"Carson, believe me, this is the wisest decision you've ever made."
Robert Lehman watched as Carson Mellon signed the contract, then cheerfully added:
"Trust me, we on Wall Street only care about profit. We won't meddle in your management, and we'll even provide resources to help you expand Mellon Real Estate into the East."
"Thank you for your help, Robert, but I don't plan to change the company's name back. Pacific Real Estate Group does sound far more imposing than Mellon Real Estate Company."
Carson said with a smile.
"It does—and it lets you take advantage of the American Real Estate brand. Not bad at all.
You can start drafting your expansion plan. I can responsibly tell you that the contract you just signed doesn't just bring in our Lehman Brothers' funds, but also capital from Citibank, Chase Manhattan, and Morgan Bank.
You should understand what that means."
Carson was a fine actor. Though inwardly uneasy, he still showed surprise and delight on his face:
"Excellent! Now I don't need to fear Valentino's revenge anymore. Everyone in America knows he's vindictive."
"Hahaha, relax. No one can touch you now—not even him. Don't worry, everyone is waiting for him to slip up. He won't dare act rashly."
Robert said.
"And the lawsuit?"
Carson asked nervously. After all, secretly changing a company's management wasn't legal.
"Let me put it this way. This time, Valentino can sue in any state court he likes. But we can guarantee the case will keep escalating, and even if it reaches the Supreme Court, we'll still have a chance to win."
Robert's confidence came from Stillman's assurance that someone in the White House had tipped him off: as long as Lehman backed Carson Mellon to stand against Valentino, Valentino was doomed to lose.
On the first day of June, as the American public buzzed about the breakup of the American Real Estate Group—thinking the storm would end with Valentino's victory—the Pacific Real Estate Group suddenly announced a complete management overhaul, drawing massive attention.
Anyone who knew the inside story understood: Pacific Real Estate was no longer under Leo Valentino's control.
Sure enough, on June 2nd, Valentino filed a lawsuit with the Los Angeles District Court.
The courtroom battle reignited, and the media frenzy surged. Newspaper sales skyrocketed.
Reporters even captured photos of the usually composed and elegant Leo raging in a restaurant.
By June, Los Angeles was scorching hot. Across from the Pacific Real Estate Tower, in the plaza of a slightly shorter office building, a crowd of reporters gathered.
In front of them stood a podium. The speaker had yet to appear, but the journalists weren't idle—they kept photographing the building's billboard.
It read: Western Real Estate Group.
"He's here, he's here!"
The crowd grew noisy as the office doors opened. Surrounded by bodyguards, a handsome young man in white emerged. He was none other than America's most talked-about figure: Leo Valentino.
Naturally, there was no question whose enterprise the Western Real Estate Group belonged to.
"I have been shamefully betrayed."
Leo stepped up to the podium, speaking with fury.
Cameras flashed wildly. Today's trip was already worth it. With that line alone, newspapers were guaranteed to sell.
Leo waited until the photographers finished before continuing:
"I will never forgive a traitor."
He cast his gaze at the Pacific Real Estate building across the street.
"I'll make him understand why I'm called America's God of Wealth."
Leo then briefly outlined Western Real Estate Group's development plan before ending the press conference.
The first to hear the news, of course, were the people in the opposite tower. In Robert Lehman's Pacific Real Estate office, he was holding a conference call with Eastern partners.
He glanced at Leo's speech transcript on the table.
"He's panicking. That's a good sign."
"Yes, a rare phenomenon indeed. But we must stay cautious—this could be one of his traps. That boy is unusually cunning."
said Jack Morgan.
"True, but it might also be the natural reaction of a 25-year-old billionaire suddenly facing a major setback."
said David Rockefeller.
"Don't underestimate his age. The Cotton family dismissed him as just a young man and got driven out of America. The last man to underestimate him ended up dead at a gas station."
John Stillman reminded them.
"Fair point. So, Lehman, keep a close watch on Carson Mellon. If this is a trap, he'll be the key. How has he been acting lately?"
Jack Morgan asked.
"Very well. He hasn't resisted us installing executives and middle managers in Pacific, so I believe he truly betrayed Valentino. Even without Carson, Pacific remains firmly under our control."
Robert replied confidently.
"Excellent. The National Housing Act is about to pass. We've mobilized our networks to direct the entire Western Support Program's $11 billion funding to Pacific Real Estate. Even if you can't outcompete Leo in real estate, you'll at least survive."
Robert bristled inwardly at the implication he couldn't compete with Leo. He admitted Valentino was more brilliant than most young men, but he, Robert Lehman, had built a modest financial firm into a well-known Wall Street bank.
Leo cautious was dangerous. Leo rash and desperate was easy prey.
The heirs of these great families were being far too careful. Robert swore he would bankrupt Leo's Western Real Estate Group and show them all.
Meanwhile, in a modest Los Angeles home, Carson Mellon—the "traitor" Leo had denounced that very morning—sat with a worried look and asked:
"Leo, are we really just handing over Pacific Real Estate's control like this? What if things don't go as planned?"
Carson's unease was real. Though Leo had promised that even in the worst case, Carson's shares in Blackstone Assets would remain untouched, the Pacific Group had grown out of the Mellon family's three-generation legacy.
Of all people, Carson least wanted to see Leo fail. Being told to surrender control and let outsiders occupy key positions gnawed at him.
