"FedEx is willing to bid $100 million for Nicholas Logistics!" Fred Smith said with a smile.
Hearing this offer, Henry was taken aback; the price seemed exorbitant. Nicholas Logistics wasn't worth that much money. Although the company had relied on the strength of the group to grow over the past two years, many resources had been allocated to other areas, resulting in relatively slow development.
The true value of Nicholas Logistics, in Henry's estimation, was only about $70 to $80 million—still well below the $100 million offer!
Henry looked at Fred Smith, noticing his confident demeanor. He couldn't help but frown in confusion.
What the heck is FedEx thinking? Why would they buy my logistics company at a premium of $20 to $30 million?
In that instant, a flurry of thoughts raced through Henry's mind. It seemed likely that FedEx aimed to eliminate competition by acquiring Nicholas Logistics! Furthermore, by doing so, they would position themselves for closer cooperation with Nicholas Shopping Network. FedEx likely saw the potential for Nicholas Shopping Network's growth, especially given its booming card promotion, and recognized that they would have significant future logistics needs.
After contemplating this, Henry had to commend FedEx for their reputation and audacity!
However, the logistics system was a crucial part of the Nicholas Shopping Network, and Henry knew he could not hand it over to anyone else.
"Sorry, Mr. Smith, but we have no plans to sell Nicholas Logistics at present," he stated firmly.
"That's understandable; business is business. I hope we can collaborate more in the future," Fred replied amicably.
"Absolutely! FedEx has always been one of Nicholas' most important strategic partners!" Henry affirmed.
As darkness fell, Fred Smith exited to check in at the hotel, while Henry headed home. Although this particular negotiation hadn't borne fruit, building a solid relationship with the Nicholas Group was still a valuable outcome. It was important to remember that FedEx was not the only major logistics player in the United States. With the internet flourishing and Nicholas Shopping Network booming, if any logistics company could secure a partnership, it would mean significant profits!
---
Nicholas Shopping Network continued to grow in popularity, with daily website visits exceeding 200,000—traffic second only to Global Online.
The company was set to go public on NASDAQ on July 1, just under a month away. With everyone in the group busy preparing, Henry decided to list IMDB immediately after Nicholas Shopping Network to leverage their initial public offering (IPO) hype. After Nicholas Shopping Network's successful launch, IMDB would also likely attract substantial market interest.
Dismissing the notion of a slow rollout, Henry reached out to IMDB's team to initiate preparations for going public.
In a phone conversation, Marcy Fremont, CEO of IMDB, informed Henry: "Chairman, *Various Horizons* has been released in North America and has amassed a box office of $80 million. To celebrate, the production team and crew are hosting a banquet and have invited us to attend. What are your thoughts?"
"*Various Horizons*?" Henry murmured to himself, reflecting on the fact that Nicole Kidman hadn't responded to Galaxy Film Company's offer for quite some time. It was clear she had rejected it in favor of Tom Cruise's invitation.
"You all can go if you want. If you don't want to go, don't!" Henry concluded as he hung up the phone.
Marcy Fremont was taken aback by the abrupt end to their conversation. What did the chairman mean? Was he not pleased with the film's success?
Should they attend or not?
Feeling uncertain, Marcy ultimately resolved to go. After all, if the chairman brought it up later, he would at least have attended.
On the evening of June 3rd, Marcy arrived at a high-end hotel near Hollywood, where the *Various Horizons* celebration was taking place!
The IMDB website was quite renowned in Hollywood, and Marcy was greeted warmly by the attendees.
Among the gathered stars, Nicole Kidman was particularly striking. Adorned in an eye-catching red dress, she captivated everyone around her, leaving other women envious and astonished! Tom Cruise, the ever-popular Hollywood sensation, was at her side, enhancing the scene with their presence.
Marcy couldn't help but admire Nicole's beauty, but soon recalled that their chairman was a young boy around 14 or 15 years old—surely he must be infatuated! Was it possible that Nicole's charm was behind their unwavering support for *Various Horizons*?
Marcy watched as Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman appeared close, leading him to sigh inwardly; perhaps Henry's earlier irritation stemmed from this very reason.
