Chapter 761: I Won't Stop You

[Chapter 761: I Don't Like Japan]

Eric had just walked into the seaside villa when Drew approached him with Amy Pascal, Frank Mancuso, and others greeting him.

On the surface, Drew was the major stakeholder in MGM, but almost everyone knew that the film company was still under Eric's control. This could be seen tonight with the venue chosen for MGM's celebration party at the Liberty City Estate.

After exchanging pleasantries with Drew, who was in charge of the party, and a few MGM executives, Eric noticed Tom Hanks coming over with a woman in her thirties. He approached them warmly and hugged Tom, saying, "Tom, great to see you! I didn't expect you'd come over so early."

"I came early to discuss the awards PR for Forrest Gump with Drew and the team," Hanks explained, introducing the woman beside him. "This is my wife, Rita Wilson."

"Hello, Mrs. Wilson," Eric smiled at her before turning back to Hanks. "With the impact Forrest Gump has had, I think you're bound to create an Oscar miracle this year."

Forrest Gump had been in theaters for nearly six months and had already grossed over $300 million. However, it continued its run in over a thousand North American theaters, and with the awards season approaching in December, the media's interest in Forrest Gump was reignited. The film, which had started to show signs of wear, once again saw box office rebounds, reaching a scale of $2 to $3 million weekly. While that wasn't much for a newly released film, it was a remarkable achievement for one that had been out for nearly half a year.

Thanks to its immense popularity and critical acclaim, there was no doubt that the film was locked in for major nominations at this year's Golden Globes and Oscars. Consequently, the media buzz had recently centered around the possibility of Tom Hanks being nominated for Best Actor.

Last year, Hanks had just won the Best Actor award for Saving Private Ryan. Typically, it's nearly impossible for an actor to win again just a year after receiving the trophy, but the impact of Forrest Gump was simply monumental. The character of Forrest had effectively been rendered a symbol of the American spirit, coupled with strong support from critics and Oscar voters. While the Oscar nominations hadn't been announced yet, most media outlets had already begun discussing Tom Hanks' chances for a consecutive Best Actor win.

"Oh, I hope so too," Hanks replied, his eyes brightening slightly.

There had been a fair number of actors in Oscar history who had won the Best Actor award twice, but winning consecutively would cement Hanks' name in Hollywood history, a coveted honor not easily achieved.

...

After chatting for a while longer, Eric greeted some of the other guests who had arrived. Just as he was about to head upstairs to change clothes and take a quick shower, he heard a somewhat timid female voice from behind.

"Hi, Eric..."

Turning around, Eric saw Christina Aguilera standing behind him. The girl was wearing a knee-length pink dress, which Eric vaguely recalled was a Chanel design she had worn before. Christina may not have grown taller, but in this expensive little dress, she certainly exuded an air of elegance.

After sizing her up, Eric smiled and nodded. In truth, the teenage Christina looked more like the girl-next-door compared to Britney Spears, but unfortunately, in the original timeline, Christina had struggled to compete with Britney, who had taken the 'sweetheart' route.

Eric noticed the shy expression on the girl's face. Finally, he asked, "Christina, what are you doing here?"

"I, um..." Christina fidgeted with her dress, "I came to help Drew organize the party."

"Oh," Eric chuckled lightly, not pressing further. "Drew should be in the kitchen, head over there. Since the party hasn't started yet, I'm going to change."

"Okay," Christina nodded obediently, watching Eric walk towards the staircase. She glanced around; the party staff was putting the final touches on the hall while a few early guests chatted near the glass wall, seemingly unaware of her presence.

...

After hesitating for a moment, Christina found her courage and headed toward the stairs.

She had visited the Liberty City Estate before and had even stayed the night once. The girl tiptoed down the long corridor for a while before finally locating Eric's master bedroom.

Carefully turning the doorknob, she was fortunate to find it unlocked, and pushed the door open, stepping quietly inside.

It was a spacious circular bedroom, much larger than her own home at first glance, with vast glass windows that reminded Christina of cliffside restaurants she'd seen on TV.

Eric wasn't in the bedroom, but she soon noticed his clothes discarded on the big bed. After looking around, aside from the door leading to the hallway, there was a smaller door that must lead to the bathroom. He was definitely in the shower.

At that thought, Christina's cheeks flushed involuntarily.

Caught between staying or leaving, she hesitated for a while before finally making up her mind. She closed the bedroom door behind her and walked towards the bathroom door.

Eric was comfortably soaking in hot water when he heard the door open. He turned around and saw the small figure he had just encountered the other day slip in.

Their eyes met, and Christina's face turned bright red as she stood awkwardly at the door.

Eric looked at her for a moment before helplessly saying, "You shouldn't have come in here."

"I, Eric, I..." She had impulsively burst in, but upon seeing Eric, Christina felt her mind buzzing, completely forgetting what she wanted to say.

Eric couldn't help but laugh, "Go back out. If Drew finds out you did this, you can forget about ever getting to wear such a pretty dress again."

