"Your Highness, we have received a notice from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of the United Kingdom, asking us to inquire about the source of funds of the Global Industrial Investment Fund and the purpose of this acquisition of the London Stock Exchange in three days."
Finn Hudson, CEO of GII Fund, said on the phone:
"We have prepared the relevant agreements and documents and will explain them to the CMA when the time comes."
"Okay, in fact, we have already explained the acquisition of the London Stock Exchange to these institutions before. This time we are just going through the process again. There shouldn't be any problems."
Judging from the information received from various sources, there will not be too many loopholes for regulatory intervention in the GII Fund and the acquisition of the London Stock Exchange. The main aspect is still the review of DS Capital. Therefore, Barron gave Finn Hudson a reassurance.
Of course, we still have to deal with it seriously, but Barron will not let the other party control him at will.
"How's it going over there?"
Barron continued to call Mikhail and asked.
"He seems normal recently, except that sometimes different cars come to his house at night and leave after about two or three hours..."
"What are the results of the investigation?"
"The other party is very cautious. Not only is the return route extremely difficult to track, but they will also change cars at certain places. In order not to expose their whereabouts, they will need time..."
"I see."
After hanging up the phone, Barron picked up an invitation on the desk with a playful smile on his face.
…
"Your Highness, we are here."
After the Rolls-Royce stopped, the door opened and Barron got out of the car.
In front of him was a mansion with an ancient gate.
Barron straightened his clothes and saw that the bodyguards in the convoy had got out of the car and were standing guard around him. He smiled faintly and walked into the gate.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
When he walked into the gate, the person who came towards him was Colin Hall. After the two shook hands, Barron was led into the mansion by the other party.
After entering the door and walking through a long corridor, there is a brightly lit hall. The lively atmosphere inside is completely different from the coldness outside.
There were already many guests in the hall at this time, but with the appearance of Barron, countless eyes turned to this young and handsome Duke in a well-dressed suit.
"Is that the Duke of Devonshire? It turns out he's even more handsome in person than in the photo..."
Among the female guests, a girl in gorgeous attire couldn't help but sigh to her friends around her.
"He is indeed very handsome, but unfortunately he already has a girlfriend."
"The host? It doesn't matter. He's not married yet anyway. Besides, I heard that he rarely brings out the 'Cinderella' at such occasions. Doesn't that prove something?"
As the girl spoke, her gaze towards Barron became increasingly passionate.
…
The ball hosted by Colin Hall was attended not only by people in the financial industry, but also by many wealthy people who had business dealings with their family.
Therefore, along the way, Barron met many people he was familiar with or had only met before, and he responded politely to their hospitality.
"Mrs. Hall, you are so beautiful today. The gentlemen present are extremely envious of Mr. Hall..."
Looking at Barron's words of praise, Catherine Hall felt mixed emotions.
The young man in front of her was very different from the rebellious teenager she had met a few years ago.
He already had a tall figure, and in the well-fitting suit he looked even more outstanding; at this moment, Barron exuded a more mature and calm temperament, as well as the invisible momentum cultivated from having been in a high position for a long time, but he did not feel aggressive... If Catherine knew Chinese, she would probably understand that "gentle as jade" could more appropriately describe the feeling that Barron gave her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."
Catherine had a charming smile on her face, but Barron could sense that there was a hint of alienation in it.
"You invited me here today because you have something to discuss, Mr. Hall. You can talk now."
When Colin Hall brought Barron to the study upstairs, he sat on the sofa, found a comfortable position, and said to him.
"Yes, Your Highness, it's about the loan from our North Rock Bank..."
Barron smiled and said:
"Those loans are still a long way from maturity, and some of them were only recently concluded."
"But the problem is the recent situation..."
When Colin Hall finished speaking, Barron looked at him and said calmly,
"Nothing will happen, but Mr. Hall, if you have anything to say, just say it directly."
"First of all, I need to explain that this is not my personal opinion. I certainly cherish our friendship, but the board of directors is also putting pressure on me to review the mortgage qualifications of the loan that Northrock Bank has issued to DS Capital..."
With a rather regretful expression, Colin Hall said:
"You know, this is not just a matter for Northern Rock Bank. We know that the shares of Summit Media you hold are all pledged to Standard Chartered Bank, but the stock price of this company has been falling recently. Of course, you are the largest shareholder of Standard Chartered Bank and you don't need to worry about the bank's loans. But if this continues, the regulators will inevitably review this. This involves not only Standard Chartered Bank, but also our Rosenrock Bank and Barclays Bank."
"I reiterate once again, Mr. Hall, the current situation is just a minor one. All my companies are fine. If Northern Rock Bank continues according to the agreement, we will still be close partners. If you also want to conduct the so-called 'review'..."
Barron shrugged and said,
"That's fine. We can always find a third party we both agree on to revalue the company I mortgaged. But I still don't think we need to be so anxious."
"I will try my best to persuade the board of directors, Your Highness. You should know that I am very willing to be your 'close partner'. This is a rare friendship."
Colin Hall picked up the bottle, poured wine into two glasses, and handed one of the glasses to Barron...
"For friendship."
Barron clinked his glass with his and took a sip. The whiskey tasted good...
"All will be well, my friend, Mr. Hall."
"And what about your enemies, Your Highness?"
Putting the wine glass on the table, Colin Hall looked at Barron and asked.
"enemy?"
Barron met his gaze and said calmly:
"They will regret it if there is still a chance..."