[Chapter 696: It Felt Like Being Isolated]
Summer Redstone's public feud with his wife was a prime target for NBC. Having one more opponent didn't bother William White; after all, media monopolies weren't a good thing and could bring him a lot of trouble.
As for why he needed to complicate someone else's life, William White discovered something troubling. There was a possibility he might end up isolated, and that wasn't a pleasant thought.
"Filson, did Kirk Kerkorian leave? What did he say?"
"Sir, he said he couldn't believe it." William White laughed, genuinely amused. It was ironic, wasn't it? Did Kirk Kerkorian think he could bully him just because he had no allies?
"What's so hard to understand? In fact, the investment from the desert tycoon has shifted significantly to enhance his international influence."
"By the way, sir, Sony is very interested in our proposal. Should we go check out Universal as well?"
"Forget about Universal. They're all about their small-time stuff. If it was an action movie, they might succeed, but..."
"Sir, this time, the desert tycoon isn't going to make a purchase, right? We don't want it to turn into a real deal."
"No way, Filson. Would you use leverage on your first stock trade? He wouldn't dare. The desert tycoon was just experimenting; they'd only buy some influential assets, like a soccer or basketball club. As for the movie industry, if MGM considered selling, maybe they'd jump in."
"Ha, Kirk Kerkorian probably thought so too. Good thing you still have 007; can you imagine if 007 went on a date with a headscarf? That'd be quite a sight!"
...
In another corner, Summer Redstone continued to negotiate with his wife when out of nowhere, a disruptor entered the scene. For Paramount, selling off assets was second nature; it was best to sell to someone wealthy and naive and buy back in a few years.
"Tell that idiot woman that if this goes south, I'm going bankrupt. Eight billion? Forget it; even eight hundred million is out of reach. Did she hire a fool for her attorney?" Summer Redstone was genuinely furious; if his wife divorced him, how would he have the money to buy anything?
...
Meanwhile, the Jewish consortium was also feeling the pressure. A Murdoch simply couldn't compete against William White. Even if they fell out, they had to make their own moves.
After all, when it came to business, parting ways or not didn't really matter; as long as concessions were made, there was always a deal to be struck. When it came to exchanging interests, businessmen excelled over politicians.
Though both lacked scruples, the essence of being a businessman was all about exchange.
Well, William White, this bastard, really has a way. With the desert tycoon involved, things just got way more complicated.
"William, are you intentionally stirring things up?"
"Sigh, I've come to realize that being too capable can be a burden. What are those guys saying?" William White replied, bemused. After all, they were the ones acting unfriendly first, so why shouldn't he play the disruptor?
"Hahaha, they say it wasn't personal against you. However, if you're interested in Paramount, they could be persuaded to back out."
"Come on, are they going to report me to the Justice Department? Do they think I'm that naive? Alright, George, enough overthinking; I'm just playing around, you know? I've got some free time on my hands."
"Fine, I'm really just following orders. Go ahead and have fun."
What George Jr. meant sounded like giving in; he hoped that William wouldn't really draw the desert tycoon into the fray.
Competing with William White in terms of money was like asking for trouble; he already had too much, especially with the Japanese consortium's backing. If he added the desert tycoon into the mix, the stakes would only escalate.
A bunch of big shots from various American consortiums noticed this dilemma as well. Isolated or ignored, the usual methods didn't seem to be working anymore.
The tactics they used against smaller players didn't intimidate William White at all. If he was pushed too hard, that man really would go off.
When people feel down, they often seek comfort. Even if you were the world's richest man, this wouldn't be any exception.
Since he was being dismissed in California, William White could only go home for solace.
...
"He left? Headed to Houston? This guy really is something else; he stirs everything into chaos and then just walks away."
"Sir, how far are we supporting Redstone? That guy clearly isn't cashing in."
"Hmph, I couldn't care less who's powerful here; at the very least, we're sealing an eight billion dollar acquisition. If all else fails, we'll offer the fool a package deal."
"Uh, sir, what if William White actually pulls off a deal? He wouldn't genuinely acquire anything, right?"
"He won't; Kirk Kerkorian is merely a pawn. As for the desert tycoon, they were just tagging along.
Even if that bunch from India moved in on Hollywood, the desert tycoon wouldn't come along.
But it seems this time they've really ticked someone off. Sigh, that petty-minded guy is truly a difficult person to handle."
The head of the Morgan Stanley knew very well that while William White wouldn't outwardly express his feelings, he would offer hollow congratulations, much like how the British lost the telecom monopoly.
If you truly believed he wasn't upset, you'd be in for a rude awakening. Just think about how harshly the British were knocked down!
It made one shudder just to think about it. Not long ago, he had claimed to be supportive, making those words sound so pretty. Anyone who didn't know him would think he'd lost his mind.
"By the way, is he really planning to relocate his Bentley factory in London?"
"Relocating? No. All new projects were canceled; it seems the super-rich prefers Germany. A supercar factory and a semiconductor factory; our Mr. Brown is going to be facing some backlash."
"Ha! This guy really is something else. Hasn't he offered an explanation?"
"Cough, cough, he did. Though it was a small-scale project, it caused quite the uproar."
"Oh, what did he say?"
"The exact wording can't be verified, but it essentially meant that if a country lacks a sense of contract, its currency becomes worthless. And concerning his industries, plans for confiscation were already in the works."
"Pfft, cough, cough! This guy really dares to say that?"
"Yes, he privately refers to England's big shot as 'Brownski.'"
"Really, just for this mysterious operation right? By the way, that's been a few years now?"
"It has! Brits gone mad, but as luck would have it, they faced an even crazier opponent."
Two Morgan Stanley associates grumbled about William White, now having their own headaches; should he pull a fast one on them, it wouldn't be pretty.
...
After landing, William White didn't stick around Houston; he went straight back to the farm.
"Master, you should consider buying a few helicopters."
William White chuckled bitterly; he had a fear of flying, so how could he ever board a helicopter?
"Tanner, that's not a good idea. The distance is already a bit awkward, and if it were a bit farther, building an airport would make more sense."
"Master, your plane is too big; if it were a Bombardier or something, this would actually be quite simple."
Returning home, his women were, of course, very happy. Naturally, his daughter was the most thrilled of all.
"Daddy, it's so boring here! I want to go to Los Angeles!"
"Okay, how about next year? They burnt LA down; let's think about next summer, alright? We can hit California then."
"Awesome! Finally, I won't have to herd cattle here anymore."
William White chuckled; herding cattle was closer to what she should be doing than the other way around.
"What about your mommy?"
"She's bathing the little ones."
"Alright, you're all grown up now; Daddy can't carry you anymore."
*****
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