Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet

Shaun Wainwright could barely contain his excitement as he shook William's outstretched hand. "I, I... Apologies, Mr. Devonshire. I'm just a bit overwhelmed."

Taking a few deep breaths, Wainwright added, "We speculated that you might be the one behind Aston Martin's acquisition when we saw the new DB9 in your hands, but seeing you here today still feels surreal."

William laughed. "What's there to be unsure about? Anyway, have you prepared everything I asked for?"

"Yes, Boss. We've got two high-spec DB9s in silver and rose gold, along with the new convertible model, all set up in the showroom. The reporters are here and ready for you to kick things off."

"Great, let's get to it."

Wainwright led William, Anthony, and the legal team into the showroom.

As soon as William entered, the assembled journalists buzzed with excitement. Many hadn't expected Aston Martin's mysterious buyer to be William, and the sharp-minded reporters were already drafting tomorrow's headlines: "England's Jewel, Aston Martin, Returns to English Hands."

Ignoring the questions being shouted his way, William walked to the podium, escorted by security arranged by Anthony.

After theatrically accepting the earpiece Anthony handed him and straightening his clothes, William took the stage.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm William Devonshire, the new owner of Aston Martin. Today's event is the launch of our latest supercar, the DB9."

With that, he snapped his fingers, and Sunday's voice filled the showroom as a promotional video for the DB9 began playing on the large screen behind him.

Though the journalists muttered complaints about William's brief introduction, they quickly turned their attention to the stunning visuals and the cutting-edge features of the DB9.

Packed with technology and performance features that wouldn't be seen in other supercars for years, the DB9 captivated everyone. Its specifications completed, the time came for a hands-on experience with the three cars displayed, and the vehicles quickly became the stars of the day.

As reporters began to mill around, many still tried to approach William, who was surrounded by security.

Knowing he needed to say something to prevent the press from running wild with rumors, William briefly explained why he purchased Aston Martin and disclosed the investment he planned to make—100 million pounds to expand production capacity. Then, under the watchful eyes of the journalists, he left with Anthony and his security team.

The next day, as expected, English media was filled with news of William's acquisition of Aston Martin and the DB9's launch.

Those in the automotive world, along with potential buyers, quickly noticed that the DB9 outclassed other supercars in nearly every respect, apart from its high fuel consumption. Its 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 4.1 seconds placed it among the top three fastest supercars, and it far outperformed competitors in comfort.

However, the price was a sticking point. The base model started at £210,000, while the high-spec model went for £290,000. Other car manufacturers mocked the steep price, and many people remarked that William must be out of his mind.

But among the wealthy and the younger demographic, the car became immensely popular. Within just a week, over 2,000 orders came in globally, pushing delivery dates nearly a year out.

This delay gave some buyers pause, but it also reinforced the DB9's allure as a high-demand, limited-edition car, adding to its potential as a collector's item.

Aston Martin's marketing soon shifted focus to the company's 87-year history, noting that 80% of its cars were still preserved in pristine condition as collector's vehicles. As a result, the orders surged once more.

After a few busy days, William boarded a plane to the United States, heading to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It wasn't until right before departure that he learned he wouldn't be the only honoree; Archbishop Desmond from Ethiopia would also be receiving a medal.

However, the two awards were different—William would be given the U.S. Medal of Honor, while the archbishop would receive the Philadelphia Commemorative Medal.

After a ten-hour flight, William arrived in Philadelphia and was picked up by a Rolls-Royce from the Four Seasons Hotel, where he spent the night resting.

The next morning, he was escorted by Secret Service agents to Philadelphia Square. After a half-hour wait, Benjamin Arthur finally arrived, fashionably late.

As soon as he saw William, Arthur greeted him with a hearty hug. "Long time no see, William."

"It hasn't been that long, Mr. President. How have you been?" William replied with a smile.

"Not great, to be honest," Arthur chuckled, then leaned in and lowered his voice. "Any leads on Amir Bakawi?"

"Sorry," William shook his head. "We've managed to eliminate several of Bakawi's associates, but he himself seems to have vanished without a trace. Either he's really dead, or he's hiding like a rat in some dark hole. I doubt he'll show his face while you're still in office."

"No," Arthur replied, shaking his head seriously. "The CIA recently received intel that Bakawi was spotted at a secluded hotel in Colombia. We retrieved hair samples from every room, and DNA tests comparing them with Bakawi's son's DNA confirmed that Bakawi is indeed alive.

"Unfortunately, by the time we received the information, he had already escaped."

"Are you certain?" William asked, feigning shock.

"Absolutely. The DNA test doesn't lie," Arthur replied firmly.

"Good lord, that old man must be crazy to risk staying in Colombia," William responded, feigning disbelief, though internally he was thrilled.

Those hair samples were, in fact, planted by his associate, Carlos, who had shaved Bakawi's head and preserved his body in cold storage after his death, specifically to make the Americans think he was still alive.

About a week ago, when William received notice from the U.S. government about the medal ceremony and discussions regarding his compensation for saving Arthur, he instructed Carlos to set up this elaborate ruse with Bakawi's hair.

After all his careful planning, it was finally paying off.

Arthur hesitated for a few seconds before saying gravely, "We need to locate Amir Bakawi as soon as possible. With his entire family dead, no one knows how far he'd go to exact revenge. William, I have a son, and you have a mother. Neither of us wants our loved ones to be put in harm's way, right?"

"Of course," William nodded solemnly. "What do you need me to do?"

"I'll pay you the full five hundred million dollars as promised, but I want you to increase the bounty on Bakawi."

"Isn't a hundred million dollars enough?"

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]

[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]