Chapter 715: Contracting

[Chapter 715: Contracting]

Two cars drove along the narrow asphalt roads of East Hampton, eventually stopping outside a mansion on the coast of Southern East Hampton. Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista stepped out of their respective cars, approached the mansion's front door, and rang the bell, patiently waiting for a moment until a woman's voice inquired who it was.

After announcing their names, the door swung open. They returned to their cars and drove into the estate.

They maneuvered through an S-shaped concrete driveway, stopping in front of an extravagant European-style villa.

A middle-aged maid approached them and politely said, "Miss Crawford, Miss Evangelista, please follow me."

The two women followed the maid, holding their handbags as Cindy Crawford asked, "Where's Eric?"

"Mr. Williams is with the ladies and children decorating Easter eggs," the maid replied as she led them into the villa's living room. She instructed a younger maid to prepare coffee for them and walked toward the backyard.

Upon hearing the maid's words, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista exchanged a brief look, a flicker of tension passing between them as they tried to maintain their civility.

Since Eric informed them about coming to New York, it became clear that the hosting position for America's Next Top Model would likely be a contest between the two of them. Despite having three fewer competitors, the underlying competitiveness between them felt even more intense as they forced themselves to remain polite on the surface.

However, the maid's words somehow intensified the unspoken tension between them.

Cindy Crawford leaned in and whispered, "How much do you think this estate is worth?"

"Twenty million maybe? Who knows, we can't afford it anyway," Linda Evangelista answered casually, though her mind raced with thoughts about the size of the estate, which already spanned five to six acres just in the front yard. Given its coastal location, there must be a private beach too, adding up to well over 20 acres -- equivalent to around eight hectares.

Even though both were considered high-income individuals, affording such a mansion seemed impossible, let alone maintaining it. Moreover, the East Hampton estates weren't like buying a car; the unique neighborhood governance in the U.S. meant that the buyer not only needed to agree on a price with the seller but also needed the approval from the other residents in the neighborhood. Most of the residents in East Hampton were wealthy businesspeople or high-profile politicians, and it would be anything but simple for them to penetrate that elite circle.

After serving coffee, the maid politely inquired if they needed anything else. Seeing them shake their heads, she took her leave.

...

The living room fell silent for a brief moment. Cindy Crawford took a sip of her coffee and turned to glance at the glass doors leading to the backyard. After contemplating for a moment, she exchanged a knowing look with Linda Evangelista, got up quietly, and walked toward the door.

Linda raised an eyebrow at Cindy's behavior, sensing it might be inappropriate. However, her curiosity proved too strong to resist, and she followed suit.

They stood side by side behind the glass door, peering into the backyard.

The first thing that caught their eyes was a swimming pool, a staple of many American backyards. Further out, a white cement path was flanked by a small children's playground on one side and a lawn on the other. In the middle of the lawn sat a table covered with a variety of colorful items. Six or seven figures encircled the table, and the maid they had just seen today was nearby. Eric, dressed casually, leaned over the table, affectionately kissing a woman and one of his children.

Eric being a father was no secret, but this was the first time either of them had seen it in person.

From prior experiences, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista expected Eric would be discreet about his illegitimate children, just like many billionaires who wouldn't even acknowledge their existence. Yet the scene before them challenged their preconceived notions. Even from a distance, the warm interaction between Eric and his children made it clear he truly was a devoted father.

After a moment of daze, Cindy Crawford pulled her gaze away, surveying the lavish European villa beside her, and sighed, "It's quite depressing, really. We work hard all our lives, but it's better to have a child."

The moment she spoke, Cindy suddenly snapped back to reality, glancing at Linda Evangelista. Their eyes met briefly, and she rushed to notice Linda's averted gaze flickering. Cindy instantly realized Linda must be contemplating the same thoughts, granting her some relief and easing her guilt.

Not daring to snoop any longer, they both silently returned to their seats next to the sofa.

...

In the backyard, Eric was painting eggs with his daughter, Hawaii. Upon hearing the maid's report, Virginia, sitting opposite him, rolled her eyes. "You're really busy! You haven't even finished a basket of eggs and have already run out several times."

"I just wanted to spend some more time with you guys at home," Eric chuckled, releasing Hawaii and observing Virginia's sulky expression. He leaned across the table with both hands, saying, "Come here, sweetheart, let Daddy give you a kiss."

He leaned in toward Virginia's cheek.

"You cheeky guy, always taking advantage of me," Virginia replied playfully, tilting her cheek for Eric to kiss. She then lifted Kevin for Eric to kiss as well.

Eric planted a kiss on his son's chubby cheek, then draw close to Emma, who bounced over, crying, "Daddy, Daddy! I want a kiss too!"

"Of course!" Eric kissed Emma's cheek, turned to Joanna next, making an effort not to favor anyone.

When it was Hawaii's turn, the little girl blinked rapidly, realizing this was her chance to escape from the boring task of decorating eggs.

Letting Eric plant a kiss on her cheek, she promptly tugged on his shirt sleeve, asking, "Daddy, can I go with you to see the guests?"

