Volume 4: White Devil Chapter 159 Tommy Betrayed
Fiori Italian Restaurant, Fifth Avenue, New York.
Several women wearing chic evening gowns, looking like noble ladies dressed up for a banquet, were taking photos on the restaurant's iconic staircase. There was even a lighting technician specially assigned to create various poses on the swaying silk staircase.
"If I were the chef of a restaurant, I would be very happy to know that someone called a week in advance to reserve a table. But when I know that after they arrive, they don't care whether the food is delicious, but squeeze on the stairs to take pictures, I will definitely drive them out with a kitchen knife." Tommy looked at the women, complained, took out his wallet, and motioned for the waiter to come over:
"My girlfriend and I are sitting here hoping to better appreciate this silk staircase that looks like a work of art while enjoying our food, instead of being interrupted by flashes or other lights every ten seconds or so, which would affect our mood. Can't you offer a photo-taking service that is only available during non-meal times next time? I'll give you some tips, and you can splash blueberry jam or something else colorful on those women for me..."
"Be more tolerant, Tommy." Otilia did not sit opposite Tommy, but sat side by side with him. At this time, she gently held Tommy's palm with her hand and said to the waiter with a smile: "Take the tip. By the way, I like the Italian coffee ice cream in the restaurant very much. When we finish our meal, can you bring me another one?"
"Of course, ma'am." The waiter felt relieved, took the tip from Tommy's hand, bowed slightly, and left quickly.
Otilia held Tommy's hand and said, "Every time you eat with me in New York, you don't look very happy."
Tommy shook his hand back slightly, then loosened it and continued to eat. "Because no one in California would bring a photographer and lights in to take pictures while the guests are eating in a restaurant."
"This is New York. Those ladies may just be from other states and want to make some good memories during their trip to New York." Ottilia said to Tommy in a gentle voice:
"Just like when we travel, we take photos as souvenirs and put them in albums. When we get older, we open them and slowly look through every memory."
Tommy nodded and gave Otilia a relieved smile in response: "Of course, every time you make me feel better quickly. Speaking of which, you seem to be in a good mood today."
"My administrative assistant Judy told me something quietly today." Ottilia showed a little proud expression on her face and looked at Tommy proudly.
Tommy put down the cutlery in his hand and looked at Otilia in cooperation: "What happened?"
Otilia looked at Tommy happily and said, "Because of my work in Gabon, I was nominated for ."
"I'm so proud of you, Otilia." Tommy wiped the corner of his mouth, congratulated him immediately, and gave his girlfriend a hug: "You are worthy of all the honors in the world."
The Albert Toepfer International Humanitarian Award is an international charity award established last year. It was initiated by Mr. Albert Toepfer, an American businessman engaged in grain business in Germany. It is mainly used to express gratitude and recognition to those philanthropists who promote humanitarian causes.
Ottilia truly deserved this charity award. After all, KeyBank promised her that if its charity business in Europe involved food procurement, it would give priority to her business.
Otilia said: "I never thought I would win this award. The nomination itself surprised me, you know? The other nominees are... I think each of them is well-deserving. I am flattered to have my name listed alongside them. Among them are South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, American civil rights activist Marianne Wright, and Puerto Rican Abbess Isolina Ferre..."
"Of course, I know you don't care about winning or not. What's important is that you helped those in need. But don't be too modest. You really helped a lot of poor people. Not everyone is willing to give up their own affluent life and pay attention to them." Tommy said to Ottilia.
In fact, among the four nominees, three are people of color and one is a white woman. The answer is obvious, but Tommy just couldn't congratulate Ottilia on her winning the award in advance.
Otilia said to Tommy seriously, "If it weren't for your encouragement, I would still be helping my godmother in Newport as an assistant. Tommy, you showed me the other side of this world, poverty, famine, and injustice, and you are willing to accompany me to change it. Even if it is just a tiny change, someone will benefit."
"It's your kindness that drives you, not me," Tommy said.
Otilia looked at Tommy expectantly: "Now that you've graduated, can I do these things with you?"
"Me?" Tommy was stunned for a moment, then he said, "No, I can't. I mean I'm in California and have more important things to do. I'm going to set up a small TV channel to pay attention to black people, help black people, and strive to make more people no longer have stereotypes about black people. It's still in the preparation stage, and there are a lot of tasks that I need to solve personally, and... I don't want to rely on you too much. Think about it, if I appear next to you, your assistants will complain in their hearts, look, Miss Farrell's boyfriend is here to attract attention again, pretending to accompany Miss Farrell to pay attention to charity, but in fact it only proves that he is a guy who does nothing..."
"They won't think so. I told them that you just don't have time. Otherwise, all the people who were helped should thank you, not me." Ottilia said seriously:
"However, if you have other plans, it's okay. People who don't know you may misunderstand you. If you feel that you will feel psychological pressure if you accompany me, I understand. Don't be sad, Tommy. I promise to fly to California on time every holiday to be with you."
