In collaboration with Washington's high-level operation in Yugoslavia, aside from an insignificant commission, the biggest benefit the Westeros system gained was further solidifying its private military forces' connection with the U.S. government.
The military consulting and security services company (MCSS) controlled by the Westeros family in the U.S. has already become a contracted partner of the CIA.
Through this operation, Ukraine's Ukraine Frontline Military Services (UFMS) also effectively achieved the same goal.
By acquiring this status, Simon's private military forces can avoid many unnecessary troubles. As cooperation deepens and secrets accumulate, fewer people will dare to expose the truth. Those who attempt to do so would be essentially going against the U.S. government. With officially sanctioned covert legality, Simon can now feel more secure using these private forces when necessary.
On Saturday morning, after hearing a report from Celia Miller, Simon reserved the afternoon for a meeting with Joseph Schlap and Paul Spatz, the two political heads.
After last year's midterm elections, aside from some covert arrangements and the political lobbying efforts of various subsidiaries, the Westeros family's political leadership has been split into two. Joseph Schlap is mainly responsible for political movements and lobbying in Washington, while Paul Spatz oversees the strategy of deeply influencing U.S. states and counties. The plan is to gradually extend the Westeros family's political influence down to the local level in the coming years, even reaching individual voting districts.
Once Paul Spatz's goal is achieved, the Westeros system will be able to subtly influence the political trajectory of the U.S. without attracting too much attention.
The meetings began at 1:00 p.m., with each person allotted two hours. These meetings were mainly for discussing matters not suitable for potentially tapped phone calls or emails.
After finishing the afternoon's work, Simon took a helicopter to Manhattan.
That evening, Simon attended a reception hosted by the Lauder family, celebrating the upcoming public listing of Estée Lauder on the New York Stock Exchange at the end of the month.
As one of the largest luxury cosmetics giants in the world, Simon had taken an interest in Estée Lauder early on. In 1991, through Apollo Management, he acquired a 10% stake in the company for $250 million. In recent years, Estée Lauder has had numerous collaborations with the Westeros system, making their interests closely aligned.
Simon initially hoped that Melisandre would take over the 10% stake held by Apollo, but after some maneuvering, all the funds holding Estée Lauder shares under Apollo Management were replaced by the Westeros system's own capital. Since a 10% stake didn't provide much say in Estée Lauder, Sophia wasn't interested, and Simon decided not to pursue the matter further.
With the North American stock market's continued recovery and Estée Lauder's successful expansion over the past few years, its IPO valuation reached $4.3 billion, with 15% of the total shares being offered, raising $650 million. Half of these funds came from the sale of Lauder family shares, while the other half was from new shares issued to fund the company's future growth.
Based on the IPO valuation, Apollo's initial $250 million investment has appreciated by 72% in under four years.
And this is just the beginning.
Industry analysts are optimistic about Estée Lauder's future. Many predict that its market value will easily exceed $5 billion after going public. While this is still far from the $50 billion value Simon remembers, it suggests significant growth potential for Estée Lauder in the future.
Given this outlook, Apollo's fund, which is fully under the Westeros company, will continue to participate in Estée Lauder's IPO subscription, maintaining its 10% stake. Although Simon doesn't seek control of Estée Lauder, managed exceptionally well by the Lauder family, he plans to gradually increase his holdings over time.
Upon arriving in Manhattan, Simon first had dinner with a few executives from the Westeros Tower project to discuss construction progress. At 7 p.m., he arrived punctually at the party, held at the Lauder family's mansion in the Upper East Side. Most of the guests were well-known figures from Wall Street and the fashion industry, many of whom Simon was familiar with.
After exchanging greetings with Ronald Lauder and his wife, the hosts, Simon entered the main party hall and immediately drew the attention of the crowd.
The first person to approach him was Ronald Lauder's daughter, Aerin Lauder.
The two had once shared a brief romantic encounter, which had been her first time, though they hadn't kept in touch much afterward.
The young woman, who had been a bit sharp and proud after just graduating from college, now seemed more composed, her natural elegance even more pronounced. She was now accompanied by a young man, clearly her fiancé.
With poise, Aerin shook Simon's hand and introduced him, "Simon, this is my fiancé, Eric Sinterhoff."
Simon shook hands with the young man, noticing a hint of expectation in Aerin's gaze. He played along, smiling and complimenting them, "You two make a great couple. Congratulations."
