The Hunter family quickly became unsettled. They wanted to nip the problem in the bud. While William was still hesitating, they aimed to swiftly resolve the issue.
Being the second largest shareholder and the controlling shareholder are two different things. Thinking they could easily control White Oil now was a fool's dream. Other shareholders might not sell their stock to them.
The reasoning was very simple: Now, the shares of White Oil were in high demand. If the shares were transferred via agreement, the new owner would immediately become a major shareholder. They might not be able to outbid others.
Even if they managed to acquire the shares, it might not mean much anymore. They needed a large amount of cash right now.
Another major issue was time. The layout of the futures market was already completed. If any disruptions occurred now, their grand plan could face hurdles.
Currently, oil prices were sky-high. Many companies were certainly interested. While they might be more powerful than the White family, compared to other oil giants, they really couldn't compete.
Even if they ultimately emerged victorious, they might lose more than they gained. This kind of move would be almost idiotic.
...
At this point in the charade, William White didn't need to continue. Those blasted banks were not going to give him loans anyway.
William White left; there were plenty of things to do at home. No need to stay and accompany the Hunter family in their madness. He was very sure the old man would not cause any more trouble.
White Oil's two oil fields were in Texas. The extraction costs were not too high. Attention was inevitable.
The Hunter family's behavior was indeed despicable. The two families were somewhat connected after all. Their relationship was okay before. Now, bullying a kid really made no sense.
The capital market truly did not care about tears. But the basic sense of right and wrong still existed.
For such high-society drama, tabloids were very interested. Once they got hold of some materials and benefits, how they would report it was obvious.
Dozens of banks also got caught in the crossfire. Conspiracy theories were always of keen interest to the public.
Even though it was only some tabloids, it was still enough to disgust people.
The Hunter family's reputation was always bad. Once specifically targeted, it became unbearable.
The old man was trembling with rage. He had been stood up, and now it was twisted around to say he was at fault. The most hateful thing was that he had no way to go out and explain.
William White's various woes clearly garnered widespread sympathy.
Just then, careful readers discovered that this William White shared the same name as a novel's author. When they learned that the book they loved was written by this guy, not just a name coincidence, they were shocked.
Meanwhile, Wen Southwest Review Press began to vigorously promote. In just a few days, hundreds of thousands of books were snapped up.
The Hunter family's situation was now predictable. The more people liked this book, the more they hated them.
The tabloid reporters were not the only ones in action. Mainstream media began extensive reporting.
Being writers, they understood the quality of the book well. The reporting slant required no further explanation.
Before the involved parties could even comment, events had escalated to such a point. If it continued brewing, the Hunter family would undoubtedly be known as the most shameless.
For capitalists, reputation might not matter much. But for a family, sometimes reputation was more important than money.
Could they reconcile? The two families had already torn each other apart and were in a fight to the death.
...
Riding this wave, more people discovered Forrest Gump. A book that was lukewarm suddenly became a hot topic nationwide.
The publishing house naturally capitalized on the buzz. With their relentless pushing, the book smoothly entered the best-seller list.
In another era, this book might not have meant much. But in today's society, it had everything:
As an American, there was no reason not to like this book. Though there were satirical parts, it was overall very inspirational.
The book was truly American, both anti-war and highly motivational, portraying dark sides yet ultimately promoting a positive theme.
Of course, some were unhappy. The reason? He treated the female lead too harshly -- forcing her into disgrace and directly writing her death.
William White wanted to say that the original was even worse. He thought he had already been kind.
The book was meant to make people cry. If it became a comedy, it wouldn't work.
Hollywood bigwigs were a bit troubled. They clearly saw the commercial value of this book.
Unfortunately, no matter what minor troubles William faced, he was still a bona fide centi-millionaire, if not a billionaire. Even after heavy blows, he remained a centi-millionaire.
They wished to obtain the film adaptation rights, even for a high price. Regrettably, he politely declined, not even interested in discussing a price.
William would be crazy to sell. How much could they possibly offer? Maybe just a few hundred thousand dollars. Yet, this film's box office would easily surpass hundreds of millions, with unquantifiable value in merchandise. Why would he sell now?
It would be just a few hundred thousand, considering his status. Hollywood had a rough few years, barely making any money. Still being alive was thanks to God's blessing.
...
Given the current situation, the Hunter family dared not act recklessly anymore.
In fact, they regretted it deeply. They were just upstarts, while best-selling authors held high statuses.
Plus, he was the sole heir to hundreds of millions in assets. In high society, he was far more welcome than them.
Cultural figures were always favored, no matter where they went. An upstart family simply couldn't compare.
"William, when did you start writing books? And so well-written, too."
"Jason, I'm a genius, okay? I just penned down some thoughts. Is that strange?"
"Strange? Boss, you're kidding, right? Reporters are going crazy; there are so many of them at school. You're in trouble; lots of girls are discussing your... details."
William White's face turned dark; he was silently cursing inside.
"Jason, did those girls say anything bad?"
"Boss, you're doomed. They know the details."
"Oh my God, who are these people?"
After some casual chatting, they hung up the phone. Now, it was William's turn to have a headache. He definitely wasn't a goody-goody at school.
In fact, he was overthinking it. William White's reckless behavior was more real. Cold and aloof bookworms were most annoying; reporters wouldn't be interested, and neither the public.
Kids under 19 were full of energy -- their hormones running wild. Words like refined and aloof weren't exactly positive for a kid.
For many young fangirls, William White was dazzling. He was undoubtedly a diamond in the rough. If given a chance to interact, they'd never pass it up.
*****
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