Avery Broad, known to many, was a super-rich man who was born in New York and grew up in Detroit, a famous American collector, and a regular visitor to Art Basel, often seen at Christie's and Sotheby's auctions.

At the same time, many people know that this old man is a super real estate tycoon in the California area, and he used to be an insurance tycoon.

However, in 1999, Avery Broad sold the Sunshine Life Insurance Company, which he once controlled and owned, to the giant AIG in exchange for $18 billion in cash and stock.

Today, Avery Broad is no longer directly involved in the insurance industry, but he is still one of California's real estate tycoons.

Now the well-known collector has stepped forward and wants to spend $100 million to buy this "Manhattan Hanging Sun" painted by Abel.

It's as if a bombshell has been dropped in the world of collecting and auctioning.

For a time, many well-known collectors, and even auction houses, came forward and said that they wanted to buy this painting painted by Abel Smith.

They all have high offers, but no one beats Avery Broad. It's millions to tens of millions of dollars, but not as much as $100 million.

Nonsense, $100 million to buy a painting from Abel. Now in 2002, even Van Gogh's paintings can't be sold for such a high price, who would really do this?

If Abel is really willing to sell, does he really want to take $100 million to buy one of Abel's sketches?

If Abel can admit it, if he can hook up with Abel, then many people will be willing.

The question is, what if you don't hook up?

$100 million is not a small number no matter how you look at it. Except for Avery Broad, a rich, collector, and perhaps thoughtful old fellow, who dared to mention this number.

The next night.

New York, 10 East 76th Street, Upper East Side, Manhattan, in a townhouse that has been named "Laura's House" by Laura Jr.

Abel hugged little Laura who was only wearing a suspender nightdress, opened his mouth to eat the watermelon that little Laura handed to his mouth, and looked at Avery Broad, who was being interviewed by Oprah's talk show on TV.

The old man confirmed conclusively that he was really willing to spend $100 million to buy Abel's "Manhattan Hanging Sun".

"Yes, no matter from which point of view, as long as it is from the standpoint of art. I firmly believe that Mr. Smith's artistic talent can be said to be unparalleled. ”

"Manhattan Hanging Sun, he perfectly depicted the imagery of the two concepts of Manhattan and the Hanging Sun through simple sketches."

"If it's not perfect, then what is?"

"So I wanted to collect this painting in my gallery from the bottom of my heart. If I could, it would be one of my most important collections. ”

"I'm serious, $100 million. If Mr. Smith wanted to, I could even raise the price!

”

Avery Broad was still showing off with Oprah, and little Laura couldn't help but turn her head and raise Abel's hands to look at it again.

"My dear, I think you can become the richest man in the world by painting. A sketch drawn in ten minutes can be sold for 100 million US dollars! Oh my God, you're the modern Van Gogh! ”

Able pulled his hands out of her fair, slender little hands, and put them into her dressing gown, resting them on her still flat lower abdomen.

"Van Gogh is not something to be envied. He lived in poverty, and when he died he didn't even have a few guilders in his pocket. ”

Abel smiled and said:

"Do you believe that if I donate all my property and make a living only by painting in the future, then my paintings will soon become not even 50 cents and no one will ask for them."

“(*n_n*)——”

Little Laura grinned and writhed in his arms, allowing him to touch her lower abdomen.

Of course she knew this, and what she said just now was just a conversation and laughter between husband and wife.

"It's unimaginable that there is a baby living in such a beautiful little belly now."

She heard Abel again, touching her little belly and smiling.

Little Laura pouted and rolled her eyes, "It's like you're having a child for the first time." My dear, our child, but your sixth, no, it seems like it's the seventh or the eighth!

”

Faced with this topic, Abel did not show embarrassment or embarrassment at all.

He continued to laugh, and said softly, gently, "But you and my children are the most important things, my dear." ”

Little Laura suddenly felt very sweet.

What is she willing to endure for everything that is unbearable for women?

