Chapter 215: One Minute
Chapter 215: One Minute
Murdoch stared fixedly at Eric with the expression of someone facing a reckless junior who did not know his own limits. In a heavy voice, he said, “Eric, you should know that 10% of the shares is simply impossible. Even if I agreed, the board would never agree.”
Eric seemed completely unaffected by the pressure in Murdoch’s expression and said casually, “Mr. Murdoch, although you don’t hold absolute control, everyone in the world knows that News Corporation is Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. I believe you definitely have the authority to decide this matter. So please don’t use reasons like the board to brush me off, all right?”
“Then I’ll tell you clearly, Eric. There is no room for negotiation on this matter. You should choose another condition.”
Eric still looked relaxed, even crossing one leg over the other, but his tone also became firm and forceful.
“Mr. Murdoch, I said before that I’m a very stubborn person. Once I speak, I won’t make any changes.”
After those words, the reception room instantly fell silent.
The old man and the young man stared at each other without giving an inch. Only a moment later, Eric looked away first. It was not because he felt guilty, but because he found this behavior truly meaningless. What use was suppressing someone in momentum? The key to negotiations was still who held more bargaining chips.
And right now, the most important bargaining chip was in Eric’s hands.
He casually drank the remaining coffee in his cup. Finally, he could turn the ceramic cup over. As expected, those few words were not engraved on the bottom.
After setting the cup back on the table, Eric finally raised his head and looked at Murdoch.
“Eric, why don’t we stop here for today? Perhaps we both need to cool down.”
The moment Murdoch spoke, Eric keenly realized that in this confrontation, he had unknowingly gained an absolute upper hand. Under such circumstances, how could he possibly fail to press the advantage in one go?
“Mr. Murdoch, my schedule is extremely tight. If we miss today, I don’t know whether I’ll be able to spare time over the next two months. Besides, the three major networks are still waiting for my reply.”
After speaking, Eric seemed to feel that this was not enough, so he added, “Oh, right. ABC has been losing a lot of money these past few years, so their offer is also the highest. Also, they previously mentioned that they’re willing to pay a penalty fee to buy the remaining episodes of this season of Friends. To be honest, I’m quite tempted. After all, for the first season of Friends, I can only receive a 40% advertising revenue share from Fox. But if I switch to another network, the price ABC offered is… Sorry, that’s a trade secret.”
This was already a naked threat. Murdoch almost wanted to sweep everything in front of him directly into Eric’s face.
Of course, he could only think about it.
Murdoch coldly said, “If you want to breach the contract, then prepare to see me in federal court. I guarantee that in the end, you won’t get a single cent.”
“Mr. Murdoch, do you think that in North America, News Corporation can contend against the three major networks and the forces behind them? You know very clearly in your heart that if this lawsuit really happens, Fox will definitely lose. Perhaps after the lawsuit ends, Friends will only be able to resume airing next year. Firefly may suffer quite a bit from that, but without question, Fox will lose even more. Without Friends, Fox trying to rise quickly again would be even more delusional. And during that time, it will be enough for the three major networks, who have already sensed the threat, to join forces and kick Fox Television out of the game.”
“If you really do that, Firefly won’t gain any benefits from it either. Eric, don’t forget. In Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the American domestic market, these major English-speaking countries, News Corporation possesses powerful control over media opinion through the newspapers and television stations in our hands. Even the British government now has to carefully maintain a good relationship with News Corporation in order to preserve its media image.
“If you do that, I can make the reputation of every film Firefly produces collapse worldwide and make your personal image throughout the world utterly worthless. Do you know how many reports about you and those actresses we had the New York Post suppress? Several of them were personally interfered with by me. A New York Post reporter became interested in you half a year ago and followed you for two full months. He took photos of your entire private life. The New York Post originally planned to produce a report about all your deeds: about that actress named Virginia Madsen, about your current girlfriend, about Julia Roberts. Oh, I almost forgot Miss Drew Barrymore. She’s only fourteen now, isn’t she?”
After saying all this, Murdoch rather smugly picked up the coffee before him and prepared to take a sip.
But Eric, who had been keeping his head slightly lowered, raised it at that moment. Only then did Murdoch discover that Eric’s eyes were cold, while an abnormal flush had appeared on his slightly pale face.
Damn.
Murdoch inwardly cried out. He suddenly realized that Eric before him was only nineteen years old, and moreover, he was a young man who had achieved success too early.
Together, these two circumstances meant Eric was more prone than other young people to act impulsively when facing threats.
If this brat really lost control for a moment and would rather breach the contract than let Friends remain with Fox, then even if Murdoch later mobilized the power of the media and utterly destroyed this little fellow’s public image, News Corporation would not gain the slightest benefit. That clearly did not align with News Corporation’s interests.
Eric seemed not to notice the change in Murdoch’s expression. He raised his wrist, glanced at his watch, then lifted his head and looked at Murdoch.
“Mr. Murdoch, you have one minute to consider. Agree to my terms, or we break completely and each go our own way. Let’s see who suffers greater losses in the end. The countdown starts now.”
After speaking, Eric lowered his head again.
Murdoch immediately panicked.
Judging from this, the little fellow really had lost some rationality.
“Eric, don’t be like this, all right? You’re already an adult,” Murdoch said helplessly, his tone carrying faint reproach.
Eric, however, seemed not to hear him at all. Lowering his head, he continued counting down on his own.
“55… 54… 53…”
Seeing that Eric ignored him, Murdoch instead leaned back on the sofa and narrowed his eyes slightly, seemingly wanting to see whether Eric truly dared count down to the end.
He had previously read Eric’s information and knew this young man possessed maturity and steadiness far beyond others his age.
He was betting that perhaps Eric had acted impulsively because of the things he had just said, but a one-minute countdown should be enough for this intelligent young man to calm down.
“36… 35… 34…”
The countdown continued relentlessly.