The Tyrant Billionaire

The old Godfather smiled.

"As long as you brothers work together, I believe the Corleone family will develop even better."

"You're still a bit inexperienced. You attended today's meeting. You should have noticed that those family heads are all old foxes. Tom, you still need time to grow."

The old Godfather then called Fredo in.

Fredo closed the door, looking somewhat downcast.

"Father."

The old Godfather waved him over, and Fredo hurried over.

The old Godfather looked at his second son. He was already in his thirties but sometimes he still behaved like a naive teenager.

"Fredo, you've seen what's happened to the family lately. You've always been a filial child, loving your mother and me. I understand your temperament."

"Fredo, in the future, stay by your parents side. A simple life is actually happier. Your mother can't bear to lose another child."

Fredo's previous thoughts immediately dissipated.

He was well aware of his own temperament, knowing he wasn't suited for disputes, let alone leading the Corleone family.

"Alright, Father. I'll stay by you and Mother," Fredo said, smiling.

The old Godfather motioned for him to come closer.

Fredo lowered his head.

The old Godfather kissed his forehead.

"Go get Michael," the old Godfather said.

Fredo brought Michael in. Michael walked calmly to his father and sat down beside him.

The old Godfather looked closely at his youngest son.

"The family crisis is temporarily over. I told them that no matter what danger my children face in the future, I'll blame it on them and retaliate at all costs."

"I acquired shares in the Flamingo Casino, totaling 39% from the three families. The casino business in Las Vegas is legitimate. This business is yours. The other shareholder is Hardy, holding 61%. Focus on your own affairs, whether it's legitimate business or a political path. I've already told Tom.

He'll take over the family and support you fully."

At this point, the old godfather looked at Michael deeply and said, "Michael, are you wondering why I suddenly agreed to the drug business?"

"I trust you have your reasons," Michael said.

The old Godfather gritted his teeth.

"I've always been strong, facing countless storms. But I couldn't bear the thought of my children dying. Sonny's death was very painful for me."

"I can't lose any more of you. During today's meeting, the other families pressured me. I wasn't afraid of them, but I worried about your safety. If I didn't agree, they would continue their relentless attacks and assassination attempts on you. If anything happened to you, what use would my connections and political resources be? They'd be worthless.

I had to make some sacrifices."

Michael felt a mix of anger and sorrow.

His father had always been his idol. Seeing him pressured by the other families was harder for him to bear than for his father.

"Michael, follow your own path in the future. As long as you believe it's the right one, stay on it steadfastly."

"I'll divide my connections and political resources into two parts: one for the family business and one for you. These two parts will never overlap, keeping you clean."

"I'll do my best, Father."

Michael left the study and brought Tessio and Clemenza in. The old Godfather gave them instructions, telling them what to focus on in the future.

With the full launch of the drug business, many changes were bound to happen.

After Tessio and Clemenza left, the old Godfather closed his eyes for 10 minutes. When he opened them again, he seemed more energetic and picked up the phone.

Soon, the call connected.

"Hardy, this is Vito."

"Mr. Vito, hello. Has the commission meeting ended?"

"Yes, it's over. The meeting went as I expected. I agreed to their demands. The Corleone family will enter the drug business, and past conflicts are written off."

Hardy sighed inwardly.

"It's all for the sake of business."

"Hardy, I used political resources to acquire the remaining 39% of the Flamingo shares. I want to discuss something with you," the old Godfather said.

"Mr. Vito, please go ahead."

"I plan to keep these shares, but I'm willing to pay you $3 million for them. What do you think, Hardy?" the old Godfather asked.

Hardy felt a bit puzzled.

"Mr. Vito, you got these shares from the other three families. You don't need to pay me," Hardy said.

The old Godfather smiled. "Hardy, if it weren't for you, the Corleone family wouldn't have gotten these shares, and future operations will still need your effort."

"The Flamingo Casino is a legitimate business. I've decided to give this business to Michael. He'll only engage in legitimate business in the future. I'll gradually hand over the family matters to Tom. Perhaps, in the future, the mafia won't have the Corleone family but the Hagen family."

Hardy was surprised by the old Godfather's words.

Why would the old Godfather suddenly choose Tom as the family head? This deviated significantly from the movie's history.

Could Hardy's presence have changed the course of history?

But on second thought, Hardy found the old Godfather's decision very wise. Tom wasn't a malicious person. Even if he became the family head, he wouldn't betray the Corleone family. Instead, he would become Michael's support in the future.

As for Michael, he might have better prospects.

In the original story, Michael's ending wasn't good. Due to family conflicts, he got dragged in, deviating from his planned path. To shoulder the family's burden, he had to become the new head.

But his life was quite tragic.

His wife didn't want him involved in the mafia, leading to a loss of love. His brother in law betrayed him, forcing him to kill him, causing a rift with his sister. Later, Fredo colluded with other families to betray him, and he had to kill his brother.

Doing all this caused Michael great pain. He struggled for half his life, trying to legitimize the family, and himself.

In his later years, his daughter's death left him devastated, and he died alone in Sicily.

From Hardy's perspective, the second generation Godfather Michael's life seemed grand but was actually miserable.

His past glory, becoming the most powerful mafia boss on the East Coast, wasn't Michael's pursuit. He had his own goals, but he had to bow to harsh realities, causing him constant pain.

The old Godfather's choice of Tom seemed very wise.

Tom's performance during this time impressed the old Godfather. Tom was rational, considering gang conflicts from a business perspective, not out of emotion.

Sonny was impulsive, Michael was decisive, and Fredo was too weak. Compared to them, Tom was more composed. He might not elevate the Corleone family to new heights, but he was an excellent choice for the family to maintain the status quo.

Hardy smiled.

"Alright, Mr. Vito. I accept. I'll use the money to continue developing the casino. I believe the Corleone family's investment will yield a hundredfold return."

The old Godfather laughed heartily. "Good, I'll await the good results."

It was the first time the old Godfather had laughed tonight.