It’s
a story for a TVB soap opera – but it’s happening in real life. Hong
Kong’s pre-eminent playboy tycoon has gone public to denounce his eldest daughter’s
plan to settle down with her – female – long-time love...
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Cecil Chao declared he
would never sign anything with his girlfriends again.
Ms Holladay's settlement with his lawyers
came as a surprise, he said. Mr Chao, who would have been in Malaysia for a
business meeting if he had not thought he was due to testify, said he was not
informed of the secret deal, let alone its details.
The man who identified his one-time live-in
lover as "Ms Holladay" in court said: "Terri now has money and
won't have to borrow from me anymore."
Mr Chao could not remember how much he had
given her over the years since their split, but put the sum at more than $5
million and less than $10 million.
Saying he was always happy, the "golden
bachelor" said he did not see any need to celebrate as "I celebrate
every day".
As to whether he would ever sign a legal
document with any of his girlfriends, Mr Chao said: "I would be stupid to
do this."
Dubbed a playboy, the father of three has
never been married and doubted he ever would.
Engagement was the furthest he had gone into
a relationship and Ms Holladay was his second fiancee.
Ms Holladay, who was born in Saigon in 1968,
moved to Florida at four and once worked in the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.
She met Mr Chao during her first trip to Hong
Kong in August 1991 at a party on his yacht.
Mr Chao remembered seeing her holding a
magazine with his face on the cover.
The relationship flourished after a trip to
Europe from where she returned with him to live in his home at Villa Cecil in
Victoria Road, Pokfulam.
They parted after she threw a mobile
telephone at him on April 24, 1995. - by
Angel Lau South
China Morning Post