The celebration banquet was lively, filled with cheerful clinking of glasses! When Nicole discovered Marcy was the CEO of IMDB, she approached him boldly: "Hello, Mr. Fremont!"
"Oh, hello, Miss Nicole Kidman! Congratulations on your box office success!" Marcy greeted, feeling somewhat awkward. He was torn between feeling embarrassed for Henry and avoiding too much engagement with someone even Henry had grown upset with.
As the CEO of IMDB and a senior figure in Nicholas Group, Marcy knew full well the extraordinary talent and achievements Henry possessed. To him, even a small star like Nicole Kidman could never compare!
Nicole blinked in surprise, unsure why Marcy was being so indifferent. IMDB had once fully supported her, defending her against criticism and rumors!
"Mr. Fremont, I truly appreciate the help IMDB provided—I owe some of my success to you and the team!" Nicole expressed sincerely.
"Oh, it was nothing—it was your hard work that made the movie shine," Marcy said dismissively.
"Mr. Fremont, I'm genuinely curious why IMDB took the initiative to promote *Various Horizons* and help me rebut many of the false rumors?" Nicole probed.
"Weren't you aware?" Marcy replied, surprised.
Nicole shook her head, confusion evident.
"This directive came directly from our chairman. I assumed you understood…" Marcy explained.
"IMDB chairman?" Nicole considered, beginning to doubt she had even met this individual. Why had he chosen to assist her without her knowledge?
"What's your chairman's name?" Nicole asked.
Marcy hesitated, debating whether to disclose this information.
Just then, Tom Cruise stepped into the conversation. "Hello, Mr. Fremont! I'm Tom Cruise!"
"Hello, Mr. Cruise!" Marcy responded.
"Mr. Fremont, I genuinely admire your IMDB website; it's exceptionally done!" Tom said enthusiastically.
"Thank you," Marcy replied.
"Mr. Fremont, Nicole and I are about to collaborate on a project! I hope the IMDB website will lend its support for promotion!" Tom stated.
"Are you working with Nicole Kidman?" Marcy was momentarily surprised.
"Yes. The film is titled *Thunder and Aspirations,* which focuses on a racing driver overcoming past failures!" Tom announced.
"Oh... I heard other esteemed directors had approached Nicole, yet she declined. It's surprising she agreed to work with you!" Marcy said, almost in disbelief.
"It's an honor for me," Tom replied, glancing at Nicole with admiration.
Marcy couldn't help but think back to Henry's intentions for Nicole. Had his earlier irritation stemmed from this very collaboration?
"Nicole, did Galaxy Film Company send you an invitation?" Marcy inquired.
"Uh, yes, but I turned them down," Nicole admitted.
Upon hearing this, Marcy's expression shifted slightly; he began to connect the dots as to Henry's earlier frustration.
"Nicole, I have something crucial to share!" Marcy remarked, his expression serious.
"What is it?" Nicole asked, suddenly concerned.
Marcy didn't respond immediately; instead, he gestured toward Tom Cruise, signaling that he should excuse himself. Understanding, Tom eased away to grab a glass of red wine.
Once Tom had stepped aside, Marcy said, "Is the owner of Galaxy Film Company named Henry?"
"Yes, exactly!" Nicole confirmed.
"Actually, he is the chairman of IMDB!!!" Marcy revealed.
"What? He's the chairman?" Nicole exclaimed, astonished.
"Yes, he indeed chairs our IMDB. When he saw you being slandered by American Film Network, he personally instructed us to assist you—even going so far as to offend Disney!"
"How is he offending the Disney Company?" Nicole queried, puzzled.
"Were you unaware? American Film Network is a subsidiary of Disney. Due to this situation, Disney has incurred a grudge against IMDB, prohibiting us from uploading any Disney-associated content!" Marcy elaborated further.
"But… why didn't he tell me he's the chairman of IMDB? Why didn't he reveal that he helped me? If I had known, I might have agreed to join their production!"
"Let's just say our chairman prefers not to boast about his identities…" Marcy replied.