suggested, "Ron, given your current status, you should consider getting your own townhouse. I have a friend who owns a Baroque-style townhouse near my house; I can recommend it if you're interested."

"Baroque style?" Ron thought for a moment, then politely declined, "No, that retro style doesn't suit me. I prefer modern styles; 740 Boulevard is quite nice."

"Then you'd better keep it up!" Philip smiled faintly.

740 Boulevard is a Gothic-style building with only 31 residents.

These 31 residents are all among the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world.

Rockefeller family member, founder of Blackstone Group, and former presidential candidate.

A Saudi prince once wanted to buy it, but was ultimately refused.

In the afternoon, Ron gave Viva a supplementary card from Bank of America and told her to go shopping on her own.

I also arranged a bodyguard and the Rolls-Royce Phantom that had just arrived for her, so that she could go out in the afternoon.

Ron then returned to the company.

"Linda, pass the word: everyone must assemble in the conference room within five minutes."

This marked the first formal meeting of Hunter Capital.

Ron wasn't one to waste time with small talk; he succinctly outlined his responsibilities within the company.

First, an investment decision committee should be established, whose main responsibilities are to formulate investment strategies and approve major transactions.

Ron himself will serve as CEO, and four additional strategy directors will be appointed.

"I plan to expand the technology department to six people: three systems development engineers, three analysts, and Bruce will temporarily serve as manager."

"Yes, sir, I promise I will not let you down," Bruce declared loudly.

Ron raised his hand and continued, "Set up another risk control department with 5 people. Their main responsibilities are to monitor risks and formulate risk control measures."

This department also has a crucial responsibility: to ensure that all of Ron's subsequent transactions "appear to be fully compliant."

In layman's terms, it means being able to write reports.

Matthew from Powell recommended a former SEC enforcement lawyer.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should be able to take office next week.

That leaves the operations department.

This is also the part of the company with the heaviest power and responsibilities.

It is responsible not only for developing, backtesting and optimizing investment models and strategies, but also for executing trading orders, operations, risk control, maintaining clients and liaising with major investment banks and securities firms.

Everyone looked at Victor, who had just arrived that day.

Viktor also straightened his back unconsciously.

Ron laughed and said, "Victor, the operations department is in your hands. You can decide on the specifics of how to allocate resources and how many people to recruit."

"Yes, sir." Victor unconsciously followed suit and used a respectful title for Ron.

Next, Ron talked about his recent investment direction.

He was prepared to pause in the euro market, which had become a meat grinder.

Even if we were to do it, it would only be on a small scale.

Moreover, he had a strong sense of crisis—someone was waiting for him there.

To be on the safe side, let's focus on "farming and developing in the jungle" first.

Gold, US Treasury bonds, oil, and technology are all good investment options.

The release of Apple's new iPhone 4 on the 7th, in particular, shocked the world.

Although Apple's stock price has fallen in the past two days, that is just market feedback that the release details did not completely exceed market expectations.

Overall, Apple's future looks promising.

Now is a great time to buy at the bottom.

Ron plans to use his family office to invest in these blue-chip tech stocks long-term.

As for the hedge fund, Ron decided to let Victor manage it for the time being.

Give him several hundred million dollars to manage himself.

On the one hand, it's about getting to know the team better; on the other hand, it's also a test.

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now. We'll talk about the rest when I get back from Texas."

Ron tidied up and prepared to adjourn the meeting.

Suddenly, Sophia, the finance manager, said, "Mr. Hunter, you are short of an administrative assistant."

"No need." Ron had his own secrets and didn't really want someone to follow him around.

Victor added, "Sir, you do need to hire an administrative assistant to help you handle work-related matters, as well as some unnecessary social engagements and things that are inconvenient for you to do in person."

Ron hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, Linda, can you ask a headhunting firm if they have any suitable recommendations?"

The company's affairs have been roughly arranged like this; we'll make minor adjustments later.

All told, the company has only been established for less than 20 days.

Money comes faster than people.

With things settled at the company, Ron was ready to return to Texas.

There's only one purpose for this trip back—to shop!

Of course, I still need to go home.

In the local dialect of my mother's hometown, this is called returning home in glory.