[Chapter 86: Oh my god, it's really true]
The surprise didn't come from Madonna.
It's not some assassin, hired by Bill, who showed up from the winding roads of Beverly Hills.The incident came from....
Awakening.
But this time, the Awakening didn't give Orlando any new song inspirations, nor did it offer any Wall Street predictions or movie soundtracks.
It gave Orlando a hint.
A hint that left him dazed for a while.
He had to pull the car over to slow down.
Or was it a prophecy?
"Pregnant?"
In this Awakening, Hillary was pregnant.
The moment the X chromosome and Y chromosome combined was the moment of Awakening.
There was no doubt it was his seed.
Judging by the timing, it might have been from this morning.
Or the time at noon, last night, or even earlier.
Because sperm could survive inside a woman's body for more than 48 hours.
She wasn't on any medication.
Pregnancy seemed natural enough.
But since it was a sign from the Awakening, naturally it wasn't that simple.
It wasn't just a reminder that he was going to be a father for the first time since his rebirth.
Within the vision of the Awakening, Orlando saw glimpses of the child's... maybe the child's future development?
It was a boy, and the vision showed him growing from a toddler into young adulthood.
Including the first time he called "Dad," learned to walk, went to preschool, elementary school, middle school, and college...
The final image was of a young man who looked just like he'd recently become an adult, standing behind his mother with an excited expression.
His mother wore a determined smile.
There were many people around, and a podium.
The background looked like... the White House!
This final scene gave Orlando a strong sense of deja vu.
"Could it be..." Orlando murmured to himself, "Could it be that because of me, a butterfly effect through space and time, Hillary's fate diverged from that of parallel universes, and she became the President of the United States?"
In his memory, from the future in a parallel universe, she had tried the same thing twice.
The first attempt was in 2008.
But within the Democratic Party, she directly lost to the rival.
The second attempt was a tragedy not caused by war. It was a necessity born from chance.
There would be no third time.
Back then, because of her and Bill's problems, there was no legitimate male heir.
The family wasn't big.
Bill and she were really old.
There was almost no one with the last name Clinton left to inherit their vast political legacy.
Decline was inevitable.
Now, was it just because she was having another child, a son?
So...
Awakening almost never got it wrong.
"Fuck..."
Orlando exhaled slowly.
He resolved to take it easy.
In a few days, he would call Hillary, and sk if she was really pregnant.
If it was true... there was a high chance the Awakening would come true.
If that happened... then he really had to hold on tight to that kid.
Oh, right.
He thought about that last scene again.
Although he wasn't there himself, Bill, Hillary, and a few children were.
And there didn't seem to be any sign of Chelsea Clinton, the daughter born ten years ago?
There were two or three other children around them, who looked even younger than the child in the Awakening vision -- both boys and girls.
Shaking his head, Orlando decided to leave it alone for now.
---
After exchanging a few more words with Madonna, he hung up the phone and was about to start the car again.
But, slightly dazed, he accidentally hit the car radio button.
[...Live CNN news report on the situation in Kuwait...]
Just moments ago, Iraq had officially invaded Kuwait.
The UN Security Council in New York quickly passed Resolution 678.
The deadline set for Iraqi withdrawal was January 15, 1991.
Compared to the military threats building up at the border for some time, war was clearly looming; a deadline had even been set.
This shocked no one, as Orlando clearly remembered the war unfolding in 1991.
Not the exact date, but as soon as this news broke, Orlando was certain the war would break out after January 15th the next year!
---
At night, while talking with his investment manager Charles Stuart in New York,
Charlie told him, "Actually, even before the UN's final report came out, the market believed war was very likely. But after the report was released, the market shifted a bit. Many people think Saddam Hussein wouldn't be that stupid. The UN -- well, we all know it's really the United States giving him plenty of time. It's only early August, so there are still four months left! As long as that guy's not stupid and pulls out of Kuwait before January 15 next year, then on paper the U.S. won't have a reason to start a war."
Orlando paused, then softly asked, "So the market believes Saddam will leave in four months?"
"What else? Is he really going to challenge us? Boss, that's just tough luck for that little country; it's not even backed by Russia! They're a small nation, and Saddam was also supported by the U.S. at one point."
This argument made sense.
The UN announcement did give enough time -- four months!
Four months was enough time to retake lost ground several times over.
As long as Saddam was not foolish and withdrew before January 15, it was possible war might be avoided.
But... Orlando knew better.
He didn't know if Saddam thought he was capable enough, or if someone behind the scenes pushed him or gave support.
He... did not choose to withdraw.
If he pulled back his troops, there would be no one-sided war in that parallel universe.
"Watch the market first," Orlando thought, finally deciding not to jump the gun.
After all, four months remained before the "verdict."
Even if he didn't understand much about finance or international diplomacy or war preparations,
Orlando felt something was definitely off.
Even if war was certain, jumping the gun now was too risky.
Accidents could still happen.
Charles Stuart should agree with this -- after all, as a former Wall Street exec, he had seen his boss show real investment talent.
In just over three months, the capital had grown from $30 million to $40 million (including later injections).
Including stocks still held, its value was close to $100 million.
