As the New Year approached, it was time to shift from the privacy of Christmas to the social demands of New Year's Eve.
Christmas could be kept private, but New Year's Eve required a more public approach. Besides the substantial year-end bonuses, maintaining smooth relationships relied heavily on social interactions.
After Christmas, Simon and Janet focused on reorganizing and planning the Westeros system, while Jennifer and Sophia took charge of preparing the Westeros family's New Year's Eve party.
The official West Coast parties were organized by Amy Pascal in Los Angeles and Tim Berners-Lee in San Francisco.
On the East Coast, high-level executives from Westeros Corporation, Cersei Capital, Verizon Telecommunications, Daenerys Entertainment's East Coast division, America Online, and other companies received invitations, along with many important partners and political and business figures. Due to a private agreement with a certain woman, and Simon's intention to give Sophia's son Daniel a small boost, the invitations also allowed family members over the age of 12 to attend.
The New Year's Eve party was to be held at the Greenwich estate in the northern suburbs.
Based on the number of invitations sent out and the responses received, about 300 people were expected to attend—not too large, but certainly not small, comprising the core executives and key contacts of the Westeros system on the East Coast.
In the U.S., the only legal holidays at the end of the year are Christmas and New Year's Day, each only one day.
This year, both Christmas and New Year's Day happened to fall on Sundays, allowing many people to arrange their holidays more freely.
In Manhattan's Upper East Side, the Spruitt family began preparing for the evening's party right after lunch. The Spruitt couple knew exactly why they received an invitation to the Westeros family's New Year's Eve party, but their children had been excited for days. Their daughter, Rita, was especially lively upon learning that her boyfriend's family was also invited.
To avoid any faux pas, Grace had even arranged for her children to take a few etiquette lessons.
Such arrangements had never been necessary before.
Now, and in the future, things would be different.
However, the most immediate feeling the Spruitts had upon entering high society was the expense. Just to outfit the family for the evening's party had cost them over $60,000 in the past few days, even with Grace using her connections in the fashion world to get luxury brand items at discounted prices.
By year's end, despite both of them earning significantly more this year, the couple found themselves $110,000 deeper in debt due to the high costs of maintaining their lifestyle on the Upper East Side.
Outsiders might find the distinctions between Manhattan's Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown, and Downtown neighborhoods trivial, as if it were just a matter of stepping across a line. But once inside, the hidden barriers become apparent. In the Upper East Side, if everyone else is wearing Chanel, Gucci, and Hermes at social gatherings, and you show up in a budget brand, no one will even bother to talk to you.
Trying to pretend that others won't notice is laughable.
As for the notion that what's inside matters more than appearances—that doesn't exist here.
At 4:00 PM, after seeing off the stylist who had come to do her makeup, Grace, now dressed to the nines, returned inside and saw her daughter once again furtively hanging up the phone. Smiling, she asked, "Are they ready?"
Rita Spruitt, a little embarrassed, nodded expectantly, "Mom, can we leave now?"
Grace approached to adjust her daughter's evening gown, then lovingly patted her on the head, feeling a twinge of nostalgia as she realized that the girl who used to cry easily had suddenly blossomed into a young woman. Smiling, she said, "Almost. The car should be here soon."
She was, of course, referring to the Levison family.
Grace had been responsible for delivering their invitation, and after receiving it, the previously aloof Levisons had quickly warmed up again, no longer minding Grace's earlier claims that she wasn't well-acquainted with Simon Westeros. They had even arranged to go together tonight.
The Spruitt men came downstairs together, and Grace kindly helped them check their attire. When her son Ray asked how he should behave at tonight's party, she felt a pang of sympathy, though she outwardly encouraged him to socialize with others his age.
Bill Spruitt also tried to guide his son, though his mind was on how to discuss Eaglet's IPO with Simon Westeros that evening.
After experiencing a midlife crisis only to unexpectedly rise to a key position at UBS's First Boston division, Bill Spruitt had felt both confident and cautious over the past six months. Fortunately, due to the U.S. stock market's recovery and some projects subtly supported by the Westeros system, the stock trading department under his leadership had seen impressive results this year.
