"What's the catch?"
"There's no catch. My dad has never been interested in financial matters at all. He really would rather not be bothered with it."
"I guess when you've been born with it … " Rachel shrugged.
"Precisely! I still can't believe how easy it was to convince him, though. I thought I was going to have to fly down to Sydney and grovel on my knees."
"With your father's share in your hands, you're the biggest stakeholder now!" Rachel said excitedly.
"No, we are. And this gives us the leverage to stall the bidding war and buy some time."
"Do you want to go downstairs and break the news to your aunties?"
Nick grinned. "No time like the present."
They left their bedroom and walked over to the drawing room where Felicity, Victoria, and Alix were all sitting, unusually silent.
"I have an announcement to make," Nick said boldly.
Felicity had a peculiar look on her face. "Nicky, we just got off the phone. It seems we have a new offer on the table."
"I have an offer to propose as well."
"Well, this is a very unusual offer … it comes from someone who wants to preserve the house entirely and not build a single new structure on the estate," Alix said.
Nick and Rachel exchanged looks of surprise. "Really? And they are offering more than those Zion people?" Rachel asked dubiously.
"A great deal more. The offer is for ten billion dollars."
Nick was incredulous. "Ten BILLION? Who on earth would want to pay so much money and not develop the property?"
"It's some fellow from China. He wants to come and see the house tomorrow."
"China? What's his name?" Rachel asked.
Felicity frowned. "If I recall correctly, I think Oliver said his name was Jack something. Jack Ting? Jack Ping?"
Nick put his hand on his forehead in dismay. "Oh God-Jack Bing."
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS EARLIER …
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
"So, she is the queen?"
"No, Kitty, she is the mother of the current Sultan of Perawak, so she's the Queen Mother but she's called the Dowager Sultana," Oliver explained through his headset microphone as they rode together in the helicopter.
"Ah. So I have to curtsy to her?"
"You certainly do. She's as royal as it gets. And remember, only speak when you are spoken to."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you're not allowed to speak to her. The sultana initiates the conversation and gets to do all the talking-you simply keep your pretty mouth shut until she asks you a question. And if you have to leave the room for any reason-which you really shouldn't before she does-but if you feel the sudden urge to vomit, make sure to walk out of the room facing her. The sultana must never see your ass, so you are never to turn your back on her, understood?"
Kitty nodded diligently. "I understand-no talking, no vomiting, no ass-backing."
"Now, as I said, I don't want you to expect too much today. This is just an introduction, and a chance for Her Majesty to become acquainted with you."
"So you're saying she isn't going to give me a knighthood today?"
"Kitty, women don't get knighted in Malaysia. There is a whole different system of honors here. The sultana can bestow a title whenever she pleases, but don't get your hopes up that it's going to happen today."
"You sound angry at me," Kitty said with a little pout.
"I am not angry, Kitty. I'm just speaking over the chopper noise." Truth be told, Oliver had been on the verge of a nervous breakdown ever since Kitty had delivered her ultimatum, and he was anxious for everything to go as planned today. He had way too much to lose if it didn't. Trying to placate her a bit, he continued, "I'm just trying to make you understand that these titles given by royals like the sultana are real honors. They honor truly deserving people who have done a tremendous amount of good for Malaysia over a lifetime. People who build hospitals and schools, who start companies that support entire towns and provide work to thousands of locals. These honors mean a great deal more than Colette's title. All she ever did was spread her legs for some posh dimwit."
The helicopter swooped over the Kuala Lumpur skyline, passing the iconic Petronas Towers as it started to descend. "So this is where the sultana lives?" Kitty asked as she peered out at the exclusive leafy neighborhood of Bukit Tunku.
"This is just her little crash pad in KL for when she comes to the capital. She has residences all over the world-a house on Kensington Palace Gardens, a villa overlooking Lake Geneva, and of course, the gigantic palace in Perawak," Oliver informed her as the chopper touched down on the great lawn.