Chapter 219: Pursuits of Life

[Chapter 219: Maybe It Will Produce an Idiot]

After some small talk, Barry Diller finally inquired about the recent discussions between Eric and Murdoch. Eric didn't hold back and revealed the details about Firefly Films acquiring a stake in Fox Television Network.

Barry's reaction upon hearing the news mirrored that of Jeffrey and Robert. After confirming the facts with Eric multiple times, Barry's expression shifted several times, and eventually, he silently patted Eric's shoulder before walking away with a look of disappointment.

Eric understood how Barry felt. Fox Television Network had been in development since 1986, and in just four short years, it had become the fourth-largest commercial broadcaster in North America, largely thanks to Barry's efforts.

However, despite all that, Barry held less than 5% of management stock in Fox, while Eric, simply due to one television series, could potentially acquire 10% of Fox Television Network. No wonder Barry felt a sting. Yet, Eric had no sympathy for Barry. The world was never fair; often, those who contributed the most didn't get the most in return.

...

As Eric navigated through the crowd, after dealing with greetings and a few pick-up lines from others, he finally spotted Jennifer Aniston. The young actress was chatting enthusiastically with Nicole Kidman.

"Hey, Jen, what's got you so happy?" Eric asked, giving Nicole a nod before wrapping his arm around Aniston's waist and planting a gentle kiss on her cheek.

In public, Eric's affectionate gesture made Aniston pull back a bit, slightly bashful, as she teased, "We're just talking about girl stuff. Why do you want to know?"

"Come on! I'm really interested in girl talk. Tell me about it," Eric jokingly replied, playfully squeezing Aniston's waist through her light dress, which elicited another delightful protest from her.

Nicole watched the affectionate exchange with a smile but felt a twinge of jealousy. At that moment, Eric turned his head and noticed Nicole looking a bit aimless. "Hey, Nicole, I'm feeling a bit hungry. Would you mind grabbing me some food?"

Perhaps due to her time as Eric's housekeeper, Nicole instinctively nodded. After a moment's hesitation, she smiled and headed toward the nearby buffet.

Seeing Eric treat Nicole like a servant struck Aniston as "rude." She swiftly freed herself from Eric's embrace. "Eric, you can't treat her like that! Hey, Nicole! Wait for me, don't listen to this guy. Let him starve!"

Aniston called out as she hurried after Nicole.

Eric stood dumbfounded for a moment. Just an hour had passed since they met... Hadn't she always disliked the leading ladies in his films?

...

"Clueless girls can be so naive. Eric, you should cut ties quickly. If things keep going like this, even with your high IQ as a foundation, her genes might balance you out and produce an idiot!"

Eric turned toward the familiar voice and playfully ruffled Drew's short hair. "Hard at work in school, huh? Even using sophisticated words like 'genes'?"

Drew yelped a few times, tilting her head to avoid Eric's teasing. "It's nighttime! I'm not skipping school!" she protested.

Eric gently tugged at the girl's ear. "From that girls' school in Northeast Pasadena to Malibu, you'd have to cross the entire city. It's over fifty kilometers. Given L.A. traffic, it can take two hours to get here. Tell me, without skipping school, what time did you start your journey?"

Drew's head tilted as Eric pulled her ear, but her mouth stubbornly replied, "Who would be dumb enough to drive through the city? Don't you know about freeways? I could take the 101 and switch to Mulholland. It wouldn't even take an hour. Ouch!"

As Eric tightened his grip slightly, she instantly clammed up, her eyes watering as she looked at him pleadingly.

By now, onlookers watched curiously. Some who didn't grasp the situation asked their companions questions, their looks toward Eric mingled with a hint of innuendo.

...

Meanwhile, Aniston and Nicole, each holding a small plate of food, were approaching. Upon seeing Eric tugging at Drew's ear, Aniston snorted and pulled Nicole along. "Come on, Nicole! Let him starve!"

Nicole hesitated but glanced at Eric, who noticed the helpless look on her face before she turned with Aniston to leave.

Just as Eric was getting ready to continue his lighthearted scolding, someone intervened on behalf of the girl.