Tommy kissed the other person's cheek gently: "Thank you for your understanding, Otilia."
"Hearing you... I'm not racist, I just... hearing that you can't be with me every day because of helping black people makes me feel that maybe I'm not as attractive as black people." Otilia leaned her head on Tommy's shoulder and whispered her little complaints about Tommy.
Tommy touched Otilia's shoulder and smiled, "What makes you feel this way? Did your father, Mr. Farrell, say something bad about me again and persuade you to break up with me?"
"Of course not. My father likes you very much. Have you forgotten that the last time you saw him, he helped you open the bottle of red wine that he was going to open to celebrate his retirement?" Ottilia denied immediately.
"It took Mr. Farrell three full years to recognize me. Whenever I recall these three years, I can't help but burst into tears," Tommy said to Otilia.
Julian Farrell, Tommy's future father-in-law, although he never directly opposed Tommy's relationship with his only daughter, he kept making small moves behind the scenes. If it weren't for Tommy's bodyguard, Mr. Page, who used to be a policeman in Los Angeles and had deep connections in the California police force, Ottilia would have broken up with him happily by now.
That guy actually hired a private detective to keep an eye on Tommy and film Tommy's ambiguous scenes with women. He was just waiting to get the explosive content and then tell his daughter Ottilia to stay away from Tommy, the scumbag.
Fortunately, the California private detective who was hired was also a retired policeman and had some friendship with Page. When he learned that Page was driving for Tommy, he called to establish friendship and wanted to know something about Tommy. As a result, the loyal Mr. Page turned around and told Tommy, and Tommy was able to immediately transform into a good man.
It was not until the last dinner with his future father-in-law and his family that Julian gave up his determination to persuade his daughter to break up with Tommy.
According to what Julian said when he and Tommy were chatting alone in the cigar bar, when he was young, he would hold a bachelor party the day before his wedding and have fun with women, all of whom were men, so he knew what kind of person Tommy was. But seeing that Tommy could pretend to be a good man for his daughter and last for three years, it shows that Tommy really values his daughter very much.
Of course, Tommy would not believe the other party's lies. The main reason why the other party tolerated him was that she had seen the increasing halo around Ottilia. The reason why Ottilia became more and more dazzling was all due to his silent efforts behind the scenes. If he just wanted to date Ottilia and not plan to get married, no man would be willing to think about it.
Another minor reason is that Tommy chose to fight an eye for an eye in kind.
With the help of the omnipotent Pinkerton detective, Tommy finally got the photos of his future father-in-law dating . If Mr. Farrell is going to continue to help Ottilia keep an eye on him, Tommy doesn't mind hurting his future father-in-law.
Tommy didn't suffer any loss when Ottilia broke up with him, but if Mr. Farrell got divorced, he would suffer a huge loss.
This is why Tommy hates dealing with gentlemen. Only when he has the power to grab their balls will they be willing to tear off their disguises and communicate with him sincerely.
"You should try this pasta, it tastes very good." Hearing Tommy's tears welling up because of his father, Otilia awkwardly changed the subject:
"Besides, aren't you going to go back to Warwick? Are you going to fly directly back to California?"
Tommy swallowed the food in his mouth and said depressedly, "Forget it. The last time I talked to my dad on the phone, he was a little angry with me. He said he was busy helping the Naval Preparatory Academy dismantle a scrapped training ship. His tone was full of pride. I mocked him. I don't understand. Tony obviously got more for him, but my dad was so excited to dismantle a 1920's broken ship. What's there to be excited about? Tony relied on his connections to help him get a long-term shipbreaking order from the Naval Academy, so that he could move to Maryland with his workers to open a new shipbreaking yard. In the end... he actually said that he didn't want to cause trouble for Tony. What's the reason? Has he forgotten the past when he went to the police station and caused a lot of trouble for Tony and me?"
"Family members will always consider each other. It's normal for Mr. Hawke to do this, Tommy. Besides, Mr. Hawke doesn't want to leave Warwick. He loves it there." Ottilia said from the side:
"Tony will certainly understand his decision. Just like my father, he spends most of the year busy in cities like New York, Miami and Los Angeles, but as long as time permits, he still likes to go back to Newport. Maybe Warwick is not as prosperous as Annapolis, Maryland, but it is his hometown after all."
"I understand. I just..."
The mobile phone at hand rang. Tommy smiled apologetically at Otilia, stood up and walked a few steps away before answering the call: "This is Tommy."
"Tommy~" Sophia's voice came from the other end of the phone: "As you wished, the black CEO of the black TV station that you admired and appointed finally decided to take his people to SBG because of your procrastination and inefficiency. I reminded you to set up a non-compete clause, but you didn't consider my suggestion at all. What should we do now? I got the news that SBG will launch a black channel in six months..."
