"You've finally come around? It's a path you have to take.
If you want to call the shots at a young age, it's nearly impossible to do so in just one generation.
My father, Pierpont, also relied on three generations of accumulation," said Augustus Morgan.
"What about Mr. Rockefeller? As far as I know, he completed Standard Oil in one generation," Leo replied.
"The times were different. Besides, when Standard Trust was established, he was already in his old age.
At your age, he was still a nobody.
You've entered the stage too early, which means you'll have to wait a long time for your era to come," Augustus said.
Leo shrugged. "Maybe so. But Augustus, my plan might not be quite what you imagined."
He handed over a thick stack of documents.
As Augustus flipped through them, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
Finally, he set the papers down and looked at Leo with a complicated expression.
"I thought you could become an excellent partner of the Morgan family."
"I've always been avoiding that fate.
So, 20%—for you. What do you think?"
"The Morgan family certainly won't think that's little, but what about our other friends who should've been looked after?" Augustus asked with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"No, Augustus. Not for the Morgan family—but for you.
Just you.
As my social circle expanded, the once-mysterious veil of the Morgan family was lifted.
You were never Jack's chosen heir. That Roland is.
And from what I know, Roland and James are close friends.
Which means the future head of the Morgan family will likely be our mutual enemy.
Selfishly speaking, maybe you need a way out.
And from a broader perspective, the Morgan family shouldn't put all its eggs in one basket.
They're all betting on me to lose. But what if I win?
Augustus, you must understand—if I win, you win.
You once advised me to shake off my underclass mindset, and that helped me a lot.
Today, let me return the favor. Try stepping out from the shadow of Morgan. Feel the light of a new era."
Leo's words were so persuasive, Augustus broke out in a cold sweat.
"I hate that damn place, England. Don't make me go there, Leo," he muttered, then signed the latest contract.
Still, he grumbled, "You're seriously undervaluing Valentino Corporation.
At $250 million, for just 25%, aren't you afraid people will lose confidence in the company?
Everyone knows it's worth $300 million."
Leo shook his head, a smug smile on his face.
"You're wrong. The Altria Group bought a portion of my shares for $200 million.
I agreed—couldn't say no. They just offered too much."
Augustus's head snapped up, startled. "Bullshit—so you're sitting on a $200 million cash flow now?
In two years, you've made $200 million!
Plus a 25% stake in a real estate empire destined for greatness?"
Jealousy practically boiled in Augustus's blood.
Though he was part of the Morgan family and never short on money—handling sums far beyond this—
as someone not the family head or first in line, he lived on family fund stipends.
And in reality, he never had more than $30 million under his direct control.
"I'm firing you. You're no longer fit to be on my payroll," he declared.
"Yes, boss," Leo replied with a grin.
That marked the end of Leo's tenure at JP.W & Co.
Leo didn't intend to keep rubbing salt in Augustus's wound. He still owned more than 30 Valentino retail stores, worth over $5 million.
He had also spun off Valentino's sales, design, and R&D companies, as well as five new materials factories.
As for Blue Ridge Company, he sold it to the Merlin family for $80 million.
Unwilling to give up their home turf, their remaining $20 million business in the Midwest couldn't even earn them a seat at the table.
Besides the $80 million, the Merlins also promised to help Leo become a senator in California and gave him two licensed hotels in Nevada.
The hotels were a bit shabby, but the gambling licenses were invaluable.
They also gifted Leo two vineyards in Santa Barbara County.
You could say the Merlin family went all in just to get a seat at the Eastern real estate table.
Likewise, the other companies made various concessions to join.
The current shareholder structure of American Real Estate Group was as follows:
Valentino Investment Company: 20%
Altria Group: 20%
Augustus Morgan and his Morgan network + $30 million personal funds: 20%
Gulf Real Estate + Brookfield Canada: 10%
Merlin Real Estate: 10%
Reserved for IPO: 20%
As Augustus put down his pen, Leo smiled and said,
"As a new board member and the only Wall Street representative, could you handle the IPO?"