"Hey, Eric! You can't treat a girl that way!" Elisabeth, who had come along with Julia Roberts, raised her eyebrows and pulled Drew toward her.

Hiding behind Elisabeth, Drew stuck out her tongue at Eric in a playful defiance.

Eric found himself puzzled by whether Elisabeth genuinely didn't understand the situation or was just acting naive. Regardless, he didn't want to continue the scolding now that someone had stepped in.

"Liz, is something up?" he asked.

Elisabeth had expected Eric to defend himself and was taken aback when he asked so directly. "Julia is leaving; aren't you going to say goodbye?"

Surprised by Elisabeth's comment, Julia quickly tugged at Elisabeth's dress.

Eric glanced at Julia, noticing her evasive gaze. He understood it was Elisabeth's initiative, but he found himself nodding. "Alright, let's go," he said, catching Drew who was trying to slip away. "Hold on; come with me."

"Julia, it's still not even ten. Why are you leaving so early?" Eric casually asked as they headed toward the parking lot.

Julia hesitated, opening her mouth. "I..."

"She isn't feeling well; why do you need so much detail?" Elisabeth quickly chimed in, picking up on Julia's discomfort.

Eric nodded knowingly, and the response made Julia blush slightly.

Once they reached the parking lot, Eric asked, "Julia, can you do me a favor?"

"Huh?" Julia replied, looking puzzled.

Eric pulled Drew closer, who had been busying herself playing with her fingers. "Could you let Drew stay at your place for the night, and help me take her to school tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"No way! I'm not going!" Drew immediately protested but eventually nodded reluctantly when she met Eric's determined gaze. She realized Eric likely wanted to take Aniston home and knew better than to get in the way.

Watching the girl hop into Julia's car, Eric felt compelled to remind Julia a few things before letting the pair leave.

...

As Julia drove away with Drew from the estate, Eric opted to sit on a nearby bench in the small garden rather than heading back to the villa.

Elisabeth hesitated before sitting beside Eric. When she saw him pull out a pack of cigarettes and light one up, her mouth opened slightly, but realizing that they were outside, she didn't stop him.

After taking a deep drag and exhaling a thin stream of smoke, Eric turned to ask, "Liz, is something bothering you?"

"Are you feeling troubled?" Elisabeth countered instead of answering.

Seeing Eric's puzzled expression, she added with a teasing smile, "Juggling so many women must be overwhelming. Are you hiding away here to smoke?"

Eric chuckled lightly, "How could I? I don't have that many women. Besides, movies and women have been my two great pursuits in life. I'm having too much fun to be troubled by it."

Elisabeth had never heard such a straightforward opinion before and rolled her eyes. "Your pursuits are incredibly... tacky."

Eric ignored her criticism, leisurely enjoying the cool ocean breeze under the dim streetlight as he planned to sit quietly for a while. Initially, he thought Elisabeth would leave once she grew tired of the solitude, but after finishing one cigarette, she remained comfortably seated beside him. This unexpected presence left Eric feeling somewhat uneasy, making him wonder what she wanted.

After pondering for a moment, he tentatively asked, "Liz, your dad must have pressured you into being my assistant, right? If you want, I can tell Mr. Murdoch to let it go?"

"Do you really dislike me that much?" Elisabeth replied earnestly.

Eric shook his head. "I've never disliked beautiful women."

Upon hearing this, Elisabeth's heart inexplicably raced a bit, yet her tongue continued its playful confrontation. "You're always so slick with words. A true playboy."

Hearing that, Eric lazily leaned back against the bench, unabashedly taking in the sight of Elisabeth's figure clad in the elegant dress. He offered a roguish grin. "Then why don't you hurry up and run far away?"

Elisabeth nearly instinctively wanted to protect herself from Eric's assertive gaze but ultimately repressed that impulse. She defiantly responded, "You narcissist! Why would I run away from you?"

Eric shot a glance at her feet -- once relaxed and crossed, now firmly planted on the ground -- choosing to stay silent again as he reached for another cigarette, lost in thoughts of the night's events while scanning the surroundings dispassionately.

*****

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