The Tyrant Billionaire

The contestants who had been expecting a dramatic showdown were shocked. Ava gave Monroe such a high score? Didn't she hear the rumors? It didn't make sense.

They had expected a fight, but nothing happened, leaving some people disappointed.

Of course, Ava had heard the rumors about Monroe, but would she start trouble? Absolutely not. Ava was a very clever woman, always had been.

She was fully aware of her position.

She also knew she had to maintain the proper mindset.

She belonged to Hardy, but Hardy didn't belong to her alone. Ava knew about Hardy's other women, so what was one more Monroe?

Hardy had already given her enough. If she started wanting more, it would only lead to disaster.

The other judges also gave Monroe good scores.

Monroe advanced to the next round.

Monroe was the most popular contestant and one of the show's key ratings drivers. The production team wasn't going to let her be eliminated so easily.

But two days later.

New rumors began circulating within the production team.

People said that Monroe had slept with the big boss and was guaranteed a high placement in the competition. Those with real talent would probably be pushed out.

These rumors eventually reached Hardy.

Edward personally reported to Hardy that these rumors were indeed circulating in the production team. He had already ordered the staff not to spread gossip, or they would face consequences. This helped suppress the rumors for now.

Hardy shook his head.

"I fear it's not that simple. I'll have Henry and his team investigate," Hardy said.

Edward carefully asked, "Boss, should we avoid suspicion and eliminate Monroe in the next round at the top 12?"

Hardy chuckled.

"Do you think I need to avoid suspicion? Even if I did sleep with her and decided to promote her, so what? Who in all of Hollywood would dare question it?"

Edward grinned.

"Of course, boss. In that case, what ranking should Monroe aim for?"

Hardy thought for a moment. "Originally, I planned to have her stop at the top 12 and let her appear as a guest afterward. But now I've changed my mind. Monroe's popularity is the highest among all the contestants, and eliminating her too early would hurt the ratings.
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"Third place. Let her make it to the semifinals and finish in third place. That way, she'll stay through the entire competition."

Edward nodded enthusiastically. "Understood, boss. I'll arrange it and have the record company write a few more high quality songs for Miss Monroe."

The next day.

It was the turn of the girl who had shared a room with Monroe that night to perform on stage. She was eliminated after stepping on the stage with her left foot first.

Just kidding.

She was eliminated because she didn't perform well. All the judges gave her low scores, and she didn't receive many votes from the audience, so she was eliminated.

But that wasn't the end of it.

Henry's investigation team followed the girl and discovered that she had been in contact with another company.

It was eventually uncovered that the person contacting her was from NBC Television. The girl was quite talented, which was why she had been selected to perform at the president's campaign event.

All the contestants had signed contracts with HD Agency, the kind of low paid rookie contracts typical for newcomers. NBC offered the girl a better contract and hoped she would switch to their company. She eagerly agreed.

Their offer was that the higher her placement, the better her contract terms. After hearing rumors that Monroe might have slept with the big boss, she became jealous and feared Monroe would steal her opportunity, so she started spreading the rumors.

After hearing this, Hardy smiled faintly.

"Leave that girl to Edward to handle. Henry, send more people into NBC and Columbia Television. Gather as much information as you can. Someday, we might surprise them."

Henry nodded in agreement.

Business is war. Since the other side is a competitor, it's wise to prepare in advance. Sending a few spies won't cost much, but they could prove useful in the future.

Hardy called this "being prepared for a rainy day."

As the old saying goes, "It's not the thief you fear; it's the thought of the thief."

...

Johnson visited several cities in Georgia and Alabama to campaign. With the election drawing near, the promotional activities officially stopped, and he returned to Washington.

October 31st.

Johnson called Hardy, "Hardy, are you busy in Los Angeles?"

"Not too much," Hardy replied with a smile.

"How about coming to Washington to keep me company? I've invited you to play golf on the 2nd," Johnson said.

"Of course, I'd be happy to join you and welcome the good news of your election victory," Hardy laughed.

"No one knows the outcome until the last moment," Johnson said.

Hardy knew that Johnson was still worried, which was understandable. This was why Johnson sought the company of someone he trusted most.

The next day.

Hardy took a private plane to Washington and met President Johnson at the White House. By this point, everything had been done, and all that remained was to wait for the results. Hardy had dinner with Johnson, and they talked about various economic matters.

For example, investment in Europe.

The future direction of the U.S. economy.

Through the conversation, Hardy gained much insight, learning about Johnson's vision for the future, which allowed him to plan ahead.

Sometimes, a single word from a powerful figure can bring fortune to someone. Understanding future trends and seizing opportunities could elevate Hardy's Group to the next level. This is why large financial groups are willing to invest in politicians.

They don't always need politicians to profit directly, sometimes, simply learning their plans is enough.

For example, knowing that the higher ups plan to heavily invest in high tech companies, Hardy could position himself in the industry early.

Or knowing that the real estate market would be suppressed, Hardy could sell off real estate investments in advance, cashing out at the peak and investing in other more profitable sectors.