[Chapter 444: First Day in Charge, Cutting Down Executives]
No one expected that on Linton's very first day at the helm of Universal Group, he would come down so ruthlessly, cutting executives left and right. And it wasn't just one or two -- he swept through a whole batch.
What surprised everyone even more was how thoroughly prepared he was. He had investigated all the executives' illegal and unethical activities down to the last detail.
People wondered, how could Linton be so reckless, going after these top execs without hesitation and forcing them to resign en masse? Wouldn't Universal fall into chaos? Would operations come to a complete halt?
Linton was a real hardliner -- too ruthless, some thought. He seemed determined to root out every single tainted executive at Universal Group. Well, almost every one -- Daniel and Levitt somehow didn't show up in the reports, so it looked like they might slip through this round.
Looking back, people had always sensed something off about those two. Turns out they were just clever enough to keep their mess under wraps.
Now the executives faced a grim choice: write their resignation letters or not. To quit meant giving up all their power and influence, disappearing from the scene completely.
But to refuse was even riskier. If Linton really made good on his threat to hand over the evidence to the authorities, could they withstand an official investigation? The illegal activities were well documented. If the police or prosecutors got involved, it wouldn't just be their positions on the line -- they could lose all their wealth, or even face jail time.
In the end, it seemed like they had no choice -- the only hope was that Linton wouldn't actually turn over the files to law enforcement.
But judging by the way he charged ahead with zero fear and total confidence, that didn't seem likely.
As the executives hesitated and debated, a cold voice cut through the tense atmosphere, "One minute left. If you don't make up your minds, I'll take silence as refusal to resign. When time's up, I'm calling the cops."
"I'll write it. I'll write my resignation." Faced with Linton's intimidation, Roman, the head of the production department, was the first to cave. Over the years, he had exploited his position to rake in millions, practically becoming a self-made multi-millionaire.
At Universal, he had everything he wanted -- enough wealth to live the rest of his life in comfort. No need to risk indictment or jail by crossing Linton.
"I'll write mine too."
"Me too."
"..."
Once someone took the lead, the rest dropped their false hope one after another, standing up to resign.
Meena and Xiaoran quickly handed out paper and pens. Under everyone's watchful eyes, all 19 executives at Universal had their resignation letters ready and handed them over to Linton.
He carefully reviewed each one before nodding, "Good. I've received your resignations, and here's my official approval. Effective immediately, you are all relieved of your duties at Universal. Come by tomorrow to handle your separation paperwork with the lawyers.
Goodman, Meena, draft a dismissal notice on behalf of the Universal board, removing all these executives from their positions. For now, their deputies will take over.
Once I sign off, send it to every department immediately. Then call each department head to confirm the orders -- none of them should be exercising any authority.
Meena, after that's done, notify the media contacts you know about this."
...
And just like that, an unprecedented event unfolded -- unheard of across America -- and it shook Hollywood and the entire nation.
That night's evening papers and the next day's morning editions all led with the explosive headline.
[Shock: Entire Executive Team at Universal Fired -- The Reason Is...]
[Bombshell: On First Day in Charge, Linton Cuts Down Executives with Ruthless Hand]
[Breaking: Linton Purges Entire Executive Team on Day One]
[...]
UPN Network, under Linton's authorization, even featured the story in its evening news broadcast.
Suddenly, Linton and Universal Group became the country's hottest topic. Industry insiders buzzed, guessing what Linton was really up to. What scandalous secrets had surfaced during the acquisition that could spark such fury? What was behind this baffling purge?
Some of the other entertainment giants quietly prepared to watch Linton's downfall. This is crazy, they said -- like a kid playing house. Could Universal grind to a halt? Maybe it's better if the studio just falls apart. These rivals quietly tipped off their own media to start badmouthing the studio.
Of course, conspiracy theories sprang up everywhere -- rumors that Linton had been treated unfairly in prior dealings, now that he held power he was settling scores.
Some even claimed the executives had wronged one of Linton's women, provoking his legendary wrath and mass firing.
Though far-fetched, the public loved the drama -- scandal, revenge, power struggles -- the perfect ingredients for gossip and viral stories.
Soon, specific female star names were tossed around as alleged victims of mistreatment from Universal's former bosses.
Luckily, there was no internet like Twitter back then, or the rumors and search hits would have exploded. Probably dozens of lesser-known actresses would pay to get into the trending rumors, claiming to be wronged by Universal's ex-executives.
---
Linton ignored all the gossip, routing all calls through Meena.
Instead, he went back to the company to meet with Bob Weinstein, Deputy Production Director; Clinsman Reed, Deputy Director of Distribution; Megan Oster, Office Manager; and Mary Watts, Chief Accountant.
Even though he had fired so many executives, work couldn't stop. Key positions needed capable people to fill them immediately.
These three were the choices Linton planned to place in those roles. But before sending them in, he wanted to talk to each -- both to assign tasks and remind them about integrity and loyalty before taking office.
The talks went well. After all, Universal was a bigger platform than Linton's movie company ever could be. Bob, Megan, and Clinsman all wholeheartedly agreed to the plan.
Only Mary hesitated. She was comfortable at Linton's company where finances were healthy, cash flow solid, and no messy intrigue.
But after Linton made his appeal, explaining how Universal's core finance department needed her oversight, she happily accepted.
---
At 8 PM, Linton arrived at a Beverly Hills business club for interviews organized by Korn Ferry International Headhunting Company.
There, he interviewed candidates for Universal's new CEO.
After the sessions, he selected Scott Flick, a 42-year-old Italian-American and current Vice President at Paramount.
Scott joined Paramount right after college, gradually climbing through production and distribution ranks -- from producer, production deputy director, production director, to distribution director -- with a promotion to VP three years ago.
His deep industry experience was invaluable. Even better, he wasn't Jewish -- a detail Linton considered important. Under Linton's Soul Induction test he proved to be upright and tough-minded -- qualities exactly what Universal's CEO role needed.
Satisfied with the choice, Linton assigned the headhunting company to start filling managerial positions in over a dozen Universal subsidiaries.
---
On the way back to the estate, Mina and Xiaoran showed him a list of call notifications.
Linton barely paid attention, just calling back his many absent female companions to reassure them everything was fine.
Back at the estate, Madonna, Sophie Marceau, Cristiana Reali, Monica Bellucci, Nicole Kidman, and Winona Ryder eagerly asked about the latest at Universal.
"Don't worry, darlings. I'm just cleaning house, eradicating the rot inside Universal. Soon, the studio will be reborn, energized, and ready to soar. Why don't we focus on the things we all love doing..."
"We've already prepared the shows you like, just waiting for your return..."
"Really? Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started..."
Joyful laughter and sweet singing filled the air, composing a beautiful symphony that seemed endless...
*****
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