The morning sun cast a golden hue across the sprawling lawn of Shivraj's mansion. He stood on the balcony of his master bedroom, sipping freshly brewed coffee while looking out at the peaceful horizon. His mind, however, was buzzing with thoughts of his next grand move. After investing billions in Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, Shivraj set his eyes on the next crown jewel—Apple.
Without hesitation, he turned and walked into his room, picked up his secure satellite phone, and dialed the direct number of his Citi Bank manager, Thomas Reynolds. The call connected within two rings.
"Good morning, Mr. Shivraj," came Thomas's calm yet eager voice. "How can I assist you today?"
Shivraj's tone was casual but firm. "Good morning, Thomas. I want to acquire all available shares of Apple Inc. as soon as possible. Price is not an issue—I will offer a premium. You will receive your standard service fees, plus an additional 10 million dollars for completing this swiftly."
Thomas was silent for a moment, stunned by the scale of the request. "Sir, are you certain? Apple is a massive corporation. Even securing a controlling interest will cost billions, and a full acquisition—"
"I said all shares, Thomas," Shivraj interrupted coolly. "Not a controlling interest. I want to acquire the entire company, or at least a sufficient percentage to influence every decision. I'll transfer $10 billion immediately. Use what you need to make this happen. Use subsidiaries, shell corporations—whatever is required to keep it discreet. I don't want my name associated with the initial transactions. The moment we hit a strategic threshold, you can reveal that Royal Investments owns the shares."
Thomas took a deep breath. "Understood, Mr. Shivraj. This will shake the market. Apple is growing, and many firms will resist. But with the premium and speed you're offering, it will create a buzz. Give me 72 hours."
"I'll give you 48," Shivraj replied. "I'll expect a progress report by tomorrow noon."
He hung up, confident and composed. He opened his system interface and transferred $10 billion into his Citi Bank account, triggering a fresh surge of system points. With the transaction done, he leaned back on his chair and allowed himself a small smirk.
By afternoon, Wall Street and Silicon Valley had already begun buzzing. Brokers and analysts noticed unusually large blocks of Apple shares being acquired through various investment entities. Rumors spread like wildfire—"Someone's trying to buy Apple."
In a dimly-lit café near Wall Street, a group of financial analysts huddled over their laptops.
"Whoever's behind this is buying at 15% above market price," one whispered. "That's not an investment. That's an acquisition."
"It's not Google, they're still a startup. Microsoft isn't moving. It's not Berkshire Hathaway either," another replied. "You don't offer premium prices like that unless you're sure you'll profit. This has to be someone new."
A reporter from the New York Financial Times, sipping espresso in the corner, perked up and immediately sent a tip to her editor.
Across the country, Apple's boardroom in Cupertino was tense. Tim Cook and other senior leaders gathered for an emergency meeting.
"Unprecedented share movements," Cook said, placing a thick file on the table. "Massive purchases from seemingly unconnected firms—all using international intermediaries. Someone's consolidating power. We suspect a single entity."
"Who?" asked one of the senior VPs.
"Unknown. But they've acquired 22% in just 8 hours," Cook replied. "And with the premiums they're offering, most shareholders are caving in without hesitation."
The boardroom buzzed with concern. Who had the resources—and the audacity—to pull this off?
Meanwhile, back in his mansion, Shivraj summoned his assistant, Emma, the AI-imbued all-rounder from the system.
"Emma," he said, "how are we doing on system points?"
"You've earned 10,000 points from your latest transfer," she replied. "Would you like to use some for future tech blueprints or additional security assets?"
Shivraj nodded. "Queue future Apple patents and product development paths for the next 10 years. I want to know what I'll be owning. Also, upgrade the security system in the mansion and assign one elite bodyguard to shadow me at all times."
"Understood," Emma replied with her usual elegance.
The next morning, Thomas Reynolds called again, his voice slightly breathless.
"Sir, we've secured 41% of Apple's shares. Another 4% is pending. We'll reach 45% by tonight. Once that threshold is hit, we'll issue the public statement tying the purchases to Royal Investments."
"Well done," Shivraj said. "Prepare the press release. I want it clean, professional, and headline-worthy."
As the news broke, it sent shockwaves through the global economy. Unknown Billionaire Acquires 45% of Apple Inc. Through Royal Investments. Stocks surged, speculation ran rampant, and Shivraj's name started trending worldwide.
Major news outlets began running backstories on him—MIT prodigy, entered at age 15, graduated with multiple degrees, made $500 million before 18, investor in Microsoft, Google, Amazon… and now, the shadow king of Apple.
In boardrooms around the world, CEOs held emergency meetings. Apple's remaining executives requested a formal meeting with Shivraj. Investors debated if Apple would become a private company. Shareholders rejoiced at the soaring stock prices.
In his mansion, Shivraj watched it all unfold on a massive 85-inch screen while enjoying breakfast. He remained unbothered, his mind already calculating the next ten moves.
"With Apple under my wing," he thought, "I can influence the tech world. The iPhone, iPad, MacBooks… all will accelerate ahead of schedule. And the system points from this single play will fuel my expansion beyond the tech sector."
He smiled and stood up. The world was just beginning to realize that a new emperor was rising—and this was only the beginning.