Leaving Murdoch's upscale high-rise apartment, Jerry Hall took Simon's arm and entered the elevator. She glanced at the folder he was casually holding but didn't ask any questions. Instead, she suggested, "Simon, how about coming to my place tonight?"
Simon was preoccupied with the contents of the folder and replied somewhat absentmindedly, "Hmm?"
Jerry Hall continued nonchalantly, "I recently got a new apartment in Greenwich. It's a very nice place."
Not sure what the woman was up to, Simon shrugged and said, "No thanks. I don't want to be caught by paparazzi."
Although his growing wealth and power made most paparazzi wary of him, there was no guarantee that some tabloid wouldn't try to catch a scoop. Simon's residences worldwide had strong privacy measures, making it safe to bring women over without being noticed. But the situation at Jerry Hall's place was uncertain. Parking on the street could easily lead to being photographed.
Jerry Hall, undeterred, understood his concerns and reassured him, "No worries. There's a private underground parking garage. We can go straight up to my apartment from there."
Feeling a bit curious due to her hopeful tone, Simon finally agreed.
As Simon nodded, Jerry Hall tightened her grip on his arm and whispered something in his ear. The elevator soon reached the underground parking lot, where the driver was already waiting. After they got in the car, Simon motioned for Jerry Hall to give the driver the address while he opened the folder Murdoch had handed him.
The folder contained various items, including manuscripts, photos, and a journalist's tape recorder.
While Jerry Hall was explaining her address to the driver, she sneakily glanced at the contents of the folder. One line of text caught her eye and made her expression turn odd.
"Mysterious Lolita Legion."
This must be what Murdoch mentioned earlier about "girls from Russia."
But when did the young man beside her start showing interest in young girls? That was unusual.
As she pondered, Jerry Hall remembered another incident: the global scandal of superstar Michael Jackson's child molestation case last year. Although Jackson had settled with the accuser, the fallout was still ongoing.
If a similar case were to surface now, involving Simon Westeros, it would cause an even bigger uproar.
Back when Simon began selecting Westeros family maids last year, the Jackson case was at its peak. Janet had joked that Simon might get into the same kind of trouble as Michael Jackson, as it was so easy for people to exploit such situations.
Simon had therefore taken very detailed precautions.
All 200 girls were kept outside the USA as the most crucial measure. Additionally, there were strict surveillance systems in place, recording every hour of the girls' daily activities in both their apartments and schools. If anyone tried to accuse Simon like Jackson, he was ready for the challenge.
However, the information in his hand couldn't be taken lightly.
The key document in the folder was a news article titled "Mysterious Lolita Legion," which did not mention Simon by name. Instead, it questioned the situation of a group of Russian girls living in a Chelsea villa in London, through a series of photos and interview evidence.
The article claimed that the girls were under strict surveillance, not allowed to interact with outsiders, and subjected to intense training, hinting at possible human trafficking or enemy nation espionage training. It called for an investigation by London authorities.
Clearly, this article was just an opening gambit.
Once public attention was aroused, regardless of whether the British authorities investigated, Simon, the "mastermind," would be exposed by someone.
If Simon hadn't taken precautions, the revelation could escalate into a scandal worse than Jackson's. Unlike Jackson's single accuser, this case involved a group of girls, which could lead to much harsher legal consequences under Western laws.
But all of this was just "theoretical."
Simon was fundamentally unconcerned.
In many cases, the laws of the UK and the US were a joke to certain individuals.
Money and power could resolve many issues.
He recalled the case of Jeffrey Epstein, an American businessman who maintained an island and operated a "Lolita Express," hosting figures like Prince Andrew of the UK and former US President Bill Clinton. Despite crimes that should have warranted multiple lifetimes of imprisonment, Epstein was only sentenced to 18 months, and that too, a suspended sentence. Meanwhile, the high-profile guests he entertained faced no repercussions.
Often, laws only targeted the weak.
Seeing that Simon was deep in thought, Jerry Hall didn't disturb him. When the car arrived at the underground parking lot of a Greenwich Village apartment, she finally asked, "Simon, is there anything urgent you need to handle?"
Realizing the car had stopped, Simon put away the documents and said, "No, it's nothing. Let's go."
The driver opened the door, and Jerry Hall, seeing Simon's relaxed demeanor, led him into the elevator.
The elevator indicated they were heading to the sixth floor of an eight-story apartment building.
Once they reached the floor, Jerry Hall explained as she unlocked the door, "This is a large flat. I chose it because I'll be living here with the kids and the nanny."
Simon nodded, "It's very nice. I like larger homes too."
Entering the apartment, Jerry Hall asked Simon to wait at the entrance while she went into the living room.
He heard her speaking faintly, likely sending the nanny away. Soon, she returned and led Simon down a hallway to a master bedroom, suggesting he make himself comfortable. "I'll send the nanny away, so we won't be disturbed."
