Chapter 359: A Few Months Is Too Long (Bonus Chapter 1)

"10% for 20%? That's impossible," Duke Grovener immediately rejected William's terms. "First of all, whether your new company is worth £5 billion is still up for debate. Meanwhile, even though the stock price of England Electric has fluctuated recently, its market value is still about $5 billion, which converts to around £3.5 billion. A 1:2 exchange is too much of a loss for us."

As William was mulling over how to negotiate, Grovener suddenly asked, "The person who was buying shares in England Electric recently—was that you, William?"

"Hmm?" The other three men were surprised. Though they had no direct authority, monitoring public interests was part of their daily responsibilities, and they hadn't expected that William would target England Electric, a company not particularly favored by the market.

Duke Grovener then proposed, "I think a 10% exchange for 13% would be a fairer deal."

William considered his shares in England Electric. From the old Smith at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, he had obtained 40%, and over the past few months, he had quietly acquired another 8%. He needed to secure an additional 19% to hold over 67%, the threshold for absolute control. If the remaining shares weren't so scattered in the market, William wouldn't have considered a stock swap. "10% for 15%. That's my bottom line."

"If you can secure 20% of England Electric, I'll throw in an additional 0.5% as a bonus."

"So, 13% of the new company's shares for 20% of England Electric."

"Let's settle on that exchange rate," King Philip decided.

"A wise choice," William gave Philip a thumbs-up. "Sunday, show our esteemed partners the new products. We need to make sure they understand they're not getting a bad deal."

"Understood, Sir." A 3D holographic projection appeared, displaying diagrams and schematics of the new bulletproof suits.

"Gentlemen, while the bulletproof effectiveness of the new suits has not increased, cushioning materials have been added. Now, even if hit by an AK-style firearm, it won't cause bone fractures.

"Additionally, a micro air-conditioning system has been integrated into the suit, with patches the size of a cigarette pack placed on the back, arms, waist, and cuffs. This system can maintain a comfortable temperature for up to five hours.

"Even in temperatures as low as -20°C, customers will only need to wear a light coat over the suit and shirt. Of course, when it's windy, we recommend a hat and gloves."

"Alright, that's enough," William snapped his fingers, and the holographic projection disappeared. He pocketed his phone amidst the reluctant gazes of Philip and the others.

"The new products can be launched at any time, so if you want in, you'd better act quickly."

"No problem," Philip said with a smile.

With the serious business concluded, the rest of the evening was spent drinking and chatting. At 10 p.m., William got up to leave. After seeing William off, Wilson returned to the private room immediately.

As soon as he entered, he overheard Duke Grovener saying, "A £5 billion valuation for a company that hasn't even been founded yet is too high. Even if the new company's prospects are promising, it will take several years to reach that valuation."

Philip ignored Grovener's complaints and sipped his whiskey. "If you think it's not worth it, you don't have to trade shares. William Devonshire is buying up England Electric. Holding onto those shares will still get you a seat on his boat."

That comment silenced Duke Grovener. He knew that if he went against William now, not only would William stop dealing with him, but he might also target him as a competitor. Going head-to-head with a financial genius like William, especially when his own company's main business was real estate—an industry prone to attacks—was not a good idea.

Seeing Grovener quiet down, Philip took another sip of whiskey, staring at the liquid as he said, "You don't need me to explain that in order to gain, you have to give first. Right now, we're the ones asking William for a chance to make money, a lot of money.

"You need to show him your value. Today's conversation was merely a ticket to get on the boat. You won't get anything for free unless he needs something from you."

After finishing his drink, Philip set the glass down and turned to Prince Charles. "I remember our royal family's foundation holds some shares in England Electric. Make sure those shares remain untouched. Go speak to the foundation's manager and have him make some calls. Whether we buy more shares or exchange them from other companies, I want 10% of England Electric's stock in three days."

"Understood, Father," Charles nodded.

Philip then turned to Duke Grovener. "As for the remaining shares, you'll handle it. Any problems?"

After a long pause, Duke Grovener reluctantly agreed. "No problem."

After seeing off Philip and his sons, Grovener sat in the private room nursing his drink, feeling that the £5 billion valuation was too much of a loss. But as he recalled the advanced full-screen phone and the holographic projection technology William had just demonstrated, he felt a burning itch. Lighting a cigarette, he took a long drag and paced around the room, muttering, "That bastard William did that on purpose. Damn it, he's dangling a bigger carrot in front of me. If I want to take a bite, I've got to pay up first."

Though he was bitter, Grovener couldn't deny the truth in Philip's words. The royal family wasn't moving their England Electric shares, giving him a clear message. If he didn't follow through, Philip might be even more pleased to see him fail. "What could possibly make that old fox Philip value William so much? He's backing him without caring about the cost."

This question gnawed at Duke Grovener, keeping him smoking all night. Even though he was exhausted, every time he closed his eyes, he couldn't help but think of the sci-fi-like holographic projection and the phone. His mind was ablaze with curiosity.

On the way back to Buckingham Palace, Philip, deep in thought, reflected on his collaboration with William from a few months earlier. That time, he and Duke Devon had taken the trump card they had gotten from William to confront the Archbishop of London.

Philip still savored the memory of the Archbishop breaking out in cold sweat, panic-stricken. That encounter not only allowed him to reclaim a great deal of authority from the Church but also let him tear a hefty chunk of benefit from them.

Having already profited handsomely from William once, Philip now had no doubt about the potential of William's full-screen phone and holographic technology. Without much hesitation, he had resolved to seize any opportunity to get on board.

Thinking about how the royal family's wealth accumulated over hundreds of years still didn't surpass that of the Grovener family, Philip felt deeply frustrated.

Now that there was a chance to openly amass a fortune, Philip wasn't about to let it slip by. And in his eyes, William, who could help him achieve this, seemed more and more favorable by the minute.

Opening his eyes, Philip glanced at Prince Charles, sitting next to him, and asked, "How's the Earl of Oxford doing?"

"Not well," Charles looked at his son, Wilson, and said in a low voice, "He probably won't last more than a few months."

"A few months?" Philip closed his eyes and muttered, "A few months is too long."

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