Hollywood Immortal

[Chapter 361: The Storm Begins]

Before they knew it, it was the end of February.

Hillary had finally arrived in Los Angeles as planned, settling into the executive suite at the Hilton hotel for her meeting with Linton.

After months of care and attention, Hillary looked younger, more radiant, and her skin had become smoother and more supple. She had transformed from a woman nearing fifty into a stunning, mature beauty in her early forties. Hillary eagerly anticipated each trip to Los Angeles, where she would undergo further refinement.

This visit to Los Angeles, she dressed in an incredibly alluring sky-blue knee-length dress that perfectly accentuated her graceful figure. Her golden hair flowed over her shoulders, her makeup was subtle and delicate, with seductive red lips. She wore black high heels paired with matching stockings, radiating the aura of a confident, sophisticated woman.

After an intense session, Hillary lay limp and content against Linton, like a little kitten.

"Master, Hilly is so happy," she purred.

"If you want more happiness, you have to perform well," Linton said, giving her shapely rear a gentle pat.

"I'll do my best, Master. Haven't you always praised me?"

"That's right, your past performances were excellent. But I have to remind you to be extra careful with confidentiality. Never discuss sensitive topics over the phone, and keep your work and personal life under strict wraps."

"Thank you, Master. Hilly will listen from now on."

"Any loose ends after that explosion at Lab X recently?"

"As far as I know, nothing was left behind. The FBI has closed the case completely. Of course, what's recorded in internal files is quite different from what's publicly released, but none of it involves you."

She then detailed the FBI's internal report to Linton, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she asked, "Master, how did you manage that? It's unbelievable."

"That's none of your concern. Just know that, to me, they're nothing but clowns."

"Master, you're amazing. Are you rested? Hilly's been thinking about it again."

The battle continued--sounds of fierce combat mixed with sweet, joyful melodies filled the air.

---

After a long and wild frenzy, the fight paused.

"Master, the Douglas family's showdown is about to begin."

"Great, is it finally time to start?"

"Yes. Our preliminary work is all in place. We're just waiting to launch in a few days. The Douglas family and The New York Times are about to face a Category 5 hurricane."

"Good. I'm looking forward to your results."

"Master, this isn't just about wiping out the Douglas family. We're also aiming to make a massive profit by splitting their assets. Don't you want a piece of the pie?"

"No thanks. The most valuable assets of the Douglas family are the shares in The New York Times and other media groups. Now that my media empire is taking shape, those shares don't mean much to me. Also, going after them directly could expose our connections and draw unwanted attacks from other powerful players. Besides, with my resources, there are other ways to obtain those assets. No need to rush."

"I understand. But about making big money -- you wouldn't be uninterested in that, right?"

"Alright, tell me how you plan to make big money."

"Our operation has three phases. First, short-sell The New York Times stock. Second, collaborate with the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to crack down on the Times, arrest key Douglas members involved. Third, carve up the assets. If you don't want to participate in the last two, you can still join the first phase. Short-selling could return over double in less than a month."

"That sounds tempting, but isn't The New York Times a relatively small market? Its current value is about $1.3 billion. Wouldn't your partners mind if I jump in?"

"Our partners, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, have already assessed the situation. They can facilitate short-selling up to 50% of The New York Times' shares -- about $650 million. We have five allied parties. I'm leading, so my quota is 40%, which translates to $260 million in shorted stocks. If you join, I can give you half of that."

"Half means $130 million, but raising that much cash immediately would be tough. I'll need time."

"You might not be familiar with short-selling rules. You don't need to cover the entire amount. We use financial leverage, usually 5 times. So, you only need about $26 million actually invested."

"What's the expected profit margin?"

"Not just expected -- it's guaranteed. Once the price drops to a third of its current value, we'll begin the third phase."

"So, if I invest $26 million, within a month, I could collect $86 million, making $60 million in profit?"

"Yes, that's the ideal scenario. It might not reach that high, but $55 million in profit is still very feasible. But all our actions must be perfectly coordinated."

"Such a great opportunity and enormous wealth -- are you really giving this to me so easily? Aren't you hesitant?"

"Master, everything I have belongs to you. This is my sincere offering. Just favor me a few more times, and I'll be forever grateful."

"Alright, alright. You're such a good girl, Hilly. Looks like I'll have to reward you even more," Linton thought, marveling at the power of the soul-binding mark.

---

With such a lucrative chance, Linton wasn't about to refuse. The next day, he instructed Winnie to prepare the $26 million. Following Hillary's plan, they contacted the Goldman Sachs traders, who facilitated the sale of $130 million worth of The New York Times shares on 5x leverage.

It wasn't just Linton's money -- funds from all partners began pouring in. Because of the vast amount of short-selling, the operation would take over a week to complete.

---

On March 5, all preparations were ready. Hillary called Linton from Washington, "The operation is about to begin."

Around noon, a squad of over twenty FBI agents stormed The New York Times building in New York, presenting a local court-issued arrest warrant in broad daylight, detaining two reporters on the spot.

*****

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