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By the time the contract was finally signed, a week had passed.
The only people in the conference room were Arthur and Tony.
The whole process was relatively uneventful, with only one minor argument when Arthur suddenly thought of something and added it to the contract.
Other than that, the mood was generally calm and subdued.
The only thing that really surprised Arthur was the ten percent share in Stark Industries.
In fact, when the dusty stock transfer document was handed to Arthur, his expression was one of astonishment.
He had never imagined that Howard would make such a decision after his “death”.
No wonder Tony had transferred ten percent of the shares to him so quickly.
Was the boy trying to get something for nothing?
Well, that might be going too far.
Arthur didn’t let the immense value of the shares cloud his judgment. His mind remained extraordinarily clear and rational.
The stock transfer document clearly stated that it was given to Colonel Phillips, and his descendants had the right to inherit it!
But was Arthur the son of Colonel Phillips?
He wasn’t!
Whether in the past or now, there was no legal connection between Colonel Phillips and him.
Especially now… The U.S. doesn’t even recognize the existence of an ‘Instructor’ in the war, let alone a story where someone who “died” seventy years ago suddenly comes back to life and inherits a large fortune.
Regardless of whether Howard’s actions back then were influenced by Arthur, it would have been perfectly reasonable for Stark Industries to reclaim those shares after Colonel Phillips died without any descendants. But they didn’t.
Whether it was Howard then or Tony now, they always maintained the uniqueness of those shares.
That fact alone was enough to move Arthur deeply.
Moreover, over the years, those shares had been used for charitable purposes in accordance with Colonel Phillips’ wishes.
Although no charitable foundation was established, the funds were strictly controlled and did not end up in anyone’s pocket!
As a result, the dividends accumulated over the years were minimal. Apart from a list of transfers, reasons and records, there was only about three hundred million dollars left in cash.
It sounds like a lot of money, but for Stark Industries, it’s just a drop in the bucket.
In addition to the shares, Arthur also inherited thirteen orphanages named “Phillips.”
These thirteen self-sustaining orphanages, though now in Arthur’s name, didn’t require him to do much.
With government subsidies and donations from various sectors of society, these orphanages had long been on solid ground.
They certainly didn’t make a profit, but they didn’t lose money either.
The only reason they were given to Arthur was because these orphanages were built with the funds from these shares.
Their original owner was Colonel Phillips, and after his death they were overseen by Stark Industries. Now they had been passed on to Arthur.
To be honest, when Arthur saw so many “extras”, he was a little touched. “All this from drinking together? It wasn’t for nothing that I taught Howard so many ‘cruel punishments’. But what am I going to do with so many orphanages?”
“That has nothing to do with me,” Tony said, looking out the window without turning his head.
Arthur sat in the chair, looking at Tony’s back. After a long pause, he smiled slightly and said, “You got the short end of the stick.”
Tony turned and looked at Arthur. “Why? Suddenly feeling guilty?”
“It just caught me a little off guard,” Arthur replied.
Arthur shook the contract in his hand. “No product can be released without my approval. In other words, if I don’t agree, nothing will come to market, and this supposed fifty-fifty split becomes meaningless.”
Tony remained silent, just watching Arthur quietly.
Arthur thought for a moment and continued, “Let’s also consider this: in this deal, you’re not only giving up ten percent of Stark Industries, but you’re also going to have to provide me with no less than 50 Million Dollars in research funding for equipment and raw materials.
Tony still said nothing, just turned his head back to look out the window.
The content of the contract was clear. Arthur dictated it, Tony added, and Pepper printed it out. It was all in black and white.
Tony was well aware of everything Arthur was saying now.
“But that’s not all,” Arthur continued. “Going back to the point about my approval – after giving up so much wealth, the end result could be that no products are ever created. Oh, right, in three months I’ll give you a sample of a ‘byproduct.’ That way I can keep the hundreds of billions in annual dividends and continue my research without worrying about funding.
Tony turned back to Arthur. “What exactly are you saying?”
“I thought I was here to talk business, but it turns out I’m here to discuss personal favors,” Arthur shrugged.
“Business?”
Tony walked over to Arthur and looked him in the eye. “You’re not good at business. If you took this seriously, you’d walk away with nothing.”
“Then what is this?” Arthur blinked. “A gift for an elder?”
“No, this is the perseverance of two generations of Starks.”
Tony glared at Arthur. “My father felt this was all rightfully yours, so you’re getting it. The only reason we had this all-night negotiation was because I really enjoyed watching you lose your cool! It was amusing! As for whether this deal makes any money, I don’t really care.”
He grabbed a chair and sat down. “Fifty million isn’t much to me, and neither is the equipment and raw materials you need. As for the ten percent share, it was never really mine. I didn’t sacrifice much… but neither did you.”
“Isn’t that boring?”
Arthur leaned back, putting his hands behind his head and resting all his weight on the chair as he stared up at the ceiling. “I thought I’d become a business prodigy, negotiating directly with the top brass at Stark Industries. How impressive.”
Tony’s expression turned odd. “I thought you’d be angrier.”
“Why?” Arthur looked at Tony in confusion before bursting into laughter. “You think you’ve tricked me in this deal, and that my little cleverness didn’t pay off as expected, so I should be furious?”
Seeing Tony’s face gradually stiffen, Arthur chuckled and said, “Don’t be silly… you’re just a kid. Otherwise, why do you think I agreed to give you one of my primary research products? It was meant for you all along! Don’t you realize that the Arc Reactor is already poisoning you?”
…
You can read ahead up to 45 chapters on my patreon and I’ve also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395
You can read ahead up to 45 chapters on my patreon and I’ve also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395
Support me on Patreon for extra chapters