The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 25

25. The Conglomerate Villain – An Invitation from the Hiltons 02 –

***

Back in the days when smartphones were unheard of, and even internet connections in homes were rare,
the only way to check your bank account was with a paper passbook.

Jeong Hyun-woo frowned, flipping through the pages of his bankbook.

“There’s hardly any income in the second half of the year.”

It wasn’t that there was no income at all.

“They say nothing is certain except death and taxes.”

“Benjamin Franklin?”

“You know your stuff.”

The reason Jeong Hyun-woo’s balance wasn’t increasing was that royalties had been going out as income tax for the past few months.

“So that’s why Americans invest in stocks.”

The stock transfer tax in the U.S. was lower compared to income tax, and if held for more than a year, a long-term holding deduction meant paying a maximum of 20% in transfer tax.

For this reason, Americans held more stocks compared to people in other countries.

Americans often said that this money flowing into the stock market was the backbone of the American economy.

“Have you decided on a university?”

Jeong Hyun-woo asked, leaning back slightly.

“How about Boston University?”

Boston University was the school Sarah was attending.

“Charlie!”

She didn’t want him to follow her to Boston University.

“What’s wrong?”

“You can go to a better school.”

Boston University was by no means a bad school. It consistently ranked within the top 100 universities in the U.S. and had produced famous figures like Martin Luther King Jr.

For reference, there were 50 states in the U.S., so being in the top 100 nationally meant it was one of the most prestigious universities in the region.

However, it was somewhat lacking compared to world-renowned universities like Harvard, MIT, or Stanford.

“What will change if I go to a better school?”

“The people you meet will change.”

“Networking?”

“It’s not just about networking.”

Jeong Hyun-woo tilted his head.

‘Is this adult advice?’

But Sarah wasn’t old enough to give advice as an adult to someone.

Nevertheless, she wanted to dissuade Jeong Hyun-woo. She couldn’t just stand by and watch.

“It’s MIT, no matter what.”

“No matter what?”

“Meet geniuses at MIT and exploit them.”

Exploit geniuses for business.

Sarah’s business acumen was undeniable.

Jeong Hyun-woo couldn’t help but nod at her words.

“Now that I hear it, Sarah’s right.”

“I’ll assume you’re set on MIT.”

“What if I get rejected?”

“Then you can think about Boston University.”

Jeong Hyun-woo decided to follow her advice.

‘Sarah probably knows the American admission system better than I do.’

Clack.

Sarah closed her book and stood up.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.”

Jeong Hyun-woo swallowed hard.

“Is it already tomorrow?”

“Yes, it’s tomorrow.”

“I’ll need a suitcase, right?”

“We’re just going for a light meal.”

Meaning a travel suitcase wasn’t necessary.

“Then would a backpack be enough?”

“Yes, that should be enough.”

An invitation to dine with an American conglomerate family.

Jeong Hyun-woo was slightly nervous.

‘Even if they’re not the main family, the Hiltons are still the Hiltons.’

He had caught a glimpse of the Hilton family’s power during his last trip to New York.

‘Just meeting them on the street led to a luxurious room costing ten thousand dollars a day.’

He couldn’t forget the luxurious suite at the St. Regis Hotel.

***

The hometown of Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton Hotel Group, was New Mexico.

However, Sarah’s hometown was not New Mexico. Conrad Hilton had left New Mexico and moved to Texas, so the Hilton family members had also headed to Texas to help him.

The plane carrying Jeong Hyun-woo and Sarah landed at Houston International Airport.

‘Since they’re not the main family, they don’t use a private jet?’

The two of them had come to Houston in ordinary economy seats.

“You listened to my story, right?”

Sarah had introduced her family during the trip to Houston. The reason she introduced her family was that there were a few people with unique backgrounds.

“Yes, I remember it well.”

Sarah sighed briefly at Jeong Hyun-woo’s curt reply.

“I’m sorry for making an unreasonable request.”

Jeong Hyun-woo forced a bright smile at her apology.

“Unreasonable request? You were being considerate of me.”

A successful white Christian family in the American South.

The Hilton family could be considered extremely conservative.

‘Ha, I hope I don’t run into the KKK [Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist hate group].’

Racism was decreasing, but 1982 was completely different from the 21st century.

“Okay, let’s go.”

As soon as they came out of the gate, they saw a middle-aged man holding a large sign.

