Chapter 124: I, the Jade Emperor, Make Money!

At the end of the party, Johnny Fonting personally drove Hardy and Taylor back to their respective hotels. The goodbyes were reluctant but necessary.

Back in his room, Hardy picked up the phone. It was Mike.

"I just found out you were in New York. Why didn't you call me? Don't you care about your career?" Mike teased.

"I promised Taylor I'd visit, so I came to see her. I'm not staying long—I plan to head back tomorrow," Hardy explained with a smile.

"When are you coming back?" Mike asked.

"I've got a few small things to wrap up. Probably in two days," Hardy replied.

"Do you have time to meet? The old man would like to invite you for dinner," Mike offered.

The mention of the godfather's invitation made Hardy keen to accept. "I'll visit Mr. Vito tomorrow afternoon."

The following day, Hardy finalized his investment deal with the Lauders in the hotel room. Hardy would invest $750,000 for a 75% stake in Estee Lauder, while the Lauder couple would manage the company's operations.

Ava Gardner was hired as the spokesperson for $200,000 per year, with payment deferred. Estee Lauder would also make a large-scale advertisement in "Playboy" magazine for an annual fee of $40,000, also deferred. Hardy would help set up 20 counters in high-end shopping malls across major U.S. cities and feature Estee Lauder in the movie "Human Ghosts Are Not Coming," with an ad cost of $50,000.

The agreement was signed, and Hardy officially owned 75% of Estee Lauder, while the Lauders retained the remaining 25%. They left eagerly, ready to make their mark.

In the afternoon, Mike drove Hardy to Corleone Manor. The old godfather, pleased with Hardy's recent actions, welcomed him warmly. After a simple family dinner, they moved to the backyard to smoke cigars. The old godfather asked about the Siegel casino opening.

"I went a day early," Hardy replied.

"I heard it's been struggling," the old godfather said.

"Yes, it's been problematic," Hardy confirmed.

The old godfather sighed. "Siegel's clever but stubborn. His arrogance could be his downfall."

After dinner, Hardy and Mike returned to the hotel. Mike offered his farewells, and Hardy prepared for his departure the next day.

The next day, Hardy spent time with Taylor on set, who was saddened by his departure. Hardy reassured her that he'd be back in about 20 days once filming wrapped.

Taylor, determined, asked Hardy if he'd wait for her to turn 18 so she could be his girlfriend. Hardy chuckled and promised he would wait, though he expressed his aversion to marriage.

In the afternoon, Hardy flew back to Los Angeles. The next day at the company, Andy reported the success of the Barbie dolls, and the toy company's stock had risen substantially.

Hardy handed Andy the Estee Lauder agreement, assigning him to handle the next steps with Mrs. Lauder. Andy acknowledged and prepared to contact her.

Later, Hardy met with Bill to discuss the gang's progress. The Bill Gang had grown significantly, and Bill reported the Irish gang's interest in selling drugs on their territory. Bill expressed disinterest in the arrangement, valuing order and profitability over site fees.

Hardy, concerned about potential shifts in the Jewish gang, instructed Bill to monitor them closely and to attempt to recruit members.

Returning to HD Security, Hardy learned from his staff that Miss Han from the auction company had called urgently. Hardy contacted Han Yezhen, who was distressed about a $100,000 check scam.

Upon arriving at the auction company, Hardy found Han Yezhen and Irina disheartened, along with several department heads. Han Yezhen recounted the situation: a middle-aged man, claiming to be of French Jewish origin named Leo, had sold them an 18th-century oil painting and later returned with a dubious business proposal.

Leo claimed that his friend Louis' gallery had been looted during WWII, and now he needed funds to unfreeze assets supposedly worth millions. The pitch sounded suspiciously like a common scam involving assets from historical or mythical sources.

Hardy's suspicion was piqued. The scenario was reminiscent of classic scams—promises of enormous returns based on dubious claims of historical assets.

"I'll look into this," Hardy said, determined to resolve the matter.