[Chapter 496: Billion Dollar Baby]
Michelle Reis's belly certainly proved itself, not just one son, but two right off the bat.
As for why they kept it a secret, the reason was simple. The little guys were just a bit over three pounds.
William White figured he would wait until the kids grew a little more. He really wanted to avoid any unnecessary complications.
"Darling, I appreciate your hard work."
"Honey, it's no trouble at all, as long as you're happy."
"Ha ha, of course I'm happy! You know my family isn't too numerous, so if we don't have a few more kids, how will they carry on the family business?"
Hearing him say this, Michelle Reis felt a weight lift from her heart. Having children naturally changed perspectives; even if she didn't care, she needed to advocate for their future.
"Honey, I still want a girl."
"Then you should recover quickly; I've got plenty of firepower lately."
Michelle Reis rolled her eyes at him, thinking, "What firepower? With so many temptresses around, if it weren't for my persistence, who knows when she'd be having another child?"
...
William White was happy, while Fulton was excited. The young master didn't care about the gender of the children, but he did. A girl getting married meant she would change her last name; how could that help inherit any family business?
True, the young master was still young, and there was no rush. But how could Fulton not know what William White was up to outside the family?
Besides, raising a family heir wasn't easy. What if the kid turned out to be a spoiled brat? That would be quite a headache.
In truth, Fulton worried too much. William White didn't intend to pass the family business to his children; the more wealth he left them, the more likely they would lose themselves. Setting up a charitable foundation was the best way to continue the family legacy.
Of course, those kids had an advantage over others. If they proved their worth, he would certainly support them. If they turned out to be spoiled, that was fine; they could live off the family foundation.
After hearing his plans, Fulton didn't know what to say. He initially worried that if the young master got married in the future, the current status of the two little ones would become awkward.
"Young Master, these things are easy to talk about on the surface, but how should we handle the family's foundation?"
"Fulton, there should be corresponding rules for this as well. No matter what, there must still be a family head, but we need to establish authority. The White family has grown to its current size; the top priority is stability."
"Understood, Young Master. I get your meaning."
Fulton quickly grasped the situation. The White family's assets were too vast; it was simply impossible for one person to inherit everything. A foundation was the most reasonable approach.
William White thought this way, but the world outside had different opinions. The son of the richest man in the world, this was no joke; he was a billionaire level tycoon.
Of course, some said that William White's wealth had already reached the hundred-billion-dollar mark. It was just that some details weren't appropriate for Forbes to report.
Undoubtedly, these two little ones were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. The skill to be born into such fortune was extraordinary.
As for whether they were illegitimate children, no one paid much attention. At worst, there were rumors of tax evasion, but that was trivial in comparison.
Their birth certificates clearly stated, "This is William White's son."
As for why there was no marriage?
Does it really matter?
The personal lives of the wealthy were mostly fodder for gossip. As long as you weren't completely outrageous, no one would dare to criticize you.
Was William White outrageous?
It didn't seem that way; the guy wasn't married, so what was there to complain about?
He was being quite straightforward about it, not caring what outsiders thought. As for the elite in America, if you didn't have a couple of illegitimate kids, you'd be embarrassed to greet anyone.
The saying "wealthy families often have rotten secrets" fit this case to a tee.
...
"Darling, I want another baby."
William White found it amusing and replied, "Suzuki, you can talk all you want, but you have to take some action."
"Hmph, you better not waste time; it's all those ridiculous 'action' movies."
"Uh, alright, let's be more formal then."
William White had actually been quite tame lately; with year-end approaching, he had a mountain of tasks. Thankfully, his film with 007 was finally wrapped up. If he had to shoot outdoor scenes now, his subordinates might just lose their minds.
With 1990 around the corner, he took a look back at the past decade's accomplishments, and it was downright incredible. Of course, the most effort came from his team. With these resources in hand, he could finally negotiate again with those old-timers. Every time it was this gang causing trouble; the next round might just change things up.
...
"Bastard, what makes you think we need bankruptcy protection? That jerk."
Naturally, it was little Rockefeller cursing. Recently, he had been called a vampire dynasty, and now they branded him a has-been. The frustration inside him was indescribable.
To be fair, they were the ones who started the trouble with William White first.
So what if he was rich?
Did they need to praise him for it? And that darned "billionaire illegitimate son" nonsense.
William White's thoughts were quite simple: Since you guys want to glorify me, I won't refuse. If you can't even keep your family business afloat, am I not allowed a little imagination?
You guys were right; he planned to re-enter the petrochemical industry. If Rockefeller couldn't manage, he would be willing to lend a hand. For instance, he'd take in all the useless junk they had.
"Sir, it seems our publicity might have angered the other side. This environment is unsuitable for provoking anyone."
"Hmph, when did the Rockefeller family ever fear challenges? Call that kid from Morgan Stanley; I want to have a chat with him."
"Alright, sir, I'll contact him right away."
Would the financial consortiums band together against him?
William White had thought about this. Truth be told, he wasn't too concerned. While there was friction, there was also cooperation; it wasn't like they had any deadly feuds.
Furthermore, consortiums had their own conflicts. If they truly got along, it'd be better to join forces. They could tussle all they wanted; the top ten consortiums in America had their strengths and weaknesses but hadn't seen much change.
William White wasn't running an investment bank, so he didn't have particularly sharp conflicts with Morgan. Any unpleasantness was just a matter of interest competition.
If Rockefeller stepped in to stir things up, the other consortiums would be pleased. Why would they help one side to suppress the other? That would be quite foolish. The best choice was to sit back and watch; if both sides suffered, that would be ideal.
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