"Thank you, George, I'm glad you're enjoying the party tonight... China, huh? The scenery there is beautiful, and the food is delicious. You should definitely visit, just leave the Quantum Fund behind... Investments are fine, but I think your focus in the coming years won't be on that. The Mexican peso crisis won't be much different from what happened in '92... As for Eaglet's IPO, it should happen in the latter half of next year... If you want to short tech stocks, let's not complicate things. Let's just bet directly—however many shorts you place, Cersei Capital will take them all... Who can say for sure? I just believe my odds are better."
"Yes, it's already wrapped up and in post-production... It was just a fun idea I had, nothing serious... If I tell you now, it won't be a surprise. Terry, if you're interested, you can check it out during the test screening... 'Jumanji'—I'm still uncertain about the script. I have two ideas, and we'll discuss it once the outline is ready. Next year's schedule is full, so there's no rush on this project."
"Rupert, seeing you reminds me of something. We should discuss FOX's political stance... Yes, it seems you've understood my point. You back the Republicans, and I'll back the Democrats. If we coordinate properly, it'll benefit both of us... The bill to lift the media consolidation ban will be up for a vote in Congress next month. FOX will then have the opportunity to become a true national broadcast network."
"Charlie, you can tell Mr. Redstone directly that MGM is not for sale, so he shouldn't bother. However, I am interested in Viacom—ask him if he's willing to sell. I'm serious, no joke... Ha, as the CEO of Morgan Stanley, asking me about tech stock trends seems a bit inappropriate... We've had a great partnership over the years. Eaglet's IPO will certainly have you and Goldman Sachs as the lead underwriters, that won't change. But this IPO is bigger than Daenerys Entertainment's, so I need to manage risks by bringing in some secondary underwriters."
"The IE window is central to our settlement agreement with the DOJ; there's no room for loopholes, Steve. AOL's traffic needs to be earned through content and services. Also, I must remind you again, online services should only supplement AOL's ISP business—you need to focus your main efforts there."
"Yes, I've accumulated a large amount of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae stock. Both companies have federal guarantees and exclusive licenses in the U.S. mortgage market, essentially operating as monopolies. Now that the real estate market is recovering, it's the perfect time to buy in. Westeros Company holds 4.9% of both companies, with a total investment of $1.2 billion, which has already grown to $1.5 billion... This money is borrowed, but the current paper profits are already enough to cover interest for the next three years—it's a great deal, isn't it?... I don't want to draw SEC attention either, Fink, so I'll still submit my holdings to the boards of both companies. If BlackRock plans to increase its stake, I can delay this... Yes, I'm holding long-term—at least five years—so it won't affect your operations."
"Sorry, Steve, even though I hold 20% of ESPN, I can't support your plan to buy out the NFL broadcasting rights right now. We're talking about billions of dollars—even if I were willing, Murphy and Buffett wouldn't agree. But if you're willing, we can revisit this in a year... Okay, what did I just say?"
"Nice to meet you, Mark. Be good to B—if I hear you mistreat her, I'll have to deal with you... Goldman Sachs mentioned wanting to invest in Arya again... I'll bring it up with Friedman in a bit. Business isn't done that way... By the way, how's the lawsuit with Bloomberg going? Fill me in."
"Happy New Year, Donald, and this is... Nice to meet you, Ivanka. You definitely inherited more of your mother's genes... Too bad your dad's so ugly."
"Yes, I've seen the joint venture proposal—it's good. But I don't like the name 'Li Gao'; it doesn't have a nice ring to it. If you want a name with good fortune, let's call it 'BBK Electronics Co., Ltd.'... It's almost New Year's in China—when are you planning to go back?... You should go home for the New Year; you can discuss things with Duan in person... Yes, your salaries for next year will be paid in advance—just talk to A tomorrow."
"Yes, I didn't expect the 'Information Age' marketing campaign to be so successful. It's just another sign that a new era is upon us. But Raymond, there's no need to be envious. Verizon's focus on mobile communications will grow into an industry as large as the internet. Once the Clinton administration's Telecommunications Act is passed, Verizon can move forward with its expansion plans."
