William, who had planned to strike while the iron was hot and earn more money, enthusiastically recommended matching bulletproof T-shirts to the representatives of the two countries. Unfortunately, the buyers were no fools. They immediately rejected William's proposal without even considering it.
After all, wearing the new combat uniforms paired with a bulletproof vest costing only ten to twenty thousand dollars could achieve the same level of protection against sniper rifles that William claimed.
As for the issue of potentially breaking ribs from impact, none of the buyers paid attention. Instead, they silently mocked William for not understanding the value of money or the principle of diminishing returns. Surviving a sniper rifle shot was already a miracle; if injured, worst case, they could retire. But if they were completely unscathed, the size of the military could decrease drastically over time. Wouldn't that also mean that some of them, as middle-level officers, might face early retirement as well?
When Catherine called to inform him of this, William shook his head and sighed to Jesse and Abigail, "Am I too kindhearted, my dear?"
Jesse, who didn't know William well, shook her head in confusion. Abigail, who was more familiar with William's ways, rolled her eyes dramatically and said with a hint of sarcasm, "In a week, it will be Mrs. Lena's birthday. Instead of worrying about money, maybe you should figure out when to return to London. Otherwise, if Mrs. Lena gets upset, don't expect me to stand up for you."
"Damn it," William smacked his forehead, then grabbed Abigail and gave her a few kisses. "I almost forgot. Thank you for reminding me."
After thinking it through, William realized the business deal was already secured. With Catherine handling the follow-ups and Abigail now officially assisting with some of his business matters, his involvement wasn't strictly necessary.
Most importantly, with a reputable law and accounting firm overseeing the legal and financial aspects, and Sunday managing production materials and comprehensive monitoring, no one could touch William's money.
With that in mind, William quickly made a decision. "We'll head back to London tomorrow and check the preparations for the banquet at Oxford Castle the day after."
"Can I skip this trip?" Jesse asked cautiously. "I just took over the Latour Winery, and there's so much to handle. Plus, the winery's master winemaker, Mr. Gardel, and the management team have agreed to let me join them to learn about winemaking and management. I might not have much time."
"There's no way you don't have time," William rolled his eyes at Jesse, about to counter her excuses when Abigail interrupted him.
"Wait, dear," Abigail urged. "If you don't want Mrs. Lena to get upset, it's better if none of us three go with you. Otherwise, if any gossip reaches her ears, I guarantee you'll be in trouble."
William immediately understood Abigail's point when he noticed her meaningful expression. His mother's preference for noblewomen over Ambrosio was no secret to Abigail, who had lived with Lena for half a year.
Jesse, with her modeling background, would be even less likely to win Lena's favor. As for Abigail suggesting that none of them attend, it was because she didn't want to become the target of the other two women's jealousy.
With her double doctorate, position as a supervisor at the US National Archives, and now as the curator of the Devonshire Family Museum, Abigail's credentials were impeccable. Her status would be well-received in any country.
Furthermore, Abigail had been handling acquisitions, antique appraisals, and overseeing the construction of the family museum while helping William and Lena with estate and castle matters. Lena didn't harbor any hostility toward her.
However, Abigail was too clever to say this outright, even if she wanted to.
Thinking about his mother's attitude toward the women in his life, William sighed. "We'll go back to London first. I'll talk to my mother and see where she stands on the issue. As for what anyone else thinks, I couldn't care less."
After saying this, William observed Jesse and Abigail's reactions. As expected, Abigail nodded in agreement without hesitation, while Jesse looked conflicted—she wanted to go but was worried about not being welcome.
William didn't give her a chance to speak. "The Latour Winery has operated with separate management and ownership for over twenty years. If you rush to learn the ropes right after I've acquired it, the management team might feel I don't trust them. So, it's settled. Even if you can't officially visit Oxford Castle, staying at the London estate is fine by me."
"Alright, I'll listen to you," Jesse replied, a smile creeping onto her lips. William rolled his eyes, realizing that this little troublemaker was being disingenuous. If he had left her alone in a foreign country like France, who knew how she'd feel?
After dinner, at 10 p.m., while the three of them were watching TV, William's phone suddenly rang. Seeing it was a call from France, William was puzzled. When he answered, he heard it was from the Moroccan police.
After listening for over ten minutes, William hung up and, under Abigail and Jesse's surprised gazes, cursed angrily. "F***! How can there be such idiotic father and son duos in this world?"
"What happened, dear?" Abigail asked with concern.
"Marco Cannes and his son Toby Cannes are dead. F***!" William stood up, pacing back and forth while angrily cursing the Cannes duo as an old fool and a cowardly idiot.
Why did they have to die now, right after he had acquired the Latour Winery?
William had assumed that his agreement with Charles would buy him at least six months to a year. But now that the Cannes father and son were dead, given the temperament of the French, it would be several times harder for William, the new owner of Latour Winery, to take over Margaux Winery.
What's worse, according to the Moroccan police, while they hadn't yet boarded the ship for an investigation, the caller's report suggested that the Cannes duo had been murdered.
If William were to acquire Margaux Winery and the F1 team from Charles at this moment, purely from a beneficiary standpoint, even an idiot would suspect his involvement in the incident.
As William was fuming, his phone rang again. Annoyed, he ignored the call. Abigail picked up the phone from the sofa, glanced at it, and quickly said, "It's the Duke of Devonshire."
"Damn it, more trouble," William muttered. Taking a deep breath to calm his anger, he answered the phone. "Good evening, Your Grace."
"Good evening, William," the Duke said, clearly distracted. He didn't even care whether William addressed him as 'grandfather.' "I assume you've heard about Marco's death?"
"Yes, I just received a call from the Moroccan police. Marco and his son Toby were both tragically killed. My condolences, Your Grace."
"No, I'm not upset at all. Ever since Marco, that old fool, refused to heed the advice of us old friends and insisted on marrying a woman young enough to be his granddaughter—a Japanese woman, no less—I've been expecting something like this to happen.
I'm calling to ask you to investigate whether Charles had anything to do with this. If he did and can't clean up the evidence properly, then…"
The Duke paused for a moment before continuing. "William, we share the same ancestors. Don't let our family name be tarnished."
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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