NOVEL NEXT Chapter 246: Chapter 246: A Ray of Hope
[Chapter 246: A Ray of Hope]
"Alright." Ivanka felt a sudden emptiness when she heard Ryan couldn't stay with her, but she quickly pushed that thought aside.
"There's really not much going on here now, you can head back," Ivanka continued, having learned Ryan's rhetoric from before, so she didn't need to bother Ryan to stay here any longer.
"I actually scheduled someone to come by today," Ryan teased a bit.
Ivanka thought he was talking about the club, nodded, and then got ready to welcome the first group of franchisees.
...
"We completely understand your concerns, but we've truly minimized the investment," Ivanka expertly explained to the franchisees in the conference room.
"Rent, renovations, equipment purchases, and the cost of stocking drinks... it's still a pretty significant investment," one of them sighed.
"In fact, compared to other entertainment venues, the initial investment for a spirit club isn't that high. No worries; you can certainly take time to think it over." Ivanka nodded, using both her charm and the techniques Ryan had taught her, making her feel confident dealing with these franchisees.
"Sorry, I have to step out for a moment." Ivanka signaled to her assistant, then stood up with her ceramic water cup, preparing to grab some coffee.
...
Truthfully, tasks like these didn't require her presence, but Ivanka felt unusually proactive that day. As she passed the large conference room, she peeked inside and saw Ryan sitting at the meeting table, facing several young women who were all impeccably dressed with bold lipstick. They exuded confidence.
'Who are they?' Ivanka thought to herself with a hint of jealousy.
...
A while later, Ryan called her into the conference room.
"Let me introduce you; these ladies are account managers from United Bank. Today we're discussing a potential partnership with them," Ryan said.
"I'm the head of the operations for the company," Ivanka introduced herself and sat next to Ryan.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the female manager from United Bank began to present their business. It turned out they were offering special loans for franchisees. Essentially, United Bank planned to establish a fast-track process for providing secured loans to spirit club franchisees.
Without a doubt, this would lower the barriers for new franchises and speed up expansion.
"You already have a partnership with Ryan, right?" Ivanka casually probed, glancing meaningfully at Ryan during her inquiry.
She had heard that banks often assigned specialized account managers to important clients, who would do their best to meet all demands, even some that were a little sketchy.
Isn't this a prime example right in front of me?
"Yes! We have a long-standing partnership with Ryan, providing comprehensive support," the female account manager quickly replied. "For instance, aside from the spirit clubs, there's..."
"Cough, cough." Ryan cleared his throat.
"Right, I meant to say that deal," the account manager promptly caught herself.
"Ivanka, today is just to introduce you so you can coordinate work with them moving forward. It's not something you need to be involved in right now; you can head out," Ryan reminded her.
Without further ado, Ivanka got up and walked out.
'What's up with this secrecy? What is it that I can't hear?' Ivanka grumbled internally.
'If you don't want to tell me, then I certainly don't want to hear it.' She left the office.
...
Once Ivanka was out of the conference room, Ryan composed himself and asked:
"Is it confirmed that the Kushner group's loans will be suspended?"
"Although we don't have official confirmation yet, based on past patterns, it's likely that these loans will indeed be halted," the account manager replied.
Ryan nodded, "If I collateralize everything I own, how much could I get?"
"Considering the song copyrights, shares in the record label, and equity in three problematic properties, we can offer over $70 million," the manager stated.
Clearly, the Kushner project in Miami was going to stall, meaning Jared would soon be scrambling for funds. Ryan could acquire a portion of Kushner's shares or even partial ownership of the Kushner building. Once the project completed, the Kushner group would naturally pay back the borrowed funds. And even if they couldn't repay, Ryan could still divest his portion of the Kushner building to recover the loss; it was just a matter of how much profit he managed to make.
This wasn't exploitation; this was simply lending a helping hand during tough times.
Half an hour later, Ryan and a few account managers left the operating company.
...
"Has it been confirmed? Got it." Jared Kushner hung up the phone, gazing at the sight of hundreds of construction workers busy at work.
Jared began to pace back and forth, as if weighing options or making a decision.
After some time, he picked up the phone again, "Nora, I want to meet your boss."
...
[Carlyle announced this morning that they will invest in the Kushner Group by purchasing 50% of the property ownership of their headquarters at 666 Fifth Avenue in New York. The specific transaction amount remains undisclosed.]
Ryan read the news on a financial website and immediately understood this was Jared's forced choice.
Could it be that this Miami project brought Jared in touch with Carlyle?
Ryan's plan to lend help was shot down entirely, but he certainly wouldn't be able to take part in the 50% ownership of the Kushner building; compared to the real big players, Ryan was still a small fish.
Last night's ACM Awards went off without a hitch. Despite Taylor reaching out to several individuals within the academy for support, she still lost out to Carrie Underwood for the title of Female Vocalist of the Year. Carrie also snagged the title of Artist of the Year, while Taylor's album Fearless won Album of the Year, marking it as her biggest win of the night. She even performed You're Not Sorry live.
Ryan quickly sent his congratulations, and Taylor said that once she returned, they would discuss matters regarding the country music academy.
...
Next, Ryan called Nora, who was forthcoming about the ins and outs of the situation, sharing that Carlyle had made a significant win and that her higher-ups were very pleased with her.
"Well, congratulations then. You might be heading to headquarters before you know it," Ryan stated.
"The group's focus has shifted since the financial crisis. Before, the headquarters leaned more toward investing in defense contractors, but now they're moving toward real estate, and the partnership with the Kushner Group is just the beginning," Nora explained over the phone.
