The Wolf of Los Angeles

Chapter 343 - 343: This Isn't Corruption, It's a Tip

[Chapter 343: This Isn't Corruption, It's a Tip]

That afternoon, Hawke sat in his office, wrapping up his work before logging onto his Twitter account to indulge in some juicy gossip.

News broke about Leonardo DiCaprio breaking off his engagement with Gisele Bundchen, instantly dominating Twitter's trending headlines. In less than half an hour, the report, complete with a video, topped the Twitter hot search list.

While he didn't land the exclusive scoop, the early breaking news coupled with Leonardo's star power caused Twitter traffic to surge by twenty percent within the first hour after the announcement.

Forget about the Los Angeles wildfires, the mayor, or the bickering politicians; the latest scoop about Hollywood's A-list was stealing all the thunder.

...

Just as Hawke finished watching the video, Twitter's algorithm pushed a new tweet to his account. It was from an account registered under Gisele Bundchen's name, indicating it was likely true.

"In light of Leonardo's repeated infidelities since our engagement, I officially announce the dissolution of our engagement. I wish Leonardo a successful career."

Barely ten minutes later, Leonardo responded through his own Twitter account.

"I have lost the love of my life."

The breakup of Leonardo and Gisele, once engaged and now apart, caught the attention of paparazzi, and their swift exchange of statements only added fuel to the fire, quickly attracting numerous comments on Twitter.

...

"My Leo finally dumped that Brazilian ugly woman!"

"According to Brazilian tabloids, she's been played around a lot by Ronaldo!"

"Finally, it's done! Leonardo has broken up again."

"Gisele started dating Leo with ulterior motives. Just look at how she turned from a regular model into a supermodel over these years. Without Leonardo, would we even know who she is?"

Most Americans rallied behind Leonardo, voicing little sympathy for Gisele.

However, some astute observers sensed something was off.

"Why is their breakup so public?"

"Feels like there's a conspiracy behind it."

...

Hawke browsed through the comments but quickly shut his laptop. It was obvious why such sensational news was released now. He understood Leonardo's tactics not just from present events, but through nearly two decades of knowledge about the man.

Leonardo rarely dated older women, often sticking to younger partners. As soon as his patners reaches twenty-five, his relationships ended quietly, usually only confirmed when he appeared with a new model girlfriend.

Such an explosive and public breakup clearly had a single purpose. Hawke cursed under his breath at the California Democrats for resorting to using Leonardo as a distraction whenever they faced a backlash from public opinion.

But he had to admit, this strategy was working remarkably well.

He suspected there was a hand from Hillary at play. That woman wanted not just Leonardo's body but also to leverage his fame. What a player she was. He remembered many rumors from his past life claiming that Chelsea wasn't truly a daughter of Clinton but rather the child of Hillary's classmate and partner, Huber.

No one could verify such claims, and those daring to investigate would likely find themselves be killed. But everyone knew that the Clinton couple was particularly extravagant.

...

As Hawke was enjoying this gossip, a phone call interrupted him.

"You got time? Let's meet up and talk," Brian said on the other end.

Hawke glanced at the clock. "Just come over."

"Okay," Brian replied.

...

Less than an hour later, Brian walked into Hawke's villa, sat down on the sofa in the guest area, and said, "Did you see the news about Leonardo and Gisele? They've taken all the spotlight."

Hawke shrugged, "Leonardo is tight with the Democrats. They're just using him to divert attention from themselves. We'll handle our business while they self-destruct."

Brian thought of the tactics they used last year against Sterling Van Wagenen and Robert Redford, adopting a similar tactic: when the opponent attacked the other, their team would attack from another track and directly defeat the enemy.

Hawke continued, "This just shows the Democrats' main focus is on the narrative surrounding the L.A. fires."

At that, Hawke frowned slightly, "Is that all they've done?"

"Not quite. There's more," Brian added, now there for two reasons. "The Democrats are aiming for Fresno's Mayor Smith. They've got dirt on him and have already submitted it to the Fresno federal prosecutor's office controlled by the Democrats. A query notice has been issued to Smith, and it'll likely be exposed tomorrow."

Hawke inquired, "Smith is a Republic mayor?"

