"Although you took great care to keep things under wraps and no one knows exactly what you did, sometimes you don't need the details to understand the bigger picture. Just look at the results. Your move to warn the paparazzi about the stock market crash was smart. At least now, the general public isn't too upset about you making a fortune.
Your actions in Montenegro were a show of force to make people wary of you. But your mistake was being too overt. Keeping a low profile is key. Making a fortune quietly is the best approach.
The Treasury Department is now watching your every move. If you want to bring your Swiss money back to England, you better have a good reason. I suggest you pay taxes here. God, just thinking about you having to pay a huge tax bill makes me happy. William, can you still laugh now?" Gareth's voice was filled with schadenfreude.
"Damn it," William cursed as he hung up on Gareth. These old foxes were not easy to fool. The more actions you take to cover something up, the more mistakes you might make, giving sharp people more clues to work with. It was truly a headache.
William realized Gareth had been probing him on the call. They knew he had been closely monitoring the futures market in Switzerland over the past few months, but they weren't sure if he had made or lost money, or how much he had made.
"Damn it," William cursed silently. He regretted his earlier bragging. Now everyone knew he had made a lot of money. These old foxes were incredibly sharp.
Picking up his phone, William dialed his lawyer, Anthony. The call connected quickly.
"Hello, boss," Anthony greeted him.
"I'm back in Oxford. Come to the castle; I need your advice on something," William said, his tone serious.
Sensing the gravity in William's voice, Anthony replied, "I'm in London right now. I can be at the castle in two hours."
"Bring the best tax expert from your firm. I need your help with tax filings. Everyone who comes today must sign a confidentiality agreement," William instructed.
"Understood, boss. I'll handle it right away. The team was prepped yesterday. See you in two hours," Anthony confirmed.
"Goodbye," William said, hanging up.
Sitting in the car, William felt frustrated. Despite his efforts to maintain secrecy, sharp minds had guessed part of the truth. Fortunately, they didn't know exactly how much he had earned, but trouble was brewing.
Gareth had been probing him on one hand and warning him on the other. It was clear that his windfall from the stock market crash wouldn't stay under wraps for long. Soon, the papers in England would be filled with stories about him. It looked like he'd have to lay low in Oxford for a while, or perhaps go abroad.
He needed to handle his tax matters carefully to avoid any legal missteps. As long as everything was above board, the government couldn't do much beyond public criticism. They could complain all they wanted; it wouldn't hurt him.
Barney and Christmas, noticing William's troubled expression after the call, wisely kept silent. When they arrived at the castle, Barney gently reminded him, "Boss, we're here."
Getting out of the car, William looked up at the imposing structure before him. The castle stood over thirty meters tall, its main building spanning 90 meters in length and 45 meters in width, covering more than an acre. Surrounding it were ten acres of gardens, lawns, and wooded hills. The castle was open and had lost its walls about sixty years ago during the reconstruction of Oxford.
His mother, Lina, had overseen a massive modernization of the castle. The granite walls had been polished to reveal their original tiger-striped yellow color. Tall spires and numerous dormer windows adorned the roofs. Gothic arches and slender columns gave the castle a bright, spacious feel, unlike the dark, medieval castles. Built in the 19th century, the renovated castle now felt light and expansive.
Tina ran up to William and clung to his arm, asking, "What do you think? Aunt Lina and I supervised all the renovations. I even picked the colors and patterns for the windows. Come on, let me show you around." She tugged William towards the castle entrance.
Inside, the 200-square-meter hall had shed its former gloom. The ceiling was adorned with a large circular chandelier, surrounded by over a dozen smaller ones. The walls were lined with large, modern glass windows, allowing sunlight to flood in and illuminate the blue and gold-veined marble floor. The stairway's handrails and steps had been replaced with new, creamy white marble.
After showing him the hall, Tina led William to his quarters. The third floor was entirely his, featuring a 50-square-meter bedroom, a 20-square-meter dressing room, a 20-square-meter bathroom, a 60-square-meter study, and a 40-square-meter living room. There was also a nursery, a nanny's room, and five additional furnished but empty rooms.
"What do you think, William? I helped design a lot of this with the architect. My favorite room is the bedroom. It has two large bay windows, the only room in the castle like it. And I picked out this bed for you. Come try it out and see how comfortable it is," Tina said, trying to pull him onto the bed.
William sighed inwardly at Tina's antics. She was leaving no stone unturned in her efforts to win him over.
Thankfully, she hadn't chosen a pink bed. Instead, it was a bed made of golden nanmu wood with intricate floral and bird carvings, which William had specifically requested. The bed had cost him £10,000. In 2000, golden nanmu wasn't as prized as it would become later, and £3,000 could buy a good-sized log. The furniture in his third-floor living room, all made from golden nanmu, had only set him back £100,000.
Thinking back, he wondered if he should start collecting Chinese antiques in England and Europe. The value of such items would likely increase twentyfold in a decade or so.
In his past life, William had always yearned for the expensive antiques he saw on TV and online but could never afford. Now, with money to spare and plenty of space in the castle, he considered filling the empty rooms with valuable Chinese artifacts. They were currently quite affordable in Europe and would become one of the most valuable collectibles in a decade or more.
His thoughts were interrupted by Tina's voice, "William, what are you thinking about? Why aren't you paying attention to me?"
"Nothing much," William replied. "I was just thinking about buying some Chinese antiques to decorate the castle. It feels too empty right now. I love Chinese culture and thought about getting some rare and valuable pieces."
Tina pouted, "What's so interesting about those old pots and vases? We have plenty of Chinese antiques at home, gathering dust in the storeroom."
William chuckled, "You might not like them, but they'll be worth a lot in the future."
Tina rolled her eyes, "All you think about is money."
Seeing her lack of interest, William smiled wryly, "Alright, let's talk about something else. Tina, you're almost 17. Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"
"Hmph, William, you're not even 20, and you're already acting like my mom, always asking me about my future. It's not cute at all," Tina complained, pouting.
"William, why don't you marry me now? I don't know what I want to do in the future, but my biggest wish right now is to marry you. Let's elope and get our marriage certificate secretly," Tina said, clinging to his arm and shaking it, making William feel a bit dazed.
Seeing his dumbfounded expression, Tina burst into laughter, clearly pleased with herself.
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