Chapter 71: The Vance Family Scheme

"Leo, I’m sure you can see the sheer value of these opportunities. These small firms are currently severely undervalued, but within a short time, they will deliver returns fifty to a hundred times over!"

Ethan said with absolute confidence, "Leo, I can guarantee 100% that you will make an enormous fortune with this investment plan. I don’t have much liquid capital right now. I’ll provide the technology and vision, and you’ll provide the capital. We’ll split the profits 50/50."

Leo Vance took a deep breath, forcing his composure back as he stared at Ethan Mercer with newly awakened eyes.

If Ethan truly possessed this uncanny, future-predicting investment foresight, then teaming up with him would mean endless wealth and unstoppable corporate power for the Vance family!

Leo Vance held the investment proposal in his hands, his heart pounding so hard against his ribs that it felt like it would burst straight out of his chest!

In reality, his father, Arthur Vance, had previously promised to allocate him a sum of money to test his hand at corporate investment. Once the positive results came in, that would be his golden ticket into the high ranks of the company!

His grandfather, Arthur’s father, had always looked down on his family and tried to prevent him from taking real power in the Vance Group. But if he made a mind-boggling fortune following Ethan’s vision, no one would ever be able to stop his rise. Once he officially entered the company board, there would be zero obstacles in his path!

"How much initial capital do you need for these investments?" Leo Vance asked, his previous disgust completely replaced by intense, greedy interest.

Ethan raised a finger calmly. "An initial investment of just ten million will be enough to secure controlling stakes in the top three companies on this list."

Ten million dollar was a substantial sum, but for the Vance family, it was a manageable sum—especially considering the astronomical returns Ethan was promising.

"If I provide the ten million doller in capital," Leo Vance said, leaning forward, "how do we split the equity and profits?"

"Fifty-fifty," Ethan stated firmly. "I provide the genius vision and strategic direction, and you provide the funding. Together, we will build an empire that will completely crush our enemies—starting with Julian Vance!"

Hearing Julian Vance’s name, Leo’s eyes darkened with cold hatred as he recalled the humiliation his family had suffered at the sales gallery earlier.

Leo Vance suppressed his immense excitement, deliberately forcing a stern, solemn expression onto his face as he said in a deep voice, "Your investment plan is indeed not bad."

Ethan’s eyes lit up instantly. His good brother really understands him! Everyone else in this city is completely blind!

"However," Leo Vance continued smoothly, "this is a high-stakes investment, and it carries great financial risk. You can contribute your technology as equity and you won’t lose a single penny of your own money if things go south. But if my funds are lost, it will be an absolute, devastating loss for me. I demand that our profits be split 40/60—with you getting 40% and me taking 60%."

In truth, Leo Vance actually preferred a 30/70 split. In his eyes, giving a broke student like Ethan four cents on the dollar was already an act of pure charity. However, he was secretly worried that Ethan might walk away and refuse to cooperate with him if he pushed too hard, and he was counting entirely on Ethan’s uncanny vision to help him make a fortune.

Ethan gritted his teeth, hesitated for a second, and finally nodded. "Okay! 40/60, I agree."

A dark, triumphant glint flashed across Leo Vance’s eyes.

"Forty-sixty it is," Leo Vance declared, extending his hand across the table. "I’ll have my family’s financial team prepare the ten million yuan contract immediately."

"In that case, it’s a true pleasure to work with you." He extended his hand to Ethan across the table.

Ethan grasped Leo’s hand tightly, a smug, vengeful smile spreading across his face. "It’s a pleasure to work with you," Ethan extended his hand and shook it firmly in return.

"I will personally invest 30 million doller from my extra fund ," Leo Vance declared boldly. "Use this entire 30 million doller to aggressively target and buy into the most profitable projects on your list."

Ethan nodded eagerly, "Okay, no problem at all! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you make a colossal fortune!"

Ethan’s eyes burned with bright, triumphant ambition. Once Leo Vance deposited that total 40 million doller into their joint venture account, he could finally realize all his grandest business ambitions! Sooner or later, he would build an unstoppable corporate empire that would dwarf everyone who had ever looked down on him!