Is it for love?

Maybe a little bit.

But in the end, the most important thing is not for him.

"Well, I love you, dear ......" little Laura offered to offer a cigarette.

The two kissed for a while, and little Laura took the initiative to push him away.

"The doctor said that I am still on a regular basis. You can't get emotional, you can't get physically excited. You can't do that kind of thing, you know? My dear! ”

Of course, Abel knows this kind of thing, and he is almost the father of the children of a football team.

"Tell me about Avery Broad. Later, I'll have your angels come and stay with you, and Jessica! ”

Little Laura diverted the topic, she still wanted to stay with her fiancé like this for a while.

Abel smiled and withdrew his hand, gently holding little Laura, who went to Langone Hospital yesterday for a check-up and had been confirmed to be pregnant.

"Obviously, Avery Broad didn't have my eye on my paintings. The old man has other purposes behind it. ”

"For what purpose? He is based in California and is mainly involved in real estate. Does he want to work with our New Beginnings real estate company? ”

"It's not clear. But I can give us a call and ask. ”

"Hmmm......"

Little Laura watched Abel start to make calls, and she didn't know who Abel was going to call.

She guessed it might be for the sao fox in California, or maybe it could be some other Californian.

Later, when she heard it, she found that it was indeed a woman, but it was not the voice of the sao fox in California.

It was the voice of a middle-aged woman, and she guessed that it might be Abel's subordinate in California.

Abel quickly finished the phone call, and then said to little Laura, "Honey, you guessed it. There is indeed someone behind Avery Brod, named Donald Buren. ”

"Donald Buren? The name is a bit familiar. Little Laura said.

"California real estate businessman, California veteran politician. One of the financiers behind Jerry Brown, or one of the white gloves. ”

After listening to Abel's reminder, little Laura immediately remembered and said, "Oh, I think of this person." My father and I mentioned him, Donald Bren! ”

Abel chuckled and nodded.

Little Laura's father, one of his fathers-in-law. Neil Bush listens to his own deception and is ambitious to go to California and open up a new situation for the Bush family and himself.

So it is natural that the bush family, especially little Laura's family, is very familiar with the situation in California.

"Avery Broad and Donald Bren have been partners for many years. The old man was commissioned by Bren to make contact with me. ”

Little Laura looked at her fiancé quietly, she knew there was something to come.

"As for the reason why Donald Bren wanted to contact me through Avery Brod, it has to do with the woman I just called."

"The person I just called, Joan Irvine Smith."

"Smith?" Little Laura couldn't help but interject: "It has something to do with our family?" ”

She hasn't married yet, but she's already shut up about the Smith family.

Abel knew that this was actually a reflection of her cleverness and high emotional intelligence.

But people, especially the possessive him, like her like this.

He smiled and shook his head: "This smith has nothing to do with our smith. There are millions of Smiths in the United States. Joan Irvine Smith, the key is on the word Irvine. ”

"Irvine, like a small city over there in California? Very rich and very safe and secure. ”

"Yes."

Abel briefly explained the Irvine family and Donald Bren's.

Little Laura suddenly realized.

"I get the idea that both sides are still fighting for control of the Irvine Development Company. Donald Brun had the upper hand with Jerry Brown's support. Joan Irvine Smith sees that you are getting more and more powerful in California, so she wants to use your power to retake Irvine and take revenge no matter how bad it is? ”

Abel smiled and touched her head, "That's smart." ”

Little Laura enjoyed Abel's intimacy, even if it would make her look like a child.

"So should we help Joan Irvine Smith, or Donald Buren?" She asked again.

Abel didn't respond immediately, he looked at the TV screen, and Avery Broad was still saying that he was even willing to spend $150 million to buy "Manhattan Hanging Sun".

After a few seconds, Abel smiled and said, "Whoever gives us more, we will help." I think my painting is definitely more than $150 million. ”

Following his line of sight, little Laura also looked at the TV screen and began to think about it.

