Bang!
Jack Morgan slammed the door behind him, leaving Robert Lehman murmuring, his eyes vacant.
"How could this happen... How could it be like this?"
Jack descended the stairs and directly pushed open the door to the Investigative Committee's meeting room.
Facing the government officials seated around the table, Jack casually said,
"Gentlemen, give me and Mr. Thomas some privacy."
The members of the Investigative Committee were elite figures from Washington.
Anyone who had any standing in Washington knew who Jack Morgan was.
After Thomas nodded, everyone left the meeting room, understanding that such talks were beyond their reach.
"Thomas, Leo has gone too far this time. He's making an enemy of all of us," Jack said, his tone dark.
"If you're going to put it like that, then there's no point in continuing this conversation.
Your fundraising plans aren't a secret, and neither are your intentions.
We all know why Leo is targeting you, so stop pretending to speak for everyone.
Jack, you can only speak for yourself!
And right now, many people are making money with Leo."
Thomas replied sharply.
"His growth is too fast. We're all afraid of him," Jack said.
"People used to fear Pierre Pont, but your father did well.
Had he been around, the Great Depression wouldn't have escalated the way it did.
Every era has its business prodigies, and many of us think Leo is one of them.
Jack, you should understand, the most important thing for family legacies is to adapt to the times."
Thomas said, his voice firm.
"Four years isn't enough for him to prove he's the leader of this era. At least, I'm not convinced," Jack retorted.
"That's your right, Jack. But targeting you is Leo's right too," Thomas answered.
"I'm afraid we can't agree on this matter, Thomas.
Let's talk terms. Keep the Morgan family out of the California deal."
Jack said, his tone sharp.
"Agreed, but in exchange, you'll have to cancel your fundraising efforts.
And give up on blocking the International News Group IPO."
Thomas said, his voice unwavering.
"This deal isn't fair to me. If I cancel the funds I raised, and you continue to target me, the Morgan family stands to lose far too much," Jack responded, his voice tense.
"This is a deadlock, Jack. Someone has to step back."
Thomas shrugged, clearly signaling that it was now Jack's turn to concede.
Jack understood this unspoken message. He stood up and stared at Thomas, his gaze intense.
"Fine, I'll pull out. But if you continue to pursue this, I'll show you that the Morgan family still controls this country."
Jack stormed out of the meeting room, his face twisted in anger. This was the first time in his life that he had been forced to back down in such a way.
Just as he was about to leave the meeting room, he saw Robert Lehman rushing toward him from the stairwell.
He slid to his knees in front of Jack and grabbed his hand urgently.
"Mr. Morgan, do I still have a chance to return to Wall Street?"
Jack shrugged off Robert's hand coldly and replied,
"You're known as a gambler. Tell me, if a gambler loses everything, do they get another chance to play?"
With that, Jack turned and walked away, completely unaware of the venom in Robert's eyes.
"I may have lost the chips, but I still have one last chance—myself," Robert Lehman muttered, rising and brushing imaginary dirt off his pants.
He turned to his secretary and said,
"Get me a ticket to Washington. No, scratch that, get me a flight to New York!"
"Sir, the Investigative Committee is here, why New York?"
The secretary asked, puzzled.
"The issue is not here. I'm going to solve the problem.
Leo's companies are listing on the NYSE tomorrow.
Remember, never mention Lehman Brothers again. Wall Street will soon have a new player—Valentino Lehman Investment Bank, and I'll be the CEO.
Since Morgan and Rockefeller are unwilling to save me from this crisis, I'll become their enemy."
Robert's voice was filled with determination.
"They say I'm a gambler? Well, I'll wager everything on myself for one last time!"
July 1st, the NYSE was bustling.
But when a Lincoln sedan arrived, the traders waiting to enter the NYSE automatically stepped aside.
Today, they were all waiting for the main character in that Lincoln car.
Soon, the car door opened, and the crowd erupted in cheers, chanting the name of the man in the car:
"Mr. Valentino! Mr. Valentino!"
Journalists from various newspapers quickly directed their photographers to capture the moment.
Years later, many of them would recall this scene, describing it as one where the elite seemed to gaze upon this young man as if they were witnessing the arrival of the god of wealth.
Leo's arrival today received the highest honors from the NYSE. All of the exchange's managers and staff were there, waiting for him.
The reason for this was simple: Leo was the reason they were all there today, and all of their work was courtesy of this smiling young billionaire.
The most prominent spot on the first floor, the golden wall of the bell-ringing station, was completely decorated in Valentino's style.
There were standing Leo billboards and the Picasso-designed Valentino art fonts.
And the most extravagant feature was the five bell-ringing buttons placed before the golden wall.
"Where are the others?"
Leo asked the NYSE executive beside him.
"Mr. Valentino, they are all in their respective lounges, waiting for the listing.
Would you like to go to one of them?"
The executive asked.
The reason for this question was that all the NYSE lounges were occupied by Valentino's group companies and their shareholders.
"Here is fine, time is running out," Leo said, glancing at his watch. It was 9:00 AM.
At 9:15 AM, shareholders from major groups, including Phoenix, Lord Westminster, Lawrence Rockefeller, and Augustus Morgan, arrived on the first floor.
