As Charlotte Brinetta approached, led by an A-girl, Simon set down his large rifle, removed his noise-canceling ear protection, and extended his hand in greeting.
Up close, Charlotte Brinetta indeed turned out to be a stunning woman. Her face was elegant and refined, with an ethereal softness that made it hard to discern her age, yet her slightly upturned chin revealed her pride. Standing at 175 cm in high boots, her height was perfect. The black trench coat she wore emphasized her graceful, poised figure, and even with her winter attire, her slender waist was noticeable.
After exchanging pleasantries, the two left the shooting range, walking along a neat path toward a villa partially hidden by evergreen pines. The villa had an American countryside vacation vibe but was constructed with brownstone to blend into the surrounding environment, rather than the typical wood structure of American homes.
Before entering, Simon paused and gestured toward the villa. "What do you think of this place?" he asked Charlotte.
Since meeting Simon, Charlotte had been subtly observing him. Upon hearing the question, she thought for a moment, assuming it was some kind of test, and replied, "It doesn't quite match the military theme of the park."
Two uniformed maids opened the villa doors for them. Simon stepped inside, allowing the A-girl to help him remove his coat, and continued, "I agree. But since no one has ever attempted a military-themed park like this, we have to experiment. The planning team thought it was important to give visitors a sense of value through the infrastructure. We couldn't just build barracks as simple as military camps."
Charlotte, having thought Simon was testing her, didn't expect him to say something so candid. She had imagined many scenarios for this meeting: perhaps Simon would be distant, maybe overly friendly, possibly difficult, or even impatient, as she was confident in her appearance. Yet, she hadn't anticipated this—peaceful, almost like a routine interaction between two old acquaintances.
This calmness rendered many of the strategies she had prepared to gain the upper hand irrelevant.
Quickly adjusting her mindset, Charlotte realized that trying to gain the upper hand over Simon Westeros was unrealistic. The gap in status and power between them was too vast—how could an ant topple an elephant? She understood why Simon was so composed: with absolute strength, he had no need for pretense; he could act however he wanted.
As they sat down on the sofa, Charlotte casually shifted the conversation. "I studied theme park operations in college. The infrastructure is important, but what matters most is having a core attraction that makes visitors eager to return. That's what ensures sustainable operations—people won't just come back themselves, they'll also recommend it to others."
Simon nodded. "That makes sense. We've had similar issues with Universal Studios in Japan."
As they chatted, Yekaterina Noskova, the maid, brought them coffee. She was about to leave when Simon, speaking in Russian, called her back and asked her to massage his shoulder. The girl, after a quick glance at Charlotte, put down the tray, removed her shoes, and knelt beside Simon, gently massaging one of his shoulders.
Simon had fired over ten Barrett magazines earlier, all in standing shoulder-fire position. Although his physical strength was more than sufficient to handle the gun's recoil, a bit of muscle relief couldn't hurt.
Watching the scene, Charlotte nonchalantly sipped her coffee, though she couldn't help but feel a slight sense of defeat. When a man was genuinely attracted to a woman, he wouldn't be so affectionate with another woman in her presence. Clearly, even though Simon admired her beauty, it hadn't reached a significant level.
And yet…
Wasn't Simon supposed to like mature women? What was going on with this innocent-looking girl?
Simon, ignoring Charlotte's thoughts, waited until she put down her coffee cup before asking, "I've looked into Brinetta Asset Management. It was founded by your grandfather, evolving from the old Pictet Bank in Switzerland. Your firm publicly states that you avoid high-risk and unfamiliar investment sectors. So why the sudden interest in the high-risk world of internet companies? You've even created a venture capital division for new technologies."
Charlotte, sensing the shift to serious matters, focused and replied, "While maintaining a stable investment strategy is our goal, client needs always come first."
Simon smiled. "Often, client demands aren't necessarily correct. As an asset management company, it's also your responsibility to uphold your principles and provide clients with sound advice. Changing your philosophy so easily might not be the best approach."
Charlotte met his gaze and said, "Mr. Westeros, I recall you once said that if a company doesn't evolve and eliminate itself before others do, it will eventually be replaced."
Simon raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like something I'd say, but I don't remember saying it publicly."
Charlotte explained, "It was Jeff Bezos quoting you during the IPO roadshow for Ygritte. I happened to be there, and Brinetta Asset Management subscribed to $35 million worth of Ygritte shares during the IPO, which is how we justified the creation of a venture capital division for new tech."
Simon nodded in understanding.
Ygritte's IPO was one of the largest in history, targeting global investors. To ensure success, IPO roadshows were conducted in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
The outcome had proven Ygritte's IPO to be a tremendous success.
Not only had Ygritte raised a substantial amount of capital, but all investors who participated in the IPO had seen significant returns due to the stock's post-listing surge.
Since Ygritte's listing on October 6, its stock price had risen more than 70%, just under a month later. With returns like these, few investors could resist. Brinetta Asset Management's $35 million in stock was now worth nearly $60 million.
The results spoke for themselves.
Skepticism about new technologies in the capital market couldn't compete with the tangible gains in stock prices.
With a smile, Simon continued, "So why Instagram? $40 million for 2% of the shares is a risky bet. With that kind of money, you could invest in many other startups with greater growth potential."
