[Chapter 379: Money Attracts]
"Is it that the U.S. President?"
In the hotel study, Monica was gripping his shoulder, her beautiful face leaning in from behind, her red lips lush and tempting like cherries.
"Yes, I don't know where he heard I liked golfing; he invited me to play at the White House."
Link held the woman in his arms, his hand soothing her increasingly curved lines, turning the soft contours into gentle waves.
"It's mainly because you're impressive; he values your influence in Hollywood and wants to pull you in for the next election. Are you going to support him?"
Monica rested her head on his shoulder, blinking her long lashes, her beautiful eyes filled with admiration and delight.
"His reputation is pretty good; he has a chance to win. If things go well, I might support him moderately," Link replied after giving it some thought. Since the 1960s, the Democratic Party had gradually gained dominance in California and controlled the state legislature by the 1970s, continuing to hold power for decades.
The Clintons were Democrats who still held an advantage; supporting them made sense. The benefits that came from supporting them were significant. One could leverage policy advantages for investments, enhancing capital; on the other hand, expanding political connections could elevate social standing and offer political protection.
However, given the chaotic nature of politics, with policies changing rapidly, he preferred not to get deeply involved or bet all his chips on one party. For instance, Guess Pictures was headquartered in California, allowing support for Democrats through the company; whereas Glimmer Capital was based in New York, enabling support for the Republicans.
As a billionaire, he enjoyed a unique status in America; even if he played both sides, no one would say anything, as both sides needed to court him regardless of who came out on top.
He had his finger on the pulse of which side would be victorious, ensuring that placing bets ahead of time would yield greater benefits.
...
Ding~ling~ling!
While Link was whispering sweet nothings to Monica, the phone on the desk rang again. Link pulled his hand from Monica's embrace to answer the call; it was Greg Davis, the Chief Investment Officer of Vanguard Capital.
"Link, congratulations on your soaring net worth; your investment acumen and business skills are incredible. Even someone like me, with over twenty years in investment, can't compare to you."
Greg Davis sounded more cautious and polite than ever.
"Thank you! You're too humble."
"Haha, not at all! I'm speaking the truth. The most successful deal I've made since taking office was investing in Guess Pictures, but I'm far behind you guys at Glimmer Capital with your investments these past few years. I need to learn from you."
After exchanging pleasantries, the conversation shifted to the main topic, where Greg inquired about potential collaboration with Vanguard Capital.
Vanguard Capital was one of the most powerful capital management firms on Wall Street, managing over $200 billion and investing in numerous Fortune 500 companies. While Glimmer Capital's overall scale was not as large as Vanguard's, Link had the highest decision-making authority at Glimmer Capital, with access to more funds than any officer at Vanguard. Moreover, Glimmer Capital owned many rare shares.
If a partnership was established between them, Vanguard Capital could also benefit from it.
Link didn't refuse Greg's invitation, stating he would contact Jack Brennan, the Chief Investment Officer at Glimmer Capital, to discuss the possibilities of collaborating with Vanguard. Jack and his team were more knowledgeable in this area.
Greg expressed his excitement, and after hanging up, Link kissed Monica before the phone rang again.
...
Calls came in from Paul Zummo at J.P. Morgans, Kimberly Harris, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, and CEOs or chairmen from Deutsche Bank, Belladen Capital, and other investment firms, all discussing potential partnerships.
Link agreed to all of them. Currently, he had more than just Glimmer Capital; there was also Horizon Angel Investments, Hong Kong Kingsoft Investments, and Rose Garden Asset Management.
On paper, Glimmer Capital's total value exceeded $6 billion. Horizon Investment, based in the Cayman Islands, was a hidden investment entity. Besides holding 21.5% of Glimmer Capital, it managed 75.8% of Kingsoft Investments and 25% of Rose Garden holdings.
Last year, Hong Kong Kingsoft Investments received about $1.2 billion from Horizon Investment.
Currently, Kingsoft's managed assets included 11.35% of Dell - when Link had acquired shares, Dell's total market value was only $2.8 billion. Early this year, Dell grew to $4.2 billion, making the value of Link's 11.35% stake about $480 million;
There was also 1.2% of Cisco, valued at approximately $390 million;
And 13.34% of LVMH shares, worth about $533 million.
Adding in shares from several large real estate companies in Hong Kong and investments in China Oil, China Petro, and Electric, valued about $400 million, Kingsoft managed funds totaling around $1.8 billion.
With several investment firms, Link's net worth surpassed $8 billion, allowing for smooth collaboration with large investment companies like Vanguard Capital and Morgan Goldman, which would facilitate investments in various fields, diversifying their portfolio, broadening returns, and reducing risks.
...
"Still need to make calls?"
After Link finished his calls, Monica wrapped her arms around his neck, her gaze dreamy and seductive.
"No calls. Nothing is more important than you."
Link felt the warmth increasing on his lap, lifting her and placing her gently on the desk, tugging on the long phone cord to put the phone in its place.
*****
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