She felt that whether it was Joan Irvine Smith or Donald Buren, there was a high probability that she would bleed heavily this time.

Then, sure enough, on July 18th.

The simple sketch of "The Hanging Sun in Manhattan" made someone willing to pay a higher price than Avery Brod.

The person who made the latest offer in the media is Robert Hatfield Ellsworth.

This man is even more famous in the collecting world than Avery Broad.

He is a well-known antique dealer and collector in New York, the former chief representative of Sotheby's Education Institute in China, and a senior art market consultant.

He is recognized as one of the most discerning and tasteful antique dealers and collectors in the United States and the entire Western art world, and is known as the "Godfather of Chinese Antiques".

The old man even had a Chinese name named Ellsworth, who in an interview with the Wall Street Journal claimed that a client had entrusted Sotheby's to buy Abel's "Manhattan Hanging Sun" for $200 million.

An Siyuan also highly appreciated the artistic value of Abel's painting and Abel's artistic talent.

An Siyuan openly shouted to Abel in the media to buy Abel's painting.

This is the second super bombshell to be dropped in the global collecting world after Avery Broad.

And it's even heavier than the previous one cast by Avery Broad.

At this point, many people in the collecting world are lost.

They wondered, could this simple sketch by Abel Smith really be so valuable?

For $200 million, you can buy a skyscraper in Manhattan in a relatively remote location!

At this time, Yin Kana's father, in her bedroom at her house, found a sketch that she treasured and had Abel's autograph.

The content of the painting is a full-body landscape portrait of Yin Kana's dear father's eldest daughter, that is, herself.

It is said that at that time, the dear Mr. Zhi held this painting as a treasure, and kept muttering -

"$200 million...... $200 million ...... $200 million ...... $200 million ......"

For a time, the global media frantically reported that Abel Smith was the new master of art after Darwin and Van Gogh.

It's a bit like when "Gong Shou Dao" was released, some media reported that Lao Ma's skills were comparable to that of a professional animation actor.

At that time, Abel had already boarded a plane back to Texas at JFK International Airport.

He was going back to Texas to attend the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association, which was held in Texas for him.

Little Laura didn't go back with him.

She was supposed to go back with Abel, but now she wasn't just a month pregnant?

Although you have your own private jet, you don't need to go through security checks when you get on the plane, and you don't have to worry about radiation.

However, the feeling of weightlessness during take-off and landing of the aircraft has a certain possibility of affecting the secretion of physiological hormones.

Under normal circumstances, of course, there is no fear, but the changes in hormone secretion during the first pregnancy are very small and may lead to fetal miscarriage.

This pressure difference between take-off and landing is basically impossible to eliminate.

Just in case, little Laura decided to raise a baby in New York, and then return to Texas after raising it until it was fully formed and there was no medical risk.

She won't be able to go back to Texas with Abel this time.

July 20th.

The USS Smith arrived over Harpy International Airport in Houston.

As the fourth largest city in the United States, Houston can't afford to have just one airport.

Harpy International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, as well as several other civil airports, are airports near Houston.

Just like New York has more than one JFK International Airport.

In the orange sunset, private jets landed slowly at the airport.

After the engine has completely stopped and the engine sound has been extinguished.

Abel, who was wearing sunglasses, walked down the suspension ladder and saw that there was already a long queue waiting for him on the empty airport runway.

Abel, who is already the biggest snake in Texas, can enjoy more privileges in Texas than in New York.

Driving the convoy directly into the airport runway is really a normal operation.

The wind at the airport was always so strong that it made Abel's clothes hunt.

Looking at the Boeing 747 taxiing on the runway, Abel also turned and walked towards the convoy, got into the car, and quickly drove away from the airport and headed for downtown Houston.

Unfortunately, this time his grandparents went to live in Wellington.

Then again, the Alex couple actually had the most chic life.

