The photo showed two young boys and a little girl, sitting by a riverside, seemingly having a picnic. Though the three kids were smiling sweetly, the food they were eating was quite meager—just sandwiches and homemade fruit juice. Their clothes were also very ordinary.
Following that, more publicly available information and photos appeared on the screen, including pictures from community events, school details, and Dario's salary information.
At first, everyone felt warmth toward Dario's family, but once they learned about Dario's annual salary, many frowned.
A $24,000 yearly salary wasn't luxurious by any means, especially with three kids, but it wasn't low enough to require financial assistance. Some in the crowd began to feel disgusted, thinking Dario was shamelessly trying to steal aid from those who truly needed it, or worse, attempting to scam money from the foundation. What he hadn't anticipated was that William could uncover all his information in such a short time.
However, the story took an unexpected turn. One year after his wife passed away, Dario took on the responsibility of caring for his father-in-law, who had Alzheimer's and was living in a nursing home.
Now, everyone looked at Dario with newfound respect. The scruffy, slightly bald middle-aged man was actually a rare kind-hearted person.
"I have just one question." William turned off the projector and tapped the microphone to draw everyone's attention. "How did you get in here? I just noticed that you don't seem to be on our guest list."
"What?" People around Dario immediately started distancing themselves from him. Several of William's bodyguards, standing nearby, split off, with four of them heading toward Dario.
"Bang bang bang," the sound of microphone tapping filled the room. Amidst the growing panic, William's calm voice came through. "Quiet, quiet. Don't worry, Mr. Dario is not a threat."
The bodyguards glanced back at William. After he nodded again, they returned to their posts, though two of them subtly moved Ambrosio behind them.
Despite William's reassurance, a few of the bodyguards had already slipped their hands inside their jackets. Should anything go wrong, they would undoubtedly draw their weapons. According to their contract, if anything happened to William, their company would have to pay out $100 million. While this sum wouldn't bankrupt them, it would be a severe blow.
However, if nothing happened, not only would all 32 bodyguards earn their daily salary of $10,000, but they would also receive a 50% bonus, plus $2 million for their company.
Since taking on this job, these bodyguards had treated William like a deity. No one was allowed within 20 meters of him without permission, and any perceived threat would be dealt with immediately.
"Alright, no need to be nervous. Think about the two security checks you all went through to get in here. You should know that Mr. Dario is not carrying any dangerous items," William reminded everyone.
"Yeah, that's true," people quickly realized. The security at this event was as strict as the White House.
Once everyone calmed down, William joked, "Judging by your reactions, I should probably avoid crowded places in the USA from now on. I won't feel safe stepping outside without dozens of bodyguards. I wonder if your president, Benjamin Arthur, needs a whole battalion to escort him."
"No, William," said the L Brand chairman seated beside him, "a battalion wouldn't be enough. Otherwise, that recent breach of the White House wouldn't have happened. There are now 3,000 troops stationed outside. Honestly, those after-the-fact measures are just a waste of our tax dollars."
"Ha ha ha," the chairman's comment broke the tension, and everyone laughed, easing the atmosphere as they returned to their seats, all eyes still on Dario.
Feeling the weight of everyone's gaze, even the seasoned Dario appeared a bit nervous. "Alright, I'll start by apologizing. To have more time to care for my kids, I switched from sports journalism to tabloid reporting. Yesterday afternoon, after 3 p.m., I took a gamble and hid in the ventilation duct above the restroom in this large conference room, hoping to snap some special photos. Lucky for me..."
"Oh wow, you got the photos? You actually got them?" Before Dario could finish, several people cried out in surprise. "My God, Dario, you're my hero! You're brave enough to admit in front of William Devonshire that you took intimate photos of him and his girlfriend. Aren't you afraid of getting whacked?"
"Screw getting whacked! Hand over the photos!"
"Bang bang bang," William tapped the microphone again. Ever since his mother had mentioned that the Earl of Oxford wasn't doing well, William had been feeling on edge. However, hearing Dario's admission sparked a thought in his mind.
"Getting whacked is too low-brow. If I catch someone spying on me, I guarantee that for the next several decades, they'll only have four priorities: eating, sleeping, working, and battling me in court. I'll have people monitor them 24/7, as well as their parents, their spouses, and, if their kids are adults, even them. I promise that if any of them do anything even slightly unethical or illegal, not only will the police know, but it'll also make headlines."
"So, don't mess with a guy who makes tens of millions a day, because the money you'd need to fight me in court for a lifetime wouldn't be enough for what I earn in a day. If I'm in a good mood, I might even spend a few days' earnings helping others who have a grudge against your newspaper sue you. That would make for an interesting spectacle, wouldn't it?"
"F**k!" The room fell silent as William's threat sank in. The journalists' skin tingled at the thought of being crushed by William's wealth. Offending a man who could throw millions at legal battles just for fun could easily bankrupt even the largest newspaper within a few years.
After a few seconds of uneasy silence, William spoke again, "So, Mr. Dario, can you tell me what photos you took? If you have them, and if you're not afraid of the trouble it'll bring, then I'll drop the matter. Otherwise, you can hand them over to me, or I can buy them from you."
Before Dario could respond, a woman suddenly spoke up from nearby. A beautiful, curvaceous young woman jumped in, "Mr. Dario, perhaps we can discuss this in private."
"Who is she? Is she crazy?"
"Looks like she's a reporter for Valentine Daily from Richmond-Valentine Corporation."
"Valentine Daily? That new online media outlet?"
"Yeah, the one that's purely online." The mention of "online media" caused most of the other reporters to glare at the woman with hostility.
Several female journalists, who were initially going to warn her, now remained silent, watching as the busty but seemingly brainless woman basked in the attention.
Pleased with the eyes on her, the woman smiled at William and said, "Hello, Mr. Devonshire. I'm..."
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