Chapter 198: Negotiating with Murdoch (Part 2)

[Chapter 198: Negotiating with Murdoch (Part 2)]

The stadium buzzed with excitement as fans filled their seats, waiting for the game to begin.

Ian sat comfortably in a luxury box, engaged in a lively conversation with Rupert Murdoch.

"Of course, that's not the case. You might not believe this, Mr. Murdoch, but among all the big names in media, you are the one I admire the most! That's the truth," he said earnestly.

Murdoch looked at Ian with a slight smile. "I can discern sincerity from deceit."

Ian chuckled, "I trust your years of experience allow you to gauge sincerity, but you might not capture the shadows hidden beneath the surface, while I can!"

His bold statement surprised everyone in the room.

Ian casually grabbed a perfectly sliced apple and took a bite. "My news needs global media support to maximize its value. I used to depend on CBS, but now, CBS can't meet my needs... we could explore a deep partnership!"

Murdoch smiled. "Sounds like you need me."

Ian replied with a grin, "Global media isn't just about News Corp; there's only one Ian Carr."

"I remember you had an agreement with CBS, and your news was exclusive to them."

"But Butterfly has no agreement with CBS."

Butterfly referred not to a single person but to a larger entity. So through Butterfly, Ian could still navigate around CBS's limitations.

Honestly, it was a bit underhanded, but such things were common in business.

A classic example was of a business mogul who didn't care about money, buying a private jet with company funds and then renting it back to the company, pocketing profits without spending a dime -- wasn't that exploiting the investors?

Yet, investors had no room to complain: if someone helped them make big bucks, they wouldn't nitpick about small change.

Ian was in a similar situation. He was now a major shareholder in CBS, a legendary journalist they relied on, and a household name in America -- he was an influential figure.

Even a trivial thing he did became news; scandal was always lurking around, ready to grab headlines.

In terms of strength, he was indispensable; when it came to shares, he was equally essential.

So, what's wrong with him making a little extra cash? What's wrong with that?

...

At this, Murdoch nodded. "That's true. The problem is, how do I trust that half of what Ian Carr brings to the table will compensate for what I've lost with Fox? 9/17 won't happen again."

"You haven't lost Fox, Mr. Murdoch. It's still under your control; it's still your baby. Besides..." Ian glanced towards the crowd below.

He quickly approached the window and looked down at the guests.

They were in a VIP section, exclusively for the wealthy and elite.

"Mr. Murdoch, could you come over here for a moment?" Ian said, pointing out to the guests below.

Everyone looked at him, surprised.

Murdoch, supported by Wendi, made his way to the window.

Ian pointed to a woman in a red dress. "Do you see that woman in red?"

Murdoch looked and nodded. "Yes, I see her. Next to her is Anthony Roberts."

Who was Anthony Roberts?

Ian didn't know, but anyone in the VIP section was someone important.

Ian laughed, "So that woman in red must be... Anthony Roberts' wife?"

Murdoch smiled. "I haven't met her, but if she's with him, she probably is. Why?"

Ian said casually, "His wife is cheating."

Huh?

Murdoch was taken aback.

Ian pointed to the woman below. "That woman has an egg inside her."

Murdoch paused before laughing, "Wow, young people really know how to play. But how do you know it's her cheating?"

Ian answered, "Because the remote isn't in her husband's hand; it's in the hands of that bodyguard behind her."

Everyone in the room was stunned.

This kind of thing happened?

Murdoch looked at him quizzically. "How did you figure that out?"

"Her way of moving, the eye contact with her bodyguard. Every time he puts his hand into his pocket, this red-dress beauty's body gives a slight shudder, leaning on her dear husband and throwing a flirtatious glance at the handsome bodyguard... I'm quite observant of details, Mr. Murdoch."

Murdoch laughed. "I'm not an excellent reporter, but I'm starting to understand why you can achieve what you have. There are no coincidences!"

"Of course!" Ian replied, smiling. "Sharp insights, courage, and a dash of creativity! No news falls from the sky! Lucky fortunes don't last -- ability is what matters!"

Beside them, Wendi chimed in, "That woman might be someone you arranged, right?"

Murdoch turned to glare at her, clearly displeased by her interruption.

He didn't believe Ian could orchestrate even a business tycoon's wife -- that would mean more power.

Ian ignored it, merely smiling. "Do you think so, Mr. Murdoch?"

"No. I know you didn't arrange that. I also believe your judgment is accurate," Murdoch said, appreciating Ian.

