[Chapter 47: Citibank]
Early the next morning, John got up bright and early, preparing to head to the Citibank Center located at 444 South Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles.
Even though John considered himself somewhat out of touch, having lived in Los Angeles for over a decade, he had definitely heard of this famous skyscraper. The day before, he had looked into it -- being the second-largest city in the U.S., Los Angeles naturally had a Citibank headquarters.
The Citibank Center in Los Angeles stood 191 meters tall with 48 floors, ranking as the city's 10th tallest building. Completed in 1979, it covered over 80,000 square meters and was situated near Pershing Square, a well-known LA landmark.
Pershing Square was familiar to any local, even to Californians outside of Los Angeles. It was a major hub for city life and entertainment, surrounded by vibrant businesses and bustling commercial activity. With Citibank's towering presence there, it clearly emphasized the bank's significant status in America.
...
Why did John choose Citibank? John knew Citibank provided better financial services, especially personalized services tailored for ultra-high-net-worth clients.
John was confident that he would soon be among the super-rich, and with the upcoming Netscape IPO fundraising, he needed a professional stock trading team.
Handling it himself would be too much hassle; Citibank could easily manage those complications for him.
This was the reason John had come to Citibank Center. After all, with only a few million in deposits, he probably wouldn't have thought to visit the headquarters.
...
When John and his two companions arrived at Citibank Center, Billy Zahn was already waiting for them at the entrance.
"Mr. John Leighton, hello, I'm Billy Zahn, a client manager at Citibank. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Clearly, Billy Zahn recognized John immediately as the trio approached and greeted him. It was obvious that he had already done his research, given John's sudden multi-million-dollar deposits.
John shook his hand in return, then introduced Zach as his temporary legal guardian and personal lawyer, while Bob was described as a bodyguard.
After hearing the introductions, Billy paused for a moment, thinking to himself that coming accompanied by both a personal lawyer and a bodyguard made him seem like some wealthy heir.
Who would have guessed John's background was that of an orphan?
...
Billy led the three upstairs to an office on the second floor. Through their discussion, John realized that upgrading his account status would only require his signature.
At this point, Zach proved useful, reviewing all the paperwork before John signed. John knew banks were never truly altruistic; scandals popped up regularly in the financial industry.
After putting away his new checkbook, credit card, and some documents, John became a top-tier Citibank VIP -- a platinum-level client.
With all the account upgrades completed, John prepared to get down to business.
...
"Billy, about the real estate agent I mentioned on the phone yesterday -- have you made arrangements?"
"Mr. Leighton, I've already contacted some agents. If you need, I can have someone come by anytime. Also, I heard you're planning to buy property. Our asset management department asked me to mention that the bank itself has some properties -- some are held in trust, some are foreclosed -- that we can sell directly. Would you be interested in taking a look?"
"Is that so? I'd like to see them. If there's something suitable, we can settle it directly. Let's set a budget -- somewhere in the $3 to $4 million range, preferably around Hollywood or Beverly Hills," John considered before replying.
"Thank you, that sounds perfect. Please wait a moment; I'll call over and have them bring some listings for you to review." Saying that, Billy picked up the phone and dialed.
Seeing Billy's energetic response, John smiled helplessly, deciding he'd have to wait a bit longer before arranging for professional stock trading staff.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.
https://discord.gg/eKByGBSw.