Chapter 6

Andy sat on the recliner, playing with his phone and wearing a faint smile. The Andy of the past indeed despised his agent, especially in the last six months. Carl's incessant persuasion and constant efforts to find him work made the proud Andy feel humiliated. After all, he was young and impulsive, unable to understand the agent's intentions.

Now, Andy had developed a bit of a liking for the sleazy fat man. In this world where money is everything, it was rare to see a human touch in Carl. This was especially true for agents, who often treat people based on their financial value, ready to take advantage of you, spend your money, and even play with your wife. They can do anything.

But thinking about Carl's secretary, Andy felt a wave of worry. That woman was not someone to be underestimated. This is Hollywood, where everyone who comes here is determined to climb the social ladder. This place of fame and fortune is a battlefield where people step on and devour each other. The weak do not deserve to succeed here.

The fat man won't listen to advice and will eventually fall flat on his face! Andy stood up, stretched widely, and drove away the chaotic thoughts. He picked up the coffee cup from the table and walked into the room.

Holding a freshly brewed cup of coffee, he entered the study, sat down in front of the computer, and, after looking at the text on the document, moved his fingers and continued to type.

Through the floor-to-ceiling window, he watched the rain fall from the gloomy sky, splashing against the glass.

Andy checked the time; it was already past nine. It was about time to head to the bank as agreed. He tidied himself up, picked up the car keys, and walked into the garage.

Accompanied by the splashing rain and the roar of the sports car, Andy arrived at the Los Angeles branch of the American Bank.

Walking into the lobby, lawyer Nelson and accountant Cole were already waiting on the sofa.

Seeing Andy approach, both stood up to greet him. Andy quickened his pace, walked up to them, and greeted them, "This damn weather, I'm not late, am I?"

"Hehe, boss, there's plenty of time," said the sharp and efficient accountant Cole, who was in his thirties. Nelson introduced him to Andy when he first arrived in Los Angeles, and he was very professional.

The three sat down and chatted for a bit. Nelson took out a stack of documents from his bag and handed them to Andy, "These are the asset and copyright appraisals, boss. Take a look."

Andy took the documents and skimmed through them, "How much can we borrow from the bank?"

"The real estate market is currently booming, with high property prices. Your house is now valued at around four million dollars. Your two works' copyrights have also been appraised highly due to their recent inclusion in the young adult book list. Even though the film rights for one of them have already been sold, you can still borrow between 2 to 3 million dollars," Cole explained calmly, but a hint of envy and jealousy occasionally flashed in his eyes.

"Oh," Andy closed the documents and handed them back to Nelson, "What about the loan interest rates?"

Cole quickly took out a table, "This is the loan interest rate table for all banks that accept copyright loans. The American Bank has the lowest interest rate, but the amount of the mortgage loan needs to be negotiated."

"Alright, let the professionals handle the professional matters. I trust your abilities," Andy glanced at the table and smiled, casually handing it back to Cole.

Nelson checked the time and signaled to Andy. The three stood up and walked to the customer manager's office.

The bank's credit customer manager was a man in his fifties, dressed in a well-tailored suit, with his hair neatly combed, looking very efficient. He had a warm smile on his face.

Seeing Andy and the others enter, he stood up with a smile to greet them. "Boss, this is Mr. Lewis, the credit customer manager of the American Bank. Mr. Lewis, this is my boss, Andy Smith," Cole introduced.

Upon hearing this, Lewis's smile became even brighter as he shook Andy's hand, "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Smith. I really enjoy your work."

Andy also smiled and shook his hand, "Thank you, it's an honor to meet you too."

After the initial pleasantries, they all sat down. Andy then said, "Mr. Lewis, I believe Cole has already discussed the specific loan items with you. How much can your bank lend me?"

Lewis took the asset appraisal documents from Cole, not surprised by Andy's straightforwardness. The amount of this deal was not large, but the security and stability of the house and copyright mortgages were what he valued.

"Mr. Smith, our bank offers the lowest interest rates. Please believe that we are very sincere in lending to you. Here is our report, please take a look," Lewis took out a stack of documents and handed them to Andy, then began to explain.

After hearing their terms, Andy quietly discussed the details with Nelson and Cole and then negotiated a bit more. They quickly reached an agreement. Nelson and Cole started reviewing all the legal documents and the fine print, which took some time to finalize.

Andy patiently waited, sipping his coffee and thinking. The current Apple stock price was just over $51. He couldn't afford to waste any more time. This time, he could borrow a total of $6 million, plus $2 million in savings, which was all he could manage. Unless he asked his grandfather for help, but even though his grandfather was a well-known large farmer in California, Andy needed cash. Considering the subsequent troubles and explanations, he decided against it.

No matter how much he could earn, it was just the first step in making a fortune. There were plenty of opportunities to get rich.

Shaking off the frustration of missing out on the maximum profit, Andy took a deep breath and calmed down. After about half an hour, Andy started signing the documents, mortgaging three assets.

Six million dollars were transferred to Andy's account. After a few more casual conversations, they parted ways. Lewis exchanged phone numbers with Andy, as he was quite impressed with the young writer. After all, it's always good to have more friends.

Walking out of the American Bank building, the rain had stopped. After saying goodbye to Nelson, Andy, led by Cole, opened a stock account and linked it to his bank card. He then returned home, downloaded the stock trading software, and transferred all his funds into the stock account.

"Boss, are you going to buy stocks with all eight million dollars?" Cole asked with a hint of doubt after a moment of hesitation.

Andy gave a mysterious smile, looked at the accountant with a slightly awkward expression, and nodded without further explanation. After familiarizing himself with the stock trading software with Cole's guidance, he watched Cole leave with a suspicious and slightly mocking look. Closing the door, Andy hummed softly, "I need a new financial advisor!"

Cole, sitting in his car, had a sneer on his lips. "What a wastrel! Really thinks he's a genius, knows everything! Wait until he cries."

With malicious envy, he looked out the window at the luxurious villa and picked up his phone.

"Hello, is this Mr. Nelson? It's Cole."

"Hi, Cole, how are you? What's up?" Nelson put down his documents and adjusted his posture. He had always been quite supportive of his college classmate's son.

"Sir, do you know that Mr. Smith has transferred all his funds into the stock market? He has no experience with stocks, and I just taught him how to use the stock trading software. He refused my help. I'm afraid he will lose everything," Cole said with a tone of schadenfreude.

"Hmm? Into the stock market?" Nelson was slightly surprised but quickly recovered, hearing the mockery in Cole's voice. He frowned, guessing Cole's intentions, and gave a cold smile, "Oh, whatever the situation, it's the client's choice. We just need to do our jobs. If there's nothing else, I have a meeting to attend. Please give my regards to your father."

Hearing the busy signal and Nelson's cold tone, Cole was taken aback. Looking at his phone, he angrily cursed, "Damn, how dare he lecture me, bitch!"

After hanging up, Nelson paced in his office, frowning with worry. Finally, he picked up his phone.

"Hello, is this Mr. Smith? It's Nelson. I want to talk to you about Andy Smith's situation..."

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