The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 29

29. Becoming a Villain in a Chaebol Family – A Haven for Geniuses 02 –

***

“Robert, I didn’t expect you to come all the way to Boston.”

Robert slightly bowed his head in response to Sarah’s gratitude.

“Not at all. Charlie is a savior-like talent for our Activision. Besides, I didn’t just recommend Charlie; I saved MIT from being overshadowed by Stanford.”

Stanford was the father and mother of Silicon Valley. Even before Silicon Valley, Stanford was a prestigious institution, but with the rise of the IT industry, it was rapidly gaining momentum.

In the IT industry, it was true that MIT was being overshadowed by Stanford.

“You could have just sent the recommendation letter by mail.”

Robert shook his head from side to side at Sarah’s words.

“Mail for something like this? I believe it’s right to come and deliver it in person.”

Hyun-woo knew.

That Robert was not there for the reasons he mentioned earlier.

‘My admission to MIT is also beneficial to Activision.’

If he failed to get in, Activision would inevitably be in trouble.

‘If I fail to extend my visa, I’ll have to return to Korea.’

Activision could only continue to distribute the game he developed if Hyun-woo was admitted to MIT.

So, Robert personally visited MIT and briefed the professors and admissions office on Hyun-woo’s excellence.

‘In the end, Robert isn’t a man who moves without benefit.’

He put down his milkshake and sighed briefly.

“Somehow, the documents passed.”

Robert said with a bright smile.

“The interview won’t be difficult either.”

He thought that he would pass the interview without any problems unless there were special reasons.

‘It’s difficult for people like us to find developers like Charlie.’

Robert highly valued Hyun-woo’s ideas and development skills.

“When is the interview?”

“In two days.”

Robert nodded greatly at Sarah’s answer.

“I see. I look forward to good news.”

As he was about to get up, Hyun-woo asked.

“When is Activision’s IPO (Initial Public Offering)?”

Activision’s IPO was originally scheduled for the spring of 1982.

However, it was delayed for various reasons, and even now, with winter approaching, the schedule had not been set.

“We will definitely do it next year.”

“Next year?”

Robert nodded.

“We won’t be able to postpone it any longer.”

“I see. Then I’ll invest at that time.”

Robert thanked Hyun-woo for his intention to invest and left.

After he left.

Sarah asked Hyun-woo.

“Are you really going to invest?”

Hyun-woo nodded and replied.

“Yes, I will.”

“The game industry is risky.”

Hyun-woo finished his milkshake and said.

“There’s also loyalty to Activision, and more than anything, there’s no guarantee that the game industry bubble will burst right away.”

“A kind of insurance, you mean?”

Hyun-woo nodded.

“If the game industry bubble doesn’t burst by next summer, we have to pay back 2-3 million dollars. I think I can repay this with the funds invested in Activision.”

Sarah was slightly surprised by his words.

“Charlie was even calculating that.”

“It’s basic to have insurance in investing.”

Sarah thought that Hyun-woo was becoming more mature.

‘Now it’s not just game development. He’s also skilled in investing.’

Hyun-woo’s investment skills were improving not only because he knew the future but also because of his quick wit and adaptability. He lacked the ability to focus on one thing, but his ability to adapt was outstanding.

Without even realizing it, he was becoming skilled in investment and financial management.

“Then how much are you going to invest?”

Hyun-woo replied briefly.

“One million dollars.”

One million dollars.

Sarah thought it was the perfect amount.

“We can use that much without feeling burdened.”

More than a million dollars would burden Victoria, and less than that would diminish its meaning as insurance.

“Sarah, is there anything special I should be aware of during the interview?”

“Well, I think Charlie will pass without any problems.”

She thought that failures were somewhat decided before the interview.

‘Having a good recommendation letter and resume is more important than a word at the interview.’

Students from countries other than the United States sometimes did not understand the meaning of recommendation letters and resumes.

This was because the goals of American and other countries’ universities were different.

America’s prestigious universities not only accepted excellent students and fostered outstanding talents but also believed it was important to create leaders who could lead the world.

This was also the reason why they received donation admissions from prestigious families.

Of course, it was also true that the support funds from prestigious families were of great help to the school’s operation.

However, they did not accept the children of prestigious families solely because they needed operating funds.

“I want to rest a little if I get accepted in the early admission.”

Hyun-woo had been working hard on game development and investment since last year.

Sarah thought it was time for him to rest a little.

“Where do you want to go on vacation?”

Hyun-woo answered her question.

“Las Vegas.”

Las Vegas.

A city of revelry and entertainment.

Americans called Las Vegas Sin City.

Of course, this sin did not mean crime. Sin City meant a city whose main industry was gambling, which was religiously prohibited.

“Las Vegas?”

It was unexpected.

No, Sarah didn’t want him to go there.

‘If Charlie really wants to go there, I have no choice but to go with him.’

The moment Kyung-min Choi refused to become his man, she thought she had no choice but to become Hyun-woo’s guardian.

“Yes, it’s a city that everyone wants to visit at least once.”

Sarah nodded at his answer.

“Okay. Then let’s spend this winter vacation in Las Vegas.”

She thought.

‘If possible, I’ll book a place far from the center of Las Vegas.’

This was to prevent any mishaps that might happen at night in advance.

***

The weather in San Francisco in November was similar to the spring weather in Korea. Although the season was entering winter, a light jacket or cardigan was enough.

