Chapter 77: Snatching by force
"John, don't be so impatient. Isn't that what negotiation is all about? Do you expect results in one day?" Sheffield signaled him to be patient and talk first.
Of course, regarding the exploration of oil, Sheffield thought that the current complaints were just minor issues, and he was 100% sure about this negotiation, because the two sides had completely different confidences. Who else in the world knew that there was oil underground in Texas? And Rockefeller Jr.'s confidence was that who in the world could explore better than Standard Oil.
But compared to two people who were destined to cooperate but were temporarily scheming against each other, Pierre, the owner and editor-in-chief of the Atlanta Morning News, who had just arrived home after a day of exhaustion, adjusted his expression before opening the door, not wanting to worry his family.
Pierre is in his early forties, and his hair is a little thinning on the top of his head, probably because he often uses his brain. But this hard work is worth it, he has a happy family, a gentle wife and a pair of children, lives in a big house and has a considerable amount of savings, so he can be called a successful person.
Pierre's wife had heard about everything that happened during the day. When she saw her husband come back, she asked him questions with concern. Seeing her lover's concern, Pierre adjusted his mentality. Of course, he also complained about the people at the rally and his dissatisfaction with the inaction of the police department. However, this dissatisfaction stopped soon as there was a knock on the door.
As a successful person, Pierre lived in a very good community with good public security. He looked outside through the door and saw a young man standing at the door. He pushed the door open and asked, "Excuse me, who are you?"
"Mark Jackson!" The man introduced himself, and suddenly several men in suits appeared from the left and right sides of the door, which were not visible to the naked eye. This scared Pierre and he was at a loss for a moment.
Mark Jackson didn't think his behavior was ill-intentioned at all, and said politely, "Mr. Editor-in-Chief, why don't you invite me in to sit down? Of course, even if you disagree, I will go in and do it."
Mark Jackson then pushed Pierre aside and led a few people into the house. He looked at the furnishings in the room with interest and nodded slightly as if commenting, "Mr. Editor-in-Chief's life is pretty good."
"Who are you? Everyone living in this community is a well-known person?" Pierre said calmly, hoping to use the nearby community environment and police department to make these uninvited guests retreat.
"A person of status?" Mark Jackson frowned slightly, as if he was savoring the meaning of this sentence. After a moment, he asked back indifferently, "What do you mean by a person of status? Have you heard of Jackson Manor?"
"Jackson Manor?" Pierre was a little speechless for a moment. He knew the existence of this plantation group. He also knew that the Jackson family was a big family in Georgia. The plantation had always grown cotton and was a leader in the local textile industry. The only reason he knew about it was because he had written a report criticizing this family.
"It's not important that you wrote a report to scold my family. I came here to discuss business. Although I don't understand how my family has offended you, there are tens of thousands of farms in the whole state of Georgia, but you always keep targeting our family." Mark Jackson knew that the other party had wrong ideas when he saw the other party's uncertain expression. He waved his hand casually and sat down directly. He put his hands together on his knees and said, "This is your home, please sit down!"
"In fact, my family is just like other farms, growing some cotton, corn, tobacco, and soybeans! Not to mention the chicken farm. I believe that the cheapest poultry in the United States of Georgia has been served on your table." Mark Jackson sighed for a long time before getting to the point, "Do you hate people who are richer than you? That would explain why the citizens also hate you. What happened in the newspaper office during the day is not surprising."
Obviously Mark Jackson knew everything that happened in the city during the day. Just when he mentioned it, Pierre's mind cleared up and he blurted out, "Did you hire those gangsters?"
"You have to provide evidence when you speak, otherwise it's just a rumor. Look at my head, aren't you just making up stories and writing specious things to make money?" Mark Jackson seemed annoyed at his own naivety and shook his head. "The righteous actions of those patriots against the British spokesperson have nothing to do with me, and I have no reason to lie to you. But this time I was entrusted by someone to discuss the acquisition of the newspaper with you."
The real owner was still visiting the Rockefeller family at his estate. If possible, Mark Jackson did not want to miss this glorious meeting, but there was no way. He had to show up as entrusted by others, just to relax.
Mark Jackson had no reason to refuse Sheffield's request. Like many defeated Confederate supporters, the Jackson family was also hit hard and almost went to Brazil in anger. It took several years to recover its strength with the help of the Sheffield family.
Acquisition? This word stung Pierre's sensitive nerves. How could his life's work be acquired? He flatly refused, "Do you think I will agree to your robbery? Sooner or later, the citizens will understand!"
"Do you realize that you have been paid? Do you want me to provide evidence?" Mark Jackson, who was sitting firmly on the Diaoyutai, ridiculed the other party mercilessly, "Who do you think you are? How dare you accuse me of being a robber? Don't think I don't understand how newspapers operate. You have received a lot of money over the years, otherwise how could you live in a house like this?"
This retort made Pierre blush and turn pale. The key point was that he really took the money, but how did the other party know? Was this also a trap set by the other party?
"You should disappear from the news industry now. The money you earned before is enough for you to live a stable life. You can give your children a good life. If you don't want to, the news that you were paid to speak for the British will spread. I have evidence of your taking money, and I have the certified physical evidence. You will be ruined, and the newspaper will not be able to save you!" Mark Jackson tilted his head with a relaxed expression and looked at Pierre's wife, the mistress of the house. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Can I find out where you live? This is not a problem for the patriots. We just need to let it out."
Mark Jackson snapped his fingers, and the contract appeared in front of the two of them. He tapped the contract on the table with his index finger and said indifferently, "Don't waste time. Sign it for the sake of your children. Otherwise, when they come back, it will be embarrassing for everyone."
"But my newspaper is worth more than $30,000!" Faced with the heavy pressure from Mark Jackson, Pierre hesitated for a long time but finally compromised and just wanted a more favorable contract.
"Didn't you receive the deposit first? It's all included!" Mark Jackson's eyes flashed with a smile, and he slowed down his tone and said, "Sign it, otherwise this house may be burned down by patriotic citizens tomorrow."
Recommend a novel about the Three Kingdoms: The Three Kingdoms: Beginning with the Pavilion Chief
(End of this chapter)
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