[Chapter 58: Am I Actually a MILF Killer?]
"... Miss Dylan Lauren said that if you were willing to have dinner with her, she'd try to persuade her two brothers and father to sign you on as the face of the entire Ralph Lauren brand," Frank said. Then he added, "By the way, Miss Dylan Lauren has emphasized many times to me that she really loves your music. She's a loyal fan of yours."
Hearing Frank's words, Orlando finally understood why Ralph Lauren had approached him about becoming their full-line spokesperson a while back.
Orlando felt a bit lost for words.
After a few seconds of silence, he finally asked, "Frank, be honest with me -- what does this Miss Lauren look like?"
"She's a well-known socialite in New York, graduated from Duke University's School of Arts just a couple of years ago. She's twenty-eight this year. As for her looks, she's a beautiful sweetheart and a fashion designer."
"So, she looks decent?"
"Yeah, you could say that. Orlando, do you agree?"
"No, I don't..."
The truth was clear enough.
If only Frank wasn't lying, and if Orlando correctly read his manager's hint, then this major American brand Ralph Lauren, whose style hardly matched Orlando's vibe, probably sent Miss Dylan Lauren to chase a freebie meeting with a star.
But she definitely wasn't the real decision-maker.
Most likely, after her family found out what was going on, things turned upside down -- Ralph Lauren wasn't truly interested in signing him after all.
Of course, whether this was just Miss Dylan's starstruck stunt or something deeper, Orlando wasn't sure.
Unless he met this supposedly attractive Miss Lauren or her family in person, he couldn't rely on his telepathic abilities to get to the bottom of it.
Still, Orlando preferred to believe he was quite popular with the older ladies around him -- as evident from how Daisy and Madonna both liked him.
'Could it be that... I'm actually a MILF killer?'
"Forget it, Frank," Orlando said. "Anyway, you told me the Ralph Lauren brand style isn't really a fit for me, so if it falls through, it falls through."
"I'm still doing pretty well right now, right? The right endorsement deals will come to me eventually," Orlando added.
"That's true."
---
That afternoon, after discussing the Ralph Lauren endorsement with Frank, Orlando hadn't expected his tax lawyer and business restructuring attorney, Kurt, to reach out to him by evening.
And the topic was again related to the fashion industry.
"The Brooklyn port used to be one of the largest industrial complexes in the U.S. Due to manufacturing moving overseas, most docks and warehouses have been abandoned, but a few logistics companies and cargo terminals still operate. The Williamson factory site is in a prime location near the docks, making it very convenient for shipping products nationwide or even globally once production starts."
Orlando was accompanied by Washington and Lincoln, with his assistant Diana closely following.
Alongside him, Kurt came with two other staff members.
They all walked through the old industrial district near the Brooklyn waterfront.
While listening to Kurt's briefing, Orlando glanced around carefully.
The once-glorious old factory area had its skeletal structures exposed everywhere, redbrick warehouses cloaked in rusty hues, towering cranes with black steel beams piercing the low-hanging sky.
The shipping waters shimmered with a tar-dark hue, breaking up the sunset into shards of gold foil; cargo ship horns echoed solemnly over the harbor bend.
He thought this scenery would be perfect for shooting a gangster movie, an art film, or even a horror flick.
"What's your point?" Orlando asked Kurt.
About a month ago, Orlando had just met Kurt, the tax expert Daisy had recommended.
Among the many tax-saving strategies Kurt had proposed, one involved setting up a physical factory.
At that time, Orlando asked Kurt to keep an eye out for suitable factories in New York.
Now Kurt had found one he deemed fitting and had brought Orlando to inspect the site.
"This area used to house many clothing factories, but the textile industry has mostly shifted to Asia. These deserted factories have all the legal paperwork in order. Once acquired, you can start operations immediately and purchase second-hand equipment easily," Kurt explained.
"So, you're saying I buy a clothing factory, make clothes, and sell them?"
"Exactly. Textile manufacturing is a labor-intensive industry."
Kurt launched into a stream of technical legal and business terms:
"According to the New York City Empowerment Zone Employment Promotion Ordinance (1990 Executive Order EZ-3), New York City Administrative Order 101-5a regarding the Labor-Intensive Industry Investment Credit Policy, the New York State Industrial Land Preservation and Subsidy Regulations, 1990 City Planning Commission Resolution PL-90-12, and the New York City 7-302 Land Tax Step-down..."
Orlando could understand each word when Kurt said them individually. But when Kurt rattled them off all together, Orlando understood none of it.
Luckily, with his telepathy, he knew Kurt was telling the truth -- these weren't lawyer tricks.
More importantly, these policies could bring significant benefits in taxes and business incentives.
For example, the EZ-3 law basically gave employers big tax breaks for hiring long-term employees or the unemployed within New York State.
"I don't get all that," Orlando said bluntly.
"Just give me the summary, Kurt," he added.
Kurt, fully aware of his client's real level of industry knowledge, spoke plainly:
"Simply put, the more you invest here, the more tax credits you receive from New York State and New York City. And if your clothing factory or food processing or other light manufacturing plants make a profit, their tax rates will be low -- almost negligible."
"So you're saying," Orlando roughly got it, "If I put five million dollars into this, I get five million in tax credits. And the profits from this five million investment are basically tax-free, right?"
"More or less, yes."
"And what if I lose the five million?"
"Then it's gone."
"Aw, hell! Screw the New York government!"
Facing Orlando's frustration and curse, Kurt shrugged.
"Orlando, I don't recommend you invest the full five million. Fife hundred thousand or a million dollars is enough. Even if you lose it, it won't be much. And since you're a star, if you run this right -- especially with a hand from Mr. George Morgenson -- plus your local New York identity, you're sure to get government support.
This will greatly boost your public image. Just like we talked about before. While other stars are opening restaurants, investing in stocks, or hiring ghostwriters to cash in on fan money through memoirs, you'd be investing in real industry.
That's going to help your image a lot."
*****
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