Charlotte responded, "That goes back to our investment philosophy. I've researched Instagram, and it's fully supported by the Westeros system, not to mention that it was founded by one of your close associates, D. With its rapid user growth, if it goes public, it could easily reach a valuation in the billions. Our $40 million investment could turn into $200 million, and a small 2% stake makes it easier to exit. In terms of risk and return, it's a much better option than those long-term, uncertain startups."
What Charlotte didn't say was that she also hoped to establish connections with D-girl. After all, being close to someone in Simon Westeros's inner circle could significantly smooth Brinetta Asset Management's path in the tech industry.
Little did she expect to reel in Simon Westeros himself.
According to the Forbes 400 Rich List published last week, Simon was worth $700 billion. From Charlotte's perspective, there was no doubt this figure was accurate. With that kind of wealth, Simon Westeros could sway global markets with a single statement.
In comparison, Brinetta Asset Management, which had been cautiously managing global clients' wealth for over half a century, controlled a total of just over $3 billion—paltry next to the $4 trillion under BlackRock, which was part of the Westeros system through Cersei Capital.
BlackRock Asset Management was the ultimate goal Charlotte dared not dream of but couldn't help aspiring to.
Even though Charlotte had downplayed the significance of their investment in Ygritte's IPO, in reality, she had staked her career within the family business on it. If the gamble had failed, she would have been ousted from the fiercely competitive Brinetta family.
Fortunately, the gamble paid off.
Despite the modest $35 million investment, Ygritte's IPO success had earned her a green light to establish the family's venture capital division, securing $100 million in initial funding. When Charlotte heard about Instagram's latest round of financing, she quickly moved to secure a stake.
It wasn't easy.
While Simon claimed that $40 million for 2% of Instagram wasn't a great deal, in truth, after the news spread, capital was circling like sharks. Following Ygritte's IPO success, no one doubted Instagram's potential.
Getting a piece of Instagram had been a struggle.
Earlier in the month, fresh off Ygritte's successful IPO, Charlotte's venture division received the go-ahead. She began trying to build connections with the Westeros system, initially targeting Sofia Ferris, the head of Melisandre. Unfortunately, her attempts were unsuccessful.
She had nearly given up hope during Fashion Week, even enduring public criticism from her cousin for wasting time in Milan. But then, by chance, she met Grace Spurl, who had just taken control of Elite. Charlotte helped one of Grace's clients secure some coverage in French magazines.
It seemed they had become friends.
When Charlotte learned about Instagram's financing round, she reached out to Grace, not expecting much since there was fierce competition for the limited 10% of available shares.
Surprisingly, she succeeded.
And it was Simon Westeros himself who made it happen.
Gradually, Charlotte began to understand the situation and recalled some of the rumors about Simon.
It was obvious.
She needed to cultivate her relationship with Grace Spurl from now on.
Yekaterina's shoulder massage was barely more than a light touch. After a few moments, Simon sent her away. Once she had left, Simon asked Charlotte, "So, you've secured a stake in Instagram. What did you want
to achieve with this meeting?"
Charlotte blinked.
If she remembered correctly, it was Grace who had said that Simon wanted to meet her. Grace had even hinted at something else. How had it turned into her wanting to meet him?
Could it be...
Had she been... set up?
Regardless, she couldn't say that out loud.
It wasn't entirely untrue that she wanted to meet Simon Westeros. After all, how many people dreamed of such an opportunity?
Reining in her thoughts, Charlotte quickly responded, "Mr. Westeros, I've noticed that the Westeros system's involvement in Europe's new tech sector hasn't been very active. I believe my team could help you manage that."
Simon shook his head. "If you've been following the news, you'd know about Ygritte's global hiring and the construction of new data centers. Most of those are in Europe."
Charlotte smiled. "I'm well aware. I'm also a shareholder in Ygritte, after all. But that's where the issue lies. The Westeros system has nurtured countless startups in North America, providing the web with a wealth of content and services. But in Europe, a market with potential equal to North America, you haven't done the same."
Simon offered a brief explanation. "With the current frenzy around new tech, I don't need to do that. Plenty of capital in Europe will take care of it for me. And, as you mentioned earlier, startups carry higher risks."
But the real reason wasn't that simple.
It was part of the Westeros system's plan to dominate the global internet. Once a few top-tier North American internet companies matured, they would be enough to serve the global market. There was no need to nurture local competitors in Europe.
Seeing Simon's response, Charlotte's eyes gleamed with a sharp insight. "Mr. Westeros, I think I understand your thinking."
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Charlotte continued, "The internet is global, and you might believe that one company, Ygritte, is enough to dominate the global market. So, you don't want to see top-tier internet companies emerging in Europe. However, even though globalization is inevitable, every country will set up its own barriers, whether openly or covertly. If Ygritte becomes too dominant, it will eventually run into problems."
Simon remained calm and asked, "So what's your point?"
Meeting his gaze, Charlotte replied, "Just like you've done in North America with companies like Cisco, AOL, and Ygritte going public, by bringing in other investors, you've relieved the pressure on the Westeros system from American capital. I believe you should do the same in Europe. Perhaps you won't allow another Ygritte to emerge, but I'm confident there's room for second-tier companies like Instagram. In that case, the Westeros system could foster these companies, aligning their interests with yours and making them allies. Otherwise, if you leave them unchecked or, worse, actively suppress competitors, the outcome could be entirely different. As I said, every country has its barriers. When it comes down to choosing between an outsider and one of their own, the choice will be obvious. So, fostering potential allies or facing passive competition—Mr. Westeros, making the right decision shouldn't be difficult."
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