Building a Conglomerate in Another World

Matthew Hesh returned to his office after a tense meeting with Charles Fitzwilliam.

Charles’s nonchalant attitude toward the president’s motivations had only heightened Matthew’s suspicions. Something wasn’t right. The conversation lingered in his mind, particularly Charles’s remark about leverage. If the Japanese have something on the president, what could it be? Matthew thought, sitting at his desk and staring at a blank sheet of paper.

Robert Anders entered the room quietly, placing a stack of freshly compiled reports on the desk.

"Back so soon?" Robert asked, noticing Matthew’s pensive expression.

"Too soon," Matthew replied, leaning back in his chair. "Something about this Japan-China situation doesn’t add up, Robert. And I think President Clay is hiding something—something the Japanese know about."

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Robert raised an eyebrow. "That’s a bold accusation. What makes you so sure?"

Matthew sighed, picking up a pen. "Gut instinct. The president’s insistence on favoring Japan over China, even when China’s offering millions of florins, doesn’t make strategic sense. Unless there’s a personal stake."

Robert took a seat across from Matthew, his tone turning serious. "You’re thinking blackmail."

Matthew nodded. "It’s possible. But I need proof. I want to start with Clay’s past—his political career, his private life, anything that could be leveraged."

Over the next few hours, Matthew and Robert delved into every piece of information they could find on President Theodore Clay. They pored over newspaper clippings, political biographies, and archived campaign records. The more they searched, the clearer it became that Clay had kept certain parts of his life deliberately vague.

"Look at this," Robert said, sliding a newspaper article across the desk. The headline read: Senator Clay’s European Diplomacy Tour: A New Chapter for Amerathia.

"It’s a puff piece," Matthew muttered, scanning the text. "No specifics, just talk of strengthening ties with European allies. But why was he in Vienna for two days with no recorded meetings?"

Robert shrugged. "Could’ve been personal time."

"Or it could’ve been something more," Matthew said, narrowing his eyes. "Dig into his itinerary for that trip. I want to know who he met and where he stayed."

By the next morning, Robert had unearthed more details about Clay’s European tour. A small lead pointed them to Vienna, where Clay had reportedly attended an exclusive private event at the residence of an Austrian countess. The name Emilia von Hartmann appeared repeatedly in whispers and rumors about the event.

"Countess Emilia von Hartmann," Robert read aloud, flipping through a dossier. "An aristocrat with a reputation for scandal. Known for her charm and… associations with powerful men."

Matthew leaned forward. "Associations?"

"Affairs, to put it bluntly," Robert replied, smirking. "She’s been linked to a handful of European dignitaries and even a few visiting Americans. It’s all speculative, of course." @@novelbin@@

Matthew tapped his pen against the desk. "What about Clay? Any mention of him in connection to her?"

Robert paused before sliding a translated excerpt from a Vienna gossip column toward Matthew. "This was published two weeks after Clay left Vienna."

The passage described a mysterious American statesman rumored to have been "charmed by Countess von Hartmann’s wit and beauty." Though it didn’t name Clay directly, the timeline aligned too perfectly to ignore.

The breakthrough came when Robert uncovered correspondence from an Austrian archive. Among the letters was one addressed to "E.H.," signed with the initials "T.C." The handwriting was a match for Clay’s known signatures.

Matthew read the letter carefully. Its tone was intimate, discussing a "brief but meaningful connection" and expressing regret that circumstances forced their parting. Though it didn’t explicitly mention an affair, the undertones were undeniable.

"This is the kind of thing that could ruin a man’s career," Matthew said, holding the letter up to the light.

Robert frowned. "It’s damaging, sure. But is it enough for blackmail?"

Matthew leaned back, considering. "Not on its own. There has to be more."

Matthew tasked a small team of trusted aides with tracing Clay’s campaign finances during the years following his European trip. The findings were damning: a substantial donation—over fifty thousand florins—had been funneled into Clay’s campaign fund shortly after his return from Europe. The source was untraceable, but the intermediary was a Swiss banking firm known for its discretion.

"Swiss banks," Matthew muttered, examining the records. "The go-to for laundering sensitive transactions."

"And the timing’s suspicious," Robert added. "The donation came right after Clay announced his bid for higher office. It’s like someone wanted to ensure his rise to power."

Matthew tapped the documents on his desk. "If this money came from someone connected to von Hartmann, it would explain everything. An affair with her, followed by a covert donation? That’s enough leverage to make Clay dance to anyone’s tune."

"Which means…"

"Yeah…Theodore is not really being honest with us."

***

A day later.

Matthew Hesh stormed through the halls of the White House, his polished shoes striking the marble floor with purpose. The guards, recognizing him as a regular visitor and a key figure in the Republic’s military-industrial complex, hesitated only briefly before allowing him to pass. His reputation preceded him, but the determined fire in his eyes told them that today, he wasn’t just another visitor.

As he approached the reception room, a junior staffer stepped forward, raising a hand in protest. "Mr. Hesh, the President is in a meeting—"

Matthew brushed past him. "I know exactly where he is."

The doors to the Oval Office swung open with a firm push. Inside, President Theodore Clay sat at his desk, flanked by Ambassador Li Ming. Both men looked up, startled by the sudden intrusion.

"Matthew," Clay began. "This is highly inappropriate—"

"I know it is inappropriate Mr. President," Matthew said, his gaze flickering to the ambassador. "Mr. Ambassador, we would be delighted to offer you the same level of support we have provided to Japan."

Ambassador Li’s expression brightened with a mixture of relief and disbelief. "You mean to say…?"

"Yes," Matthew continued, glancing at President Clay. "Hesh Industries will supply China with the advanced vehicles and weaponry you require. Training for your forces will also be included to ensure their effective use."

Clay’s face flushed with a mix of anger and helplessness. "Matthew, this is not your decision to make."

"Well I can now," Matthew replied.