Simon nodded, "I'll take a shower first."
Jerry Hall personally showed Simon to the bathroom and prepared all the necessary items before leaving with his clothes.
Simon opted for a quick shower instead of a bath. Wearing a robe, he emerged from the bathroom to find Jerry Hall holding a small child. She apologized, "Sorry, Simon. The nanny left just as Gloria woke up."
"No problem."
Simon sat on the bed, feeling the pleasant fragrance around him, and casually picked up a magazine. He glanced at the mother and daughter.
Noticing his gaze, Jerry Hall gave him a playful look.
Simon, a bit embarrassed, started a conversation, "Actually, you're holding the baby wrong. It's uncomfortable for her."
Jerry Hall laughed, "I've always held my kids like this. They don't seem to mind."
Simon replied, "Do you think they can complain?"
Jerry Hall chuckled, "Well, no complaints so far."
Simon, speechless, realized Jerry Hall's attitude toward motherhood was similar to Janet's. Despite being a mother of three, she juggled her modeling and TV career, thriving without compromising on her children.
They chatted casually, and Gloria glanced at Simon a few times, not shy but not familiar either. From Jerry Hall's words, he learned that Gloria was two years old, the same age as Melbourne but smaller and less robust, with limited vocabulary.
After about ten minutes, Gloria fell asleep again. Jerry Hall took her to a nearby bedroom. When she returned, she lay beside Simon on the bed and asked, "How do you like it here?"
"It's great," Simon nodded, recalling the apartment's layout, "but it could use some renovation."
Jerry Hall shrugged, "It's not my property. Spending too much on renovations would be a waste."
Her tone was casual, tinged with just the right amount of regret. Simon suddenly understood why she had invited him here tonight.
"Didn't you receive 5 million pounds in alimony? That should be enough to buy this place."
"That money is for raising the kids," Jerry Hall said, half-seriously adding, "I heard someone bought four houses for 'Waist Elf' and 'Leg Elf.' I'm no worse than them."
Simon chuckled and suddenly asked, "What do you think of Murdoch?"
Jerry Hall was puzzled, "He's a great guy. Why?"
"Oh, nothing."
Realizing Jerry Hall had no interest in Murdoch, Simon understood. Despite being in her thirties and still beautiful, Murdoch was a 63-year-old man in a good marriage. With Simon around, they could never spark any interest.
Given the choice between the world's richest man and a sixty-something old-school tycoon, any woman would know which to choose.
Considering their close relationship, Simon wouldn't directly suggest Jerry Hall approach Murdoch—it would be too awkward.
Noticing Simon's hesitation, Jerry Hall ventured, "Simon, before Daenerys Entertainment's IPO, there will be a stock subscription, right? Could you give me some shares?"
For a company to go public, it typically needs a certain number of shareholders.
Daenerys Entertainment was currently 100% owned by Simon. To go public, he would need to distribute shares to meet the shareholder requirement.
Aside from rewarding top executives like Amy Pascal with shares, Simon planned to allocate 5% of the company's stock to Daenerys Entertainment employees for subscription. Based on a $40 billion valuation, these shares would be worth $2 billion.
To incentivize employees, the internal subscription price would be discounted based on their position and tenure, with the lowest discount being 30% of the IPO price. Even without a discount, anyone who got the shares could profit from selling them post-IPO, given Daenerys Entertainment's current momentum.
As the controller of Daenerys Entertainment, Simon had the absolute authority to decide who could get subscription rights, but he didn't intend to abuse this power.
Hearing Jerry Hall's request, Simon pointed to the coat rack in the corner of the bedroom, "Get my coat."
Jerry Hall, realizing something, suppressed her excitement and brought Simon's coat. Watching him pull out his wallet, her anticipation grew.
As Simon filled out a check, he said, "As a producer of popular Fashion TV shows, you can get a share of the stock subscription. The amount will be determined by the HR department. Anything extra, I won't entertain else."
Jerry Hall watched as Simon nonchalantly wrote a long string of numbers on the check. She couldn't think of anything else for a moment. When Simon tore the check and handed it to her, she still couldn't believe it. After examining it carefully, she confirmed it was indeed $5 million!
Last year, after a lengthy and contentious divorce, she had only received 5 million pounds from her ex-husband.
Now, Simon had given her an equivalent amount so easily.
She instinctively hid the check under her, only to realize the oddness of her action. Before she could correct herself, Simon's hand gently turned her face toward him, "Do I seem like the genie from Aladdin?"
Jerry Hall laughed playfully, "Yes, you do."
Simon continued, "You should understand, my money doesn't come easily. Now that you've taken it, you should know what to do."
Jerry Hall's eyes flickered with a moment of hesitation.
