Chapter 630: Then Come Out to Me

[Chapter 630: Then Come Out to Me]

The brand new Studio 11 at Firefly Studios measured 75 meters long and 45 meters wide, making it even more spacious than Warner Bros.' largest soundstage. At that moment, the studio was divided into six main work areas, with a total team of over 120 people working on the designs for the six themes of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Cindy Crawford walked into the studio with her agent Jeremy, and what she saw was a bustling scene. However, towards the back of the studio, a crowd had gathered, and loud music was coming from that direction.

Jeremy pulled over a staff member to ask a few questions, and the two confirmed they should head toward the crowd at the back.

As they approached the outer edge of the crowd, Cindy and Jeremy both heard a slight commotion before the music playing suddenly stopped.

Following the gazes of the crowd, Cindy's pupils shrank as she spotted a fiery figure dressed in black wings. The girl in this stunning ensemble was none other than Diane Kruger, the same girl Cindy had encountered just outside the studio, who now looked completely transformed from that youthful girl in a T-shirt and jeans. The vibrant red uniform, representing warmth, combined perfectly with the mysterious black wings and her pure, sweet face, giving off an aura of youthful vitality.

Cindy had always prided herself, but at that moment, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

If only...

That outfit was supposed to be hers.

As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Cindy suddenly heard that voice she had been loathing for the past few days.

"Diane, come over here."

Eric waved at the girl, who looked a bit shy under the watchful eyes of dozens surrounding her. Diane, upon hearing Eric's call, hurriedly made her way to him.

Cindy noticed all eyes in the room were on Diane, and feeling a bit resentful at being overlooked, she approached Eric and said, "Mr. Williams, it's nice to see you again."

Eric was about to discuss with Todd Thomas any adjustments needed for Diane's angel outfit when he heard another woman's voice. Turning around, he saw it was Cindy Crawford. This time, he didn't deliberately snub her. Instead, he extended his hand and smiled, "Yes, it's great to see you again, Ms. Crawford."

Cindy recalled how Eric had deliberately refused to shake her hand at the last party. Seeing the hand he had extended, she suddenly felt an impulse to embarrass this infuriating man in the same way.

However, before she could act on that thought, Cindy found her right hand reaching out.

Eric shook Cindy's hand and said, "Ms. Crawford, let's talk about your matters later. Just give me a moment."

His affirming tone left Cindy at a loss for words, but before she could respond, Eric turned his attention back to Diane. With this shift, the other people who had noted Cindy's arrival also redirected their attention, leaving only Edward Razek, who had a decent relationship with her, to give a slight nod.

Eric had Diane pose a few times and discussed some modifications with Todd Thomas before saying to her, "Based on the music you just heard, let's give it a try and see how it feels."

Diane had no objections. Eric instructed the crowd to clear a path of about ten meters. As soon as Diane was ready, he pressed the button to play a rock song.

Diane realized that this demonstration was likely much more important than the audition. As the music began, she took a deep breath, raised her face slightly with a confident smile, found the rhythm, and strutted down the makeshift runway.

However, the rock beat seemed ill-suited for the runway, and as Diane reached the end, posing sexily and turning to head back, the sudden change in the tempo disrupted her stride.

Returning to the starting point, Diane nervously glanced at Eric, knowing that runway music wouldn't perfectly sync with the model's footsteps. A seasoned model would find the rhythm, and a sudden change wouldn't affect her steps -- this was entirely her mistake.

Eric did furrow his brow, but not for the reason one might think. He waved his hand and told her, "Forget it, you don't need to walk anymore."

Diane came to Eric's side and weakly pleaded, "Mr. Williams, I can do it again, I promise I won't mess up this time."

"That's not the issue," Eric shook his head, recalling something and glancing behind him.

Cindy, who had been somewhat gleeful, noticed Eric turning toward her, quickly masking the hint of disdain on her face.

Eric found Cindy in the crowd and pointed toward the makeshift runway, asking, "Ms. Crawford, are you available now?"

Cindy understood exactly what Eric was referring to and confidently replied, "Of course, no problem."

Eric turned to Todd Thomas and ordered, "Todd, take her to change into something more suitable."

Cindy felt that her moment to shine had finally come, following Todd into the fitting room.

The designer quickly selected a black lace ensemble for Cindy and gestured toward the adjacent stall, saying, "Cindy, you can change in there."

Cindy looked at the outfit and noted that while Todd Thomas had exquisite taste, she couldn't help but ask, "Todd, is this all there is?"

Todd paused for a moment and smiled, explaining, "Cindy, that angel outfit was specifically designed for Ms. Kruger. We've only completed one so far; the others are still being made."

Cindy tentatively demanded, "Can I wear what she has on?"

Todd had just left to call Diane and hadn't heard the conversation between Edward and Eric. However, by seeing Cindy appear, he could infer enough. Thus, Todd shook his head, advising, "Cindy, don't be stubborn; I've heard some recent rumors. It's most crucial that you seize this opportunity. If you participate in this show, with your fame and qualifications, I'm sure you'll get your own angel outfit."

