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Chapter 166: One Stone, Three Birds
🕑 Added 2025-05-11 18:11:00 +0000 UTCThe general manager of Dunn Capital was Scott Swift, but he was more of a figurehead. He didn’t have much real power—everything had to follow Dunn’s orders.
“Scott, how many Apple shares have we snapped up?”
Dunn was playing a big game, and every piece of his strategy was tangled up in a web of complex connections.
Take Apple and Pixar, for example—both had Steve Jobs as chairman and CEO.
Scott Swift replied, “2.8 million shares.”
Dunn sounded annoyed. “That’s it?”
Scott jumped to explain, “Dunn, Apple’s stock price has been dropping every day. The more we bought early on, the more it cost us. Plus, we need to go with the market’s flow. If we scoop up too many shares too fast and the price spikes, it’ll work against us.”
On the other end of the phone, Dunn got it.
Scott was his right-hand man, the guy running Dunn Capital. While he followed Dunn’s orders, he also had to protect the company’s bottom line.
From that angle, Scott was doing fine—sharp mind, clear moves.
But it didn’t fit Dunn’s bigger plan. Short-term gains were peanuts compared to the long-term strategy he had in mind.
“We can’t keep holding back like this. We’ve got to give Wall Street something to chew on—our target’s Apple. Scott, buy up as many shares as you can. I want Dunn Capital’s name ringing through Wall Street!”
Dunn’s boldness and decisiveness shone through once again.
Back when Wall Street had his back and helped clear his name, it came with a secret deal. Dunn had agreed to pump a chunk of his stock market winnings into the high-tech sector to boost investor confidence.
Over two weeks had passed since then, and Dunn’s PR crisis was long gone. With a few key players hyping him up, he’d even picked up some flashy nicknames—genius director, perfect youth, lady killer, king of Hollywood, wolf of Wall Street, next-gen stock guru.
The storm Disney and Fox had kicked up to drag him down was history. Fresh off Cannes, Dunn had favors to repay, one by one.
Now, with Apple and Pixar linked behind the scenes, Dunn was happy to ride the wave. He’d grab Apple stock with its sky-high growth potential, build a bridge with Pixar, and keep his Wall Street promise all at once.
One stone, three birds—why not?
Scott Swift was used to Dunn calling the shots. “Got it, I’ll set it up right away. Oh, by the way, the company’s gotten over a hundred financing applications. What do you think?”
“Financing applications?” Dunn paused, surprised. “All high-tech and internet companies?”
Before heading to Cannes, Dunn Capital had made a bold promise—keep pouring money into NASDAQ, stay bullish on tech, and back a batch of promising internet startups.
He didn’t expect that, in just half a month, over a hundred applications would roll in.
“Yep. Sorry, Dunn, I’m good with stocks, but I’m not as sharp on the investment side,” Scott said humbly. He’d come from Merrill Lynch, a big-name stockbroker, so he definitely knew a thing or two about investing.
Of course, he also didn’t want to take the fall if any bets went south.
Dunn laughed. “No worries. Fax me the list—I’ll check it out myself!”
Over a hundred internet companies!
During the dot-com crash, half the tech firms went bust, but the ones that survived? Most of them weathered the storm and hit the jackpot.
Dunn might not know the U.S. scene inside out, but he’d heard of the big names.
Who knows? Maybe he’d spot a diamond in the rough on that list.
Investing now would be a lifeline for these companies—maximum reward for him!
Heck, some founders or shareholders might even sell off their whole operation to cut losses.
This was prime time to scoop up bargains.
…
George Paxton sat in the front passenger seat, directing the driver of a souped-up, bulletproof Mercedes as it rolled up the south slope of Beverly Hills.
In the back were Dunn and Sophie Marceau.
Since arriving in the U.S., Dunn had kept her close, hooked on her mix of innocence and allure, artsy yet romantic vibes.
They stepped out, and a few real estate agents hurried over to greet them.
This was a mansion George Paxton had picked out per Dunn’s request.
Dunn’s current place was rented—nice setup, great location, but way too exposed. Every time someone popped in or out, it was splashed across the tabloids the next day.
This hillside estate, though? Totally different story.
Surrounded by woods, there was just one road up from the bottom—like that Asian billionaire Li’s place. Perched halfway up the peak, hire enough guards to lock down the only path, and not even a fly could sneak in.
Dunn ignored the agents’ chatter, slipped an arm around Sophie’s slim waist, and strode toward the courtyard.
