The party had been in full swing for hours now, and the sheer size of the mansion allowed guests to spread out into various private rooms. Some were enjoying themselves in the private theater, while others lounged in more intimate settings.
Lucas had seen it all, and he couldn't help but notice how natural the politicians and celebrities seemed in this environment. It was clear they'd attended William's previous birthday bashes - they were comfortable, at ease with the opulence and the host.
In the past, Lucas might not have given it a second thought. But now, knowing William was his grandfather, he felt a twinge of unease. If William was involved with these kinds of people, including someone like Diddy, it suggested he wasn't as innocent as he appeared.
Yet Lucas couldn't fully judge William, considering he was now trying to make connections with some of these very people himself.
Neil, noticing Lucas's distracted demeanor, approached. "You enjoying yourself?" he asked, his tone doubtful.
"I'm fine," Lucas replied flatly.
Neil nodded, then asked, "How's the conversation with your granddad going?"
Lucas took a sip of wine. "Nothing special. He tried offering me some of his property, but do I look like I need it?"
Neil chuckled, "Don't be cocky, kid." Then, curiosity getting the better of him, "What did he offer you?"
"Real estate, stocks, the usual," Lucas shrugged.
Neil's eyes widened. "For real, bro?" He nudged Lucas playfully, "Why didn't you accept and then give it to me afterwards?"
"Okay, I'll accept his offer, then I'll tell him I'm giving it to you-" Lucas made as if to go, but Neil quickly stopped him.
"Stop- don't," Neil said, suddenly embarrassed. "Are you trying to get me killed? One word from your granddad and I'll be six feet under."
Lucas couldn't help but laugh at Neil's sudden change of heart. Despite the complexities of his newfound family situation, moments like these reminded him why he kept Neil around. The guy might be after money, but at least he was honest about it.
A short while later, the party was winding down. William's voice rang out, "Once again, thank you all for attending this old man's birthday party." His words elicited laughter from the guests before he continued, "As much as I'd love to keep this celebration going, unfortunately, it's time to wrap things up."
The guests playfully "awed" in mock sadness, their reluctance as fake as their tans. Lucas couldn't help but roll his eyes at the display.
"I fear if we continue much longer, the feds might find something in this mansion, and that wouldn't be pleasant," William joked, drawing genuine laughter from the crowd.
"Until next time, whether it's my next birthday or Diddy's party, we'll celebrate again," William chuckled, the guests joining in.
After William's closing remarks, the guests began filing out of the mansion. Lucas was about to leave with Neil when a suited man stopped him, whispering, "Sir, Mr. William wants to see you. He has something important to discuss."
Neil looked at Lucas questioningly. Lucas just nodded, "Go ahead, Neil. I'll catch up later."
"Sure thing," Neil replied, understanding the situation.
Curiosity piqued, Lucas followed the guard to a private room. There, he found William alone, sitting by the fireplace.
"Have a seat, son," William said, his tone markedly different from his earlier jovial demeanor.
Lucas sat down, immediately sensing the shift in atmosphere. Gone was the easygoing party host; in his place sat a man who looked like he carried the weight of empires on his shoulders.
The crackle of the fire filled the silence between them as Lucas waited for William to speak, wondering what could be so important that it required this level of privacy and seriousness.
After a moment of silence, William spoke, handing Lucas a portrait. "Have a look at your mother."
Lucas took it, studying the blonde woman with blue eyes. It was clear where he'd inherited most of his features from.
"I have some of your mother's collections from her younger days - classic films and music. They're back in Beverly Hills. I hope you can come see them someday," William said.
Lucas nodded, then cut to the chase. "You said you had something important to discuss?"
William smiled. "Quite impatient, aren't you?" He stood up, pacing slightly. "I know you're not an ambitious person, Lucas. You declined my offers of real estate and stocks. Yet somehow, you've started companies earning millions."
He looked directly into Lucas's eyes. "You really make me curious. I wonder what you experienced under your trashy father's care to become who you are today."
Lucas remained silent at William's blunt words.
"But I'm hoping you'll at least consider my next offer," William said, sitting across from Lucas.
"What offer?" Lucas asked, eyebrows raised.
"This time, I'm offering you a much bigger wealth, but with a heavy responsibility," William explained.
"I want you to inherit Cavendish Entertainment - the company I built with blood and sweat."