Before Eric could respond, Joanna rubbed Hawaii's head and said with a laugh, "Sorry, sweetheart, but Daddy has very important matters to discuss."

Hawaii recalled how Emma acted when being spoiled, tugging Eric's sleeve again with her innocent voice. "Daddy, I'm just a little girl. I don't know anything, I won't interrupt your talks."

"Uh..." Eric stared at Hawaii, appearing utterly baffled by her logic.

The room fell silent for a moment before Virginia, Joanna, and Ewa erupted into laughter at Hawaii's innocent declaration.

"Ha ha, sweetie, you just revealed your own secrets!" Ewa said, unable to contain her amusement as she pinched Hawaii's cheek playfully.

"Hey, Aunt Ewa! Stop that or I'll complain to Mom!" Hawaii protested, swatting Ewa's hand away, though her little voice carried little weight.

"Wow, that's a serious threat! Let Aunt Ewa squeeze you a little more!" Ewa laughed.

"Hey, let go, or I'll bite you!"

"That's enough! You two stop it! Hawaii, come over to Mommy, and don't bother Daddy!"

After some playful scuffles, Joanna stepped in to mediate, ushering her daughter to her side and waving at Eric, signaling him to get back to work.

After painting eggs for a while, Eric had a bit of dye on his shirt and hurriedly changed into clean clothes. After washing his hands, he finally entered the living room.

...

"Cindy, Linda, I'm truly sorry to have you come all the way here," Eric said, embracing the two women.

"No worries, we're not too busy anyway," Cindy Crawford replied with a smile.

Eric nodded. "Let's head to my office; we can discuss things there."

Once in the office, Eric retrieved two prepared documents from the bookshelf and sat at his desk. Watching the two women opposite him, who appeared slightly anxious, he laughed and said, "No need to worry now. Initially, I only had the production plan for America's Next Top Model, but I recently thought of another idea, so both of you will get a job."

Cindy Crawford tucked away her earlier distracting thoughts and perked up. "Eric, are you saying Firefly is planning to produce two fashion reality shows?"

"Yes," Eric confirmed. "Out of the five of you, I believe only the two of you are suitable for this. The only remaining question is which of you will take which role."

Cindy and Linda exchanged glances but said nothing, waiting for Eric to elaborate.

"You're already familiar with the details of America's Next Top Model, so let me explain the other idea. This is also a competitive show, but instead of models, it focuses on fashion designers. We're tentatively naming it Project Runway."

Linda Evangelista replied, "Eric, America's Next Top Model seems more feasible, but the expertise required for fashion design is much greater. Will people actually want to watch that?"

Without answering, Eric asked, "Have either of you thought about creating a personal brand named after yourselves?"

"Well, I've considered it, but I've always been too busy." Cindy replied.

"I thought about starting a perfume line," Linda Evangelista shrugged, the thought clearly bringing up past disappointments.

"That's precisely it," Eric said, smiling. "In today's entertainment industry, anyone with a bit of fame likes to launch their personal brand. So for many ordinary people, they definitely have dreamed about this. This show will align perfectly with their aspirations, and let's not forget, there's also a substantial audience of urban women who are very fashion-conscious because Project Runway will air on Lifetime under A&E Networks, primarily targeting young women."

"Can... can we see the documents first?" Cindy Crawford cautiously suggested, pointing to the papers in Eric's hands.

Eric laid the two documents on the table. "These don't relate much to the show; they're just some rough budget plans. You'll need to find the exact format of the show yourselves."

Cindy and Linda were puzzled again; hadn't Eric mentioned they were to host?

"Well," Eric continued, "I initially had some ideas for America's Next Top Model, but now I've decided to entrust both projects entirely to you two, with just me overseeing everything."

"Eric, I don't quite understand," Cindy Crawford remarked, incredulity etched across her face.

Eric clarified, "What I mean is that you both will serve as hosts and producers for America's Next Top Model and Project Runway."

Though Linda was thrilled by the producer title, she recognized her limitations. "Eric, I...I have no idea how to even begin."

"Let's start with your compensation," Eric smiled. "As producers of both shows, you will each receive a 10% profit share from America's Next Top Model and Project Runway; how much that 10% amounts to will depend on how exceptionally you produce the shows."

"Eric, do we need to invest anything?" Cindy's eyes lit up as she asked.

"Not at all. Firefly will provide a $20 million production budget for each project, so you won't need to put in any of your own money."

"So, what will we need to do?" Linda Evangelista asked, feeling energized by the prospect of receiving a 10% net profit share. She was well aware that with Eric overseeing both projects, the risk of failure was dramatically reduced. Even if the shows didn't achieve the terrifying ratings and profits of Survivor, the commercial returns would still be seen as considerable.

"Here's the key," Eric said with a smile. "Don't think that this 10% profit share will be handed to you easily. The reason I'm giving these two projects to you is that I don't know much about the fashion industry, whereas you've both been entrenched in this world for years, familiar with all the rules, and possessing sufficient vision and experience. So while Firefly will provide some staffing, you'll need to assemble your own core creative team for the professional side of things."

*****

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