"Leo, you're the chairman. Let's do this together," Augustus replied.
He stood up, made a phone call, then returned and said,
"Tomorrow morning, let's go to No. 2 Wall Street together.
Now get out of my company—I don't want to see you."
As Leo walked out of JP.W & Co., he felt invincible.
After all, this time he had "sold himself" for $310 million in cash flow, $50 million in real estate,
and priceless licenses and political resources.
Any seasoned businessman knows—valuation is fiction.
Cash in hand is reality.
Back in his Lincoln, Leo turned to Evelyn and said,
"We've never really had fun in New York, have we? Where would you like to go?"
"I want it to be just the two of us. Like a regular couple," Evelyn replied.
Leo agreed but subtly signaled to Noodles to contact Joseph—just to ensure Evelyn didn't notice.
Come on—at this point, even his dandruff was worth money. Without any clear profit, Leo wasn't about to risk his life.
They visited the Statue of Liberty, strolled in Central Park, and attended a concert at Carnegie Hall.
In the evening, Leo asked, "Anywhere else you want to go?"
Evelyn fluttered her alluring lashes and said playfully,
"I want to see a Broadway show!"
"You... alright then, let's go!"
She didn't hide her little scheme. Leo drove them to the Broadway theater where Grace Kelly was performing.
Grace hadn't been happy lately—Leo had disappeared again.
But what truly soured her mood was the engagement news in the papers.
Though she'd always suspected their status mismatch, she clung to the fantasy:
What if a prince really could fall for Cinderella?
Reality slapped her hard. Her recent performances had suffered.
Everyone somewhat knew her situation, but human nature is cruel—people fear the wicked, not the weak.
Especially actors in the spotlight.
Out of deference for the director, no one said anything in public.
But as soon as the academy's dean left, the second lead—long resentful—unleashed her fury.
This wasn't the first time. Distraught over Leo abandoning her, Grace no longer had the will to fight back.
But her silence only made some actresses feel insulted.
Several ambitious girls from the slums began plotting a vicious attack.
That night, after the cast exited via the back door, Grace was cornered in a dark alley.
Moonlight glinted off the blades.
Terrified, she shielded her face—her second life as an actress.
Fear, helplessness, and sorrow flooded her heart.
She felt abandoned by the world. Tears streamed down her face.
The girls drew closer. Grace shut her eyes, bracing for the worst.
Then—a flashlight beam pierced the darkness, revealing their faces.
Evelyn, in an elegant purple gown, stood coldly before them.
Caught red-handed, the attackers panicked. But realizing Evelyn was alone, they grew bold again.
"Back off, bitch! This is New York. People die here every day!" the second lead snapped.
But Evelyn wasn't some sheltered flower. Her eyes glinted coldly as she drew a small pistol Leo had given her.
"Sure, I like your insults. But you'll pay for them."
She fired a shot. Her aim wasn't great, but it was enough to scare them off.
"Thank you," Grace whispered timidly.
She'd always been confident in her looks.
But upon seeing her rescuer clearly, even Grace was surprised.
They were equally beautiful, but Evelyn had a poised elegance and fierce sparkle Grace couldn't match.
Even as a woman, she found Evelyn captivating.
"Grace, this gun is for you. Weakness only invites more cruelty."
Grace accepted the gift gratefully. Her admiration for Evelyn soared.
"Are you a fan of my shows?" Grace asked.
She couldn't imagine anyone else would show up in a theater alley late at night to save her.
For a moment, Grace thought of Leo again. Her heart ached so much she barely heard Evelyn's vague reply.
"Let me thank you with a drink."
Perfect. Evelyn's lips curled in a smile. Her bright eyes locked onto Grace like a predator.
They went to a bar on Broadway.
Their conversation flowed—from drama to art, to philosophy.
Even after closing time, Grace felt reluctant to end the night and accepted Evelyn's invitation to continue chatting at her home.
