The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 12

Becoming a Billionaire Villain – This is Wall Street 03

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The St. Regis Hotel.

Founded by John Jacob Astor, the wealthiest passenger on the Titanic, it was the world’s first luxury hotel.

Before the St. Regis Hotel opened, hotels were more like today’s business hotels, mainly providing accommodation and meals.

However, the opening of the St. Regis Hotel revolutionized the concept of hotels. Its luxury transformed hotels into social venues frequented by the wealthy and top dignitaries.

In the early 1900s, the St. Regis Hotel gained further fame when President Roosevelt visited.

It was thanks to an elder in the Hilton family that Jung Hyun-woo and Sarah ended up staying in this famous and extravagant hotel.

“I really don’t like places like this,” Sarah grumbled.

Jung Hyun-woo shrugged. “What can we do? Who knew we’d run into your relative on the streets of New York?”

The hotel they had originally booked was a modest 3-star business hotel.

However, while walking to their accommodation, they met Sarah’s uncle, who promptly scolded her and brought her and Jung Hyun-woo to this luxurious establishment.

“Besides, this is a suite.”

“They said this was the only family room with two rooms available.”

“Then they could have given us separate rooms.”

Sarah didn’t like this most luxurious suite in the St. Regis Hotel at all.

‘I feel like I’ve become a spoiled, extravagant girl.’

She stood there with a deep frown.

“Sarah, you look like you owe your uncle a favor.”

“Considering the cost of this room, it’s as good as owing a huge debt.”

The price of a suite at the St. Regis was truly exorbitant.

“The Hilton family won’t restrict Sarah this much.”

Sarah crossed her arms.

“How can Charlie be so calm?”

“It’s Charlie, not Charles. And your uncle really likes you.”

“Uncle is a good person, but his stubbornness is the problem.”

Sarah was dragged here against her will, unable to overcome her uncle’s stubbornness.

She let out a long sigh.

“Hah…”

Jung Hyun-woo reached out to a white chair that was the epitome of antique elegance.

‘It’s really luxurious.’

The cushion of the chair was made of velvet.

‘I almost feel bad sitting on it. But my legs hurt if I stand and talk.’

He pulled out the chair and sat down.

“Sarah, let’s stop talking about your uncle’s stubbornness and get back to work.”

When Jung Hyun-woo started talking about business, Sarah reluctantly unfolded her arms and sat opposite him.

“I’m going to submit the company incorporation documents tomorrow.”

“Is it because the company name has been decided?”

Sarah raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Charlie, are you sure that’s okay?”

“Sarah, don’t you like Victoria?”

Victoria.

It was the name recommended by Peter Lynch, the legend of Wall Street.

“Wouldn’t a more progressive and futuristic name be better?”

“Is there a more progressive name than the name of the first ship to circumnavigate the world?”

“Okay. I’ll go with Victoria.”

Since she couldn’t think of a particular name, she wrote Victoria in the blank space for the company name.

“Now you can’t change it.”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and echoed her words.

“I’m satisfied.”

Sarah filled in all the blanks and then let out a long sigh.

“Hoo…”

Jung Hyun-woo didn’t know it, but she was making a pretty big bet on Victoria.

‘If this company fails, I’ll end up doing what my father wants.’

To break away from the family and gain freedom, she had to make Victoria a success no matter what.

In other words, she was willing to bet her life on Victoria.

“Charlie, are you really going to invest in a game company as Peter said?”

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

“No.”

“You didn’t take Peter’s advice to heart.”

Peter Lynch advised them to invest in the field they knew best.

In their case, the field they knew best was the game industry.

“I didn’t ignore it.”

“Then do you have a separate investment in mind?”

Jung Hyun-woo raised both hands on the table and asked back.

“Sarah, would you trust me just once?”

“Just once?”

“Yes. Just once.”

Sarah lowered her gaze and said.

“It must be something unusual.”

“Yes, it’s important.”

She didn’t immediately say she would trust him.

“Tell me about it first.”

“You’re saying you can’t trust me until you hear it.”