The two spent a year touring around major cities in Texas. Every time I live in one place for two or three months, I get a little tired or miss my old friends, or I miss my son or hometown, so I continue to move.

Anyway, even before Abel rose, the Smith family had already purchased certain properties in major cities in Texas.

Not to mention that now, the two old men can be said to be "walking sideways" in Texas.

And the reason why Abel came to Houston was not to Austin, or to return to his hometown in Tarrant County.

It's because the National Rifle Association's state headquarters in Texas is right here in Houston.

This year's NRA election meeting was also revised to be held here.

By the time his convoy arrived at the Classic Manor mansion at 324 Buckingham Road in Houston's Dr. District, it was already completely dark.

Abel, who lived in the manor, immediately asked people to start online and have video conferences.

At this time, on the side of London, England, Abel's "landing plan in Britain" was in full swing.

The pound was sniped, falling by about 8%.

As a result, the share prices of most UK-listed local companies have been affected.

Smith Capital finally moved out and began to harvest the chips that Abel wanted in the London stock market.

And those British giants are certainly not Muggles.

They had long since discovered Abel's misdeeds and started to defend early.

At this time, the two sides attacked and defended, and the confrontation was at its strongest.

In this case, Abel, who was not at the scene, actually had nothing to do.

If he is not on the scene, he can't use his financial talent to command his subordinates' offensive and defensive battles at any time.

And the reason why he didn't go to the scene was because he knew that this offensive and defensive battle must have gained a lot.

There are so many preparations in the early stage, and there are Soros and a group of international players in the back, and there are also those "teammates" of Morgun attacking together.

The money is still almost limitless.

With so many pre-preparations, if you don't succeed without him.

Najace and David don't have to mess around on Wall Street, they might as well go back to their hometown to work as postmen.

But after all, it is at stake in his British cause, and now it's okay anyway, so it's still necessary to pay attention to it.

This attention is for hours.

By the time he finished the video conference, even he felt a little mentally exhausted.

"Shhhh

Exhaling lightly, Abel picked up the coffee, drank it all, looked at the time, no wonder he felt tired, it was almost 12 o'clock.

In other words, his video conference lasted intermittently for almost 5 hours.

"Whew-"

After raising his arms and stretching his waist, Abel got up from the boss's chair, opened the door of the study, turned off the light, walked downstairs, and saw the maid who was still dozing off in the living room and said, "Go to sleep." ”

"Master, do you need some supper?"

The beautiful maid heard Abel's voice, and hurriedly came to her senses, and asked softly.

These are the ones who have been trained by Joanna, have excellent professional skills, and are not bad looking.

She is also Abel's maid and one of the people who mainly takes care of his life.

However, they will rotate internally, and change a batch from time to time, each time the old brings the new.

This is also what Abel asked for for his safety.

Abel shook his head, walked into the restaurant, took out a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator, unscrewed it and said while drinking, "Go and rest." ”

】

"Yes, master, I wish you a good dream."

Abel returned to the bedroom, looked at the empty Simmons, and touched his waist that had regained his vitality after resting for two days.

This time, little Laura had a wheel battle of about 10 times a day, which made him really a little scared.

No matter how good the physical capital is, Superman can't bear it like this.

He decided that he would start paying attention to his health in the future.

Don't have so many at once, just three or four at a time.

Well, it was so happily decided.

The next morning, Abel, who slept beautifully and was swept away from mental exhaustion, was eating breakfast while reading the newspaper on the table.

A lot of it is news related to his "Manhattan Hanging Sun", and the direction of the report is getting more and more crooked, and it looks like a bit of lace news.

The problem is that Americans clearly love to watch news like this.

So much so that even the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post came out to report from a collection and financial perspective.

Abel flipped through it, shook his head, and dropped the day's paper.

After breakfast, he sat down in the courtyard with the Cadillac monster.

The convoy drove out of the manor villa and headed for the Texas headquarters, the "fourth pole of power".