“What brings you here?”

There was red lipstick on the white coffee cup. The men passing by were drawn to the red lipstick on her coffee cup.

“Can’t a younger brother visit his older sister?”

The young man sitting across from her was John Hilton.

Her only younger brother.

“My cute brother has returned after 20 years.”

“Sister.”

The woman attracting the attention of the surrounding men was Laura Hilton.

Her beauty was as great as Hyun-woo had acknowledged.

“If you have something to say, say it right away. This sister is busy.”

It was true that Laura was busy. But she wasn’t so busy that she couldn’t have a meal with her brother.

“I’m leaving for Europe this time.”

“Germany?”

“No.”

“Then where?”

“England.”

Laura said, lifting her teacup.

“Not bad.”

“I won’t be able to come back for a while.”

“Will I see you next Thanksgiving?”

“If you’re unlucky, you might not see me then either.”

Laura frowned slightly.

“Does Jenny know?”

“Yes, she knows.”

“Why don’t you just get out of the military?”

As the heir of the Hilton family, she meant that he should serve appropriately and get out.

“I can’t do that.”

“You’re going to become a real soldier at this rate.”

“I’m thinking about that too.”

Clang.

With a light sound, the coffee in the cup shook.

“No way.”

Laura was firm.

John sighed lightly at her strong words.

“I know I have an obligation.”

“You’re the only one in our family.”

Unless Andrew Hilton got a new wife and had children, he was the only man in the Hilton family to carry on the lineage.

“I envy my sister or Sarah.”

“You envy me?”

Laura’s eyebrows rose. She thought her two failed marriages were because of her father.

‘You can’t be happy with an arranged marriage.’

According to one researcher, there were thousands of arranged marriages in the Middle Ages, but divorces were extremely rare.

However, this was a story from the Middle Ages. In modern times, arranged marriages often cracked over time.

“At least you can choose your own job.”

Neither sons nor daughters could marry as they pleased.

“A job.”

Laura had no choice but to acknowledge her brother’s words.

‘John has no choice but to follow in his father’s footsteps.’

Andrew Hilton’s father.

So, her grandfather helped Conrad Hilton’s hotel business and made a considerable amount of money. And he invested that money not in hotels or real estate but in the oil industry in his hometown.

It was just an okay investment in the 1960s, but when his son, Andrew Hilton, took over, this investment hit the jackpot.

The oil shock had caused oil prices to soar.

“Well, I didn’t come here to complain.”

“Just to see my face?”

“Wouldn’t that be okay?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Laura picked up a spoon and twirled it around.

“Sister, what do you think of Charlie?”

“Charlie?”

“Yes.”

John was impressed by the clear-eyed Asian boy.

“He’s a desirable kid.”

“A desirable kid?”

“He’s an excellent developer.”

“Not that way.”

Laura tilted her head.

“Not that way? Could it be······.”

“I wish it were just a possibility.”

Laura sighed lightly.

“John, Sarah is not that kind of kid.”

John was thinking that Sarah might have a preference for young boys.

That’s because Sarah hadn’t had a boyfriend until now.

It was strange for a beautiful woman over twenty in America not to have a boyfriend.

Even Laura, who was a genius in mathematics and physics, had several boyfriends before her arranged marriage.

So he thought she had developed a strange taste.

“I’m worried that she brought him to the Thanksgiving dinner, not just on vacation.”

In America, bringing someone to Thanksgiving dinner meant they were like family.

“If you’re right, Sarah will dump Charlie soon, right?”

John tilted his head.

“Yes?”

“Looking at Charlie’s shoes, they’re surprisingly big. He’ll soon be a tall young man, though not as tall as you.”

If she had a strange preference for young boys, she would dump Hyun-woo when he became a young man.

“Do you think so?”

“But I’ll bet a hundred dollars that’s not the case.”

She was saying she would bet a hundred dollars that Sarah didn’t have a preference for young boys.

“I don’t want to bet on my brother’s taste.”

“Just worried?”

“That’s right.”

John wanted to meet Sarah and Hyun-woo when he had time.

‘It would be clearer if I met them both.’

He was just sorry that he didn’t have time to go to Boston.

***

American universities usually recruited students through three types of admissions.

The first is regular admission.

This refers to the large-scale recruitment of students during the admission season.

A large number of students entered universities through this regular admission.

The second is early admission.

This is the equivalent of early admission in Korea. Each university could recruit the necessary students in advance before the regular admission.

Students with excellent grades, resumes, and recommendation letters were admitted to universities through early admission before regular admission.

The last third was rolling admission.

Although it had the same name as rolling admission in Korea, this was a true rolling admission, and universities recruited students they wanted regardless of the period.

In this case, the hurdles were inevitably higher compared to regular or early admission.

Hyun-woo applied for this rolling admission.

“Fighting.”

The one clenching her fist was Sarah.

“Don’t worry.”

Kyung-min Choi was standing next to her.

“Good luck.”

He thought that Hyun-woo’s admission interview was made possible by Sarah’s power.

‘It would have been difficult to even submit documents to a prestigious university like MIT without the Hilton family.’

Kyung-min Choi still did not know about the existence of Victoria Corporation.

Squeak.

Hyun-woo opened the door of Bexley Hall, the main building of MIT, where the interview was held, and entered.

‘Today is the place of decision.’

He took a deep breath and took a big step forward.

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