“I can’t promise without hearing what it is. No matter who it is.”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded.

“I understand. What I want to ask Sarah is about our first investment.”

“First investment? So you had a place in mind.”

Sarah thought it was an IT-related industry, even if it wasn’t the game industry.

‘It’s probably a computer maker or semiconductor manufacturer. If not, is it Korea?’

Perhaps the field he knew best was not the game industry but the country of Korea itself.

Jung Hyun-woo carefully said to her.

“I want to short sell.”

“Short sell?” Sarah was startled, as if she had seen a ghost. [Short selling is betting that a stock’s price will decline.]

“You’re too surprised.”

She lowered her raised eyebrows and raised her voice.

“Peter told you never to short sell!”

“What if you know when the company’s stock will plummet?”

“Peter said you can’t know that.”

Sarah’s voice grew louder. She couldn’t let Victoria fail.

‘It’s not just Charlie’s life. My life is at stake too.’

Of course, Jung Hyun-woo didn’t back down. He was confident.

‘The Atari shock is coming soon.’ [The Atari shock was a major crash in the video game industry in 1983.]

He was planning to short sell the North American game industry before the Atari shock occurred.

“What if I have an insider who gives me the news?”

“Still no.”

Sarah was firm.

“Then I’ll explain why I thought about short selling.”

After hesitating for a moment, Sarah nodded.

“I’ll allow that.”

Jung Hyun-woo explained in detail the reasons for the Atari shock to the best of his knowledge. He tried to increase credibility by drawing pictures and charts in the middle.

Sarah listened to his story until the end and then asked.

“So you’re saying that the game industry is collapsing due to overproduction and the decline in the quality of games?”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and replied.

“Because the game market is not a tree that grows forever.”

“Eventually, growth will stop someday? Charlie, do you think that’s five years from now?”

“It won’t be later than 1985 at the latest.”

If the Atari shock doesn’t come by 1985, it can be said that history has changed due to his appearance.

‘If that happens, I’ll have to stick to the Daewoon Group somehow.’

Sarah hesitated for a moment. Then she raised her right hand. Then she spread four fingers.

“Then let’s divide it into four.”

“Four?”

“Let’s divide our assets into four and invest in short selling.”

Sarah had an investment sense that was second to none.

“It’s going to be 1982 soon. Let’s short sell one in 1982, one in 1983, and one in 1984.”

“Since there are four, is the remaining one in 1985?”

Sarah shook her head.

“Charlie said it would explode by 1985, so there’s no need for that.”

Then when should we use the remaining one?

“What about the remaining one?”

“That can be said to be a reserve fund to prepare for unforeseen events.”

Jung Hyun-woo exclaimed at her words.

“Ah! The remaining one is a reserve unit.”

Reserve units were essential not only for war but also for investment.

‘A cold-blooded investor doesn’t go all-in.’

He couldn’t help but acknowledge Sarah’s sense.

‘Well, she saw through the commercial potential of Zero Space before I even asked her to.’

A born merchant.

The blood of the Hilton family flowed thickly in her body.

‘Sarah would have done well as a fund manager.’

In his previous life, he showed many talents, but he wasn’t particularly good at stocks.

‘Let’s leave the details of the investment to Sarah in the future.’

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and accepted her proposal.

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

At his words, Sarah relaxed her hardened face.

“Thank you.”

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head firmly.

“No. Rather, I’m thankful. Short selling was an unreasonable request from my side.”

“Charlie has more shares in the company. You could have invested alone without me.”

Sarah was approaching it with a thorough entrepreneurial mindset.

“How can I not listen to Sarah’s opinion?”

What Jung Hyun-woo knew was a vague future event. He thought she was better at detailed settings and practical work.

‘If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have thought of split investment.’

All-in was a typical high-risk, high-return strategy. As she said, it was right to invest in stages rather than all at once.

‘The profit may be smaller, but the risk can definitely be reduced.’

The few years left until the Atari shock.

He decided to move forward with Sarah during that time.

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