Eric Sinterhoff, about the same age as Simon, didn't seem uneasy in his presence. He smiled and thanked Simon, but then betrayed a bit of nervousness as he quickly explained how he and Aerin had been college classmates, with him chasing her for years before they finally got together. It seemed he wanted to reassure Simon of the stability of their relationship.
Simon pretended not to notice the subtle frown on Aerin's face and exchanged a few more pleasantries before spotting Chrissy Gough nearby. He waved her over, and as she approached, he naturally slipped an arm around the slender waist of the doll-faced supermodel. After raising his glass to Aerin and Eric, Simon moved toward the Goldman Sachs CEO, Jon Corzine, who had been nodding at him from a distance. They had met just a few days earlier in a conference room.
Jon Corzine had taken over as Goldman's chairman and CEO last year, succeeding both Robert Rubin and Stephen Friedman.
Simon knew Corzine wouldn't hold his position for long. By next year, he would hand over the CEO role to another prominent Goldman figure, Henry Paulson, while remaining chairman for a short time.
Nonetheless, this didn't stop Simon from engaging in lighthearted conversation with him.
Anyone who rises to the top of Wall Street's hierarchy is undoubtedly formidable, both in personal ability and background.
On the other side of the room, after Simon left, Aerin Lauder was about to move on when she noticed her fiancé staring at a particular woman. Playfully, she teased him, "Isn't she stunning?"
Eric Sinterhoff was startled, quickly averting his gaze and trying to appease her. "I was just... you know, isn't Westeros married?"
Aerin, still teasing, replied, "Yes, so, are you envious?"
Eric hastily shook his head. "Of course not, Aerin. I only love you, forever."
Reaching out to wrap his arm around her waist, he found her initially resisting, but since they were in public and already engaged, she allowed it, though not without a warning: "Just so you know, Eric, I absolutely won't tolerate that kind of behavior. Not even once."
Eric quickly reassured her, "I promise, Aerin."
Only then did Aerin let it go, though she couldn't help but glance at Simon's back in the distance, silently grumbling about the infuriating playboy.
Simon, unaware of Aerin's thoughts, was discussing a $20 billion Mexican government bond issuance with Jon Corzine. This bond was part of the effort to stabilize Mexico's economy after last year's peso crisis, with U.S. backing.
Of course, this assistance came at the price of Mexico signing a series of unequal treaties, ensuring solid repayment guarantees.
Earlier this year, Robert Rubin, Corzine's predecessor, had been promoted to Treasury Secretary after serving as the President's economic policy advisor. He had used his influence to ensure that Goldman Sachs handled the bond issuance.
This sort of self-serving maneuver was reminiscent of how Henry Paulson would later handle the subprime mortgage crisis during his tenure as Treasury Secretary—keeping the benefits within the family.
Simon didn't mind this practice. The Westeros system had no plans to enter investment banking in the short term. He brought up the topic because Cersei Capital's BlackRock Asset Management, with its massive portfolio of over $100 billion, was an ideal buyer for various bonds.
Investment banks issue stocks and bonds, and funds purchase them. This is the fundamental process of U.S. financial product operations.
Because of this, investment banks and funds share various interests.
When investment banks and funds have close ties, good investment opportunities naturally come to the fund first. Similarly, when the bank needs help, such as selling off unsold stocks or bonds, it relies on the fund to step in. Overall, it's a mutually beneficial relationship.
After years of cooperation, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and First Boston all share this kind of relationship with Cersei Capital.
As for Lehman Brothers, which once had the potential for a close partnership, Simon had long since forgotten about them.
It wasn't until Bill and Grace Spurlt came over to say hello that Simon paused his conversation with Jon Corzine.
Estée Lauder's IPO was relatively small, especially compared to the size of Eaglet's IPO. As such, Goldman Sachs was able to handle the offering alone, leaving no room for First Boston to get involved. Bill Spurlt had come along as his wife's guest.
Grace's client, Chrissy Gough, signed a makeup endorsement deal with Estée Lauder last year. According to Grace, this was after fierce competition with Revlon
, Maybelline, and other brands. Chrissy Gough's natural "Lovely Baby" doll face in her makeup-free look, combined with her dark and alluring persona in full makeup, made her the perfect spokesperson for beauty products. Additionally, her soaring popularity further solidified her position as a top choice for cosmetic endorsements.
