Chapter 449: Tell Me Your Thoughts

[Chapter 449: Tell Me Your Thoughts]

Jamie Spears felt uneasy after waking up from a drunken stupor yesterday. He realized that some of the things he said during that paparazzi interview might not have been appropriate. However, when he thought of the easy $500 he received, all those concerns quickly drifted away.

Even though Britney earned $8,000 a month from Disney, there wasn't much left after covering expenses for their family of five living in Los Angeles. Having become accustomed to the metropolitan lifestyle, Jamie Spears certainly did not want to return to a small town in Louisiana. He even contemplated encouraging his daughter to get closer to Eric; if she could land this young billionaire, their family might truly move to a wealthy neighborhood like Beverly Hills, just like his son had mentioned.

After dropping his daughter off at the Disney set that morning, Jamie Spears even picked up a few newspapers, but to his disappointment, he did not find any mention of the previous day's interview. He felt a pang of regret; maybe if the article came out, his daughter would be on the rise. However, shortly after noon, he received a call from Disney.

Guided by a staff member, he arrived at the door of an office. The staff member knocked and exchanged a few words before signaling Jamie to enter.

Feeling a bit tense, Jamie pushed the door open and walked in. Inside the office, he spotted a man and two women chatting on a sofa.

The middle-aged man in a gray suit was Billy Clark, the director of The Mickey Mouse Club, someone Jamie had seen several times before. Among the two women, one was dressed smartly in a rose-red blazer, with a neat bob haircut, an elegant face, and intelligent-looking black-rimmed glasses. The other girl, wearing a casual light gray sweatshirt, appeared somewhat familiar, though Jamie couldn't quite place her. He did notice that she had a pretty face with charming dimples.

...

Upon seeing Jamie enter, Billy Clark and Tina Fey stood up, while Drew Barrymore glanced at him without standing, instead frowning slightly. Instantly, she deduced from his flushed complexion that he had a drinking problem, which brought back some unpleasant memories from her own naive childhood.

"Mr. Spears, this is Ms. Tina Fey and Ms. Barrymore," Billy Clark introduced Jamie in a somewhat cold tone.

Jamie forced a smile, but he could sense something was wrong from their demeanor: "Mr. Clark, did my daughter get into some trouble? If so, don't worry; I'll make sure to discipline her properly."

Billy Clark didn't reply. He turned to Drew, who lazily rose and sat down behind Billy's desk, saying, "Mr. Clark, thank you for your help. You can go about your business now; I just need to speak with Mr. Spears."

Billy Clark was all too happy to comply. With a smile, he said, "Very well then, Ms. Barrymore. My secretary is right outside; don't hesitate to call me if you need anything."

"I will," Drew replied, watching him leave before turning her attention to the visibly unsettled Jamie Spears.

"Ms. Barrymore, it's great to meet you. I... um, I really enjoyed your performance in E.T.," Jamie awkwardly complimented.

Drew had already wiped her smile away and remained indifferent to Jamie's praise. She pointed to the sofa at the wall and gestured for him to sit down, then had Tina Fey pass him a news article.

"Mr. Spears, you must know about my relationship with Eric, so after you've read this, you can probably guess why I'm here," Drew stated.

Jamie quickly scanned the article in his hands and recognized it as what he drunkenly told the paparazzi the previous day: "Ms. Barrymore, this... this might be a misunderstanding."

"There's no misunderstanding. This article was purchased from you by a paparazzo named Cole Anderson for $500. I have the recording from yesterday, would you like to hear it?"

"Uh, no, that's alright," Jamie hurriedly waved his hands. "Ms. Barrymore, I'm really sorry; I was drunk yesterday and spouted nonsense. I can apologize to Mr. Williams, and I can publicly clarify."

Drew chuckled disdainfully and said, "You mentioning apologies reminds me of something Eric once said: If apologies worked, why do we even have cops? Mr. Spears, do you know that your careless words could bring about trouble that might cost $500,000, even $5 million to fix? $5 million -- do you think a construction worker like you could make that kind of money in a lifetime?"

Though Drew spoke lightly, Jamie felt a cold sweat at the mention of $5 million.

"I've seen pictures of your daughter, and she really is a lovely little girl. Her being cast in The Mickey Mouse Club shows she's exceptionally talented. But you know, there are thousands of girls her age in America with the same talent. Britney Spears got this role through not just a little skill, but also a lot of luck. Luck is fickle, and your careless words could make that luck disappear. Disney could replace Britney tomorrow, and your family would have to pack up and head back to that small town in Louisiana."

Seeing Jamie open his mouth to speak, Drew raised a hand to stop him and continued in a sarcastic tone, "Mr. Spears, you realize that Britney is just one of seven kids on The Mickey Mouse Club, which isn't even a standout show on Disney Channel. Disney Channel is just a minor division of Disney, which used to stand among the six major studios but is now just a subsidiary of Firefly Group. In this massive hierarchy, Britney is just an ordinary brick, while Eric is the master of the pyramid. Inviting these kids to his house is a huge opportunity for them. With that connection, they could easily become sought-after child stars in Hollywood. Do you know how much Stuart Ronkel, who was discovered by Eric, made last year? I'll tell you -- $30 million. But if your malarkey is published in the paper, it means you've sacrificed your daughter's potential to earn $30 million a year for a measly $500. $30 million -- imagine that kind of dignified and prosperous life. Now, Mr. Spears, tell me your thoughts."

*****

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