Victor exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "Young lady, you've gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble this time."
"So what? Are you here to solve this 'quite a bit of trouble'?" Laila already knew what he wanted to say. He actually believed that she was unaware that the so-called trouble was caused by him.
Victor laughed heartily and shook his cigar with his hand. "In Hollywood, there's no trouble that Victor can't handle! But young lady, you need to understand one thing: no trouble can be solved for free. That's how our society works. You have to pay to get what you want, and others need to pay to get what they want from you."
Laila narrowed her eyes. "So, please answer my previous question. How much money are you willing to spend to help me solve my troubles?"
Her current "trouble" was the coffee shop, and mere words wouldn't take it from her hands. But from the sound of it, it seemed like he not only wanted to pay as little as possible but also make some money off her.
It sounded absurd. A businessman who could earn a fortune by demolishing the coffee shop and building upscale housing developments seemed to want to make some extra profit from a young girl's hands.
But that's exactly what Victor was thinking. Many wealthy individuals became more miserly as they accumulated wealth. Some even considered making money a form of entertainment, much like haggling for prices with a woman. It wasn't about how much you gained or lost but the sense of achievement that came from negotiating.
Victor had received information that Aiden had "temporarily" transferred ownership of the shop to the young girl to divert attention. He didn't believe that a girl in her early twenties could afford to buy the shop for real. At most, Aiden had not only waived payment but had even paid her some fees to keep her quiet once she realized the trouble she had gotten herself into.
He wasn't like those police officers. From the expensive items Laila had on her, he could tell that she had some money. Therefore, he could deduce that after Aiden paid her, this girl, who knew nothing, probably spent all the money on her appearance. So when she realized the extent of the trouble she was in, she would be willing to spend some money to keep others from talking!
The amount might not be significant, but even if it were a few thousand or a few million, it would be enough for him to consider it an achievement. He, Victor, was buying something that was already essentially free and even extracting "compensation" from it!
Yes, that's how impressive he was, how shining he would be in the history of American real estate!
So, after hearing Laila's question, he put on a solemn expression and said, "Child, I'm very willing to help you. But you need to understand that the person who can control the motorcycle gang has a lot of power. Even if you leave Hollywood, as long as you're in America, you'll have to worry about them suddenly appearing in front of you.
Laila raised an eyebrow. "That's really unfortunate. Is it okay to describe myself like that? The puppet master behind the scenes? Come on, you're standing in the spotlight. Are you really comfortable calling yourself a puppet master behind the scenes? Have you watched too much edgy drama?"
Victor was naturally unaware that the young girl in front of him was silently mocking him in her mind. He continued with a solemn expression as if mourning a friend's death, "I can offer a sum of money to help you resolve this matter, but you should know that it won't be a small amount. It may even be more than what you could get from selling your coffee shop."
Laila couldn't help but chuckle at his statement. "So you want to take my coffee shop and then ask me for money to solve your so-called trouble?"
Although it was a ridiculous situation, she knew that if she wasn't a Moran and didn't have the support of her family, if she had gotten into trouble because of a coffee shop, she might consider giving up the shop and spending money to ensure her safety.
Money was a good thing, but what use was it if you didn't have your life to spend it?
The American biker gangs were famous, but not for their good reputation. Laila knew they had a connection to Marlon Brando's role in the movie "A Streetcar Named Desire."
After World War II, a motorcycle culture emerged in America. However, this culture transformed from motorcycle clubs into organizations involved in the illegal drug trade.
Then there were larger-scale crimes, more darkness, and greater power. It could be said that they had indeed formed a culture, but certainly not a good one.
Facing such an organization, ordinary people would undoubtedly want to keep their distance as far as possible. If they were targeted by them, it would be an overwhelming psychological burden. Even if she were just a normal girl, even if she was a bit wealthy, knowing that the biker gang was after her would still be a heavy psychological burden. She was young and might not fully understand, but her parents and family would surely comprehend. To ensure the safety of her family, it would be normal to spend some money and give up a business.
It had to be said that Victor had a deep understanding of people's psychology to have achieved his current scale. He had thought through every step and had a great chance of success. Unfortunately, there was a bug like Laila, which made everything he was doing now seem like a joke.
"Miss," he extinguished the half-smoked cigar in his hand, "do you know how much power someone who can command the biker gang possesses? Even if you leave Hollywood, as long as you're still in the United States, you'll have to constantly worry about them suddenly appearing in front of you. Do you think a few tens of thousands of dollars is too much to exchange for your family's safety?"
Laila pretended to contemplate and then nodded, saying, "If it truly buys safety, it's not too much at all." She wasn't joking with this statement. The Moran family spent a staggering amount on security measures every year. Just take her eight ace bodyguards, for example. Each of them had an annual salary of at least seven figures, not including various allowances and bonuses.
And the Moran family wasn't the only one in need of bodyguards. Her grandparents, her mother, and others around her also had a few people by their side. Their residences in New York were even more fortified. If a few thousand dollars could buy safety, it would be a great deal.
Victor took her answer as confirmation and smiled, saying, "I can see that you're a smart person. You seem to love your family and don't want to drag them into your troubles, right?"
"More or less," Laila shrugged. "I love them very much, and I don't want them to know I've gotten into any trouble." Otherwise, their thunderous wrath, if they found out about the current situation, would be beyond her imagination. She dared to guarantee that if her grandfather found out, the governor's reprimanding call would be directed straight to the top of the police department in the next moment.