Seeing Leo staring at the golden wall, they instinctively stood behind him, forming a pyramid-shaped formation as more people gathered.
Journalists were thrilled, snapping photos of this historic moment.
Many had already thought of headlines: "Valentino's Business Empire: The King and His Vassals!"
"Mr. Valentino, gentlemen, please step up to the platform," a staff member called.
Leo didn't engage in the modesty act he had during the listing of the American Real Estate Group.
This time, as the rightful leader of the group, he took the center stage without question.
9:29:58.
9:29:59.
9:30:00.
Leo raised his arm and swiftly pressed the five bell-ringing buttons.
Atlantic Real Estate Group listed!
Southern Real Estate Group listed!
International Real Estate Group listed!
Western Real Estate Group listed!
International News Group listed!
Flashes from cameras filled the air, blinding the people on the platform.
Listing five companies at once was an unprecedented event on the NYSE.
Except for Leo, most of the shareholders were still nervous, as pressing the button was just the start. The true test would be the stock's performance after the opening bell.
By now, shareholders had already gathered in separate areas, instructing their traders to monitor the stock price changes.
Leo, however, remained calm. He ascended to the second floor and walked into the most luxurious VIP room, sipping champagne without a care.
Yelena followed him, placing the opening prices of the listed companies before him.
Atlantic Real Estate, having inherited the best assets of American Real Estate, opened at $22 per share.
Southern Real Estate was slightly lower, at $18 per share.
International Real Estate had the best future prospects but targeted mainly European post-war recovery markets, so its short-term outlook was poor—$13 per share.
The worst was Western Real Estate, a new company struggling against many competitors.
Their opening price was a mere $6 per share.
And the weakest of all was International News Group, which had kept a very low profile during the entire IPO process.
Despite owning mainstream media like World News and dominant tabloids like New News, the media market was underwhelming.
Even though Brown Brothers Harriman Investment Bank had been pushing the idea of International News Group's excellent prospects in Europe and Commonwealth countries, the secondary underwriters had little interest beyond the American market.
Thus, International News Group opened at $4 per share.
As the day progressed, some of the shareholders who had grown accustomed to the routine returned to the lounge.
The first to arrive was Augustus Morgan, who had been given 1% of Leo's stock as a favor when Leo was just starting. He was only here for the historic moment.
"I heard Jack has raised some funds. Aren't you worried he'll try to block you?"
Augustus asked.
"I already have a solution," Leo replied.
Just then, George Bush's secretary rushed in, reporting,
"Mr. Valentino, Atlantic Real Estate has surpassed $25 per share!"
Phoenix entered right after and said cheerfully,
"Southern Real Estate has broken through $20 per share!"
Jay Mortimer followed suit,
"International Real Estate has surpassed $15 per share!"
The head of Western Real Estate, Austin, looked at the stock prices and saw a slow increase: $7 per share.
But International News Group's stock was soaring, with Westminster's attendant announcing,
"International News Group's stock has reached $6 per share!"
Leo glanced at Lord Westminster, who shrugged and said,
"I didn't interfere. Even if Europe is in chaos, our aristocratic funds in Switzerland need a way to be invested.
International News Group is a great choice, don't you think?"
The stock price continued to rise throughout the day. By the time the market closed, Leo's International News Group had surpassed $10 per share.
The next morning, newspapers across America hailed Leo's achievement of listing five companies at once.
Even the Wall Street Journal, typically neutral, reported in awe:
"America's Business God: This Will Be an Unmatched Commercial Miracle!"
However, Leo wasn't concerned with these headlines.
With International News Group officially launched, Leo no longer needed to hide his plans in the media industry.
Soon, reports surfaced that Hollywood's five major studios had merged into International Media Group, and Valentino's Western Television Network had joined as well.
But it didn't stop there. In the unseen world of Europe—except for France, where the government was strongly opposed—almost every major European country's influential television station had come under the control of International News Group.
In the mid-July of that year, International News Group's stock had reached Leo's target of $16 per share.
Just as Leo was thinking about his current net worth,
Yelena entered the room and said,
"Robert Lehman is here again. Do you still want to refuse him?"
"Let him in. It's time to discuss his issue."
Leo said.
When Robert Lehman entered, he immediately began to apologize, but Leo interrupted,
"How many shares of Lehman do I own?"
This direct approach caught Robert off guard, but he knew he had to answer. He was prepared for this moment.
"Mr. Valentino, from now on, Lehman is yours!"
Robert said.
"Haha! I'm not that domineering! What should we name the new company, Robert?"
Leo joked.
Facing Leo's relentless probing, Robert, much older, felt as if he were facing the Federal Reserve Chairman himself.
"Valentino Investment Bank," Robert replied cautiously.
Leo shook his head,
"My name is already too much. How about we call it United Lehman Investment Bank?"
Leo suggested.
Robert, sensing the trap, began to realize his days wouldn't be easy.
"Mr. Valentino, I think 'American United Investment Bank' sounds better," Robert said, trying to please him.
Leo shook his head again,
"Look at the big picture. The war is over, and the global economy is recovering rapidly.
Let's call it 'World United Investment Bank.' What do you think?"
Robert looked up at Leo and saw the wild ambition in his eyes.
In that moment, he realized that this reluctant decision might very well be the wisest choice he ever made.