Chapter 133: JP Morgan’s Offer
The study was quiet, the soft glow of the chandelier casting a warm light across polished wood.
Liam sat in his seat behind the desk, leaning back slightly, his expression calm but curious. Across from him, Daniel sat with his usual poise, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips.
They had already exchanged greetings. Liam had even joked that it was a surprise to see Daniel this early in the day. That joke, however, had carried a question hidden beneath it. A question he voiced directly a moment later.
"Is there a problem?" Liam asked, his tone polite but sharp.
Daniel shook his head immediately. "No, sir. Nothing wrong. But... something came up. Something I thought I should bring directly to you before I make a decision on it."
That caught Liam’s attention. Daniel was not the type to come to him for every detail. He had already proven capable of managing dozens of things on Liam’s behalf without breaking stride. For him to come forward like this meant the matter wasn’t trivial.
Liam’s interest deepened, and he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbow on the desk. "Alright," he said with a small smile. "Tell me."
For a moment, Daniel was quiet. He exhaled softly, then began.
"JP Morgan," he said. "And UBS. And a few others like them. These banks prepare ready-made Family Office platforms for their UHNW and VVIP clients. It’s not widely advertised, but the infrastructure is always ready. They keep it in reserve for clients they fear losing to competitors. Especially clients they want tied closer to them."
Liam tilted his head, already guessing where this was going.
Daniel continued, his voice steady but carrying the weight of the matter. "After your visit to the Rothschild’s private vault in Geneva, JP Morgan realized something; that they realized they might lose you. That was enough to set them in motion. They began building a Family Office for you right away. They leveraged every pipeline, every piece of infrastructure they had. And within a week, they had it set up."
He paused, letting the weight of those words sink in.
Liam stayed silent. He knew how fast massive banks could move when they had to. Still, hearing it said plainly was something else.
Daniel went on. "They never told you about it. Their plan was to wait and to introduce the Family Office when they felt you were ready, or when you needed it. But here’s the twist; even after I resigned from JP Morgan, even after you stopped using their services, they didn’t dismantle what they built. They kept it waiting."
Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly. "And?"
"Yesterday evening," Daniel said slowly, "they contacted me. They said they are aware that I am building a Family Office for you. And that I should know... theirs is already finished."
The study was silent, as the faint tick of the clock on the far wall marked the only sound between them.
Daniel leaned back slightly, as he continued, "They told me this Family Office already has everything in place; corporate entities, trust vehicles, investment accounts, reporting systems, a skeleton team structure. They said it can be activated in one day."
For a moment, Liam said nothing. He leaned back in his chair and let out a slow breath. His eyes flickered with thought.
He wasn’t surprised. Not entirely. This was how huge institutions moved. This was how they protected clients they valued, clients they couldn’t afford to lose. Especially one as unusual as him.
But Liam had lived long enough even with his young age, and seen enough, to know the truth of society. Nothing came for free.
Even when a gift was laid neatly on your table, there was always something hidden underneath. A string. A chain. Sometimes thick and obvious, sometimes thin as silk. But it’s always there.
He was cautious for a reason.
JP Morgan didn’t set up a Family Office just to be generous. They wanted him tied closer. They wanted him dependent on their systems, their infrastructure, their staffs. That way, even if indirectly, they would always have a piece of influence over him.
And Liam valued one thing above all: independence.
His plans for the future were vast. He couldn’t afford to be anyone’s pawn, or even give the illusion that he could be influenced. The government, the banks, the world itself — no one could be allowed to hold strings over him.
That was his concern.
But another truth pressed on him at the same time: using their scaffolding didn’t mean giving up control.
He thought of it like this: if someone else built a scaffold, he could still climb it to build his own fortress. He could use what was there. And then, when his fortress was complete, he could tear the scaffold away.
He will accept JP Morgan’s generous offer but he won’t accept the staffs that will come with the Family Office. They aren’t loyal to him or Daniel, but still ultimately employees of the company.
Now, the key was in who he trusted to manage the scaffolding.
His gaze settled on Daniel, who was his shield and his filter.
Finally, Liam spoken with a calm and almost casual tone, "Accept it. Hut not their staffs."
"That’s exactly what I was going to recommend," Daniel said. "I’m your filter. Nothing comes through unless I clear it. Which means we can take what’s useful, discard what isn’t, and stay in full control."
Liam smiled and nodded slightly in approval.
"Sir, they’re doing this because they want to tie you closer. But what they don’t realize is they’re only helping you achieve what you want faster," Daniel said with a smile.
Hearing this, Liam couldn’t help but chuckled softly. He applauded himself inwardly for choosing Daniel. A man who not only understood, but articulated it plainly.
Even though, like everyone else, Daniel still completely misunderstood his true background, he understood Liam’s intent.
"Good," Liam said finally. "I will trust you to handle it."
Daniel inclined his head. "I’ll contact them tonight. By tomorrow, the Family Office will be ready. Staffed by my team, not theirs."
Liam nodded. "Perfect. I’ll be waiting."
There was a pause, then Daniel added: "There’s one more thing. The Nevada site construction is finished. Everything is in place. You can begin whenever you want."
Liam’s eyes brightened faintly. "Perfect," he echoed.
Daniel smiled, then stood. "Then I’ll take my leave. I’ll bring you updates by tomorrow."
Liam rose too, offering him a firm nod. "Good work, Daniel."
Daniel bowed lightly, then left the study.
When the door closed behind him, Liam leaned back in his chair, silent for a long moment. His mind turned over everything that had just happened.
JP Morgan’s move hadn’t surprised him, but still, it was impressive. He had expected his Family Office to take a month at least, to be built brick by brick. Instead, it would be functional tomorrow.
It was proof of something he was only just starting to grasp. The world of the ultra-wealthy moved at a speed most people couldn’t imagine. What took ordinary men years, took days for them.
Also, the Nevada site was ready. His industrial base complete. Which meant he could finally begin building the commercial version of the Gear Glass.
And with the Family Office ready tomorrow, he could launch whenever he chose.
He leaned back further in his chair, a wide smile spreading slowly across his face, at the satisfaction at how everything was working out faster than expected.
He stood, leaving the study and walking toward his room. His steps were unhurried, but his mind was burning with momentum.
There were still a lot of things for him to do. He couldn’t just sit around all day.