If he could secure part of the underwriting rights for Eaglet's IPO next year, Bill Spruitt would solidify his standing and perhaps even advance further. In fact, this seemed likely, as it appeared to be another initiative actively supported by the Westeros system.
However, he needed to personally confirm this with Simon Westeros to feel reassured.
At 4:30 PM, the limousine they had arranged arrived on time. Since they might be drinking that evening, driving themselves wasn't an option. The Levison family arrived simultaneously, and the two families left Manhattan together, heading for Greenwich.
They reached Greenwich, located in Connecticut, before 6:00 PM.
The New Year's Eve party was set to begin at 7:00 PM, and arriving too early wouldn't be appropriate, so the two families opted for a brief rest at a coffee shop. The coffee shop was located within a country club and wasn't open to the public; the Levisons had a membership there. Upon entering, they found that other guests had the same idea, all waiting for the appropriate time to arrive.
Grace recognized the other two families present.
One was Richard and Kathy Hilton, heirs of the Hilton family, along with their two daughters, Paris and Nicky Hilton.
The other was the Jenner family, who were television celebrities on *The Real Housewives of New York*. They had brought their three daughters, Kourtney, Kim, and Khloé. Grace recalled from watching the show that these three girls were Bruce Jenner's stepdaughters, surnamed Kardashian.
Compared to her own pretty daughter, Rita, and the Hilton family's doll-like daughters, Grace found the Jenner girls, despite their evident careful grooming, to be somewhat unattractive.
Of course, she wouldn't show this outwardly.
After introductions, the group naturally started chatting.
And differences began to surface.
The Hiltons and Levisons were typical old money families, and despite the Levisons being based in Florida, the two families quickly bonded and became more friendly with each other. As recent TV celebrities, the Jenners held their own among these old money families.
Ironically, it was the Spruitts who were the least established, lacking both wealth and reputation.
Upper East Side housewives, accustomed to luxury and subtle rivalry, had honed their social skills to a fine art.
Although Grace had given the Levisons their invitation, and they appeared friendly on the surface, she could easily sense the difference in how they, along with Kathy Hilton and Kris Jenner, treated her compared to how they treated each other. It was as if they still didn't fully accept her.
Moreover, the beautiful woman who was ten years younger than her husband and who had caught a certain man's eye made it clear that she was deliberately putting Grace in her place, without even trying to hide it.
Occasionally glancing around, Grace noticed her husband instinctively lowering his posture when conversing with the other men, which only added to her frustration.
Fortunately, the children seemed less encumbered by the social complexities of their parents. With Rita and Michael Levison being the oldest, they quickly took the lead among the group. Rita, like her mother, was confident, while Ray's interest in the Hilton girl named Paris was evident. However, the girl seemed indifferent towards him, focusing instead on Rita's boyfriend with visible interest.
Regardless of their inner thoughts, the conversation eventually became more comfortable.
This, after all, was networking.
They continued chatting until 6:40 PM. With the winter sky already darkening, the group left the country club's coffee shop and arrived at the Greenwich estate ten minutes later.
After checking their invitations, the limousine drove through the long driveway, stopping at the small plaza in front of the estate's main villa. Dozens of cars were already parked there, but the area remained orderly. A group of attendants managed the vehicles, and as they stepped out of the car, the lively, brightly lit atmosphere of the villa seemed to chase away the winter chill.
Arm in arm with her husband and accompanied by her two children, Grace entered the villa, feeling as if she had stepped into another world.
The first sensation was warmth.
During the coldest time of the year on the East Coast, with outdoor temperatures below freezing, the large villa was as warm as spring.
This was the essence of wealth.
Many wealthy individuals could afford to buy a grand estate like this, but even for most of them, maintaining such a property would be a different story. In fact, many old English aristocrats continually donate or abandon their family castles for precisely this reason. However, a certain man had purchased top-tier homes all over the world, and the annual maintenance and tax costs alone could drive some billionaires into bankruptcy.
