Chapter 96: LV Group Shares

"Charles, this is a share transfer agreement from the LV Group. You can take a look at it first," Delfina Arnault said as she handed Charles a file.

Charles was briefly stunned, then took the file and started reading. The LV Group transferred 1% of its shares to Charles, valued at 205 million euros.

Afterwards, the Bank of Paris would transfer an additional 200 million euros in cash to Charles's account.

Charles quickly glanced through the document and then handed it to the lawyer by his side, asking him to read it carefully.

"We are sincere. The price is based on the current LV market share price. We did not sell it at a premium," Delfina Arnault began to explain as she saw Charles looking at her.

"I believe LV can deepen its relationship with Hollywood. After all, many stars use our fashion brand, and a strategic cooperation agreement with Carpe Studios would benefit both parties!

Your movie projects will have more advertising revenue, and our products will have good promotional opportunities."

Charles smiled. Indeed, the share transfer was simple; the important thing was the strategic cooperation agreement.

Charles wasn't willing to buy LV stocks with cash at that time. LV's market value was only about 25 billion dollars, less than 21 billion euros.

If you want to make money, which of Amazon, Google, Apple, Starbucks has a lower appreciation rate?

Of course, everything takes time. The internet stock prices still had a few years to skyrocket. Becoming the world's richest person effortlessly is simple: just keep buying these companies' stocks.

What is the meaning of life? If the dream of becoming the Hollywood King wasn't realized, it was the time for his business to thrive. Internet stocks could be bought at rock bottom after the subprime crisis and the global financial tsunami.

The significant rise in LV's stock price happened after 2012. However, this was an opportunity - a good chance to enter the LV or luxury goods market.

"You all have faith in me?" Charles smiled, as the shares had no premium. If he were to acquire them himself, it would cost more.

Delfina Arnault smiled, "Charlize Theron and Britney Spears are partners of our brand and artists under Ms. Carpe!"

"Moreover, Carpe Studios has developed rapidly in recent years. I'm sure it will expand. Cooperation is good for both sides."

Charles nodded. This cooperation indeed had its benefits, solving many costume and prop issues in films.

"A concise cooperation agreement looks fine now!" Charles's lawyer spoke up.

"Of course, we will send someone to discuss the specific terms with Carpe Studios. It is just limited to films produced by Carpe Studios, giving priority to promoting LV's brands under the same conditions!" Delfina Arnault explained.

Charles had no issues. After all, many films required custom-made costumes for characters. Except for some fashion urban films, there was a lot more to be done in this aspect.

"Delfina, advertising is for film effects too. Your focus should be on Hollywood stars," Charles smiled and reminded.

"Charles, many of our LV Group brands are also ETA customers. Strengthening our cooperation, I'm sure Ms. Carpe will favor us more," Delfina Arnault said with a wink.

"Don't you agree?"

After spending a week on Corsica Island, Charles Carpe left, taking with him 1% of LV Group's shares, a board seat, and 200 million euros in cash.

As for the cooperation with the LV Group, the company's marketing department naturally took over.

200 million euros in cash for shares, though somewhat regrettable, was not a loss. After all, there was no need to pay taxes before liquidating the shares. Moreover, the LV Group would be the future's largest luxury goods group.

Charles even wondered if Arnault knew that his yet-to-be-shot film, The Devil Wears Prada, would be a huge hit.

Meanwhile, Marion Cotillard happily returned to filming, planning to purchase a holiday villa in Mallorca, Spain.

Back in Los Angeles, Charles kept a low profile, living a simple life and spending most of his time in the office.

The employees' admiration for their boss was inevitable. 400 million euros - that's about 460 million dollars in rewards.

After deducting lawyer fees and other expenses, 60% of the amount entered his personal charitable foundation.

Thus, Charles had 100 million dollars plus 10 million euros in cash in his personal account, considering he had previously borrowed 20 million dollars.

As a result, Charles had over 90 million dollars to declare in the next year's tax report, which would certainly be taxed at the highest rate of 38%, amounting to over 34 million dollars in taxes.

The personal charitable foundation needed a donation of 7 million dollars per year to reach the 5% threshold, which could offset 20% of the donation amount in taxes annually for five years - about 1.4 million dollars in tax exemption per year.

Even so, Charles had to pay over 32 million dollars in personal income tax.

Anyway, now Charles had 67 million dollars plus 10 million euros of freely disposable cash.

"The lead character dies in the second movie?" Charles discussed the script of Underworld sequel with Len Wiseman in his office. 

So the story was different? In the past life, wasn't it called Underworld: Evolution? Wasn't it about fighting vampire and werewolf progenitors?

"Charles, at the end of the first film, the heroine and the hero killed the vampire lord together. Also, the vampire high council's traitor colluded with werewolves to kill one of the three elders, Amelia.

The vampire clan weakened, and the heroine had to protect the remaining clan members while avoiding werewolves and finding the traitor.

So, she and the hero tracked down the high council's traitor, but the traitor used methods to make the hero, who had combined vampire and werewolf genes, lose his humanity and become like a werewolf progenitor.

Finally, in the vampire progenitor's resting place, the heroine, along with her followers, fought the traitor and the controlled mutated hero."

Len Wiseman described vividly, and Charles nodded as he listened. Then Charles said, "In the end, the heroine hard-fought and killed the mutated hero and the traitor, but the hero was a direct descendant of Alexander. His blood awakened the vampire progenitor Marcus."

"Then, the third film's story is the heroine fighting against Marcus and his brother, the werewolf progenitor William?"

Len Wiseman nodded. That was roughly the plot of the Underworld trilogy!

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.