Sophie, rocking black shades, seemed used to playing the part by his side, leaning into him like no one else was around. “Dunn, this place is gorgeous.”
Dunn glanced around and nodded.
The estate sprawled over about 5,000 hectares, and right in front was a fan-shaped, emerald-green swimming pool.
Off in the distance, there were tennis courts, lawns, gardens—all the outdoor perks.
George Paxton spoke up quietly, “It’s Northwest Pacific Coast style, modeled after 18th- and 19th-century estates. There’s an artificial lake out back where you could raise salmon or trout. That empty patch over there could be turned into a zoo. The design’s pretty solid.”
Dunn nodded, pleased. “What about the house?”
“Three floors above ground—9 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, 6 kitchens, a domed library, a reception hall, and a small screening room. Two basement levels for parking and a wine cellar. We can check it out in a bit.”
George took over from the agents, leading Dunn inside while adding, “This is top-tier Beverly Hills, hands down. It’ll run you at least $40 million, and it’s a rare find. The original owner went bankrupt in the economic crash, so they had to sell.”
Dunn grinned at Sophie beside him. “What do you think?”
“Does it matter if I like it? I’m not the lady of the house,” she teased, lips pursed.
The agents, well aware of these Hollywood heavyweights, backed off to a safe distance. George, unfazed, joked, “You’ll stay here for a while, though, right?”
Dunn laughed. “Exactly! We’ve only been together a little while—I haven’t even…”
Sophie caught the unspoken drift, her eyes flickering. “Haven’t had your fill yet, huh?”
Dunn cracked up.
Sophie pouted slightly but stayed quiet. George chimed in, “I think it’s great. That front hall’s perfect for parties—could fit a hundred people, no problem. The four master bedrooms are spaced out nicely too. If different… companions move in later, it’ll keep things smooth.”
Dunn smacked his lips. “Four masters? That’s a bit tight, isn’t it?”
Sophie’s jaw dropped, staring at him in disbelief.
Four master bedrooms—at least four women could live here at once?
And that’s tight?
George sighed. “Can’t help it. Beverly Hills is short on land, packed with people. That’s why the ultra-rich don’t settle here—the estates are too small.”
Dunn rubbed his chin. “You mean… somewhere else?”
“Yeah, LA’s got tons of smaller cities around it. Buy a farm—20,000 or 30,000 hectares, whatever—then build a real top-tier mansion to your specs.”
Sophie’s eyes lit up. “Like Michael Jackson’s Neverland?”
George chuckled. “Sure, but Neverland’s small-time. Michael was a big deal in entertainment, but in the billionaire crowd…”
Sophie looked a little awkward. That kind of life felt galaxies away. If she could own a place like this one in her lifetime, she’d be over the moon.
Dunn waved it off, all swagger. “Alright, let’s do this—buy it for now, live here temporarily. George, find me some land. We’ll build our own place!”
“You got it!”
George was thrilled. Dunn was never stingy, and pulling off a deal this big meant a fat bonus for him.
On the ride back, Sophie seemed shaken by Dunn’s lavish lifestyle, her mood a little down.
“What’s up? Not happy?” Dunn pulled her close, acting more like the wise older brother despite their ages.
“It’s nothing.” She shook her head, hesitating before finally mustering the courage. “Dunn… how long do you want me to stick around?”
Without missing a beat, he said, “Three months, maybe. If the project moves fast, two might do.”
“Two or three months… okay, not too long,” Sophie murmured, quietly relieved. No one wants to be someone’s kept sidekick forever. Then a word from Dunn’s answer hit her, and her face lit up. “Project? Dunn, you mean a movie?”
Dunn hugged her tighter, grinning. “Yep! I’m teaming up with Luc Besson for a film called The Fifth Element. Budget’s around $100 million, Mel Gibson’s the lead.”
“So… am I the female lead?” Sophie’s breath hitched, excitement bubbling up.
Dunn was straight with her. “Originally, I had Jodie Foster or Cameron Diaz in mind. But now, with you by my side… it’s been fun, so I changed my plans.”
“Whoa!”
Sophie squealed, throwing herself into his arms. She didn’t act like a sophisticated woman in her thirties—more like a giddy teenager. She whispered in his ear, “I… I can make it even more fun for you!”
“Oh yeah?”
“Wanna find out?”
Dunn took a deep breath and barked at the driver, “Forget the office—home, now!”
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