In the main hall, Grace quickly spotted Simon and Janet personally greeting guests. She led her husband and children over to greet them alongside the Levisons.
After exchanging greetings, when shaking hands
with Janet, Grace couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy under her seemingly all-knowing gaze. However, Janet showed no signs of suspicion and even reminded Grace to introduce her children when she briefly hesitated.
"Oh, Simon, Janet, these are my son Ray and daughter Rita. Simon, they're both big fans of yours. They've seen all of your movies."
Simon smiled as he shook hands with the boy and girl, saying warmly, "Hello, Ray, Rita. I hope you have a great time tonight."
After Ray shook hands with Simon, Rita stepped forward to do the same. Facing this legendary young man, she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, only managing a shy smile as she said, "Thank you for having us, Mr. Westeros."
As Grace stood by, she noticed the change in the Levison woman's demeanor as she greeted Simon. Her attitude, tinged with flattery and a touch of humility, gave Grace a small sense of satisfaction.
Knowing that Simon had other guests to greet, the two families didn't linger and moved further into the hall.
All the rooms on the first floor of the villa were open, and even with hundreds of guests and attendants, the space didn't feel crowded. After greeting their hosts, the guests naturally began to seek out their own circles, including the children. A boy who introduced himself as Daniel Fussy approached, introduced himself, and then led Rita and the others away.
Grace didn't know Daniel but recognized the surname Fussy, immediately understanding his identity.
Sophia Fussy's son.
She hadn't expected Simon to be so kind to his lover's son, and she remembered his promise to support her daughter. At first, she suspected he had ulterior motives, but now she realized it might genuinely be out of kindness.
With the children occupied, the Spruitt couple could engage more freely in the evening's socializing.
Due to their recent collaborations, Bill Spruitt soon found himself mingling in a room on the east side of the villa with executives from Cersei Capital and other Wall Street firms.
Grace accompanied her husband as he networked but kept an eye on Sophia Fussy, knowing that the fashion industry executives she was mingling with were her real circle. Building relationships with them could help solidify her own network and provide more opportunities for her clients. However, Grace chose not to linger and stayed with her husband, knowing that his advancement would benefit the entire Spruitt family more in the long run.
Following the Spruitts into this small circle, the Levisons also shed any remaining pretense of superiority.
The young man had mentioned investigating the Levison family, and Bill Spruitt had done the same. Grace had learned about their situation from her husband.
Levison Group was a privately held company primarily engaged in real estate in Miami, Florida, with various property developments under its belt. The company had total assets of around $7 billion but was burdened with $5.3 billion in debt, leaving it with a debt-to-equity ratio of 75%.
High debt levels are common in the real estate industry, but during an economic downturn, this could be disastrous. Although Levison Group's projects were all high-quality and they owned significant undeveloped land with great potential, the prolonged real estate slump since the late 1980s had left the company's cash flow perpetually strained, always on the brink of collapse.
The Levison family held about 15% of Levison Group's shares, with a nominal family wealth of $1 billion. But after accounting for debts, there wasn't much left.
According to Bill Spruitt's research, many investment firms on Wall Street had a favorable outlook on Levison Group's prospects, anticipating an end to the real estate slump. However, no one was willing to take the risk of bailing them out, as it could easily lead to catastrophic losses.
Some companies were even waiting for Levison Group to go bankrupt so they could acquire its valuable assets at a bargain.
Francis Levison, the group's chairman and CEO, had spent most of the past few years living in New York, seeking funds to save his company. While there were interested investors, most ended up stuck, adding to Levison Group's mounting debt.
This time, if they could align with the vast Westeros system, Levison Group's problems could be easily resolved.
Levison Group had previously attempted to establish connections with the Westeros system, but since high-risk real estate investments never reached Simon's level, they were typically rejected early on. The only way to solve this issue was to meet Simon Westeros in person. This explained why the Levisons resorted to such a lowly tactic as encouraging their son's relationship with Grace's daughter.
It was a desperate move born of having no other options.
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