Brian took the matter seriously. "Yes, he's my classmate from Stanford Law School and an ally of mine."

Hawke understood. "What exactly happened?"

Brian detailed, "The dirt on Smith is about a contract he awarded worth $3.15 million to a company in Fresno for garbage trucks shortly after taking office. After fulfilling the contract, that company paid Smith $35,000."

Hawke raised an eyebrow, "So, you're saying he took a bribe?"

Brian rubbed his forehead, clearly shocked by his peer's stupidity. "Exactly. The company wrote a check directly to him."

To add on, he said, "During the inquiry this morning, Smith claimed the money was consulting fees, but the federal prosecutor is preparing to indict him."

Hawke was equally surprised. "This kind of idiot deserves to go to jail."

"I concur," Brian said, then shifted gears, "He heard about the times you helped me out and is willing to pay $2 million for some advice -- just looking for your insight."

When Hawke heard about the money, he replied, "Since he's your classmate and ally, there's still hope."

Brian knew Hawke could come up with a plan.

Hawke pondered for a moment and asked Brian, "Typically, when dining out or spending on services, how much do we tip?"

The tipping culture was deeply ingrained in American society. After a moment's thought, Brian answered, "Generally, it's 10% to 15%. If the service is exceptional, it can go up to 20% to 30%."

Hawke said directly, "In this garbage truck deal, the parties involved are the city and the garbage truck company. Smith is acting like a waiter; that $30,000 isn't a bribe, it's the tip the garbage truck company is giving for his services."

Hearing this, Brian's eyes widened as he realized, "Tips are an accepted part of business transactions and have evolved into a recognized cultural norm after decades. Smith is a mayor, but he's also just a regular member of society. By providing good service to the garbage truck company, they pay him a proportionate tip -- that's just a customary social rule."

Hawke added, "Smith taking tips is fundamentally for public interest, not for personal gain."

Brian thought of more to add, "Gifts before services count as corruption, while those after can only be seen as tips."

He grew a bit excited, "If Smith's case goes to prosecution, it might set a precedent and usher in a new era for America!"

Hawke felt politicians should grant himself a celebratory award.

Brian kept track of that thought before continuing with another subject. "Many independent theaters in Los Angeles have suddenly changed their screening schedules; starting this weekend, they will extensively show the documentary Fahrenheit 9/11."

He asked Hawke, "Have you seen this documentary?"

Hawke nodded slightly, "It covers the ties between George Walker's family and various entities."

Brian responded, "This film was made for the upcoming election, attacking George Walker throughout. It had a limited release in New York previously, blocked by Walker's influences, and didn't gain much traction, showing only in a handful of theaters. Now, it looks like the Democrats are waiting for an opportunity."

"That's good news," Hawke said, not really caring about George Walker's situation -- he just wanted more chaos. "That pig from Texas views us as temporary allies. His eagerness in California shows he values those 55 electoral votes. The harder the situation gets for him, the more we stand to gain."

Brian agreed, "If he shows up here and the outcome is decided, he won't pay anything."

Hawke snapped his fingers. "First, we secure our interests, then worry about the rest."

It would be best if George Walker was slandered thoroughly, going head-to-head with the Democrats in California; that would make Hawke the happiest.

The two briefly discussed the situation with Harley Wayne before Brian left to check Twitter.

...

Updates continued to come in regarding Harley Wayne. The reporter from Fox was bold, driven by a sense of justice, but also not reckless.

She recognized that, against the billionaire Ackman family and several key figures in California, she had only one shot to gather enough evidence to pin them down. If she failed to leverage Fox's influence, the repercussions could be dire.

Harley Wayne was still collecting more evidence.

...

Later that night, Hawke noticed $2 million had been transferred into the account of the West Coast Media Entertainment Studio.

Though Mayor Smith's troubles were making headlines, they were overshadowed by the shocking gossip of Leonardo's breakup.

In the media spotlight that week, it was all about Leonardo and Gisele Bundchen.

As the weekend approached, Fahrenheit 9/11 would be extensively shown in densely populated areas like Los Angeles and New York, placing George Walker at the center of public scrutiny.

*****

/Sayonara816.