The Tyrant Billionaire

Pietro Ferrero, in his thirties, was surprised when he learned that the guest from America was interested in investing in his candy shop.

"Hello, sir. My name is Pietro Ferrero, and I am the owner of this candy shop," Pietro introduced himself, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Jon Hardy," Hardy introduced himself.

Pietro was slightly taken aback. After a moment, he studied Hardy carefully and asked, "I read in the newspapers that a Mr. Jon Hardy is part of the American investment delegation. He's the owner of Hardy Group in the U.S., and I also saw an advertisement from the Ministry of Commerce recently, stating that Jon Hardy plans to invest in Italy's fashion industry."

Hardy smiled and replied, "Yes, that's me."

Pietro was astonished. The newspapers described this man as the president of a large corporation, with a fortune worth billions of dollars—a true magnate. But why would such a wealthy man be interested in his small candy shop?

Hardy picked up a golden chocolate ball and said, "I really like this chocolate. You've used hazelnuts, crushed nuts, and wafers inside. It reduces the amount of chocolate needed, which saves on costs while improving the taste. I'm curious, whose idea was this?"

Hearing Hardy mention the golden chocolate balls, Pietro immediately felt a sense of pride. "I came up with that myself."

Pietro's parents had originally run a pastry shop, but Pietro saw greater potential in the chocolate and candy industry, so he transformed the family bakery into a chocolate candy shop. Business had indeed improved significantly. Originally operating in a small town in northern Italy, Pietro later invested in opening this shop in Rome to expand, and it had only been open for two years.

"Are you interested in expanding this business?" Hardy asked with a smile.

"Of course I am," Pietro responded eagerly.

Pietro had moved his candy shop from a small town to Rome precisely to seek growth. Now, a major investor was standing in front of him, offering to invest. How could he not be tempted?

"I also own a chocolate company in the U.S., and I believe we could merge our operations and develop some even better candies, turning them into global sensations. Would you be interested in joining forces?" Hardy invited.

"I would be honored," Pietro responded excitedly.

At this point, Ferrero only had two shops one in Rome and the other in a small town in northern Italy along with two candy making workshops. It was, at best, a small scale operation, essentially a workshop style business.

Hardy decided to invest $300,000, taking an 80% stake in the company. Pietro could use the money to expand, and Hardy's U.S. chocolate company would collaborate with Ferrero, providing ample and affordable raw materials.

From then on, Ferrero entered a period of rapid growth.

When Pietro returned home and told his wife about everything, he still found it unbelievable. "Mr. Hardy invested $300,000 after eating just a few hazelnut chocolates. My goodness, these big capitalists are really capricious in their investments."

His wife smiled and said, "Isn't this exactly what you've always dreamed of? Now you have the money, and someone to help you get more raw materials, and even open up the overseas market. I believe you'll become the best candy maker in Italy."

Pietro kissed his wife passionately. "Yes, I will work hard towards that goal," Pietro said with excitement.

The entire trip to Italy lasted 12 days. Many companies in the delegation reached agreements, and Hardy reaped substantial rewards. The next stop for the delegation was France.

By October 1948, there was only one month left until the U.S. presidential election, and the campaign had entered its final phase.

Various election campaigns were in full swing.

Johnson intensified his speeches.

In a recent poll, his approval rating reached 48.6%, while Dewey's dropped to 45.1%, with Johnson pulling ahead.

But Johnson didn't relax for a moment. He continued to travel from city to city, delivering speeches. When his approval ratings were low, he didn't lose heart. When they were high, he worked even harder to solidify his advantage, knowing that only the final election results would guarantee his victory.

All polls are merely predictive and have significant limitations, unable to fully reflect the real situation. There was no other way but to work hard.

His competitor, Dewey, was unwilling to concede and also began delivering speeches across the country. However, the results were far less favorable than Johnson's. Wherever he went, the crowds were only in the thousands, much lower than Johnson's numbers. The proud Dewey lost his temper several times, even berating his campaign team for their ineffective publicity.

Two planes landed one after another at Paris airport.

French Prime Minister Robert Schuman welcomed the delegation at the airport, and later, French President Vincent Auriol received the delegation at the Élysée Palace, where he hosted a banquet in their honor.

Subsequent work was handed over to French Minister of Economy Georges Bidault.

The U.S. had previously provided $65 million in aid to France to help with reconstruction. France had suffered greatly during World War II, with the country completely occupied and many cities reduced to ruins, severely damaging the nation's vitality.

Although the war ended in victory, the domestic economy experienced a sharp decline, leading to the devaluation of the franc, skyrocketing prices, and severe shortages of goods. The people's lives were extremely difficult.

At this time, France desperately needed assistance.

However, there was also a sense of caution towards the American aid plan. Many believed that the U.S. had ulterior motives in helping Europe, aiming to become the world's leading power. While many people saw through this, survival was the immediate priority.

Only after ensuring survival could they talk about rights, so European countries succumbed and accepted the aid. It was because of this aid that European countries agreed to many of the conditions set by the Americans, ultimately leading to Europe's economic recovery but also its subjugation to the U.S.