Having spent just fifteen minutes together, Ian had already proven twice that everything he had now wasn't mere luck.

Britney looked at Ian with surprise and delight in her eyes.

No wonder he knew she was following him yesterday.

At that moment, Britney was reminded of a terrifying caliber of his abilities; he not only discovered she was tracking him but also found out someone was following her--wasn't this something even agents could hardly achieve?

The old man slowly returned to his seat, "Well then, let's talk details about your request; I have some ideas."

"Absolutely," Ian smiled as he sat beside the old man.

The stadium erupted with loud cheers as athletes prepared to take the field.

A game was about to begin.

...

Ian and Murdoch sat together, discussing Ian's pursuit of acquiring Fox, and Britney now understood what they were talking about.

Fox Entertainment Group, the conglomerate controlling 20th Century Fox and Fox News, and Ian was attempting to buy it from Murdoch!

What a major move!

As the hottest pop star at the time, Britney's net worth was just over a hundred million (she still had many hits to release).

Even the eventual highest-earning star, Taylor Swift, was worth about 1.1 billion, almost the ceiling for entertainers.

While stars' incomes could overshadow many businesses, they were still limited by ceilings and couldn't be compared with top business moguls.

And money equated to confidence and status!

At least from Britney's view, that was the case.

Listening to negotiations involving multi-billion dollar projects stirred something within Britney... it was a height she could never reach!

Damn, how could I have fallen for Justin Timberlake, that waste?

Now looking at Ian Carr, equally young and handsome, yet so much smarter.

In less than two years, he achieved this step!!!

He was the prince charming in every woman's eyes.

Just yesterday, she was angry at Ian's "I never chase girls; I'm always the one being pursued" comment; now thinking back, he was fully justified to say that.

He was not bragging; he was stating a fact -- most women didn't even qualify to pursue him!

At that moment, as she contemplated, she glanced at Wendi, whose gaze was equally vibrant when looking at Ian.

Britney couldn't help but smirk.

He wouldn't be interested in someone like you, ugly woman.

Though she couldn't claim to know Ian, she at least understood his taste was high.

In Ian's eyes, she was completely invisible.

This thought gave her a sense of pride, and she unconsciously leaned closer to Ian, as if staking her claim.

...

The game finally began.

Germany faced off against Paraguay.

The big shots in negotiations paid little heed to the match.

For them, the only point of a game was a private meeting, away from prying eyes.

But as a casual chat, it also served as a topic to avoid awkward silences during conversations.

Having dead-end topics in business negotiations was never a good sign!

At this moment, Ian shouted, "Beautiful! Too bad it didn't score."

Murdoch chuckled. "The most exciting part of soccer is its many near-misses that almost succeed."

Ian nodded, returning to his seat, "Exactly, and that's what makes success more valuable. Do you know what I am?"

Murdoch looked at him.

Ian smiled, "I'm Ronaldo, Pele, Maradona, the best forward in this world; I always score! The regrets belong to others, the goals belong to me!"

His words were filled with powerful confidence, making Britney look at him with growing admiration.

Murdoch laughed. "Your price is still too low."

The price wasn't low; it simply meant it didn't come with a premium.

Ian completely ignored the game.

He focused on the old man. "The price is reasonable; the acquisition price can be lower as well. Mr. Murdoch, I don't think someone like you, who does great things, should be haggling over price."

Murdoch chuckled. "When billions are involved, even a point counts as millions. We need to be cautious. By the way, I heard you love to gamble? How about we bet on the game?"

Ian raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to bet?"

"I bet Germany wins."

"So do I," Ian shook his head. "Since we're on the same page, let's be more specific? I bet Germany wins 1-0; if it's not that result, I'll take the loss."

Murdoch looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

Ian smiled. "13 billion, 40% shares, Fox Entertainment Group still under your control."

Murdoch shook his head lightly. "Fox Entertainment Group has many non-sale items; I won't let it become the next Signet Daily."

"We could create a non-sale item list. We still have 90 minutes to finalize this list," Ian replied with a smile.

"The time is a bit tight; I can't create a full list in such a short time."

"But the odds favor you. Besides, it's just a transaction. If the price can't be agreed upon, it won't proceed." Ian raised his glass. "Just for fun; if you really deny it, that's also fine."

Murdoch replied leisurely, "I'm not the Chandler family or those Japanese; I'm not one who can't take a loss."

This was clear, wasn't it?

Indeed, he was the media tycoon.

Ian chuckled. "You are a senior who deserves respect!"

*****

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