At the mention of Drew, Christina became a bit more alert. After spending time with her, she certainly understood Drew's personality. However, while she didn't want to envy Drew -- after all, Drew had treated her quite well -- the $8,000 Chanel dress she wore was a gift from Drew, a sum Christina couldn't possibly afford.

Yet, she still couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

Reportedly, Drew's net worth had already exceeded $2 billion, and all of it traced back to the man in front of her.

Keeping these thoughts in mind, Christina didn't leave. Instead, she nervously kicked off her heels and stepped toward Eric.

"Eric, I..." Christina sat by the bathtub, kneeling down and poking at the thin foam layer, trying hard to meet Eric's gaze. "I... I'll do anything."

Eric smiled and reached out to grab a large towel nearby, handing it to Christina. "Put this under your knees; if your dress gets wet, you won't have anything else to change into."

Having already been very nervous, Christina complied and placed the towel under her knees while her cheeks flushed as she looked expectantly at Eric, seemingly waiting for his command.

However, Eric didn't make any further moves. Instead, he settled back comfortably in the bathtub and casually asked, "So, tell me, what have you been up to lately?"

Christina lightly traced her fingers along the marble edge of the bathtub, replying, "I've been, um, taking dance classes recently."

Eric thought for a moment, nodding. "Oh, at your age, you should be able to release a single next year."

"But they said to release an album, I have to wait until I'm 18," Christina pouted, her tone almost childlike.

"Well, you should know, Christina, that very few artists get to release an album at 18."

Christina looked up at Eric then quickly dropped her gaze, murmuring, "But I don't want to wait another two years."

"Why not?" Eric inquired.

Christina paused her erratic finger movements on the marble. "Eric, I feel like I should be able to release an album now. No one says girls under 18 can't release albums, right?"

"But rules are patterned like that. If you're not 18 yet, according to how you're being marketed, it will definitely cause a stir in the future," Eric explained. The model for Christina as planned by Firefly Records was that of a somewhat rebellious girl. While being underage wouldn't sabotage her fame, it would lead to concerns and resentment from adults about the influence on young girls.

Christina bit her lip and looked up at Eric. "Eric, I heard that many singers develop in Japan before they turn 18."

"Yeah, that should be true," Eric nodded. Not just singers, due to different legal restrictions, many young girls often went there to develop for a few years. Eric recalled many famous supermodels, actors, and singers had similar experiences.

Christina lifted her face, hopeful, saying, "So can I... release an album over there first?"

"If you want to go, I won't stop you," Eric replied.

After pondering for a moment, Christina quickly understood.

She quickly responded, "Then I won't go."

Eric smiled in satisfaction. "Christina, for many girls your age, they'd probably still be in high school, with their futures feeling so far away. Your starting point is already very high, so I think you have no reason to rush, do you?"

Christina replied, "Eric, I'm not in school anymore. I feel stupid and can't learn anything, so it's better if I come out to work early."

"I remember Disney Channel should have arranged some roles for you guys, right?"

Christina nodded, explaining that since the members of the Mickey Mouse Club were reassembled, apart from schooling and routine training, Disney often provided them roles in their children's TV shows to maintain public visibility. However, the payout for these roles was usually just a few thousand dollars, and the opportunities didn't come around often, sometimes just once every month or two. For someone like Christina, who had grown accustomed to high-society life alongside Drew, these sums seemed negligible.

After hesitating a bit, Christina asked, "Eric, can I act in movies?"

At that moment, Eric seemed to piece together some things. "Is your family in financial trouble?"

Christina struggled for words; they weren't necessarily short on money. Her mother had found work in Los Angeles, and with Christina occasionally earning from TV shows, they could get by comfortably. However, it was just enough for a mediocre middle-class life, which wasn't what she desired. She was eager to earn more money and live a better life.

Noting Christina's expression, Eric realized, "Alright, I get it. You can go out now; I'll arrange something for you when I get the chance."

Christina looked up, eyes sparkling. "Really?"

"Would I lie to you, little one?"

"Then..." Christina's eyes brightened as she felt the urge to do something. After a moment's hesitation, she reached out and took Eric's hand from the bathtub, trying to pull him toward herself, but instantly remembered Eric's earlier words about her dress getting wet if she wasn't careful.

In a moment of hesitation, the girl had a clever idea; she opened her mouth and was about to cram Eric's fingers into her mouth.

Eric couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. He pulled his hand away from Christina's grasp and pinched her chin playfully. "Alright, stop messing around. You have one minute. If you haven't disappeared in front of me by then, I'm taking back what I just said."

"Ah, I..." Christina stammered.

Eric didn't give her much time, waving five fingers. "Fifty seconds left."

Christina immediately pouted, arguing back. "There's no way it'll be that fast!"

Ignoring her, he dropped a finger. "Forty seconds."

"Ah, I'm going now," Christina quickly bounced up, dashing out of Eric's bathroom. In a blink, she turned back, silly smiling at Eric, picked up her heels from the floor, and slipped out.

*****

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