[Chapter 125: Christiana's Arrangement and Cisco Shares]
Returning to Los Angeles, a stunning beauty was already waiting for him.
Since the I Swear music video became a massive hit, Mira had received countless invitations for Christiana's appearances and many endorsement offers. After consulting with Linton over the phone, Christiana flew in from France and arrived yesterday.
Linton was concerned she might be financially strained and that meeting up right after his return could be inconvenient. So he had Mira use his own money to book a business suite for her at the Hilton Hotel.
As soon as Christiana saw Linton, she ran into his arms and kissed him passionately.
Though they had been apart for just over a month, absence had only deepened their longing for each other.
Once the door was closed, their lips met again in a fiery kiss. In moments, they helped each other out of their clothes, and soon, a round of passionate lovemaking began, echoing with joyful cries...
...
Two hours later, after taking a break from their passionate encounter, they felt too lazy to go out for dinner and decided to order room service instead. While dining together, they cuddled up and chatted about work.
This time, I Swear had really made an impact, and Christiana was finally starting to gain recognition. She had been moderately known in France, but now she was becoming a rising name in the U.S. as well.
"Baby, this is what you deserve," Linton said, smiling. "You're so beautiful. With the right projects, fame is only a matter of time."
"Darling, thank you for helping me become famous so quickly. Mira told me we've received tons of invitations for TV shows and commercials, plus even more endorsement offers. How should we pick the commercial events?"
"My advice? Accept most of the TV appearances — they're great for visibility. As for commercial events, be selective. Make sure the organizers are credible and the events are high-quality."
"Got it. What about endorsements? Should I accept those too?"
"For now, I suggest accepting them — temporarily."
"So, all of them?"
"You're still at the start of your rise. It's okay to take on some lower-tier endorsements for now. That's a smart move at this stage, even if the fees are low."
She gazed at him dreamily. "Darling, can't I star in your movie?"
"You'll have to wait a bit. Our current projects aren't quite right for you. But by next May, I'll begin a new film, and you'll be the female lead."
"Until then, have Mira look for good film or TV roles. Make sure the crews are solid — it's time to build your acting skills."
"Thank you, darling, for helping me plan everything," Christiana said excitedly. She kissed him again and nestled into his arms.
---
Back at the estate later that day, just before dinner, butler Amy and several bodyguards arrived with blueprints. With more staff joining the household, living space was getting tight.
After consulting with Danny and the others, Linton approved their suggestions and asked Amy to push forward the construction immediately.
He hired a design firm, and after surveying the land with the team, they drafted plans for expanding the annex and building a training ground.
Two new annex buildings were set to be built, matching the original eight-story height. Each apartment would feature a one-bedroom, one-living-room, one-bathroom layout, around 600 square feet — a clear upgrade from the old servants' quarters.
In front of the annex would be a spacious lawn, about an acre in size, with over half dedicated to the new development.
Next to the annex, a 6,000-square-foot training ground was planned, complete with various training equipment.
---
After dealing with this issue, Linton rejoined the Speed film crew to continue pre-production work.
Though he, as the director, often came and went, sometimes absent for days, the crew remained on track. Preparations were progressing smoothly.
The newly hired assistant directors, Michael and Ryan, proved competent, and Universal Pictures' assistant director Carter didn't hinder progress.
...
After reviewing the team's work for two days, Linton joined the LAPD SWAT team for a week of field training.
This immersive experience gave him a clearer understanding of SWAT operations and helped him collect material for his role as Jack.
With LAPD's cooperation, they finalized several interior shooting locations — including an unfinished highway and a suburban house slated for demolition.
Even when he wasn't physically present, Linton's mental sharpness and calculating ability allowed him to oversee the crew by phone with precision.
---
While Linton trained with SWAT, Richard, the investment manager at Skycrest Capital, brought encouraging news.
In August 1990, Cisco's board had finally lost patience with the founders — the Bosack couple — due to their eccentric behavior and poor management. Eventually, the board ousted them from the company.
The Bosack couple held nearly 20% of the shares. Furious, they aimed to clear all their shares to trigger a stock market shake-up. Several small shareholders bought the shares at market prices.
Now, Richard aimed to acquire 7% of those shares.
Despite Cisco's rapid expansion through acquisitions, even a cash-out in early 1999 would yield over 30 times the original investment.
Linton, however, remained composed. He believed in Cisco's long-term promise and instructed Richard to stick with the original plan.
He also told Richard to work toward joining Cisco's board — even if it meant taking a smaller salary as part of the benefits package. As a non-professional, Richard was to avoid interfering with Cisco's business decisions. His sole job: protect Skycrest's interests.
Linton worried that reckless actions might interfere with Cisco's growth, which he believed would eventually make it a tech giant worth over $550 billion by the early 2000s.
More importantly, Richard's presence on the board would help ensure that Skycrest could participate in every round of funding, maintaining its 7% stake.
Linton instructed Goodman and Henry to fully cooperate and arranged for them to pledge Microsoft stock at the bank to secure a $220 million loan, slowly completing that deal.
---
After negotiations, both sides agreed to transfer shares based on the average closing price over the next two weeks.
When the deal was completed, Skycrest Capital officially held 7% of Cisco — making it a major shareholder, although still without a board seat.
Sequoia Capital, Cisco's primary venture capital firm, had held 25% before the company went public. They acquired another 7% from the founders, bringing their total to 32%.
During the latter half of the month, Cisco's average market cap was around $31 billion. A 7% stake amounted to approximately $2.17 billion.
*****
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