Lucas's eyes widened, but he wasn't impressed. "Sorry, but why are you offering me so much today?"
William sighed. "Because I've neglected you for long enough."
Lucas could only think one word: 'Bullshit'. There was no way it was just because of that, especially after what he'd seen today and how William was involved with such unsavory characters.
"The family has no idea about this decision of mine," William added.
Lucas studied his grandfather, trying to decipher his true motives. This offer was too big, too sudden to be just about making amends. What was William's real game here?
William observed Lucas's expression, recognizing that familiar look of skepticism. "Please consider my words today, Lucas," he urged.
Lucas paused, then replied bluntly, "I want to know the real reason for your generosity. Don't give me that 'neglecting me long enough' nonsense. We both know that's not it."
William was genuinely surprised by Lucas's directness and sharp instincts. It seemed his grandson wasn't as clueless as he appeared.
"Sigh, you're sharp just like your mother," William conceded, shaking his head. "There are only two reasons why I want you to inherit the family business, Lucas."
"One, I know you're genuinely talented in entertainment. Your acting, music, your showmanship - they're all proof of this. I've heard you've even involved yourself in the creative direction of some films. With such qualifications, I think you're the only one in the family who can truly inherit the business."
Lucas could tell William wasn't lying. Most Cavendish family members either chose to start their own businesses or became politicians - few were interested in entertainment, and none could compare to Lucas.
Lucas nodded, then asked, "And the second reason?"
William smiled genuinely. "As for the second one?" He paused before continuing, "I simply want you to be part of the Cavendish family, Lucas."
Lucas studied William's face, searching for any hint of deception. While the first reason seemed logical, the second still felt... off. Was it really as simple as wanting family connection? Or was there more to it?
"That's it?" Lucas pressed, his tone skeptical. "Just talent and family ties?"
William's smile faltered slightly. "Is that so hard to believe?"
Lucas leaned back, considering his words carefully. "In this business, William, nothing is ever that simple. Especially when it comes to billion-dollar companies."
William couldn't decide if he was pleased or not by Lucas's cautiousness. Though he understood why his grandson was like that - in fact, he felt a surge of pride at Lucas's smartness.
"I don't think I could dedicate much of my busy time to managing a company. So no, I don't think I'll accept it," Lucas finally said.
William sighed, having anticipated such an answer, but he still said, "The door is always open for you, Lucas. You can always come back to me if you're interested in handling Cavendish Entertainment. I believe that in your hands, you could take the company even further in Hollywood."
Lucas remained silent at that comment.
They talked a bit more before Lucas left to join Neil and the others.
***
Two days after Lucas attended William Cavendish III's birthday bash, various articles popped up about his presence at the event and the surprising revelation that he was part of the Cavendish family. The articles mentioned that even Lucas himself was caught off guard by this family connection.
Normally, this kind of news would really catch the public's eye. But it was overshadowed by something even bigger - the release of trailers and teasers for Lucas's new movie, "A Star is Born". What really set social media ablaze wasn't just Lucas's involvement, but the unexpected appearance of Taylor Swift in the footage.
Twitter and Yahoo! were dominated by discussions about "A Star is Born". Fans were losing their minds over the Lucas-Taylor pairing:
"Lucas Knight AND Taylor Swift in one movie? Is this real life? #AStarIsBorn"
"OMG! Taylor's acting debut alongside Lucas? I'm dying! #Taylucas"
The Cavendish connection was relegated to a footnote in most discussions, with fans more interested in dissecting every frame of the new trailers.
The fans couldn't wait for the movie - especially music enthusiasts, since "A Star is Born" seemed to be a music-themed film.
Speculation ran wild about how it would turn out, with particular excitement building around the prospect of a Lucas-Taylor duet.
"Lucas Knight and Taylor Swift singing together? My ears are ready! #AStarIsBorn"
However, not everyone was convinced. Some skeptics voiced their doubts about Taylor's acting abilities:
"Bet they just cherry-picked Taylor's best scenes for the trailer. No way she can act for a whole movie. #ProveMe Wrong"
"Lucas can carry a tune, but can Taylor carry a scene? We'll see... #AStarIsBorn"
Despite the naysayers, the overall buzz remained overwhelmingly positive. Fan theories and reaction videos to the trailer flooded YouTube, each racking up millions of views within hours.