That was despite inflation, a tough economy, and a weak U.S. stock market.
Even if it was luck, it was still impressive luck.
"No problem, boss, I'll keep an eye on things for you..."
---
August 6, 1990.
Four days had passed since the news broke.
Sudden international events changed Orlando's album release and promotion plans.
Warner was now embroiled in internal conflicts and endless meetings over whether to push Orlando's album soon.
After all, Warner now treated Orlando on the same tier as Madonna and the Eagles.
What if Orlando's first EP dropped, and then the U.S. launched a war campaign against the desert ruler the next day or week?
This was a very real possibility.
Not just for Orlando--
even if Michael Jackson came out with an album, the distribution and sales would take a serious hit.
Because of this, Seymour and Frank now held conference calls almost every day. With Warner, with Orlando Records, even with media contacts.
There was communication daily and nonstop meetings.
...
In this chaos, Orlando, the real boss, found himself with free time.
He used it to pick out a house in Los Angeles and close the deal. But not in a Beverly Hills mansion where Hollywood elite dream of living. Instead, he chose Bel Air Hills -- one of the three jewels along with Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills that made up Los Angeles's "Platinum Triangle" for luxury homes.
Though less famous than Beverly Hills, its star power was no less intense.
The former president, retired just recently, lived in Bel Air Hills with his wife. Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor, iconic director Alfred Hitchcock, basketball star Wilt Chamberlain, and others were also residents.
Bel Air sat north of Sunset Boulevard, facing Beverly Hills across the hills. This spot offered excellent views, pristine nature, privacy, and top-level security.
Plus, a former commander-in-chief lived there.
And since it was less commercialized than Beverly Hills, it was actually more private.
This was why Orlando chose the location.
He could still party with female celebrities and not worry.
As long as he wasn't married or publicly tied to a girlfriend, even getting caught naked in photos was manageable -- just say she was an ex.
But now... there was Hillary.
And Daisy.
If they'd been photographed by the media, even if the press could be silenced, no one could guarantee it to be completely effective.
So, for security and privacy, Bel Air Hills was better.
That's why Orlando picked it.
As for the mansion itself: Located at the northwest corner of Mount Bel Air, it took up an entire hilltop. The grounds spanned 1.52 acres (about 60,000 square feet), lush with greenery and peaceful country-like scenery.
Built in 1980, the house featured 11 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, and eight separate toilets.
Luxury homes often had many bathrooms and toilets. Importantly, bath/shower rooms were separate from restrooms -- bathrooms were for showering, restrooms for hygiene and handwashing.
Because everyone loved to party, and wealthier ones even more so, gatherings could draw dozens, even two or three hundred guests.
What if there were not enough restrooms? You couldn't have billionaires or politicians queuing up, right?
The house's interior covered over 18,000 square feet. It included a library, theater, wine cellar, outdoor BBQ, gym, sauna, massage room, resort-style pool, spa, and more.
Since it wasn't Beverly Hills, the location was better and the price was cheaper. Asking price was $12 million.
Just like his big New York apartment, even with cash available, Orlando opted for a mortgage.
One reason was to avoid taxes; another was to build a good relationship with the bank. Plus, he could save money and invest it in the market to make more.
---
Morning.
Inside the Bel Air mansion.
Early sunlight filtered through garden vines, casting warm, soft patches of light over the expensive Egyptian cotton tablecloth.
An elegant silver coffee pot steamed on the table, with a picturesque fruit salad and buttery croissants giving a cozy home vibe.
Madonna had just returned from the kitchen.
She set two bone china cups down in front of Orlando and herself, leaned over, and kissed his forehead, her blue eyes filled with the tenderness and sweetness of someone just waking up.
"Did you sleep well last night? It's breakfast time, my prince."
"I slept great. But Louise..." Orlando called Madonna by her nickname, feeling a little awkward seeing such a gentle side of her. "I'm a little uncomfortable with you like this..."
"Why?"
"You haven't said a filthy word around me for two whole days. Not even last night when things were hot and heavy. I almost suspect you're not Madonna, but some alien in disguise."
Madonna's lips twitched up into a half smile, almost about to say "Fuck." But after thinking it through, she held it back.
She lay back on the recliner next to Orlando and looked around his Bel Air mansion.
"Why do I suddenly feel like your house is better than mine? Quieter, safer, more private."
"Nonsense," Orlando said. "This is Bel Air, not Beverly Hills. Even though it's less than half a mile away as the crow flies, the paparazzi in Beverly are a hundred times worse."
He added, "Also, you're so gentle right now, I'm really uncomfortable..."
"Fuck!" Madonna, who'd held it in for two days, finally burst out. "Can't I have a little dignity? You actually like me better when I swear!"
"Whether you're swearing or not, doesn't matter to me. What I love is your sexy body -- something at least 100 million men have dreamed about."
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Madonna cursed three times, then said, "It's all because of you! You got the governor's wife pregnant! And the governor actually called and thanked you! That scared me. I almost thought you were the illegitimate child of some super-powerful figure to be able to make the governor... do that! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Orlando, tell me -- are you some super-powerful figure or the lost heir of some mega-rich family???"
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.
https://discord.gg/b4wW8pw4.