The divorce proceedings dragged on for over two months, during which Church stayed at his old house in Virginia. Not only was this his family's ancestral home, but it was also close to Langley Base. Currently, his primary position was as a colonel in a special forces unit. After his commendable actions during the London attack, rumors circulated that he might be promoted one rank higher, possibly reaching the rank of brigadier general—a title that, though junior, is still a full general in the US.
For now, Church was without a specific role while awaiting his promotion, so his days consisted of going to Langley Base occasionally and spending the rest of his time idling at home.
For a man in his fifties, especially one on the brink of a new career achievement and soon-to-be single, loneliness was inevitable. Fortunately, Church had seen plenty of life-or-death situations, which kept him from letting his mind wander too much. Although disappointed in his wife, who was influenced by high society's obsession with status and wealth, he knew their marriage's downfall wasn't entirely her fault.
From his wife's perspective, Church was nearly sixty, yet he had suddenly and inexplicably resigned from his CIA director position in New York, throwing away the comfortable retirement pension that could have been his in just a few more years. His sudden descent from high society to a position with no status or clear prospects inevitably led to conflict.
However, Church was well aware of his financial security. Thanks to his collaboration with William in selling explosive detectors and bulletproof vests, he earned a steady one to two million dollars annually. Because of his profession, though, he hadn't told his wife about this source of income. If she'd known, he worried she might flaunt their wealth and put them at risk. In hindsight, he felt it was wise to keep her in the dark.
As he dealt with the frustrations of divorce and a job without immediate duties, he found himself easily drawn to certain distractions. In particular, a sweet-voiced woman who enjoyed chatting with him inevitably slipped into his life.
Though it was only over the phone, Church, with his agent's instincts, found comfort in talking with someone he didn't know, with whom he had no stakes, and to whom he could speak about trivial, work-unrelated things—helping him feel like an ordinary person again.
Over the two months, he came to enjoy these chats with the woman from the logistics office, even hoping she'd send him things so he could have an excuse to call and chat with her.
Leaving Church to his newfound connection, the scene shifts to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
After resolving the Bob Lee Swagger affair, William decided not to bring Swagger back to London immediately to avoid tipping off anyone who might suspect William's involvement. Instead, he stayed with his girlfriend, enjoying a relaxing vacation in Rio for over ten days. That day, they sailed a 50-meter Riva yacht back to Rio's harbor. Just as they were docking, William's phone rang. He glanced at the screen—it was a call from Benjamin Arthur.
William answered and heard Benjamin's cheerful voice. "Good afternoon, William."
"Good afternoon, Mr. President. How can I help you?"
When it came to this president, who seemed both blessed and cursed, William preferred to keep a healthy distance. Since taking office, the man had encountered one disaster after another, and William didn't want to risk being caught in his orbit. But completely ignoring Benjamin wasn't an option, given that the Arthur family had become one of his most lucrative clients.
Since reaching their agreement, the two Arthur men had sold nearly 70 bulletproof suits for William—worth around 350 million pounds. Despite his own vast wealth of over 30 billion dollars, such easy money was hard to turn down. And with more potential earnings down the line, William couldn't ignore the opportunity.
Benjamin explained that many potential buyers in the US were interested in a public demonstration to confirm that the bulletproof suits performed as advertised. He hinted that the military would also be in attendance, so if William wanted to secure a big payday, he'd better attend personally.
Hearing the military would be present, William agreed immediately. He had Sunday arrange for ten bulletproof suits to be flown directly to Washington. Then, he turned to his girlfriend Ambrosio, who was on the phone with her mother. "What should we have for dinner, darling?"
"Mom said she's preparing a barbecue and Chinese hot pot. She's wondering if we'll be joining them," she replied, wrapping her arms around William's neck and giving him a quick kiss.
The two had been alone together in Brazil for over ten days, and William's visit to her parents had gone well. This had Ambrosio in an exceptionally good mood lately.
At the mention of hot pot, William's mouth watered, and he eagerly agreed, "Of course, let's go right now!"
That evening, they enjoyed a delicious meal at Ambrosio's parents' house, where a Chinese chef had prepared an authentic hot pot. They finished dinner, watched a game in the living room, and later that night returned to their new, more luxurious villa nearby. The following morning, William said goodbye to Ambrosio and flew to the States.
Arriving in Washington, William was picked up by Michael Banning himself. "Hey, Michael, congratulations. I heard your wife is about to give birth?"
"That's right," Banning replied with a beaming smile. "Thanks, Mr. Devonshire. If it weren't for the baby coming soon, I wouldn't have had the time to pick you up."
"Thanks," William replied, fist-bumping Banning. "Have you thought of a name for the baby?"
"We considered a lot of names, but in the end, we decided on my grandmother's name, Sarah—Sarah Banning." Banning looked over at William with a questioning look. "What do you think?"
"Sarah?" William tried not to laugh, thinking about how it could be translated as "food" in Chinese. "It's perfect. Congratulations."
"Thanks," Banning replied as they chatted, finally arriving at the White Palace.
William looked out the car window at the White Palace with a puzzled expression. "What on earth? Why bring me here? I was supposed to go to the shooting range."
"Apologies, sir. The President wanted to speak with you before you headed to the testing grounds," Banning said with a wry smile. "He's been having a rough time lately, dealing with some conflicts with various defense contractors. I believe he hopes you might consider investing in the US."
"Figures there'd be a catch if you're the one picking me up," William sighed, rolling his eyes as the car entered the White Palace grounds.
He got out and entered through the front doors, passing through security, where he noticed a wide-eyed little girl bouncing alongside a tour group through the checkpoint.
As he placed his metal belongings in a bin, he asked curiously, "Do you get tourists here every day?"
Just as he walked through the checkpoint, the scanner beeped urgently, setting off an alarm and making several security guards instinctively place their hands on their holstered guns.
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