"Hello, Paris, Nicky—you really do look like twins... How do I know you're not twins? Well, it's not good to be so sharp, little girl—learn from your sister, she's adorable... So, Miss Hilton, how about a dance?"
The Spruitts and the Levisons crossed paths with Simon again in the villa's main hall, just as he was leaving the dance floor, holding the hand of a young girl with a flushed face.
It was Nicky Hilton, the second daughter of the Hilton couple.
Though only eleven years old, the girl was already growing tall, with a graceful figure. Her parents had bent the rules slightly, bringing her despite the twelve-year-old limit mentioned in the invitation. No one was going to make an issue of it.
In fact, many of the children who accompanied their parents tonight were younger than the age limit.
After politely returning the girl to her parents by the dance floor, Simon chatted briefly with the Hiltons. Seeing the Spruitt and Levison families approaching, he nodded to the Hiltons and left, ignoring the disappointed look from Paris, who had missed her chance to dance with him.
As the evening's festivities continued, with abundant food and wine, music, dancing, and magic shows, time flew by for everyone present. The New Year's Eve party had started at 7:00 PM, and before long, it was already past 11:00 PM.
In just over half an hour, the New Year's Eve countdown would begin.
The party would end shortly after the New Year rang in, which is why the Levisons were eager to speak with Simon Westeros—this might be their last chance. After hours of networking, they had met several key figures in the Westeros system. However, rescuing Levison Group from its predicament would ultimately require Simon's direct approval.
Grabbing a glass of red wine from a passing waiter, they approached Simon, who took the initiative to ask, "Are you all enjoying the party?"
"Of course, it's been wonderful," Francis Levison quickly responded. "Simon, could we speak privately?"
Simon smiled and gestured towards the hallway on the east side of the hall. "Let's go over there."
He led the way down the hallway, with the Levisons hurrying to follow. The Spruitts hesitated momentarily before deciding to stay back.
They entered a small sitting room that opened onto the backyard lawn, where they found Robert Iger and his wife, along with several other East Coast TV executives and their families, as well as the Kardashian family, who Simon knew well from memory.
After exchanging pleasantries, Iger, noticing that the Levisons had something important to discuss, took the initiative to leave with the others, leaving the room for Simon and the Levisons.
Simon gestured for the Levisons to sit down, then took a seat in a nearby armchair.
He had already consumed quite a bit of alcohol, and the effects were starting to show. Holding his wine glass at a slight angle, he leaned back in his seat, his gaze casually landing on Bryce Levison, who was seated at the far end of the sofa. She wore a black evening gown that accentuated her mature, attractive figure.
Simon was known for his appreciation of beauty but was never abrupt. He believed in taking his time and ensuring the woman was willing before making any advances.
After a brief glance, he returned his attention to Francis Levison, indicating that he should speak first.
Francis Levison was aware of Simon's reputation and understood that, given the circumstances, he couldn't afford to react to the young man's brief gaze at his wife.
However, Bryce Levison, subtly crossed her legs and glanced at Simon, feeling a slight thrill at attracting the attention of such a young and immensely wealthy tycoon.
Francis Levison had already discussed the situation with James Leibold and several Cersei Capital executives, so he knew that the Westeros system had likely been monitoring Levison Group.
Gathering his thoughts after Simon's cue, Francis began, "Mr. Westeros, I believe you're already familiar with my family's company. If possible, I would like the Westeros system to invest in Levison Group. My request isn't large—$500 million, and I guarantee you'll see a substantial return."
Simon took a sip of the slightly chilled wine, feeling a bit more clear-headed.
This was a New Year's Eve party, not the usual setting for business discussions. However, the hours of mingling had naturally led to many work-related conversations.
Opportunities to speak directly with Simon were rare, so it was inevitable.
Hearing the vague offer, Simon's already waning interest diminished further. He shook his
head slightly and said, "Frank, if it's just a $500 million deal, you can discuss it with Jim later. This is party time."