"Six months? Are you kidding me? I have already completed all the plans for the Black Channel for SBG, and it will take them another six months to launch it? This work efficiency really opened my eyes..." Tommy sighed speechlessly after hearing this, and then immediately instructed Sophia on the other end of the phone:
"Okay, according to the plan, fire the dozen or so black employees who were recruited just for show, and prepare generous severance packages for them. You must tell them sincerely that they were fired because the person in charge resigned. The young, passionate, and equality-seeking investor heard the news and is now in New York, at a loss. He doesn't understand why he was betrayed by the black elites he trusted just because he wanted to do something for black people. There is no other way. The TV station may not be able to continue, so we can only regretfully fire them."
"After dealing with this group of black people, buy all the newspaper pages that black people in California like to read, find some black reporters, and let them tell their black compatriots that there is a black elite who can obviously control an independent channel to speak for black people, but he is willing to run away and be SBG's dog."
"Then, despite the betrayal he had just experienced from black people, Tommy Hawke was willing to stay true to his original aspirations and go to California in person to provide jobs for black people, give them a voice, and provide them with quality television programs."
"That's all?" Sophia was not at all surprised by Tommy's reaction after hearing that more than half of his employees had jumped ship, and just continued to ask.
Tommy walked back to the dining table and sat down. He held the phone in his left hand and took Ottilia's long, soft fingers to his lips with his right hand, kissed them gently, and said to the phone with a smile:
"The black elites have abandoned me, and I can't find any suitable black professionals to take over. I can only temporarily select a few white production teams to get through the difficult times. So, find the list of white candidates Mark gave you before, and have them go to Los Angeles to prepare to meet me. I will fly back to California as soon as possible and let the black audiences decide for themselves which TV channel is truly serving black people."
…
Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California.
"I always thought you were a frugal person, Tommy." Delia, wearing a well-fitting women's suit and accompanied by a servant, walked through the lobby of the two-story mansion and walked to the backyard. She smiled and said to Tommy, who was standing in the backyard swinging a golf club:
"Then I discovered that you were renting a house in Beverly Hills, where only the rich and powerful live?"
"Long time no see, Delia. By the way, I haven't congratulated you on becoming a senior partner of Davis Polk & Co., the first female senior partner of the White Shoe Club, better than Elizabeth Meagher." Tommy putted the ball lightly and said to Delia.
Delia looked around the villa and said, "I thought you would prefer to live in the glamorous New York."
"New York isn't the place for a jerk like me." Tommy handed the club to the servant and opened his arms to hug Delia. "I like California, where I feel more at ease."
There was the noise of construction in the distance. Delia pointed her finger in the direction of the noise and said to Tommy with a smile, "Are you sure you like the noisy California? Do you want me, your lawyer, to help you warn your neighbors and pay attention to the noise volume during the construction? Since we are so familiar with each other, there is no charge for this service."
"That's my house. I bought it two years ago. It took me two years to complete all the necessary procedures for the construction. In addition, in order to avoid complaints from neighbors, before the construction is completed, I have to rent three houses from neighbors who are 500 meters away from me and can lie that they are disturbed by noise. The one we are in now is one of them." Tommy was a little bored after hearing Delia's suggestion:
"I should have thought of asking you to help, Delia."
"Which celebrity's mansion did you snatch away, and then cruelly demolished it and completely rebuilt it?" Delia asked curiously.
Beverly Hills is a long-established area for white wealthy people. It first sold real estate in 1907, and the advertising slogan was:
This is an all-white community. If there are Jews or blacks in the community, please don’t worry. We promise that they are definitely not your neighbors, but your caring servants.
Moreover, when purchasing a property, every owner needs to sign the "Beverly Hills Neighborhood Friendship Covenant", stating that the property cannot be rented to Jews or blacks, otherwise the Homeowners Association has the right to drive out those who violate the covenant from the community.
It was not until the end of World War II that wealthy Jewish and black businessmen were allowed to buy properties in Beverly Hills. With the emergence of people of color, a large number of white original owners with serious racism sold their properties and left Beverly Hills. Many listed luxury homes were bought by white Hollywood stars. In the later period, an implicit rule was even formed that if you did not have a house in Beverly Hills, you seemed unworthy of being called a Hollywood star.
This is why most of the owners of Beverly Hills today are Hollywood stars.
"Bing Crosby," Tommy said, naming the original owner.
Delia's first reaction was that Tommy was joking. She looked incredulous. "How is that possible? The inheritance left by Crosby is worth at least hundreds of millions. His family can't be so short of money that they have to rely on selling real estate..."
Bing Crosby, the most successful artist in the United States, won the Oscar for Best Actor for his movies, broke the Guinness World Record for his albums, won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and had three stars on Hollywood Boulevard.
