On a whim, William had set a simple trap, and surprisingly, someone actually fell into it just as he was about to inherit his title.
"Stop. I don't care who you are. In my eyes, you're no different from a stray cat or dog on the street, just a minor, insignificant figure. If you think you can blackmail me with some tabloid gossip, let me tell you—you're thinking too much." He tapped his finger near his ear, and immediately, Sunday's voice relayed information about Richmond-Valentine through his earpiece. William continued tapping the table rhythmically, glancing at his phone, which displayed an image of Richmond-Valentine wearing a baseball cap and white-framed glasses.
Seeing Richmond-Valentine's familiar face, William instantly recalled the wrinkled, loathsome face of Arthur Kane from *Kingsman*.
A faint, predatory glint flashed across William's smiling face as he stared at the female reporter with a grin, eyes full of menace. "Tell me, what does Richmond-Valentine want by sending you here?"
The blatant disregard made the beautiful reporter, who was used to being the center of attention, grit her teeth in frustration. However, as she locked eyes with William's cold and intimidating gaze, a wave of unease washed over her. After all, if what William said was true, his wealth far outpaced that of her boss, Valentine. Nonetheless, her confidence quickly returned when she remembered her own powerful backer, the so-called genius, Richmond-Valentine. "My boss, Mr. Richmond-Valentine, would like to meet with you to discuss some matters."
"Great, wonderful," William said, narrowing his eyes as he studied the reporter's renewed confidence. "Who would've thought a spur-of-the-moment idea would hook such a big fish? You're about to become famous, Ms. Reporter. I guarantee that all the journalists in New York will remember your foolishness."
"Lastly, please inform Mr. Richmond-Valentine that if he wants to meet me, he should come in person. My time is valuable, and I don't waste it on irrelevant people."
"Oh my God, William Devonshire just openly dismissed Richmond-Valentine like that! This is going to be good."
"Tomorrow, Richmond-Valentine will probably lose his mind."
The reporter was clearly rattled by William's attitude, suddenly realizing that her impulsive actions might have ruined her boss's plans. Panicking, she turned to Dario, hoping to salvage something by exposing William's secrets and giving her boss a way to save face. "Mr. Dario, it's quite impolite to keep a lady waiting for your answer."
The other reporters, who had been stifling their laughter, couldn't hold back anymore. They burst out in mocking laughter, surprised that someone could be so foolish as to repeatedly fall into such an obvious trap.
William, however, knew better. It wasn't that the female reporter lacked brains, but that her boss, Richmond-Valentine, was himself an emotionally inept tech nerd. In fact, Valentine was the first person William had encountered in his reincarnated life who genuinely had plans to destroy the world—an extraordinary level of madness.
Dario shrugged and said, "I'm sorry, miss, but you're being too hasty. Mr. Devonshire's trap was so simple, and yet, aside from you, no one else fell for it. When I said I was lucky, I meant that I was fortunate enough to hide in the ventilation ducts without being caught by Mr. Devonshire's security—not that I had taken any compromising photos."
"Ha ha ha, exactly! These amateur online media reporters are so desperate for fame, but they're completely unprofessional and lack patience. Looks like the editor at Valentine Daily is going to have a bad day after sending such a brainless subordinate."
"Heh, you've got it wrong. It doesn't matter if they're brainless. For all we know, the editor at Valentine Daily prefers curvy but brainless reporters," a middle-aged journalist quipped to his colleague with a knowing grin.
"Wow, that sounds fun, but I'm not sure if he'll still be laughing after this press conference. Tomorrow, those online media outlets are going to be the laughingstock of the industry. It feels so good seeing these rule-breakers get what they deserve."
"Now the only question is whether William Devonshire will turn his attention to Valentine Corporation after handling L Brand. Richmond-Valentine isn't just a billionaire; his company employs over a million people worldwide. If those two go head-to-head, we're in for quite the show."
Having botched the situation and hearing the mocking comments from all around her, the female reporter couldn't bear to stay any longer. Covering her face, she fled the room in embarrassment.
"Ha ha ha!" The entire room erupted into laughter after she left. Some even took the opportunity to tease Dario, saying, "Dario, you're in for it now. Valentine's people will definitely keep a close eye on you from now on."
Dario, unfazed, shrugged nonchalantly. With a sly grin, he turned to William and asked, "So, Mr. Devonshire, am I qualified to receive aid from your foundation now?"
"Hiss, Dario, you really have no shame."
"Thank you." Far from being embarrassed by his colleagues' ridicule, Dario simply nodded to them in thanks.
William shook his head, chuckling. Dario was indeed a good person—a great father and husband—but as a tabloid journalist, he had no shame when it came to pursuing a story.
Normally, William might find such behavior repulsive, but under the current circumstances, it amused him. He smiled and said, "You're a good father, Mr. Dario. Raising three kids alone is impressive, and taking care of your wife's father is even more admirable. So, congratulations, Mr. Dario. You're absolutely qualified for aid. In fact, given how well you treat your father-in-law, my foundation will also cover half of his nursing home fees. The reason it's not the full amount is that I'm afraid you might send him to the best nursing home in the country, which wouldn't be fair to others in need of aid."
"Ha ha ha, exactly! William, if you paid for everything, Dario would definitely pick the fanciest nursing home out there."
Dario sighed with a bit of regret but then smiled wryly. "Alright, I get it now. I see why you make so much money—it's almost impossible to outwit you, Mr. Devonshire."
"Ha ha ha," the room echoed with laughter once again.
After the laughter subsided, William added, "Because of your three lovely children, I'm personally sponsoring a one-day trip for your whole family to the Yacht Club. You're even welcome to use my new yacht. But if you accept this invitation, please sign a liability waiver beforehand. As the sponsor, I'll provide the means for the trip, but I won't be responsible for your safety. If anything happens, it'll have nothing to do with me."
"Ha ha, exactly!" The crowd teased William in response. Given Dario's shameless nature, it wouldn't be surprising if he tried to exploit some minor issue to make a claim against William.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter