In less than half an hour, William had purchased the 19-acre estate worth 150 million dollars, likely setting a record for the fastest luxury property acquisition.
With the estate bought, Abigail excitedly led William on a tour of the entire property. While the modern feel was lacking, the rest of the decor, layout, and historical charm greatly satisfied William. The only thing that irked him was the absence of a quintessential English butler.
With his suspicious nature, it was difficult for William to find a butler he could trust. Previously, the castle had been managed by his mother, but now that Lina was fully focused on the football team, the need for a proper butler became even more pressing.
Glancing at Abigail beside him, William pondered whether he should let her take charge for the time being.
Sensing something unpleasant might be coming, Abigail, who was clinging to William's arm in high spirits, was about to ask when Anthony, William's personal lawyer, saw his good mood and reported, "Boss, the $2 billion you transferred from the Swiss National Bank to the Bank of England has been received. Now that the money is in, should we go ahead and pay the $300 million in back taxes?"
"Do I have to pay it now?" William, who had been happily walking, stopped and looked at Anthony. "I thought the deadline wasn't until April?"
Anthony shook his head. "Boss, that's how it works in America. Here in England, taxes must be paid within six months. You declared in May this year, so there's not much time left. If it's overdue, you might face lawsuits and fines."
"Sweetheart, don't forget about the money for Baron Caboret and Duke Devon's antiques," Abigail reminded from beside him. "Also, I've scheduled a meeting with the Royal Furniture Company for custom furniture and everyday items with Mrs. Lina. Don't forget to pay for that as well."
"Sunday, transfer 10 million dollars to Abigail's account," William said, covering his left ear.
"Understood, Sir. The transfer is complete."
"Is 10 million enough for you to make those purchases?"
"It should be enough. If Mrs. Lina has other requests, I'll come back to you," Abigail nodded with satisfaction.
"Good. Now get to work. I want to spend the night here," William said, giving Abigail a kiss on the cheek before heading towards the garden with Anthony.
After a few minutes of walking, William sat down on a bench by the roadside and motioned for Anthony to sit beside him. "Any news on the acquisition of your firm?"
Anthony thanked him and sat down. "No issues with the $150 million for 35% of the shares, Boss. My mentor asked me to tell you that you don't actually need to take a controlling stake in the firm. With over 20 senior lawyers and 10 partner accountants, ownership is quite dispersed. With 35%, plus the staff loyal to you, you'd already have full control over the firm.
Also, a full takeover isn't always beneficial. It could demotivate the partners and even present a conflict of interest during legal cases when it comes to representing a common interest."
Just as Anthony finished speaking, Sunday confirmed this through William's earpiece. William nodded. "Did you bring the contract?"
"Of course, Boss. Everyone is quite excited to have you join the firm," Anthony said, pulling a thick document from his briefcase and handing it to William. "From now on, you're officially our boss."
"Haha, I never imagined that while I don't yet have an employee in my own company, I now have hundreds of lawyers and accountants working for me," William chuckled as he took out his phone to scan the contract. A few minutes later, Sunday confirmed everything was in order, so William signed the document and pressed his fingerprint.
Keeping his copy of the contract, he said, "Alright, call your mentor and the other partners. I'll host them here at the estate tonight."
"Understood, Boss," Anthony replied respectfully.
"Sunday," William said, covering his ear, "invite the Duke of Devon, Gary, and Baron Caboret to meet me here at the estate tomorrow morning. Since they've been so helpful, it's time to settle a few matters and payments."
"Understood, Sir. The invitations have been sent."
That evening, William hosted a dinner at the estate for all the partners of the Moonstar law firm. One side was eager to build a relationship, and the other was keen to please their benefactor, so the conversation flowed easily. From then on, William's legal and financial matters would be handled by Moonstar.
Of course, when it came to financial audits, William planned to hire a separate accounting firm. He wasn't about to entrust everything to just one company.
The next morning, at 10 a.m., a helicopter descended onto the estate's courtyard with a loud hum. This was William's way of showing sincerity, having Sunday arrange for two helicopters to pick up the Duke of Devon and Baron Caboret. As for Gary, the man arrived at the estate by 9 a.m. on his own, eager to join breakfast.
The Duke of Devon was the first to arrive, as he lived relatively close. Once the helicopter had landed and the engine was turned off, the duke disembarked with the help of his bodyguards. However, what surprised William was that an elderly man, who looked just as frail as the duke, and a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties followed him off the helicopter.
"Good morning, Your Grace," William said, stepping forward to embrace the duke. "Sorry for bringing you all the way to London, but you're looking well."
"Good morning, William," the duke replied, giving William a light hug and a brief kiss on the cheek. "My boy, you always forget what to call me. Aren't we descended from the same ancestors?"
William rolled his eyes. This old fox was constantly reminding him that they were of the same bloodline, implying that, by rank, William should call him grandfather.
Sighing, William playfully supported the duke's arm and said, "Fine, it's good to see you, Grandfather."
The duke pretended not to notice William's eye roll, laughing heartily. "I'm happy to see you too, my boy. Let me introduce you."
Turning to the elderly man behind him, he gestured. "William, this is Marco Kans, chairman of Kans Group and my cousin. Marco, this is William Devonshire, the pride of the Devon family."
"Hello, Mr. Kans, it's a pleasure to meet you," William said, extending his hand with a smile.
Marco Kans shook William's hand, smiling back. "Hello, William. It's a pleasure to meet you too."
The duke then pointed to the man in his thirties or forties. "William, this is Charles Cavendish, Viscount Cavendish. He's my late brother's only son, and my nephew, as well as Marco's sister's son. Charles, meet William."
William immediately reached out and grabbed Charles Cavendish's hand. Leaning down slightly to the shorter man, William whispered in his ear, "If you dare call me nephew, I'll throw you out of the estate." With that, he gave Charles's hand a firm squeeze.
Charles immediately winced in pain, his face flushing as he patted William's shoulder. "OK, OK, I'm a Cavendish, and you're a Devonshire. Don't worry, we'll each mind our own business."
Satisfied with Charles's response, William released his hand, smiling. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you, Charles."
Still nursing his sore hand, Charles forced a smile and replied, "Likewise, William."
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