Chapter 174 Similar to Bidding
Oliver tossed his phone onto the table, his gaze locking onto Hilda's with undisguised amusement. "You're a joke," he scoffed.
Hilda's composure, already strained, finally snapped. "What's so funny?" he spat, his voice laced with ice.
"You, of course," Oliver replied, leaning back in his chair, enjoying the effect he was having. "You actually think you can compete with me? That Shark Live is anything more than a sinking ship?"
"You're playing a dangerous game, Oliver," Hilda warned, his voice low and menacing. "Don't think your father's money makes you untouchable. I'm not afraid of you."
"You misunderstand," Oliver countered, his tone laced with mock sympathy. "I don't need your fear, Hilda. Your opinion means nothing to me. But let me make one thing perfectly clear: Shark Live's partnership with Penguin Company? Dead in the water. The only company worthy of their investment is LiveWave."
"LiveWave?" Hilda laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. "That pathetic excuse for a platform? You should have shut it down months ago."
"On the contrary," Oliver shot back, his eyes gleaming with malice. "It's Shark Live that's about to go under. And when that happens, Hilda, I'll be the one laughing. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you end up begging me for a job."
"You're delusional," Hilda growled, his fists clenching beneath the table.
"Am I?" Oliver taunted, leaning forward, his voice a low murmur in Hilda's ear. "Or are you just afraid of what I might do?"
"That's it!" Hilda roared, rising from his chair, his face contorted with rage. "I'm going to—"
"Do it," Oliver challenged, his voice laced with amusement. "Hit me. I dare you."
Hilda lunged, only to be restrained by his colleagues, who struggled to hold him back. As much as he wanted to wipe that smug grin off Oliver's face, he knew he couldn't afford to lose control. A physical altercation, splashed across the headlines, would be disastrous for Shark Live's already tarnished reputation.
Oliver, however, seemed to relish the chaos he was creating. He continued to taunt Hilda, his words like salt on a wound, until Benjamin finally intervened.
"Gentlemen, please!" he boomed, his voice commanding their attention. "This is a business meeting, not a playground brawl. You are both accomplished young men, highly educated and respected within your industry. This kind of childish behavior is unbecoming and frankly, embarrassing. If this is how you intend to conduct yourselves, I suggest we adjourn this meeting immediately."
The threat of ending the negotiations had the desired effect. Hilda, his chest heaving, reluctantly sank back into his chair, his anger simmering beneath the surface.
"Fine," he spat, glaring daggers at Oliver. "I'll play nice...for now."
"Likewise," Oliver replied, his tone laced with false sincerity. He couldn't resist a final jab, adding. "Though I must say, you're far less entertaining when you're not throwing a tantrum."
Skyview, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, watched the proceedings with a mixture of amusement and admiration. Oliver's tactics, while unorthodox, were undeniably effective. Oliver had managed to get under Hilda's skin, disrupting his composure and sowing seeds of doubt.
"Now that we've dispensed with the theatrics," Benjamin continued, his tone firm but neutral, "let's proceed in a more civilized manner. Penguin Company is committed to entering the live streaming market. Initially, Shark Live was our preferred partner. However, recent events have given us pause. Therefore, we have decided to expand our search, which is why LiveWave is now part of this conversation. We will hear both of your proposals, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, and make a decision based on what we believe is in the best interest of Penguin Company. This is a competition, gentlemen, a fair and transparent process. May the best company win."
Benjamin's words hung in the air, heavy with implication.
He found this proposal quite straightforward.
It was essentially a bidding-like approach, aiming to lower prices through increased competition.
However, the simplest method often proved the most effective.
If Shark Live were the sole player, they would negotiate with Penguin Company from a position of strength, potentially raising prices.
However, with both LiveWave and Shark Live competing, Shark Live must carefully consider their offer, knowing that Penguin Company might opt for LiveWave. They couldn't bid too low and risk losses, nor too high, and lost out to LiveWave in the competition.
Hilda, despite his earlier bravado, felt a knot of anxiety forming in his stomach. Before the Boring incident, he had held all the cards. Now, the power dynamic had shifted. He cursed his earlier arrogance and his refusal to accept Penguin Company's initial offer. 1.5 billion for Shark Live had seemed like a lowball offer at the time. Now, it felt like a distant dream.
Oliver, on the other hand, exuded an air of quiet confidence. He knew Shark Live was vulnerable, their reputation hanging by a thread. He intended to exploit that weakness, to drive the knife in deeper and twist it until Hilda broke.
"Oliver," Hilda said, his voice tight with barely suppressed fury, "you seem awfully confident in this... LiveWave of yours. Why don't you enlighten us? Tell us what makes your platform so special, so deserving of Penguin Company's investment. Unless, of course," he added, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "you're afraid of embarrassing yourself."
"Afraid?" Oliver chuckled, meeting Hilda's gaze with unwavering confidence. "Hardly. I'm always happy to educate the less informed. But you're right about one thing, Hilda. You're about to witness a masterclass in business strategy. Pay close attention. You might actually learn something."
Hilda scoffed, but beneath his disdain, a flicker of unease remained. Oliver's arrogance was infuriating, but it was also unsettling. He had a feeling this was only the beginning.
Oliver turned to Benjamin, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "So, tell me, Benjamin, How much do you know about LiveWave?"
Benjamin stated, "Before Penguin Company decides on acquiring a live streaming platform, we've conducted thorough market research. Oliver, we've scrutinized every live streaming platform in the market, including your LiveWave. I can confidently say we have a deep understanding of it, from the lineup of broadcasters, revenue generation capabilities, revenue streams, traffic rankings, to future prospects, I have conducted a detailed analysis!"
"You are a seasoned expert in the business world. I won't brag because I can't fool you!" Oliver chuckled. "So, I won't boast. I admit, overall, LiveWave falls a bit short compared to Shark Live!"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