Simon, noticing her expression, clarified, "I'm not planning to keep any woman forever. One day, whether a month or a year from now, if you want to start a new relationship or marriage, just tell me, and you can leave. But if I find out you're having an affair with someone else, not only will I take back that check, but I'll also take away everything you have. Understand?"
Jerry Hall, reassured, quickly nodded.
Of course, she understood.
Simon simply didn't want to be deceived.
Although she was slightly curious, Jerry Hall had no intention of testing the consequences of deceiving this young man.
She carefully placed the substantial check into the bedside table drawer and started to get up, "Simon, I'll take a quick shower, you... ah..."
By 7 AM the next day, Simon had already left Jerry Hall's apartment.
Although she wanted him to stay for breakfast, Simon had no intention of facing her three children. Besides, he had already planned to have breakfast with Verizon CEO Raymond Smith to discuss some ongoing projects.
At 8 AM, they met at a breakfast restaurant near Central Park. They ate and chatted for about an hour.
After breakfast, Raymond Smith headed to Europe. Verizon was in talks with an Italian telecommunications company to form a joint venture for mobile communications.
Due to regulatory restrictions in North America, Verizon couldn't expand its business in the US, so its growth focus had shifted overseas in recent years. They had already established companies in Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and Finland.
With Sophia's operations in Italy, Verizon's next expansion target was Italy.
Moreover, Verizon's overseas operations mainly focused on the emerging mobile communications sector to avoid conflicts with local traditional landline operators.
Landline services were still dominant, but Simon knew that in the next decade, they would quickly be replaced by mobile communications. This strategic positioning would yield significant benefits and strongly support the entire Westeros system's mobile communications industry chain.
After bidding farewell to Raymond Smith, Simon was joined by one of his assistants from Fifth Avenue, and they headed north to Greenwich, Connecticut.
They had a meeting that morning with Joseph Schrap, the head of Schrap Consulting, to discuss the latest developments in Washington and the progress of various legislative lobbying efforts by the Westeros system.
As the car moved through New York's streets, Simon spoke to his assistant, Allison, about the documents Murdoch had given him the previous night: "In London, fire the entire team responsible for covertly guarding the Chelsea villa and replace them with new people. Also, have Martin Denham and his team head to London to closely monitor the paparazzo responsible for these materials. I don't want them alerted; I just want to know who's behind this."
The team responsible for guarding the Chelsea villa was part of the peripheral members of the Westeros family intelligence network, and their work was a test. Only by accumulating experience could they gradually move closer to the core.
The incident involving a thick stack of photos and surveillance material about the Chelsea villa and the girls should have been detected immediately. However, Simon had learned about it through Murdoch, which he found intolerable.
If core members of the Westeros family intelligence network, like Martin Denham, made such a mistake, Simon might take severe actions to clean house. He had invested heavily and didn't want to see such failures.
For the peripheral team, firing them would suffice for now.
Allison, noting Simon's orders, asked, "Boss, should we make any preparations in advance?"
Even though Murdoch had given Simon the documents and assured him that News Corp wouldn't get involved, the issue was still under scrutiny and would likely come to light eventually.
Simon considered this and said, "Tell Claire to reach out to Wall Street and signal that Tingkebel is preparing for an IPO. Make it a big announcement."
Allison immediately understood his plan and noted it down with a slight smile.
Claire Gain, once one of Simon's closest aides in the ABCD maid group, would handle this task.
If someone wanted to make a fuss about the Westeros family's next-generation maids, Simon decided to let the public see the heights these maids could achieve first.
Although Tingkebel had only launched a digital camera product so far, it had swiftly capitalized on the Internet's rapid development. In just a few years, the electronics company had achieved annual sales of over $1 billion. With a 15% stake in Tingkebel, Claire had become a billionaire, even before the company went public.
Being a billionaire was still highly valuable at this time. Last year, the Forbes 400 richest Americans list had a threshold of just over $300 million. If Tingkebel went public, Claire could easily join the ranks of America's wealthiest 400 individuals.
Such success, when publicized, would demonstrate the value of the Westeros family's maids.
The "poor" girls at the London villa, initially mistaken for victims of human trafficking, would be seen as extremely fortunate.
After giving these instructions, Simon paused and added, "I remember Eaglet initiated an online video live-streaming technology project last May. It should be completed by now. Have them set up a live-streaming website quickly, with just one user."
Allison, familiar with the project's details, knew it was an extension of streaming video technology. Given the current Internet speed and user hardware limitations, the technology was ready but not yet suitable for a formal product launch.
Setting up a simple live-streaming website would be easy for Eaglet.
Allison also quickly understood Simon's intent.
The orchestrators of this incident likely expected Simon to cover up the matter, leading to more public speculation and rumors.
However, if Simon openly displayed the girls' living conditions through live streaming, any baseless speculation and malicious gossip would be debunked.
By publicly showcasing the girls' daily lives, any negative rumors would be dispelled, showing there was nothing to hide.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter]