The Tyrant Billionaire

Hardy didn't care about what they had done in the past. After all, they had collaborated with the Germans to survive. Hardy couldn't bring himself to pursue civilians who had been forced to collaborate with the enemy because their government had failed to provide the protection it should have.

Moreover, the fact that the French government hadn't taken action against them suggested that their offenses weren't too severe.

Meanwhile, Andy had successfully contacted France's Bolloré Shipping Company. The owner, Vincent Bolloré, came to visit Hardy, and the two had a very enjoyable conversation.

Bolloré Shipping, founded in 1822, is one of France's oldest shipping companies. Like many others, they had suffered significant losses during World War II. Currently, they still owned 12 ships, which was impressive. They had routes connecting the U.S., Australia, various African countries, and Asia. Vincent Bolloré was very interested in Hardy's investment.

In reality, the companies listed by the Ministry of Commerce were only those that had already expressed interest in receiving investments, which meant these companies were open to investment from the beginning.

Bolloré was willing to accept an investment of no more than 30% of the company's shares. After an afternoon of negotiations, Hardy secured a 35% stake. In return, Hardy invested 9 cargo ships, while Hardy Shipping leased 10 cargo ships to Bolloré Shipping.

With this, Hardy had now taken control of four shipping companies.

He had become an undisputed global shipping giant.

The Marshall Plan—the U.S. aid program for European countries required the transportation of large quantities of supplies, giving a tremendous boost to trade and making it a golden age for the shipping industry.

The delegation's trip to France lasted 15 days in total. The next stop was Austria, but Hardy didn't go with them this time. Instead, he sent Andy and the president of Wells Fargo. If they found any promising projects, they were to communicate with him via telegram. Hardy had to return to the U.S.

The election was about to begin.

Johnson had entered the final sprint, and Hardy wanted to ensure there were no surprises.

A few days earlier, his private plane had already flown to France to wait for him. Hardy boarded his plane and returned to the U.S.

...

Hardy's private plane flew directly to Miami. With the election approaching, all parties were making their final efforts by traveling across the country and delivering speeches.

The plane landed at Miami Airport, where Michael was waiting to greet him. When Hardy got off the plane and saw Michael, he smiled and gave him a hug.

The two got into the car and sat together in the back seat. Hardy asked, "How are you holding up, following Johnson around for speeches? Exhausted?"

"It's fulfilling. This is the life I enjoy," Michael replied with a smile.

Hardy leaned closer to Michael and said, "Learn as much as you can now. When you run for senator, join the Senate, become a party leader, and then run for president, I believe you'll have the chance to sit in the Oval Office one day."

"I'll work toward that," Michael said confidently.

"By the way, how have the speeches been going recently?" Hardy asked.

"Pretty well. We've planned everything ahead of time. The crowd at each speech has been around 20,000 to 30,000 people, and in bigger cities, we're seeing 40,000 to 50,000."

"And what about Dewey?"

"Since the 'Black Gold' scandal, Dewey's popularity has dropped significantly. His rally sizes are much smaller than President Johnson's, and there's even word that Dewey has been lashing out at his campaign team in frustration."

Hardy chuckled at that.

Soon, the car arrived at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where President Johnson was staying. The Ritz-Carlton, known for its luxury and elegance since its founding in the 19th century, was the top choice for politicians.

When Hardy and Michael entered the presidential suite, President Johnson was talking to a heavyset man in his sixties. Upon seeing Hardy, Johnson smiled brightly, stood up, and gave him a warm embrace.

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Everyone else in the room stood up as well.

"How was your trip to Europe?" President Johnson asked with a smile.

"Those countries need to rebuild, and they're looking for steel, cement, food, and daily necessities. My Hardy Group mainly deals in media, which doesn't have much business over there. I did acquire a few luxury brands, so there was some gain," Hardy replied with a smile.

"Hardy, let me introduce you. This is my running mate, Vice President William Buckley," Johnson introduced the older man to Hardy.

Although Hardy was meeting William Buckley for the first time, he had heard of him before. Buckley, originally a lawyer, had served as a criminal prosecutor and county court judge. Later, he joined Congress, holding positions in both the House and Senate. Since 1937, he had been the Senate Majority Leader, a deeply rooted Democratic politician.

This year, Buckley was chosen as Johnson's running mate, helping with campaign activities, especially within the party.

Hardy also knew that after Johnson was re-elected, Buckley would continue as Vice President until Johnson's term ended.

"Mr. Buckley, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from President Johnson, but this is the first time we've met," Hardy said warmly, shaking Buckley's hand.

Buckley smiled and shook his hand in return. "You know, Hardy, we're quite alike."

Hardy was taken aback. "Why do you say that?"

Buckley chuckled, "I help President Johnson garner support within the party, while you help him gain the people's support. Don't you think we're quite similar?"

Hardy laughed as well.

"Thank you for the compliment, but what I do can't compare to your work," Hardy said modestly.

Buckley shook his head seriously. "No, your 'Black Gold' scandal was a key factor in this campaign's success. It completely crippled Dewey's momentum. No one can deny your contribution."

"The 'Black Gold' scandal..." Hardy thought to himself, surprised at how the incident had gained such a notorious name. It was bound to become a part of American election history.