In 2003, Arno Lagardère's father, Jean-Luc Lagardère, suddenly passed away, leaving the entire Lagardère Group to him.
Then, Arno Lagardère began his path to ruin.
Since his father became seriously ill in 2000 and Arnault took over the family business, he has made a series of poor business decisions, gradually abandoning the aerospace sector and, in the original time and space, selling or shutting down a large number of media assets, continuously shrinking the Lagardère Group's business scale and successfully accumulating a large amount of debt for the group...
It even gives people the feeling that because he faced his parents' divorce battle throughout his adolescence, and the subsequent uneasy relationship between the two due to Arnault's father's personality, Arnault's sell-offs seemed like revenge.
For example, in 2005, he sold the 220-horse Aga Khan Racecourse, built over decades by the Lagardère family, for a mere €40 million.
When Jean-Luc Lagardère suddenly passed away in 2003, Arnault was already 42 years old. At the time, Arnault felt like a protected, sheltered child, looked down upon by the group's top brass.
Only with the help of Jean-Luc Lagardère's former friends, including Sarkozy, did Arnault stabilize his position within the family group.
However, those close to Arnault's father now recognized Arnault's untouchable talent. He was prone to making unwarranted, risky investments, possessed a cold and controlling personality, and frequently made incoherent public remarks that made him look foolish.
Over time, Arnault became an anomaly among the wealthy. He openly mocked the French elite, looked down upon the prestigious graduates of his own group, and in return, was rejected by the elite.
His neglect of official duties became increasingly public, taking him to the opposite extreme from his father's. He frequently missed business meetings, standing up even heads of state like the Emperor.
Lagardère executives were so unable to reach him that they developed a specific reporting tactic: "If we don't hear from you within X days, it will be deemed that you agree to the decision."
In the end, Arnault couldn't stand even this "harassment" anymore and simply replaced him with three senior executives.
He knew he could be ousted from the group at any moment, but he didn't care.
If Bruni's relationship with her boyfriend's son, 18 years her senior, was melodramatic,
Arnault's private life was no less melodramatic.
In Barron's previous life, the child born to Arnault's second wife, Jade's younger sister, Cassandra, was fathered by Arnault's eldest son, Alexander.
This meant that Arnault was both the child's grandfather and uncle-in-law—okay, a bit confusing.
But considering the "romantic" French, it made sense.
Until Baron's rebirth in his previous life, Arno Lagardère's financial situation had been deteriorating, with his annual income dropping from €12 million to a mere €2 million. For the heir to one of France's top three business families, this was truly a sad situation...
Incidentally, Bernard Arnault of LVMH was a close friend of Arno Lagardère's father, Jean-Luc Lagardère. He witnessed Arnault's "spendthrift" after suddenly inheriting the family business, and from that point on, Bernard Arnault began to prioritize the training of a successor.
Perhaps because of Baron's identity, after their acquaintance, Arno Lagardère's attitude wasn't as "strange" as the rumors had suggested. While his approach wasn't exactly welcoming, it was at least acceptable.
When he was young, Arnault was a "playboy" who often sent bills to his father after having fun...
Then again, what kind of scheming does such a playboy have? It can be said that compared to those old foxes, Barron still prefers to get along with such people. At least, when he wants to sell certain industries in the future, Barron can help him take over. After all, the magazines and media outlets affiliated with the Lagardère Group are still quite good.
Also, the Lagardère family's recent scandals haven't happened yet. French-born Belgian model Jade Foret isn't set to marry Arnault until 2012.
"The Rothschilds? Those greedy Jews who are always so secretive? I hate them..."
When Baron and Arnault happened to discuss French wine, the Rothschilds inevitably came up.
After all, the family holds immense influence in the French wine world, owning numerous renowned wineries.
Generally speaking, there are three branches of the Rothschild family involved in the wine industry: DBR, BPRD, and Edmond de Rothschild.
Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild, two of France's five first-growth estates, are both Rothschild properties.
As for the Rothschilds, Arnault's outspokenness made no secret of his dislike for this Jewish family...
Well, while traditional European high society didn't necessarily hold a particularly favorable impression of the Jews who once managed businesses for the aristocracy, it was rare for someone to be so bold, or even so brazen, in front of someone they hadn't known for long. After all,
even now, many people have mixed ancestry, making it difficult to pinpoint a specific individual's heritage.
For example, Sarkozy, a close friend of Arnault's father, has Jewish ancestry—his grandfather was Greek Jewish, his father was Hungarian, and his mother was French.
Regardless, Baron at least had something in common with Arno Lagardère, though Baron wouldn't be as blunt as he was.
"I'm hosting a cocktail party for you tonight, Your Highness. You'll enjoy it..."
Arnault said, winking at Baron. That knowing look made Baron understand what he was up to.
After all, Arno Lagardère's past made him a true playboy...
Baron, however, was a little concerned that being too normal in this regard might make him seem out of place...
"Okay, Mr. Lagardère, I'm looking forward to it."
Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Baron simply wanted to learn more about the local customs and practices of France...
that was all.