Suppressing his impatience, William listened to the Predator leader's speech. Internally, he was scoffing—if the Predators wanted more healing charms, it was simple: offer to pay double, and William would immediately agree to double the production.
If they could provide something truly enticing, he'd even be willing to supply without limits.
Unfortunately, the Predator before him was a pure warrior. When William claimed he couldn't supply more, the Predator actually believed him.
William sighed inwardly, feeling a bit nostalgic for the old Predator leader. Still, this was better—less risk of the Predators being wiped out by the modified ones as soon as war broke out, which would jeopardize their long-term business relationship.
After seeing off the Predator corps, William began to understand why the previous Predator leader had lamented humanity's population.
A 40-person squad was being referred to as a "corps"? Or were there other spaceships in orbit that hadn't landed?
Well, whatever the case, it didn't matter.
The next day, with his bait prepared, William suddenly sent invitations to all media outlets in London, announcing that he would hold a press conference.
Three days later, dressed sharply in a suit, William arrived at the Aston Martin headquarters. At his side was Abigail, who was radiant in a women's suit, smiling as she clung to William's arm.
As they walked, Abigail whispered, "One last time—are you sure you want to make me the executive director and Lady Lena the proxy for all your shares?"
"Relax, I'm not joking," William replied, holding Abigail's hand, which was trembling slightly with excitement. "After today, you'll be the envy of every woman in England."
"Hmph, envy? I'm just another worker for the Devonshire family," Abigail said with a playful glare. "You should be more worried about explaining this to Lady Lena after the press conference."
By the time they finished speaking, they had reached the conference hall's entrance under the protection of security personnel. Outside, a swarm of uninvited reporters who couldn't enter the venue shouted frantically as they held out recorders and microphones, clamoring with questions.
In the chaos, the ten or so security guards escorting William and Abigail nearly failed to contain the crowd. William had to frown, protect Abigail with one arm, and push away a reporter who almost thrust a recorder into Abigail's face.
Fortunately, Sunday quickly notified the venue's security team, and they managed to escort the two into the hall.
Inside, William's expression was grim as he stared at the panicked Aston Martin manager, Sean Waynes.
"Apologies, Boss, it's my fault," Sean stammered, sweating under William's glare.
To his credit, Sean wisely refrained from making excuses, so William let it slide with a glare.
Holding Abigail's hand, William led her onto the stage. Taking the host's microphone, Abigail tactfully released William's hand and stood quietly at the edge of the stage, in a position that drew attention without overshadowing him.
William tapped the microphone to test it and waited for the room to quiet down. Snapping his fingers, Sunday connected William's earpiece to the venue's audio system.
"I'm William Devonshire. I doubt there's anyone here who doesn't know who I am. If you don't, congratulations—you've just emerged from the Stone Age and joined modern society."
The crowd chuckled at his joke.
"Alright, let's begin. First, let me introduce this stunning lady beside me—Miss Abigail Chase."
A wave of astonished murmurs swept through the room.
William's use of "dear Abigail" led many to believe he was officially announcing their relationship. But what he said next was even more shocking, albeit in a different way.
Gesturing for Abigail to step forward, William smiled as she raised her hand and walked to his side. Her radiant face, reminiscent of Helen from Troy, captured the audience's attention.
Ignoring their reactions, William kissed Abigail on the cheek and said, "This is Abigail Chase—a brilliant scholar with dual doctorates from Harvard, a former director at the U.S. National Archives, and now a superwoman who, despite her achievements, couldn't escape my grasp. She's mine, and now she's going to work for me."
Some male reporters booed at his smug tone, disrupting the mood, but William shrugged it off with a chuckle.
"Alright, let's move on to the first announcement of the day."
With Abigail covering her mouth in astonishment, William declared, "From this moment on, I, William Devonshire, officially appoint Abigail Chase as the executive director of Devonshire Group. She will be responsible for all daily operations, effective immediately. Additionally—"
Before he could finish, the room erupted. Reporters couldn't believe that a healthy, twenty-year-old William was handing over control of his family's vast empire to an archaeologist.
Amid the chaos, William gestured for his personal lawyer, Anthony, to step forward. Anthony handed William a document case, which William opened and displayed to the reporters.
The sight of the documents silenced the crowd, as William continued, "This document officially names my mother, Lena Devonshire, as the primary beneficiary of my will. In the event that I am unable to manage the family's affairs, she will have full control over all Devonshire family assets."
Gasps filled the room. Some reporters exclaimed, "My God!" and others were left dumbfounded, as were viewers watching the live broadcast.
Speculation ran wild. Was William terminally ill? Facing a deadly threat?
"Mr. Devonshire, can you explain why you're doing this? Is it an illness? Are you under threat?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
William tapped the microphone to quiet the crowd. "Enough!" he commanded.
He led Abigail to the side of the stage and softly instructed Sunday, "Start the presentation."
"Understood, Sir."
A series of light beams converged at the center of the stage, forming a virtual image that captivated the audience.
Some reporters, curious and skeptical, left their seats to inspect the hologram from different angles.
When they confirmed that the 360-degree holographic image was far more advanced than any current technology, their hands shook with excitement.
The realization dawned on them: this young twenty-year-old might just be a contender for this year's Nobel Prize.
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I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 79)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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