He was a tall white man.

“We’re here!”

The middle-aged man was neatly dressed in a suit.

Sarah awkwardly raised her hand.

“Neil.”

Jeong Hyun-woo had heard the name Neil on the plane.

‘Neil, the butler of the Hilton family, was it?’

A butler, not just a simple manager.

Even the mansions of famous American celebrities on TV might have managers, but not butlers.

How big is the house?

Sarah hadn’t shown him any pictures of the mansion.

‘I wish she had shown me at least a picture.’

Neil shifted his gaze to Jeong Hyun-woo.

“Are you a guest?”

Sarah quickly introduced Jeong Hyun-woo.

“This is Charlie Jeong. He’s my friend.”

Neil greeted him politely.

“I’m Neil.”

“I’m Charlie Jeong. You can call me Charlie.”

“Charlie, let’s go then.”

Neil led the two to the car.

The car Neil had brought was waiting at the airport entrance, not in the parking lot.

‘It’s a Lincoln.’

Lincoln was Ford Motor Company’s premium brand and had been the car of choice for U.S. presidents until President Kennedy’s assassination.

However, after President Kennedy was assassinated in a Lincoln Continental limousine, people associated Lincoln’s assassination with President Kennedy’s assassination, and the White House switched the presidential vehicle to a Cadillac.

The Hilton family, like typical American conglomerates, seemed to prefer domestic brands over Mercedes-Benz or Rolls-Royce.

“Please get in.”

Jeong Hyun-woo and Sarah took their seats in the back.

Plush cushions and soft leather.

It felt completely different from the Ford Choi Kyung-min drove.

“Then we’ll depart.”

As soon as Neil finished speaking, the driver started the car. In addition to Neil, the butler, there was a separate driver.

The Hilton family was like British aristocracy.

‘Is that why they were able to become related to the Rothschild family of England through marriage?’

It wasn’t now, but in the future, the Hilton family and the Rothschild family would be connected through marriage.

***

It wasn’t a mansion, but a small castle.

Jeong Hyun-woo was overwhelmed by its scale.

‘My Pyeongchang-dong home was really small.’

Chairman Jeong Woo-sun’s Pyeongchang-dong residence even felt modest compared to the Hilton family’s mansion.

The Lincoln car passed through an entrance decorated with magnificent pillars and drove for a long time.

Between the mansion and the entrance was a garden on the scale of a small amusement park.

‘How many people would it take to manage a garden of this size?’

Squeak.

With a short braking sound, the car stopped at the entrance of the mansion.

The entrance was decorated in a European style, and in front of it was a garden decorated with roses, different from the garden that had been passed earlier. Of course, the roses were not in bloom as it was the wrong season.

“Welcome back, Miss.”

Several servants came out to greet them.

Sarah had a troubled expression.

“Why is everyone like this?”

“It’s because you’ve come back after two years, Miss.”

The middle-aged woman with a gentle smile seemed to be of higher rank among the managers.

“Kate!”

“Besides, you said you were bringing a guest.”

The reason many servants came out to greet her was an event her father had arranged to make Sarah stand out.

“Really.”

She knew it was her father’s doing, so she couldn’t get angry at the servants.

‘Ha, why is Father doing this?’

She turned to Jeong Hyun-woo and said,

“Charlie, this is different from usual.”

Jeong Hyun-woo shrugged.

“I know. But it’s much better than not being welcomed, right?”

Sarah sighed briefly and then entered the mansion.

The inside of the mansion was as splendid as the outside.

Not only the chandelier in the center but also the walls and pillars were all decorated in the Baroque style.

‘It’s like being in Europe.’

Of course, Jeong Hyun-woo had never been to Europe.

“The master is waiting inside.”

Sarah shrugged. Then she said in a voice small enough for only Jeong Hyun-woo to hear.

“He’s imitating the aristocracy.”

Jeong Hyun-woo responded to her words in a small voice.

“I think he likes the British side.”

“No, this is the German side.”

“Ah.”

Jeong Hyun-woo exclaimed briefly.

Germany was an empire ruled by an emperor until it was defeated in World War I.

‘It tried to compete with the British Empire but fell.’

Britain was also no longer an empire. The reason Britain could call itself an empire was because the Indian Empire was their colony.

‘Now the United States is taking its place.’

He was feeling the flow of world history in the Hilton family’s mansion.

───────────

───────────