Chole, Victoria Sterling, Julian Vance... just you wait! Once I get this capital from Leo, I will show all of you what a true business deity looks like!

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Leo Vance returned to the Vance family estate with a broad, unstoppable smile plastering his face.

Inside the living room, Eleanor was still applying warm boiled eggs to her face to reduce the swelling. Yesterday, Julian had forced her to slap herself continuously for five full minutes in front of a mocking crowd. Her face was still burning with intense, agonizing pain.

"Leo, what happened? Why are you looking so happy?" Eleanor asked, wincing slightly as she spoke.

Leo Vance’s face was beaming with pride. "Mom, I’ve officially thought of an foolproof method to make an absolute fortune!"

"Really?!" Eleanor asked with intense curiosity, pausing her egg routine. "What method?!"

Leo Vance adopted a mysterious, closed-off expression. "Mom, I’ll tell you all the details after I successfully execute it."

He knew he had to keep the secret of Ethan’s genius investment vision strictly to himself. Eleanor had a notoriously big mouth—he was deeply worried that if she found out, she would blab to her social circle, which would attract rival families to try and steal Ethan Mercer away from him!

"So mysterious," Eleanor shook her head helplessly, though her heart swelled with pride. "Fine, fine, I won’t pester you about it. Leo, whatever you decide to do, Mom will support you 100%!"

Just then, Arthur Vance walked into the house, looking exhausted and grim.

"Dad," Leo Vance stood up immediately and said, "I’ve finalized an incredible investment strategy. I need you to allocate 30 million doller to me under the Vance Group’s official corporate name."

The remaining 10 million doller would come straight out of his personal saving and his family bonds. He was so completely convinced by Ethan’s plan that he was determined to throw every single penny he owned into the venture!

Leo Vance pushed further, "Dad, you should deliberately let the entire board of directors know about the 30 million doller allocation to me."

Arthur Vance frowned deeply, a look of hesitation crossing his face. "Leo, this is your very first time managing a major corporate venture. Asking for 30 million doller all at once... isn’t that a bit too reckless? And making a big show of it to the board members is far too risky. What if the investment fails..."

"Dad," Leo Vance interrupted with absolute, unshakeable confidence, "don’t worry, it is 100% impossible to fail!"

"The main reason I want to make such a big splash is because those old fools on the board of directors have always looked down on you! I want to use this massive success to help you slap every single one of them right across the face!"

Arthur Vance’s eyes darkened instantly.

That hit home. It wasn’t just the board members—even his own father had always treated him as an incompetent heir, which was why the patriarch was so reluctant to hand over full control of the Vance Group to him. If Leo’s investment turned out to be an overwhelming success this time, everyone in the family and the corporation would be forced to look at their branch in a completely new light!

"But... what if it really fails..." Arthur Vance asked, still harboring a sliver of anxiety.

Leo Vance answered with absolute conviction, "Dad, I am 100% certain of success!"

"Alright! Dad supports you!" Arthur Vance nodded heavily, his eyes turning resolute. "I will allocate the 30 million to you under the company’s name tomorrow!"

In his eyes, Leo had always been a smart, sensible child. If his son was this certain, then it was a risk worth taking! He was willing to gamble alongside his son!

Seeing Arthur agree, Leo Vance couldn’t contain his triumphant smile.

Julian Vance had completely severed all ties with the Vance family now. Once he successfully integrated himself into the core executive team through this deal, taking full control of the Vance Group would be a foregone conclusion. And once he held the Vance Group firmly in his hands, he would strip every rival family member of their power and rule supreme!

"Look at that," Eleanor said with a gloating smile, glancing at her husband. "My Leo is so capable and filial. It is always a million times better to raise your own child from a young age! Those ungrateful wretches you bring back from the outside are just heartless monsters who don’t care about their own flesh and blood at all!"

She was obviously referring to Julian Vance.

Arthur Vance’s expression turned icy at the mention of the name. Julian Vance was indeed an ungrateful wretch—he had actually gone and let himself be kept as a wealthy woman’s plaything, utterly disgracing the Vance family name!

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