Previously, these fashion designers had treated her like a treasure; even top designers rarely spoke to her in this tone. Therefore, Todd's words made Cindy's mood plummet once again. Noticing the change in her expression, Todd didn't want to offend this darling of the fashion world and pointed to the nearby closets and shoe racks, saying, "We can pick some accessories, but let's make it quick."

Cindy's mood lightened slightly; both had an eye for fashion. Although there wasn't an angel outfit, they quickly paired several items together.

Eric waited for nearly five minutes and was about to send someone to check when Cindy and Todd finally emerged from the fitting room.

The black lace outfit, white sheer shawl, striking crystal wrist accessories, and strappy boots combined perfectly to create an air of noble elegance.

Cindy noticed Eric nodding in approval and saw the anxious girl standing beside him. She let out a big sigh of relief in her heart.

"Can we start?" Eric asked, pressing the play button on the recording machine at the workstation.

Cindy made an OK sign, and Eric proceeded to press the play button while telling Diane, "Watch carefully."

As the previous rock music started playing again, Cindy waited briefly, found the rhythm, and stepped back onto the runway.

In stark contrast to the inexperienced Diane, Cindy moved effortlessly, completely unaffected by the earlier disruption that had thrown Diane off.

As Cindy returned to the start, Eric turned off the music and asked the girl beside him, "Did you see anything?"

Diane replied softly, "I... I'm not as good as Ms. Crawford."

"She has ten more years of runway experience than you, so of course you're not as good," Eric chuckled and shook his head. "Pay attention to Cindy's presence next time."

After giving that instruction, Eric made a 'do it again' gesture to Cindy, who gladly didn't mind letting that lucky rookie watch again what a supermodel looked like. Nodding, the music started playing once more.

"Look," Eric pointed at Cindy strutting her stuff, saying to the girl beside him, "She's composed, confident, and has a powerful presence that conveys, 'When I step onto this runway, all the attention from the stage and the audience belongs to me.' This is what a true Super Model is."

Noticing Cindy had returned to the start, Eric casually turned off the music and continued, "Although your outfit is stunning and will certainly attract attention on stage, you're still lacking that outgoing charisma. You know, I plan to have you open the show, and I'm sure you know what that means. But what I want is for the audience to remember you once you finish walking the entire runway instead of just your outfit. Here, let me show you again."

As Eric said this, he turned to Cindy and instructed, "Cindy, take off those accessories and walk again."

Cindy was puzzled as to why Eric wanted her to do this, but Edward Razek, who had been standing next to Eric, had heard every word he said to Diane. He realized Eric held no negative feelings toward Cindy and, in fact, admired her. Noticing Cindy's hesitation, Edward knew her naturally arrogant personality and didn't want her to leave a poor impression on Eric, so he covertly signaled her.

Cindy caught Edward's eye and intelligently chose to comply, smiling as she removed her shawl and wrist accessories. When Eric pointed out her boots, Cindy quickly switched back to her black heels she had come in with.

"OK, let's do this again," Eric said. Once Cindy was ready, he pressed the play button on the music again, watching with satisfaction as Cindy completed the entire walk, then turned to Diane and said, "See, even without her accessories, that powerful outgoing presence remains, and her steps are also very stylized, leaving a lasting impression easily. That presence is something you'll have to cultivate on your own. I hope you develop your unique charisma instead of mimicking others, as that will only lead to a lack of authenticity. You, of course, have four months for this. However, as for your walking technique, I'm also not satisfied. How many hours are you training each day?"

Diane responded, "With everything combined, I train for six hours a day."

"That's not enough," Eric shook his head and turned to Edward, saying, "Get her a specialized training team -- the best. Also, increase the training volume to ten or even twelve hours a day, pushing her to her limits without harming her health."

After Edward nodded in acknowledgment, Eric turned back to the timid girl, who had her head down and seemed intimidated. "If you can't grasp what this presence is, then just walk out to me. And, by the way, the funds for hiring the training team can be deducted from your future endorsement fees."

Throughout his time with the team, Eric had been approachable and friendly, showing no signs of a bossy demeanor. Thus, many people had grown accustomed to the occasional offhand quip with him.

However, at that moment, as they heard Eric say those words, an idea popped into the heads of many, including a frightened Diane, its original charm stripped away: tyrant!

Even Cindy, who had unconsciously moved closer to Eric, completely suppressed all expressions of pride.

A whirlwind of titles rushed through everyone's mind regarding Eric: North America's richest billionaire, owner of the world's largest media group, Firefly, the Hollywood director behind a string of box office miracles...

Any one of those titles was enough to inspire awe or fear, but Eric had attained all this by the age of twenty-five, showing no signs of slowing in business expansion.

This was not a person but a mountain -- a mountain capable of crushing every other reliance and pride to dust.

*****

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