Chapter 458 - Acquisition Plan

In the initial version, Laila didn't ask them to add too much. Besides incorporating some promotional tactics for the future, she added some small modules, like sharing photos, which were sufficient for the current use.

The initial FB software was just a few megabytes, and even with the relatively slow internet speed of that time, it could be installed quickly.

To achieve the promotional effect, Laila had the news network organize several small events where participants could win prizes or bonuses. As a result, within a week, the software was downloaded hundreds of thousands of times.

Moreover, to enhance promotion, she had her artists, including herself, create accounts on FB. She even helped Janet and her grandfather set up accounts. Janet, who was pregnant and restricted from many "risky activities" by Quentin, played with FB like a toy. She posted beautiful designs and discussed fashion topics with her followers.

So, with all these initiatives, FB was quietly making its way into people's lives, without drawing too much attention. At that time, the rise of blogs had not yet started, and it was unclear whether they would follow the same path as in the previous world.

Janet's due date was in May, and after setting up Laila's work in the East, Quentin rushed back. According to Laila's plan, she wanted to establish over 200 cinemas in the East before the release of "Pirates of the Caribbean." There would be a minimum of five cinemas in first-tier cities, a minimum of two in second-tier cities, and one in third-tier cities and some towns.

However after Quentin calculated the potential for development, he added an extra 50 cinemas. With the cheap goods and labor available in the East, adding more cinemas wasn't a big concern. The only regret was that the income level here was lower. Looking at past box office earnings, he wasn't sure how long it would take to recoup the investment.

The number 250 might not be a big deal to foreigners, but Laila couldn't help but twitch her lips when she saw it. Wasn't this number specifically chosen to take revenge on her, for separating him from his pregnant fiancée?

Even with Quentin's return, Laila had no intention of letting him rest. With such a useful person at her disposal, she wasn't that foolish.

"Laila, you should know that I don't want to take on any more work lately," Quentin said to Laila with some frustration. He wanted to believe that it was his talent and capabilities that made her trust him and delegate a significant amount of work to him. But his rational side told him there must be other reasons, like wanting to keep him away from his mother.

He had good instincts; Laila indeed had such thoughts. When she came to this world, Janet, her grandfather, and the rest of the family's care had warmed her heart. The fact that this naive and kind mother was accidentally taken away was a cause for concern. She had taken everything and couldn't leave her with nothing.

As someone with an Eastern mindset, she couldn't tolerate a woman being unmarried and pregnant. So a little bit of revenge was part of her plan. However, she would never say it out loud; that would make her look too childish.

"Mr. Quentin, are you sure you don't want to take on any more work?" Laila looked at him with a sly smile. "My poor future siblings, do you want to feed them baby formula with my mother's money? Or when they grow up, do you want them to curiously ask you why our house is smaller than Mom's? And you can only answer, 'Because Dad is too lazy and turned down the work offered to him, so we didn't have money to buy a bigger house.'"

This was a harsh statement that even mature and steady Quentin couldn't help but wince.

He wanted to say that with his current savings, he could raise a hundred children, and they wouldn't lack baby formula. But when it came to the money needed to buy such a large house, he didn't have it. Although he came from a good background, it couldn't compare to the Moran family's wealth. Not to mention the extravagant mansion in Beverly Hills, even the one in New York's Upper East Side wasn't something he could afford.

"Alright, what do you need me to do?" He finally surrendered. Because he not only heard the coaxing but also the threat.

He believed that if he truly turned down the work she offered him when the children grew up, she would undoubtedly tell them about his reluctance to work. Through her imaginative storytelling, he couldn't even imagine what "facts" would be revealed.

She was one of Hollywood's top directors. Who would doubt her imagination?

Laila spread her hands regretfully. "See, it would've been better if you'd agreed so easily from the start, wouldn't it? You know, I really don't want to pass on any of your undesirable traits to my future little siblings."

Well, if she had only suspected that he would tattle on her, now it was a blatant threat. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but be grateful for his good fortune; having the most straightforward woman as his lifelong partner was truly a blessing.

He didn't want to play power games in the business world and then have to have three to five rounds with his wife at home afterward. That kind of life was simply unthinkable.

Laila took out a piece of paper from her bag. On it, were the text: "Acquisition," "Marvel Comics," and "Artist Management Company."

It was a brief message, simple, yet Quentin felt a sense of trepidation when he read it.

"Laila, are you serious?" He looked at her as if hoping to find a trace of humor in her expression. But, to his disappointment, what he saw was a pair of deadly serious eyes.

"Any problem?" Laila arched an eyebrow.

"Well, I'd like to know why you want to acquire these two," Quentin didn't immediately dismiss her idea. He knew she wasn't an ordinary girl; on the contrary, she was quite sharp. Going to the East to invest in theaters was a plan he found quite good. But now, the two companies she had in her hands weren't something he saw as a valuable acquisition.

What was Marvel? Just a comic book company that survived by producing comics. When their superheroes gained some popularity, they sold their rights or even took over scriptwriting for film production companies. He couldn't see any reason for acquiring such a company. Was it because of her previous revelation in the media, where she mentioned her love for comics?

As for the Artist Management Company, it was a well-known firm in Hollywood. It was established by Michael Ovitz, the same person who co-founded CAA.