Chapter 458: Evelyn's Secret

Blake Lively, often favored by the fashion industry, frequently attended fashion recommendation events and endorsed many fashion brands.

As for Tom Ford directing and filming A Single Man, with the support of Capet Pictures, it was not a problem at all!

For Christmas, Charles did not want to stay in Los Angeles. Although the original plan had changed a bit, Charles specifically informed Son Ye-jin to go to Hawaii for a few days of fun.

On the island of Kauai in Hawaii, near the town of Lihue, Son Ye-jin was immediately captivated by the beautiful scenery upon arrival.

Known as the "Garden Isle" of the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai had stunning landscapes with over 90% of the land remaining undeveloped, maintaining its pure natural beauty.

At night, in a beach bar in town, Charles and Son Ye-jin enjoyed the nightlife. The girl was wearing a floral long dress with her hair down, exuding a sophisticated charm.

"By the way, did you sell those dollars after they appreciated?" Earlier, Charles had advised Son Ye-jin to buy some U.S. dollars. At the time, the exchange rate was less than 1100 won per dollar, and now it was 1450.

"I made some profit. I sold them when the rate hit 1400, with over 30% returns. If I had waited longer, it would have been higher," Son Ye-jin said somewhat regrettably.

Charles laughed, lightly patted her shoulder, and said, "That's good enough. You can invest the extra money in the Korean stock market. Companies like Hyundai and Samsung Electronics are good investments."

With the won depreciating, many foreign investors were buying into the Korean stock market. Wall Street had largely controlled the Korean economy since the Asian financial crisis a decade ago.

Now, companies like Samsung Group, LG Display, and other electronics and semiconductor industries, Shinhan Holdings, Woori Financial, and other financial and insurance companies, and Hyundai Motors, POSCO and other manufacturing heavy industries, were all high-quality assets.

Son Ye-jin's eyes brightened, she nodded and added, "I'm considering investing in real estate. It should be a solid investment, right?"

"Pretty much. Real estate in Seoul isn't bad. If you have the money, buying property is indeed a good investment," Charles said, putting his arm around her waist.

Son Ye-jin's wealth wasn't comparable to that of Gao Yuanyuan or even Lin Chi-ling. East Asia Korea was still worth some money, and Son Ye-jin held quite a few shares. That was good enough!

"Enjoy these few days. The sun and beaches here are much better than the weather in Korea," Charles said, wearing a T-shirt and shorts with flip-flops. It was a time to enjoy life.

"Let's head back. Tomorrow, I'll show you around this lovely island, and over the next few days, we can visit other islands as well," Charles said, taking Son Ye-jin out of the small bar.

"The filming for Haeundae has wrapped up. I think this movie is really good, it's in post-production now, and next year it's sure to cause quite a stir in Korean cinemas," Son Ye-jin said as they walked along the beach, talking about the recently shot disaster movie Haeundae.

After leisurely returning to Charles' seaside villa, the two quickly took a shower and went to bed.

The next day, the sunlight from the Pacific Ocean shone through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the villa's bedroom. Sitting on top of Charles, Son Ye-jin let out a scream and then collapsed breathlessly onto Charles' chest.

"Oppa, it seems it's getting late," Son Ye-jin reminded Charles with a kiss on his cheek.

"Okay, let's get up and grab some food before going out," Charles said, picking up his watch from the table beside him. It was almost 10 o'clock.

Son Ye-jin smiled and then burrowed under the covers for a morning treat before breakfast!

By the time they headed out, it was already 11 AM, but an excited Son Ye-jin, holding a camera, didn't feel tired at all.

...

Meanwhile, in the United States, at Evelyn Capet's vacation cabin in Hidden Hills, Los Angeles, Evelyn Capet and Australian actress Cate Blanchett were soaking in the bath together.

"Is Charles not in Hollywood?" Cate Blanchett was currently in Los Angeles promoting the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She had just given birth to her third son in April and was fully returning to work.

Evelyn shook her head, "I think he went to Hawaii for a vacation. I didn't ask for specifics!"

Cate Blanchett kissed Evelyn on the cheek and said, "I really need to thank you for getting me the lead role in Ridley Scott's war epic Robin Hood."

"Don't worry. You're really talented. Charles always said he trusted Australian actors more than American ones. He prefers using British and Australian actors," Evelyn said. Over the years, with Charles' success, her status and position had also risen.

Evelyn was on par with CAA. Besides the film industry, she also dominated the television and music industries.

"Does Charles know about your situation?" Cate Blanchett asked suddenly.

Evelyn shook her head uncertainly, "I don't think so. I've kept it from him, and he's never asked about it. Even if he knew, he wouldn't mind."

This had been Evelyn's secret for many years.

Cate Blanchett was referring to Evelyn's preference for women, as Cate herself had a similar inclination.

During Charles' rise, Evelyn had noticed a change in her son, moving from a subtle distance in the early years to a closer relationship later on.

Maybe it was because Charles had grown up and wanted to live a more independent life.

However, Charles had always been very filial to his mother. Although there were fewer mother-son bonding moments, he had always shown respect and care.

"Charles is really amazing; being so young and achieving such success and status is no small feat. Your role in this shouldn't be overlooked," Cate Blanchett said. She and Evelyn had been in a relationship for half a year.

It didn't affect their families; both were quite satisfied with the arrangement.

*****

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