Francis Levison felt a pang of embarrassment at Simon's words.
The main issue facing Levison Group was a lack of investor confidence. While everyone recognized that the real estate market was starting to recover, no one knew how long the dark period before the dawn would last, nor whether Levison Group, with its strained cash flow, could survive until then.
If they couldn't, the result would be a domino-like collapse.
Francis Levison wanted to partner with Simon primarily because the Westeros system's involvement could restore critical market confidence. Even if Simon invested just $100 million, the news alone would stabilize the company's creditors, making refinancing much easier.
But of course, there was no such thing as a free lunch.
After a long pause, Francis finally said, "Mr. Westeros, $700 million for a 10% stake in Levison Group. Does that sound fair?"
Francis hadn't initially specified whether the $500 million was for equity or debt.
Now, he was clarifying his offer.
Simon, however, didn't hesitate to shake his head again. "Frank, I feel like you're playing games with me."
With that, Simon stood up. "That's it for now. When you've made up your mind, talk to Jim."
As Simon rose to leave, the Levisons quickly stood as well.
Francis Levison realized that his earlier offer lacked sincerity. He had been trying to leave room for negotiation but hadn't anticipated that the young man before him had no interest in haggling.
As Simon headed for the door, Francis regretted his hesitation, but it was Bryce Levison who instinctively reached out and grabbed the young man's arm. "Simon, can we talk again? Please?"
As she spoke, her desperation led her to cling to his arm, practically embracing it.
Everyone froze for a moment. Realizing her mistake, Bryce Levison instinctively wanted to let go but stopped herself when she saw that Simon wasn't pulling away. Only after confirming that he wasn't about to leave did she slowly release his arm, stepping back to stand by her husband, discreetly adjusting her dress.
Simon didn't return to his seat but instead said, "I don't like doing business with people who hesitate, Frank. Since you're not serious, I'll give you my offer: $1.5 billion for a 30% stake in Levison Group."
Still distracted by his wife's earlier actions, Francis blurted out, "That's impossible."
The Levison family held only 15% of Levison Group's shares. Without a dual-class stock structure, they had relied on the support of other key shareholders to maintain control. Selling 30% to Simon would effectively hand over control of the company.
Moreover, $1.5 billion for 30% was far too low.
Even though Levison Group's assets were valued at $7 billion with a 75% debt ratio, its properties were all high-quality. There were no abandoned projects or worthless land. Once the federal real estate market recovered and they secured the funds to develop their properties, these assets could easily double in value within a few years.
At that point, the company's value would be at least $15 billion.
With future asset appreciation, the current $5.3 billion in debt wouldn't be a significant burden.
But Simon wasn't interested in further negotiations. "I understand your general thinking, Frank. I'm also very aware of Levison Group's situation. My offer of $1.5 billion for 30% is sincere. Because after this deal, Levison Group will not only receive ample funding but will also become part of the Westeros system. With the Westeros system backing it, your company won't just expand beyond Florida—it could become a global real estate giant. That's the true value of this deal. You have until tomorrow morning at 9:00 to discuss this with the other shareholders of Levison Group. Either take the deal or walk away."
With that, Simon didn't wait for Bryce Levison to stop him and left the sitting room.
In the hallway, he checked his watch—it was just over twenty minutes until midnight, and the new year was about to begin.
Greeting guests as he walked, Simon happened upon his private military aide, Celia Miller, and her husband. He stopped them briefly, nodding to Philip Miller before addressing Celia. "Come see me tomorrow morning. I have a special task for you."
Tomorrow was January 1st, New Year's Day, and a Sunday—a day off by all accounts.
Celia, noticing Simon's slightly inebriated state, didn't argue and simply nodded, then asked considerately, "Simon, do you want me to help you upstairs to rest?"
Simon shook his head, declining, and continued toward the main hall alone.
Janet had gone upstairs to rest earlier, saying she would come back down for the midnight countdown. It was almost time, and Simon didn't want to miss the New Year's kiss.
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