N-M Chapter 173 The Broker
Chapter 173 The Broker
Chapter 173 The Broker
As night fell, the string lights in the courtyard lit up one by one, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere for the family birthday party.
The main attraction of dinner was the sizzling roast meat, with various sausages and ribs neatly arranged on the grill, and freshly baked pizzas warming in the stone oven next to it. These were the most common choices for parties because they were convenient.
However, thanks to Liu Huiying, today's dining table was clearly dominated by a more special aroma: authentic Chinese barbecue.
"Try this." Connery came over with a plate of freshly grilled meat skewers. The skewers were still steaming hot and glistening with oil, and the cumin and chili powder sprinkled on top gave off an enticing aroma.
Ernst picked up a cigarette, about to put it in his mouth, when Zi Guang inadvertently glanced at Anne not far away and hummed twice, "Do you think this personal secretary is taking care of me, or me taking care of her?"
The scope of a personal secretary's responsibilities is quite broad, covering almost every aspect of the employer's daily life and work.
Upon closer examination, it can be roughly divided into two main categories: daily care and work assistance.
Managing daily affairs is fundamental, from handling household expenses and paying utility bills on time to coordinating the needs of family members; it requires meticulous attention to every detail.
In addition, they also need to assist in managing complicated household affairs, such as reasonably arranging the division of household chores, planning and organizing family activities, and maintaining smooth communication with the cooks, gardeners, cleaners and other staff hired by the family to ensure that the whole family runs smoothly.
Time management and scheduling are of paramount importance. A personal secretary needs to develop a scientific and reasonable daily schedule based on the employer's work nature and personal habits, arranging meetings, visits, private time and other activities in a well-organized manner to ensure work efficiency while allowing sufficient rest time.
There are also operational arrangements, whether it's vehicle dispatch for daily travel, private jets for long-distance travel, or accommodation arrangements after arriving at the destination, all of which need to be communicated and handled in advance.
Health management is also one of the core tasks of a life secretary. This includes not only arranging regular physical examinations for employers and establishing comprehensive health records, but also paying close attention to the employer's dietary health and work-rest patterns.
There are many similar tasks, such as document organization, information filtering, and handling ad-hoc tasks, but the core responsibilities are basically these few points.
Ernst hadn't expected the new personal secretary to be of any help; he just hoped she wouldn't cause any trouble.
But look at this young lady from the Kennedy family in front of me; she exudes an aura of trouble.
Her Chanel suit perfectly accentuated her figure. The Dior sunglasses perched on her head gleamed with a subtle yet expensive sheen, even under the lights.
Her wrists were even more impressive, with a Cartier bracelet on one side and a Patek Philippe watch on the other.
Moreover, it's immediately obvious that this Patek Philippe is no ordinary model. The exquisite patterns on the dial and the unique design style clearly carry the retro charm of the early 20th century. It is undoubtedly an antique collectible that has been passed down for over a century and is priceless.
Looking at her neck, the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace shone brightly under the light, and even from a distance, Ernst found its dazzling brilliance somewhat blinding.
"Tell me, if we walk out together, who looks more like whose secretary?" Ernst complained to Wenger helplessly.
As his personal secretary, she completely ignored him, her boss. Even Connery knew to bring them a plate of meat, but this young lady? She was utterly oblivious.
At this moment, he was so attracted by Liu Huiying by the grill that he couldn't move away. He stood next to her, holding a skewer in his hand and eating it with great relish. He didn't care at all that the corners of his mouth were covered with cumin, and he didn't even care that the oil had dripped onto his expensive Chanel suit.
In Ernst's view, what Massim sent over was nothing more than a giant baby.
Besides being good-looking and having a good figure, what other advantages does she have?
No wonder that guy, knowing it was his birthday, hurriedly abandoned this young lady after finishing his business and ran off without even bothering to stay for a drink.
Ernst initially found it strange, but now he finally understood: this was because they were afraid he would change his mind and return the goods, so they quickly made their escape.
"Hahahaha—" Wenger couldn't help but burst into laughter, already imagining Ernst being driven crazy by this young lady.
"But then again, the other party really has a good eye for people; they've hit the nail on the head."
Ernst rolled his eyes and said dismissively, "That would only work if I could even look at it."
Whether in ancient or modern times, the most reliable relationship between allies has always been inseparable from marriage.
If this is true in the East, the West will also find it difficult to escape this curse.
