World Domination Begins With Getting a System in a Modern World-Chapter 42: Discussion With Patty

James was slightly surprised by what Patty said.

"A hostile takeover? But who would want to takeover a bank? And a community bank at that. Why going to such length? Also, why not just buy the community bank directly? I’m very sure that it would actually be much more easier for them to do that, right?" James thought out loud.

Patty smiled at James words and looked at him, admiring his naivety at how the corporate world works.

"James, things in the corporate world aren’t as straightforward as you put them to be. You asked why someone want to buy a community bank. Why do you want to buy it? Why did the thought cross your mind?" She asked him, with a knowing smile on her face.

"Well, because—."

James wasn’t allowed to finish before he was interrupted by Patty.

"You want to make profit from it. You think that if you buy it and pump money into it, in a year or a few, you will start seeing some profits, right?" She asked, and James nodded in agreement.

"Just as you think that you can make profit by acquiring the company, so does the person or company that’s wants to acquire it. As for your question on why they can’t just buy the company directly, have you ever thought that maybe the owner doesn’t want to sell? If that is so and the company that wants to acquire the bank, really wants the bank badly, then the only way to go is through an aggressive takeover," Patty said.

James nodded in understanding to Patty’s words. Everything she said made sense.

He didn’t actually consider the fact that the owner of the community bank might not actually want to sell the business.

But it begs the question why? Why wouldn’t they want to sell the community bank? Was the money offered by theacquiring company too small or was there something else to it?

James asked himself these questions but he was aware that he won’t get the answers to them.

Patty saw the look on James’ face and when she saw the pondering expression on his face, she knew that he was probably overthinking what she just told him, and she smiled.

"James, you should be careful if you’re really going into the corporate world. You have to understand that it’s filled wolves and there are no true friends there. Everyone there is only out for their own benefits," Patty said.

She felt that she has to give him this piece of advice because as someone who has been in the corporate world for a very long time, even though it’s just as a secretary to the owner of the community bank, she understood how things work there.

James nodded in understanding at Patty’s advice. He knew that she didn’t say what she did you scare, but because she was looking out for him.

"But what do you think I should do, Patty?" James asked curiously.

According to what Patty said, purchasing the communion bank is off the table but James still need somewhere to invest his money.

"I think the best thing for you is to create an investment firm — a holding company. That would the best. First, you have no experience whatsoever with running a company or business, but a holding company is different. All you just need to do is to purchase stocks and shares through it, increasing your assets under management and slowly build yourself up," Patty replied.

"If in the future, your holding company is already large enough and successful, and you still want to purchase a bank — the community bank — then, you can go ahead and buy it.

Also, let me make one thing clear. Buying the bank should be a strategic move for you — a move to increase your wealth and assets — and not to make someone happy. Even if that person is me," Patty added, and smiled at James.

James nodded slightly, with a pondering expression on his face. He agreed with Patty’s idea as he knew what a holding company is, but he doesn’t completely understand it.

"So... a holding company just buys other businesses? It doesn’t make its own products?"

"Exactly." Patty nodded, and continued, "Think of it as a financial parent company. Instead of building one business from scratch, you invest in multiple ones — stocks, startups, existing businesses. Your money grows while others run the companies for you."

James slowly nodded, as he understood it better.

"So instead of managing a single company, I manage an empire?" James asked, and Patty nodded with a smile.

"You can put it that way too."

James nodded as he pondered on what Patty said. Creating a holding company sounds like a good idea.

For one, it’s involves less risk and it wasn’t the same as gambling in crypto. Secondly, he won’t be thrown into what he doesn’t understand like managing or running a company.

Yes, he would still have to run the holding company but since the only thing he would be managing is his assets — his money — it won’t be a problem for him.

James nodded to himself as he came to a decision. Now that Patty has told him what needs to be done, the next thing is to create this holding company. But the truth is that he has no idea on how he’s going to go about it.

This is a realm completely new to him and he won’t be stupid and try to act like he understands anything, when he doesn’t.

James looked at Patty, the only person he knows that can help him with the creating of the holding company.

"Patty, when are you going to quit your job?" He asked curiously.

Patty smiled when she heard James’ question. She already has an idea of the reason why he asked the question.

"You want me to create the company for you?" She asked, smiling, and James nodded in reply.

She paused what she was doing as her eyes lingered on James for a few moments, with a sweet smile on her face.

"You know what? I’ll quit today," Patty said suddenly, surprising even herself. "After lunch, I’ll call my boss and tell him I’m done."

"You can do that?" James asked in surprise.

"Yeah." Patty replied.

"But won’t your boss be mad that you suddenly quit out of nowhere?" James asked curiously.

Patty gave a small laugh and shook her head.

"He won’t. Besides, he has been telling me to quit for a very long time and that the bank can’t be saved anymore. Be said that I can leave whenever I want and he won’t be mad, because I’ve done a lot for the bank. Then, I didn’t want to quit because I had no other place to go and I was still getting paid," Patty replied.

"I know that hearing that make me sound selfish but staying there any longer won’t change anything," she added.

"I understand, Patty, and you’re not selfish. You have given your best to the bank, working there for more than a decade, it’s time you move on to bigger and better things," James said, with a reassuring smile.

Patty also smiled as she continued what she was doing.

The truth was that she hasn’t told James everything about the hostile takeover, as there was a lot more going on. And one of the reasons why she didn’t tell him was because of the acquiring company: Cullen Corp — Brian’s father company.

Patty sighed, glancing at James’ determined expression.

If he knew... if he found out... And with the incident with Brian in the mall, Patty has no idea what James might do if he finds out, but one thing she knew is that there would be no stopping him from whatever it is, and that scares her.