Chapter 470: Some People Just Don't Get It

Joking about locking William up in a vault was one thing, but trying to pull real dollars out of his pocket was definitely serious business.

As soon as Kellner-Bacon arrived, after dealing with the people from the Bank of France, he immediately sought out William, prompted by his aides.

"Hello, Mr. Devonshire, I'm Kellner-Bacon. I'm glad you've come to invest in France. If there's anything you can't resolve, feel free to call me or come directly to see me," Kellner-Bacon said.

"Thank you," William replied, somewhat surprised by the man's directness. Was Kellner-Bacon always this blunt, or was it just with him? But now wasn't the time to think about it, so he quickly shook Kellner-Bacon's hand and smiled. "If there are suitable investment opportunities, I won't hesitate, but it seems some people aren't too welcoming of me."

"No matter, misunderstandings can be cleared up as time goes on," Kellner-Bacon said confidently. "I personally welcome any legitimate investment and promise to protect your rightful interests during my term."

"Haha, thank you for that," William responded.

William took these words as typical political platitudes. Believing them fully would be foolish, and besides, there weren't many investment opportunities in France that interested him. The only things that caught his eye were a few luxury brands and energy companies.

As for luxury brands, now wasn't the right time to make a move. He'd wait until the end of the year when their financial reports came out and their performance took a hit, dragging down stock prices. Only then would it be time to act. Still, even William wasn't confident about acquiring one of them outright, especially Chanel. Its ownership was fragmented, but over the decades, investor confidence in the brand had remained strong. Unless a shareholder went bankrupt or was on the brink, acquiring shares would be nearly impossible.

Seeing that William wasn't interested in continuing the conversation, Kellner-Bacon realized that this wasn't the right time for in-depth discussions either. After a few moments of thought, he quietly said to William, "Perhaps in a few days, we can talk more in London."

Then, louder and with a laugh, he said, "I won't interrupt your contract signing. My time is limited, but I hope to stay long enough to join you for a celebratory drink afterward."

"No problem, we'll begin the signing ceremony right away," one of the Bank of France's major shareholders quickly chimed in.

These guys were really acting like they ran the show, trying to skip past the formalities without even consulting William first. Seeing this behavior from people who had already been rubbing him the wrong way, William smiled coldly and said, "Do as you please."

With that, he stood there stiffly, unmoving, staring at Kellner-Bacon, who was left momentarily stunned and confused, a flicker of frustration crossing his face.

Frank-Delis, the chairman of the Bank of France, who had been standing nearby, noticed that William wasn't giving him an ounce of respect. His face turned red with embarrassment, unsure whether to stay or leave.

The atmosphere became increasingly awkward as some onlookers, confused by what was happening, quietly asked others for explanations.

Seeing Frank-Delis' face grow darker and the other bank shareholders growing increasingly uncomfortable, William added fuel to the fire with a grin, saying, "Go ahead, Mr. Delis, don't mind me."

Frank-Delis was so infuriated by these words that he nearly lost his temper. But, knowing that the bank desperately needed William's $3.5 billion investment, and aware that William was deliberately embarrassing him as payback, he held back his anger and turned his head away as if he hadn't heard anything.

The contract would be signed regardless. William wasn't about to turn down money, but he wouldn't let this moment pass without making his point. Sometimes, people who didn't know their place needed a slap in the face to remind them.

Just as William was about to throw out another sarcastic remark, Kellner-Bacon, after hearing a report whispered to him by one of his aides, stared at Frank-Delis and the other Bank of France shareholders for a few seconds. Then, smiling, he turned to William and said, "Sorry, it seems I've been too hasty."

With everyone's attention now on him, Kellner-Bacon continued, "Today is the 20th anniversary of the day my wife and I first met. Mr. Devonshire, if possible, please don't make me break my promise to her on such an important day."

William could instantly tell it was a blatant lie, and so could about 90% of the people present. Still, they had to admire Kellner-Bacon's quick thinking and the fact that he'd come up with an excuse that couldn't be easily disproved—after all, it was the anniversary of when he and his wife met, something they could make up however they pleased.

"Given the circumstances, of course, there's no issue," William said, taking the opportunity to back down with a smile. "Twenty years is indeed a milestone worth celebrating. Congratulations, Kellner."

"Thank you," Kellner-Bacon replied, smiling as if nothing had happened. "Shall we begin now?"

"Absolutely. I wouldn't want your wife blaming me," William joked.

With William relenting, many people in the room sighed in relief, while others shot disdainful looks at the shareholders of the Bank of France.

If they had already decided to sell Château de Chantilly despite public opposition, deliberately snubbing William, who was now half-owner, was just too obvious and irrational. Once the news of this event spread, the public wouldn't sympathize with their actions. Instead, they'd ridicule them for pushing away someone who could have been an ally.

Smiling, William signed the contract with the uneasy-looking Frank-Delis, and, ignoring all etiquette, he didn't even bother shaking Frank-Delis' hand afterward. Walking away from the signing table, William handed the contract to Anthony, saying, "Take this back for review, and gather a team. I want Château de Chantilly and the 7,800 hectares of land separated. From now on, Château de Chantilly will just be the castle. Understand?"

Anthony hesitated for a moment, silently remarking on William's impatience to distance himself from the Bank of France. He was quick to show he wasn't aligned with them anymore. But Anthony wasn't about to comment on this, especially with William in a foul mood. "No problem, Boss," he replied promptly.

Ignoring the post-signing reception, William exchanged brief pleasantries with Kellner-Bacon, Ronnie from the British Embassy, and a few others before boarding a helicopter with Abigail to return to Oxford Castle.

Once they were back at the castle, Abigail, who had been hesitating for a while, cautiously said, "Boss, you..."

"It's fine, I know what you're going to say," William interrupted. "But I have no short-term plans to develop Château de Chantilly or the surrounding land. No matter how upset the French get with me now, time will erode their anger. In a few years, who will even care about a château that no longer belongs to them?"

William wasn't in the mood to deal with these issues right now. During the helicopter ride, his mind had been occupied by Kellner-Bacon's earlier remark that he would be coming to London in a few days to talk. The only reason William could think of for this visit was the funeral of England's First Lord, James. "If you're unsure about anything, ask Sunday or the castle staff. I have things to do."

Without waiting for Abigail's response, William headed to the basement.

"Sunday, check on anything related to First Lord James."

"Yes, Sir."

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