"How has Robert Lehman been treating you lately?"
Leo asked.
Carson thought for a moment.
"He's no longer on guard. He's started discussing the company's future with me. The group is still in my hands—for now. After all, in our deal, he promised me control of management."
In truth, Carson could have blocked Lehman's interference, but Leo had told him not to.
"Keep respecting his input. I'll keep Western Real Estate pressing him, and the media will back it up. When the time's right, give him this plan."
Leo handed over a folder.
Carson hadn't even opened it before the cover stunned him:
The Jesse Real Estate Acquisition Plan.
Jesse Real Estate—Carson's old rival in California. They had long obstructed Mellon Real Estate's national ambitions. If not for Carson joining Leo's ship and securing pre-sale rights, Jesse might have become the West's leader instead.
Even after that, Jesse Real Estate had clawed back by buying up smaller firms and pivoting into commercial real estate, finding a blue ocean market that kept them alive and fiercely competitive.
"You want to acquire them? Brilliant! With Jesse gone, Western Real Estate will dominate the West."
Carson said, delighted.
Nothing felt sweeter than seeing an old rival collapse.
"No. Look carefully, Carson. It's Pacific Real Estate Group that will acquire Jesse."
"What?" Carson froze. Strengthening the enemy?
"Leo, Jesse has a bright future. We both agreed at the real estate summit that America's future lies in commercial property and high-end housing.
If Pacific gets Jesse, it'll hurt us when we try to reclaim control. And Lehman may trust me more now, but not enough to approve spending hundreds of millions on this."
"You don't need to persuade him directly. In fact, you should oppose it—on the surface."
Leo said calmly.
"Ah?"
Seeing Carson's baffled look, Leo explained:
"Exactly because Lehman doesn't fully trust you, you need to use some strategy.
He's placed many executives in Pacific. To him, they're his tools of control. But Carson—are ambitious, capable executives satisfied just running day-to-day operations? Don't they want to expand business, raise their positions, and earn more?
Human nature is complex. These men have ability, and ability breeds ambition. You just need to arrange for your people to nudge them—at the right moment—toward Jesse Real Estate.
Let them improve this plan themselves and deliver it to Lehman. Then, when he asks for your opinion as CEO, your job is to firmly oppose it."
Leo's voice was steady, forceful. Carson's thoughts began racing. Soon, he identified candidates—especially Anderson Wood, his own man installed as head of development, a Harvard graduate, handsome, ambitious, and perfectly suited.
"You're right, Leo, but there's one fatal flaw. Old Jesse is stubborn and tough. He won't easily surrender his life's work. And those ambitious executives aren't fools either. Jesse's management is tight. They won't recklessly strike at such a fortress."
Carson voiced his concern.
"You're right, Carson. But believe me—Jesse Real Estate will run into big trouble. And you don't need to worry about how.
Just do your part. Like I've always told you, you've seen it yourself—I've never lost. I won't this time either."
Carson left with furrowed brows. He couldn't imagine how Leo could topple Jesse without extreme measures. And if Leo crossed a line, the many who were already monitoring him would seize the chance to crush him.
If Jesse were that easy to bring down, Carson himself would have done it long ago. In real estate, who among them was truly spotless?
After meeting Carson, Leo didn't linger in Los Angeles. He returned quickly to Washington, where he was taken straight to the Jefferson Hotel instead of home.
There, a banquet awaited—one he could hardly call friendly.
In the private dining hall on the top floor sat several heavyweights.
At the center was the one man Leo least wanted to see—Federal Reserve Chairman McKay. Seeing Leo's glance, McKay offered a helpless smile. He hadn't come entirely of his own will.
On McKay's right sat President Harry Truman, then David Rockefeller.
On his left were Jack Morgan and John Stillman.
A feast like this is never a good omen, Leo thought.
The men were not close allies, but all were dignified, and naturally, none dove straight into business. They chatted politely, the atmosphere lively yet hollow.
An hour passed. David, expecting Leo to crack under pressure, was surprised to see him still calmly enjoying lobster.
Finally, he exchanged a glance with Stillman.
Soon, under Stillman's careful guidance, the conversation shifted to the evening's real issue: allocation of government investment funds under the National Housing Act.
Yet no matter how they steered, Leo refused to bite.
And without him, none of them had the standing to speak—the entire project was his brainchild. Even Truman, now leading the initiative, owed his position to Leo's support.
Jack Morgan, who knew Leo well, had already warned the others he was tough to handle. So they brought in McKay, the one man who might restrain him.
At last, under the weight of their expectant looks, McKay spoke:
"Leo, though I may not be entitled to say this—the truth is, this sum is far too great for one man alone to swallow."
McKay had spoken. Leo could no longer play dumb.
He set down his lobster, wiped his mouth, and said:
"So, Mr. Chairman, since I pushed this through, how much do you think I should give up?"
McKay fell silent. The three families couldn't push further.
David Rockefeller cleared his throat to speak—but Leo raised a hand to cut him off.
"If not for Chairman McKay, we wouldn't even be having this meal tonight. Since he's here, I'll give you just one chance to take money from me.
David, I suggest you discuss it among yourselves first.
Mr. Chairman, Mr. President—care for a cigar?"
His proposal left the three heirs stunned.
But McKay and Truman rose readily enough. A cigar break sounded just fine.