Grace's Elite New Media department had signed a $5 million online marketing contract with Estée Lauder after a successful trial collaboration last year.
Simon appreciated Estée Lauder's willingness to embrace new trends and adapt. In his memory, the company's decision to allocate over 80% of its annual marketing budget to online platforms in the internet age proved highly effective. This move allowed Estée Lauder to maintain long-term growth, even as other brands like Revlon faded from relevance.
In public, Grace maintained a proper distance from Simon, which he appreciated. Understanding her concern, he played along, asking about the performance of her new media division. When Ronald and his wife later joined the conversation, Simon offered several suggestions to enhance their digital marketing efforts.
The group chatted amiably, and before they knew it, it was past 8 p.m.
After drinking several glasses of red wine, Simon excused himself to use the restroom, apologizing for the interruption.
To demonstrate his respect for their distinguished guest, Ronald didn't direct a server to escort Simon to the public restroom on the first floor. Instead, he asked his daughter Aerin to guide him upstairs.
Before Simon could decline, Aerin, ever polite, gestured for him to follow with perfect composure.
As they climbed the stairs, once they were out of the guests' view, Aerin, who had been holding back, let her guard down and teasingly chided, "You're quite the actor, Mr. Westeros. Acting like nothing ever happened between us."
Walking slightly behind her, Simon caught a whiff of her pleasant scent and noted the familiar tone in her voice, reminiscent of the proud girl from that night years ago. Smiling, he replied, "I thought this was the best way to respect an engaged lady, don't you think?"
Aerin paused momentarily and huffed, clearly unsatisfied. "But you took my first time."
Simon responded, "That was an honor."
Aerin continued, "I mean, afterward, you didn't reach out, leaving me to approach you instead."
Simon explained, "You know, I'm married."
Aerin pouted, "That excuse is pretty weak. You were just holding a girl who wasn't your wife. And, Mr. Westeros, your reputation in certain circles is... not exactly stellar."
"That's exactly why I'm keeping my distance from you. You're a good girl."
"Doesn't sound like much of a compliment."
"I promise, it is," Simon said, noticing that they had climbed to the fourth floor of the five-story mansion. He asked, "Are we headed to the rooftop?"
Realizing they'd gone too far, Aerin hesitated briefly. However, hearing Simon's comment, she couldn't resist teasing, "You want to… do that on the rooftop? How vulgar."
"… "
Sensing Simon's frustration, Aerin smirked, feeling victorious. She hesitated briefly before finally stopping and leading Simon down the hallway to a room. After a brief moment of indecision, she opened the door.
Simon took one look inside and knew it was Aerin's bedroom. Without hesitation, he entered, casually complimenting, "Nice room."
Aerin had hoped he'd ignore the obvious but, seeing that he pointed it out, she could hardly switch rooms now. Standing by the door, she pointed toward the bathroom but then remembered something and asked, "You are… that, right?"
Simon paused, understanding what she meant. With a smile, he replied, "Of course, and you, my dear, are too... 'dirty.'"
Simon said this offhandedly, using the word "dirty" to mirror Aerin's earlier remark. But in English, "dirty" has many meanings, including vulgar or indecent.
Aerin clearly misunderstood and was immediately offended. She had just called Simon "dirty," but how dare he call her the same? Grabbing his collar, she looked at him with a mix of indignation and hesitation before demanding, "You owe me an apology."
Surrendering, Simon raised his hands slightly in a gesture of surrender and said, "Okay, I apologize."
Feeling that Simon wasn't sincere enough, Aerin tightened her grip on his collar, her eyes locked on his as if she were both displeased and conflicted. Perhaps she was even a bit eager.
After waiting for a moment, Simon dropped his hands, reached out to gently lift Aerin's chin, and leaned in to kiss her.
It wasn't long—less than ten minutes—before they both returned downstairs.
Rejoining the party, no one seemed to notice anything amiss, not Aerin's parents nor her fiancé. However, Grace gave Simon a knowing look.
The party, which had started at 7 p.m., lasted for two hours. Just after 9 p.m., Simon left, taking Chrissy Gough with him under the envious gaze of several other fashion models in attendance.
The next day was Sunday.
There was no time to relax.
After returning from across the ocean after the New Year, Chen Qing and her partner had been preparing an investment proposal for the hardware sector. The primary focus was on the VCD industry. Simon had scheduled a morning meeting with the two women to discuss it.
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