Chapter 225: Childish Fools
The argument over investment amounts between William and Richard escalated into a full-blown battle of egos.
Richard was determined to maintain his position as majority shareholder and insisted on raising the stakes.
"During the Canvia Championship, when the team couldn't secure funding anywhere, Infinity Ventures stepped up with the capital they needed. Now that the team's turning a profit and things are looking up, I deserve credit for making that happen."
Isabella and Joseph nodded vigorously in agreement.
Without Richard's backing, they might never have even qualified for the Canvia Championship.
William wasn't about to back down. "Summit Holdings is actively expanding into the racing industry. We have substantially more liquid capital available right now. In terms of financial strength, Summit is clearly the superior investment partner."
For William, having deep pockets meant playing hardball.
Summit Holdings had always dominated the investment and securities sector. William's instincts were legendary—nearly every industry he touched turned to gold.
In his view, racing was poised to become the next explosive growth sector.
Romantic Racing was already at the pinnacle of the sport. Whether for personal reasons or pure business sense, William was determined to secure majority ownership of the team.
When William finished his pitch, only Samantha nodded.
"Capital is definitely a major consideration. Racing is an incredibly expensive sport."
Joseph rolled his eyes. "Mr. Spencer's loaded too. And even if Infinity Ventures can't come up with the cash, Mr. Spencer would invest his personal fortune. Just based on our deep connection with the team, Mr. Spencer should be first in line."
"Most importantly, Mr. Spencer helped us when we were desperate. Now that we're finally on an upward trajectory, we can't just betray him."
Samantha had a point. So did Joseph.
Given her personal feelings, Isabella would choose Richard without hesitation.
William sensed this and quickly interjected, "Summit Holdings is prepared to provide three hundred million dollars in support per racing season."
According to the team's previous financial reports—including driver salaries and miscellaneous expenses—their necessary costs per season barely reached one hundred million, with room to spare.
William had just tripled that figure to an unprecedented level.
At this rate, their drivers' salaries would be the highest in the world.
Richard's smile froze for a split second before he matched the bet without hesitation.
"If that's how you want to play it, I'll raise to four hundred million."
These capitalists were absolutely shameless with their money, Isabella thought to herself.
"Five hundred million," William countered.
They were tossing around money like children playing house, casually driving the price higher and higher.
Isabella suddenly felt dizzy. She'd lost track of how many zeros were involved. It was overwhelming.
Samantha also felt lightheaded. Thinking back to her previous desperate scrambles for funding, trying every trick to attract investors, the situation now seemed almost absurd.
"Gentlemen, if I may interrupt," Samantha raised her hand tentatively. "You've both committed to investing in our team. That means your contributions will be combined."
Imagining all that money flowing toward them, Samantha grinned from ear to ear.
Isabella shook her head. "Childish fools."
She'd always thought only kids fought and bickered over petty things. Apparently, even CEOs of major corporations could act like children when their egos clashed.
Joseph crossed his arms, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
"What's the problem? We're pulling in massive investments. The team will never have to worry about money again. We can upgrade our cars however we want without stressing over budget constraints."
As a direct beneficiary, Joseph was perfectly happy to watch them compete.
Samantha finally had to step in and call a halt.
"Gentlemen, enough. First, I need to clarify something: sponsoring the team doesn't give you management authority over it. The team remains under the club's ownership. If you want to become majority shareholders, you should be talking to the club about investment."
Money invested in the team could only go toward promotional branding on the cars or endorsement deals with the drivers.
Beyond that, Samantha had no authority to negotiate.
Based on their highest bid just now, five hundred million in advertising spend would absolutely be top-tier in the industry.
Samantha could hardly believe it.
Not only had their team reclaimed its former glory—they were about to reach even greater heights.
"If you two are done posturing, go back and consult with your boards. Company funds aren't your personal piggy banks. According to corporate law, misappropriation of funds is a criminal offense. You could end up in prison!"
William scoffed. "I've already secured board approval to allocate a portion of Summit's annual profits toward racing industry investment."
Ever since Victoria announced her return to the team, the market had recognized racing's enormous potential.
As long as Isabella remained with the team, her name and face alone would guarantee audience engagement.
"Same here," Richard added.
Truth be told, Richard actually had a stronger position than William.
Infinity Ventures was already in the automotive industry, even if they hadn't yet produced their own race car.
With that kind of infrastructure in place, once Isabella's research was completed and put into production, Infinity Ventures' market position would skyrocket. They'd easily rank among the top domestic players.
While they continued their heated debate, William's phone suddenly rang.
Glancing at the screen, he saw an unfamiliar number with a Seaside City area code.
When he answered, a familiar voice greeted him. It was Jesse.
"Hey, I found the person you asked me to track down. When can you come by to get the information?"
The call immediately silenced everyone. William spoke into the phone:
"Send me the address. We'll head over right away."
After hanging up, Jesse quickly texted the time and location.