Grace was usually cautious. But nearly attacked, heartbroken, and a little tipsy—she let her guard down.
"Wow, Evelyn, your house is huge."
They'd passed three fountains already.
"Honestly, it's my first time here too."
Augustus, aside from the Morgan backing and $30 million cash, had gifted Leo a $6 million estate.
Not in Long Island, which became trendy in the late 19th century,
but in the original symbol of wealth—the Hudson River estate area of Westchester County, 13 miles from Manhattan.
All the big names—Morgan, Rockefeller, Lehman, Gould—had estates here.
This one was 1.5 acres—not as large as Morgan's rumored 15-acre home.
Augustus's prized wine collection slowly emptied as Evelyn and Grace drank.
Suddenly Grace stood up, shouting:
"Look at me, Evelyn! Am I not beautiful? Am I not charming?
But I was cast aside.
That powerful man won't even give me an explanation.
Maybe to him, I'm just a toy. Just a pretty face!"
"Do you love him?"
The alcohol hadn't dulled Evelyn one bit. Her eyes glinted as she asked.
The question stunned Grace. She replayed memories of that man... but she couldn't say she didn't love him.
She collapsed onto the couch. "I love him!"
Evelyn's gaze softened. She leaned in and whispered,
"I'm actually a magician. I'll summon him here for you right now.
It's been three months—you must be so thirsty."
Grace was indeed desperate. She instinctively reached for Evelyn, hoping for comfort.
Then, through her hazy vision, she seemed to see Leo—her long-lost lover.
His scent, his strength… he picked her up.
"I didn't know you really had magic, Evelyn," Grace murmured.
That night, Grace became a perfect student—sometimes a multiple-choice exam, sometimes fill-in-the-blank.
Her thoughts drifted wildly. One moment she was in Leo's arms, the next—she was a yoga mat under his push-ups.
Each time she faltered, Evelyn reappeared.
In the quiet night sky, clouds drifted before the moon again and again—
but were always pierced by its bright light.
A night of flickering candles, winking stars, and veiled moonlight.
—
The next morning, Leo emerged from his study to find Evelyn in a robe, humming while cooking breakfast.
"Where's Grace?" he asked.
"She left. Woke up and couldn't face reality.
Or maybe she was just full and fled.
Don't worry, when she's hungry again—I'll bring her back."
Evelyn beamed, quite pleased with her orchestrated drama.
Watching his eccentric fiancée, Leo sighed inwardly.
What a life.
—
Wall Street, New York.
After the Morgan empire was broken up by the Trust Act, Morgan Stanley had moved from No. 23 to No. 2 Wall Street.
"Rest assured, we still follow the gentleman's trading principles passed down by our father.
Morgan will be your best choice," Augustus said proudly.
Leo was looking forward to it. In his view, this era's Morgan Stanley was a true powerhouse.
Aside from professional ability, the key to investment banking was relationships, reputation, and credibility.
And Morgan Stanley had all of those in spades.
"Hey, Augustus," said a stern-looking man.
Every inch of him was neat—hair, beard, shoes, and suit flawless.
But when he spoke, his warmth erased all stiffness.
"Ah, Augustus, long time no see! Since I came to No. 2, this is your first visit!"
He hugged Augustus, then warmly shook Leo's hand.
"You must be Mr. Valentino. Just like the newspapers said—so young.
I'm Harold Stanley, managing partner of Morgan Stanley!"
Stanley? Leo's eyes lit up.
Anyone who could put their name next to Morgan was no ordinary man.
He quickly added his other hand to the handshake, bowing slightly.
"Yes, that's me, Mr. Stanley."
"Hahaha, I like your humility—it's rare among young people!
I'm honored that you've chosen Morgan Stanley as your lead IPO advisor.
Come with me."
Harold turned and walked back into the firm.
Leo and Augustus exchanged glances.
A sense of foreboding rose between them—especially Augustus.
He had contacted Henry Sturgis Morgan, the Morgan family's rep at the firm.
But Henry was still nowhere to be seen.