Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

even the thought of having to come back to Singapore to deal with all these property folks
fills me with dread. Do you know how many ACS old boys have called me up out of the
blue to invite me to lunch, to golf, all that nonsense? People I haven’t seen in eons are
suddenly behaving like my best friend because they can smell the money.”
“I’m sorry that’s happening, Dad. But let me ask you something.” Nick took a deep
breath as he prepared to make his pitch. “If I can somehow raise the money, would you
consider leveraging your thirty percent stake and joining me and possibly Alistair to buy
everyone else out? If you give me a little time, I know I can find a way to make it
financially worthwhile for us to own the estate.”
The line went silent for a moment, and Nick wasn’t sure if his father was upset or if he
was just on a particularly arduous stretch of the hike. Suddenly he spoke up again. “If you
care that much about Tyersall Park, why don’t you handle this whole house sale? Do what
you think is best. I’ll give you permission to act as my proxy, power of attorney, whatever
they call it. In fact, I’ll sign over my thirty percent stake to you right now.”
“Really?” Nick said, not quite believing what he was hearing.
“Sure. I mean, it’s all going be yours one day anyway.”
“I don’t even know what to say.”
“Do whatever you want with the house, just keep me out of it,” Philip said, climbing
along the edge of a beautiful cliff-side cemetery overlooking the South Pacific. “Nicky, I’m
up at that cemetery by Bronte now. Will you make sure—”
“Yes, Dad, you’ve told me many times before. You want to be buried there. You want to
have a view of the humpback whales doing backflips for all of eternity.”
“And if they run out of lots, you’ll find another ocean-side spot? New Zealand,
Tasmania, anyplace but Singapore.”
“Of course.” Nick laughed. He hung up the phone and found Rachel staring at him
curiously. “That sounded weird, from what I heard.”
“Yeah, it was one of the weirdest calls I’ve ever made. I think my father just gave me his
share of Tyersall Park.”
“WHAAT?” Rachel’s eyes got huge.
“He told me he’d sign over his stake, and I can do whatever I want as long as I leave
him out of it.”
“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.”