He is also very good at making money, investing in horse farms, oil fields, film technology industry, real estate, etc. Let’s put it this way, the canned laughter used in American sitcoms in the early years had to pay patent royalties to the technology company in which he had a stake, because his company was the first to register canned laughter as a patent.
When he died in 1977, the newspapers said that the assets left by Crosby were worth 80 million US dollars. Now, ten years later, it is not surprising that the value has increased to over 100 million. That's why Delia couldn't believe that Bing Crosby's descendants needed to sell real estate for cash.
"I don't believe it either, but it's true, you know? His family hates him to the core." Tommy told Delia what he knew:
"This guy didn't trust his wife and children. He thought they were all idiots. If he left everything to them, they would lose everything. So he made a decision. He handed over all his assets to a trust fund that he trusted more. He left a will that his children would not be allowed to inherit the estate until they were 65 years old. They could only receive 2,000 yuan a month from the trust fund for living. Yes, you heard it right, 65 years old. He thought his children might only be truly mature at 65 years old."
"Isn't he worried that his children won't live to be sixty-five?" Delia couldn't help laughing when she heard this will.
Tommy continued, "Then the family trust fund that he trusted decided to invest conservatively after his death, so they chose the safe oil industry. Unexpectedly, the United States announced the arrival of an era of oil surplus, and the price of oil fell from $35 a barrel to $10 a barrel. In three years, 1,200 oil drilling rigs in the United States were shut down. Therefore, if Mr. Crosby did not sell off the property to raise cash, his trust fund might not even survive his children."
"It looks like seven acres." Delia said as she looked out at the land that was fenced off for renovation.
Tommy shook his head slightly. "It's just over five acres. Ottilia used to live in her family's mansion in Newport, which covers nine acres. So I'm worried that she won't be used to a house that's too small. She once told me that if we get married, she hopes that we can have a family zoo and raise some tame animals for the children to grow up with."
"So how much did this mansion that you obviously planned to use as your wedding house cost? Tell me the price that would make me give up being your neighbor." Delia looked at Tommy and asked with a smile.
"In 1985, it was listed for seven million. The property consultant told me that it was worth eleven million. I was lucky to buy it because I happened to have Sophia help me earn some extra money on Wall Street during that time. So, all in all , the Japanese paid for this mansion, the renovation costs, and the rents of the three residences. Thanks to the appreciation of the Japanese yen, a poor American like me can get this big house for free." Tommy spread his hands towards Delia:
"In order to express my sincere gratitude to Japan, after I got this house, I donated 100,000 yuan to the Big Cigar Foundation founded by General Curtis LeMay and the 509th Composite Brigade of the U.S. Army Air Force to thank them for using barbecue and nuclear bombs to make Japan a loyal ally of the United States."
"So, is Sophia okay?" Delia asked Tommy when she heard Sophia's name.
Tommy nodded. "That's great. I rented three villas nearby. In order to avoid leaving them vacant, she now lives in another villa that I was forced to rent. I even pay for the servants."
"Did you give the other one to Susan or Holly? I guess they both have a close relationship with you." Delia asked with a smile.
Tommy shook his head and looked into the distance: "It is vacant and is used to receive black guests who come to visit us. It shows respect for them."
"I guess you don't just want to talk to me about the big house that the Japanese gave you for free." Seeing Tommy's expression, Delia stopped chatting and asked him why he wanted to see her.
Tommy retracted his gaze and looked at Delia: "I need a black lawyer, a black lawyer as good as you."
"No, you should tell me that you need me. If there is a case and you don't take care of me, I will be angry." Delia said to Tommy with a wink.
Tommy exhaled, "You are not black, Delia, and I don't have any new business to take care of you. I just need a black lawyer's firm to help my TV station do some legal work, understand? There are many things that black people can do, but you can't do."
"Like what?"
"For example, a black person can attack another black person for betraying the color of his skin, but you can't."
“There are some really great black lawyers, but I guess you don’t need black lawyers who have an overwhelming sense of justice and a strong sense of race?”
"You know me, Delia. If you have someone suitable, call me or Sophia."
"So, you are so busy that you don't have time to have dinner with me?"
"I'm a bit busy. My poor team is waiting for me to preside over their first meeting."
"Then why are you still practicing golf?"
"I'm waiting for my black bodyguard. My driver, Mr. Page, has gone to pick him up and is on his way."
"Why do we have to emphasize the black bodyguards?" Delia asked puzzledly.
"Because only black bodyguards can be my swearing agents. Black bodyguards are responsible for swearing, and Mr. Page is responsible for beating people." Tommy turned and walked towards the living room:
"In order to avoid being accused of being a racist, I generally do not interfere with my black bodyguard's behavior of insulting his black compatriots on my behalf out of indignation."