The fairy tale plot of Cinderella marrying a prince is impossible in reality, unless the prince is from an African tribe. Otherwise, the requirement of being well-matched in social status is an unavoidable hurdle.
There may occasionally be situations where the families are not well-matched, but this mismatch is relative. Compared to ordinary people, there is still a world of difference.
The Boston consortium sent this young lady here, clearly hoping to allow both sides to get to know each other better.
This was both Ernst's assessment of her and the Boston consortium's test of him.
If he can leverage the connections and resources of the Boston consortium to create an even greater wealth myth, then the two sides will likely be completely bound together through marriage, forming an unbreakable alliance of interests.
Ernst was not opposed to this approach; his future wife had to be someone who could provide him with significant assistance, and at least in this respect, this young lady met the requirements.
As for Wenger's statement that it touched his heart, he doesn't deny that.
Undeniably, this young lady has impeccable looks and figure, and the key is that she looks like a super naive and innocent girl.
What kind of person was Ernst? To outsiders, he was a typical playboy and womanizing tycoon.
Even if he gets married in the future, he will probably still have many women around him.
What man wouldn't want a naive and innocent girl as his wife?
At the very least, it ensures that things don't go wrong in the backyard, saving a lot of trouble.
But as Ernst said, at least he has to be able to approve of it.
After observing for less than two hours, he discovered that this young lady was not a naive and innocent girl at all, but simply plain stupid.
Her foolishness has nothing to do with intelligence, but rather with a kind of naive innocence that makes her completely live in her own world.
"By the way, what are you planning to do about Epstein?" Wenger's gaze fell on Craig, who was playing with a dog not far away, and he thought of the Epstein incident.
Both MGM and Ernst himself needed someone like Epstein to navigate various circles and build a network of connections.
Robert Iger had initially suggested Craig for the role, but Ernst declined, saying he needed to consult Craig first.
Later, Ernst specifically asked Craig about it, and Craig's answer was very straightforward: "If you need it, I'll accept any arrangement."
Craig's sincerity touched Ernst, and made him realize that Craig didn't actually want to climb higher mountains to appreciate those so-called more beautiful landscapes.
Just as the matter was temporarily put on hold and Ernst began looking for a more suitable candidate, Epstein took the initiative to approach him.
This guy came to make a deal with Ernst. He claimed he could help Playboy Group take over Victoria's Secret, but on the condition that he continue to be the philanthropist who moves among the powerful and wealthy.
The only difference is that they used to work with Wexner, but now they're working with Ernst.
"I do need someone to do this, so there's nothing that can't be discussed."
Ernst put down the skewer in his hand, his expression suddenly turning serious, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "But if you're going to be a dog, you have to be prepared to be one. What I want isn't equal cooperation, but absolute submission."
He paused, then said firmly, "And this dog isn't something you can just become on a whim. He has to offer enough incentives to prove his worth."
Victoria's Secret? For Playboy Group, acquiring it might bring some benefits and expand its business scope, but even without it, it wouldn't have much of an impact.
Thinking you can come knocking on our door to discuss cooperation with such a worthless lure? That's just wishful thinking.
The current situation is that Epstein needs the resources of Playboy and MGM to consolidate his position, while Ernst can easily support a donor like Epstein at any time.
To put it bluntly, Epstein needed Ernst's help more, so he had to offer a sufficiently sincere pledge of allegiance in order to get the opportunity he wanted.
Although Wenger appeared to be talking to Ernst, his attention was constantly drawn to the lamb skewers in his hand.
Americans do eat lamb, but they don't eat it very often; they only eat it a few times a year.
Moreover, the mutton they usually eat has a slightly gamey smell, which many people find difficult to get used to.
But today's grilled lamb skewers didn't have a hint of lamby smell at all. The meat was tender and juicy, and the seasoning was just right. If he hadn't known beforehand, he would have thought he was eating beef.
He took another big bite, paired with a sip of ice-cold beer, and felt every pore on his body relax and feel so comfortable that he couldn't help but sigh.
He put down his wine glass and said seriously to Ernst, "Epstein is a very ambitious man, and he's the kind of wolf that can't be tamed. You'd better be careful when dealing with him."
Ernst smiled, raised his glass and clinked it against his; the crisp sound of the glasses clinking was particularly clear amidst the distant laughter and chatter.
"I know that." He took a sip of his drink, his eyes deep. "So, without sufficient sincerity, I could not accept him."
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