Carlyle originally made its mark by flipping tax credits from Alaska. At that time, indigenous businesses in Alaska could receive $10 million in tax credits if they lost enough money, allowing Stephen Norris, a manager from Marriott's mergers and acquisitions division, to create a thriving business. Partnering with David Rubinstein, a domestic policy advisor during Carter's presidency, they quickly flipped over $1 billion in tax credits, raking in tens of millions.
The two frequently frequented Carlyle's hotel in Manhattan, which ultimately gave the firm its name.
Since then, Carlyle had primarily focused on defense contractors for its investments. At the moment of 9/11, Osama Bin Laden's associates were attending an investment conference in New York organized by Carlyle, which included guests like the former president, who was also the father of the current president at that time.
Back then, Carlyle's chairman was Frank Carlucci, a former U.S. Secretary of Defense. The firm owned several prominent defense-related companies, manufacturing and supplying components for vehicles such as the M2 Bradley, Apache helicopters, C-17 transport jets, and B-2 stealth bombers. With the former president's son leaving office, Carlyle shifted fully towards global enterprises.
...
"The Kushner Group people pulled out again. I heard Jared and my dad had some sort of misunderstanding. I don't know much more than that," Ivanka mentioned to Ryan at the gym the next day immediately as they met.
"Isn't your dad practically treating Jared like a son-in-law? How did they fall out?" Ryan feigned ignorance, fully aware of the unfolding drama.
Jared has sold all of his core assets, and now the blame was on Donald Trump, so naturally he had to withdraw his men.
"I'm not sure of the details, Dad didn't say much, just mentioned that he'd get in touch with you," Ivanka shrugged. She was annoyed with her father.
With Jared's withdrawal, Donald Trump was likely in deep trouble.
...
That night, as Ivanka and Ryan left together, Ivanka received a call from her dad.
"I was just at the gym and didn't have my phone on me... Ryan? What's up with him? Why are you starting to care about him again?" Ivanka glanced at Ryan beside her.
"You should contact him directly," Ivanka said, not pointing out that Ryan was sitting right next to her.
But just then, Ryan reached out, signaling her to hand him the phone.
Ivanka quickly shook her head, but Ryan took the phone anyway.
"Hey Donald, you looking for me?" Ryan said directly into the phone.
"You are with Ivanka? What's the time!" Donald Trump's tone immediately turned urgent.
"It's 11 PM; what's the issue?" Ryan smiled.
"We're having some property issues right now; I just need you to give me a little time."
"I can't give you time; Ivanka has been busy hosting a lot of franchisees each day," Ryan replied.
"Something unexpected happened, and I certainly didn't want this," Donald Trump sighed on the other end.
"Tell me more specifically."
Silence on the other end.
"Donald, putting aside your daughter's issues... I'm one of the few who can help you now," Ryan pressed.
"Fine, to put it simply, I have two companies. One has significant real estate, like the Trump Tower in Manhattan, and the other, Entertainment Resort, is nominally responsible for the spirit club properties. If you want the spirit club to operate smoothly, you know that a few banks have been in touch with me, but it's just missing some paperwork. You either wait, or lend me a bit -- just for maybe a few months, and I'll pay you back," Donald Trump laid it out straight.
"If there's an issue with the property supply, I'll just switch vendors," Ryan countered; he clearly wouldn't agree to Donald Trump's proposition.
"We signed a contract!"
"Which you already breached first."
"I won't interfere in your relationship with my daughter anymore; does that work?" Donald Trump was not really conceding; he was just aware he was in hot water.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryan replied, feigning confusion.
"What do you want then?"
"I don't want anything; I just need you to supply property on time, or I'll find someone else."
"Well, the Trump Group can welcome you with open arms!"
The two companies Donald Trump held included a few casinos in Atlantic City, whereas the Trump Group had numerous prime assets, including several skyscrapers at 725 Fifth Avenue, 845 United Nations Plaza, 40 Wall Street, a winery, 11 golf clubs, Mar-a-Lago, Seven Springs estate, and several luxury homes in Beverly Hills. All these were directly owned by the Trump Group. Furthermore, the group underwrites and manages several office buildings and apartments.
This represented Donald Trump's trump card and core interests.
"Why don't you seek out other big corporations?" Ryan questioned.
"Do you think I can't? I told you, I aim to stay independent," Donald Trump stated his principle.
Compared to large private equity firms like Carlyle, Ryan seemed a lot more approachable.
"Can't you get loans using those prime assets?"
"Now isn't a good time. The asset prices are hit hard, and besides, I've borrowed quite a bit already; there's really no room for refinancing. Unless you're willing to guarantee me," Donald Trump replied.
"If you can't repay by then, I'll need ownership of the building at 725 Fifth Avenue. Is that feasible?"
"Absolutely not! That building is collateralized multiple times. I can mortgage Mar-a-Lago, Seven Springs, and six golf courses to you, along with Miss Universe's ownership. In a year or two, these asset prices will rebound," Donald Trump argued.
Ryan calculated internally; the potential deal seemed reasonable.
"But that's under the condition that you won't be able to repay. If I need to sell it again, how will I calculate the wasted time and the loss in the rush to sell it?"
"I can give you half a year's rent from 725 Fifth Avenue, but you must clear it up in six months," Donald said.
"And you need to directly transfer ownership of Miss Universe to me; that way, all of America can host the pageants at the spirit club, which would be appealing for franchisees," Ryan mused.
"You can only choose one; Miss Universe is valued in the millions."
"That's worthless! No one cares about those contests anymore; it's all about the age of mobile internet. Who watches beauty pageants now?" Ryan scoffed.
Pageants were relics of television's heyday; these days, they were pretty lackluster.
"Alright," Donald Trump inhaled deeply. "Put Ivanka back on."
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.