C 19

ICM is an international innovation management brokerage company. Although it's not on the same level as CAA, it's still one of the top five agencies in North America. If Luke remembers correctly, Julia Roberts will be one of their clients for quite some time in the future.

No wonder Naomi Watts was so fortunate; she wasn't left adrift but managed to hold on to a very influential connection.

"Are you ready? My car is in the underground parking lot as well," Naomi Watts quickly said as she saw Luke open the lounge door.

She hurriedly packed her things and, before Luke could respond, followed him out. They walked into the elevator together. Inside, Luke noticed a man pacing back and forth, casting a glance in their direction before approaching.

Luke recognized him. He was Barty Henry, a prominent film critic from the New York Daily News, one of the critics invited by 20th Century Fox.

The professional critic didn't acknowledge Luke, offering only a polite nod before turning to Naomi Watts. "Hello, Miss Watts, have you considered the suggestion I made earlier today?"

"Sorry..." Naomi shifted slightly closer to Luke, clearly uncomfortable. "I... I haven't thought about it yet."

"Miss Watts..." Henry stepped closer. "This is a network of mutual benefit. My advice is the quickest route to success."

Taking another step toward her, Henry used his height to loom over Naomi with a faint hint of threat in his expression.

"Please..." Naomi began, but Henry cut her off.

"You're still new to Hollywood, and you might not realize how crucial opportunities like this are," he pressed.

By this point, Luke had figured out the situation. He noticed Naomi retreating in discomfort and took a step forward, positioning himself between her and Henry. Using his own height advantage, Luke looked down at Henry and said in a cold, firm tone, "You're being very inappropriate, Mr. Henry. This is a public place."

"Did I do something wrong?" Henry replied nonchalantly. "I'm merely inviting Miss Watts for a cup of coffee."

Luke turned his head slightly to check on Naomi, who seemed visibly anxious. Knowing this was ultimately her decision, he didn't want to overstep. Naomi, however, quickly seized the opportunity to decline, saying, "Mr. Rosenberg has already invited me to dinner."

She then cast an apologetic glance toward Luke.

Just as the elevator doors chimed open, Naomi hurried inside. Luke followed, and she hastily pressed the close button, leaving Mr. Henry standing outside.

As the elevator descended to the parking level, Luke walked straight toward his parked Chevrolet. Naomi trailed behind, pointing to a red Ford in the distance.

"My car is over there," she said, then hesitated before adding, "Thank you, Luke."

"It was nothing," Luke replied, brushing it off.

Incidents like this were all too common in Hollywood. In an era where media channels were more limited, actors often had to appease critics who wielded significant influence. Naomi Watts, like many actresses, was in a vulnerable position.

"Really, I appreciate it," Naomi said more earnestly. "He had been pestering me all afternoon."

"Does your agent know about this?" Luke slowed down, turning slightly toward her. "You should let her know."

"I did tell her," Naomi sighed. "She told me to make my own decision."

A typical response from an agent. Luke could only sigh inwardly. Wanting to lighten the mood, he switched to a more lighthearted tone. "Well, Naomi, you made the right call, though it was probably a tough one."

Naomi smiled faintly, understanding the subtext of Luke's words. It wasn't easy for an actress to reject someone with Barty Henry's influence. His column in the New York Daily News reached a significant audience, and a single review could make or break a career.

In Hollywood, actresses had a much shorter shelf life than their male counterparts. Agents like Nancy weren't necessarily invested in the present but in the long-term potential. The sooner an actress became famous, the sooner the agent could benefit.

"Well, it might disappoint Nancy," Naomi mused.

It was getting late, and the two said their goodbyes. Luke drove his Chevrolet out of the parking lot and steered clear of the busy Beverly Hills streets.

As he lowered the window, the cool evening air revived him from the mental fog that had set in after the afternoon screening. His thoughts drifted back to Naomi Watts, and he realized something: she wasn't as simple as she appeared.

Nancy Josephson had left abruptly after receiving a phone call, leaving the decision entirely in Naomi's hands. Naomi, however, had likely anticipated Henry waiting in the elevator and crafted a strategy. By following Luke and mentioning that he had invited her to dinner, she had shielded herself.

Naomi Watts was smart, resourceful, and knew how to protect herself in this cutthroat industry.

When Luke finally arrived home, the sky was already dark. He entered the brightly lit living room, where his mother sat on the sofa, wearing her glasses as she sifted through a pile of documents.

"Mom..." Luke greeted her, taking a seat opposite.

"How was the screening?" Leah asked, looking up briefly.

"The audience reaction was excellent. I heard Robin mention that overall feedback was likely to be above an 'A' rating," Luke replied, picking up one of the documents from the coffee table. "Fox is planning to increase the pre-screening promotional budget to $1 million, but they'll need to analyze the results further before making a final decision."

"Sounds like they're being cautious," Leah remarked, her attention returning to the paperwork.

Luke flipped through the pages in his hands. "Is this your new business?"

"It's something the company is competing for," Leah explained briefly. "Estee Lauder's new Youth Dew perfume campaign."

Luke recognized the brand, one of the most prestigious in the world. Even though he wasn't deeply familiar with the cosmetics industry, Youth Dew was a signature product for Estee Lauder.

Leah, noticing Luke's rare curiosity in family matters, added, "They've just changed spokespeople, and we're hopeful about landing the advertising contract."

Luke considered offering help but realized it wasn't his area of expertise. Plus, with the upcoming release of Speed, he would likely be busy with promotions if the film did well.

"If we secure the business next month," Leah continued, "I may have to spend some time in New York until the campaign is completed."

"I'll come visit," Luke promised as he made his way upstairs.

After a shower, Luke sat down at the typewriter on the small round table on the balcony, his mind drifting to his plans for the future. If Speed succeeded, it would open the door to his next project. He needed to finish his script soon. Plus, once the film was released, he would be eligible to join the Screenwriters Guild, which meant he could officially register his scripts and secure copyright protection.

Hollywood scripts were typically written by teams, with different writers handling different aspects like action scenes, dialogue, or love stories. Luke planned to hire an assistant or two to help with future projects, but for now, he needed to focus on finishing his current work. However, all of this would have to wait until he received the rest of his Speed payment.

As Luke typed away, he couldn't help but think about the long road ahead.