Chapter 308: A Rush of Emotion

[Chapter 308: A Rush of Emotion]

"Here's your breakfast," Nicole said as she carelessly placed the tray in front of Eric and sat down at the other end of the table.

Eric, who had just settled down at the dining table, glanced at the tray and asked, "Where's the milk? And I told you, I don't like them sunny-side up."

"Eat it or don't. By the way, I have to go to New York for a few days, and I won't be coming back here. Just continue having the maid prepare your breakfast," Nicole said, fiercely poking at her salad with a fork.

Eric chuckled, "You're still mad, huh? Drew left yesterday, and now you're leaving. Doesn't that leave me all alone in the villa again?"

"Hmph, what do I care? You just wave your hand, and I'm sure women would flock to you," Nicole replied angrily.

"Alright, alright, I formally apologize for my behavior yesterday, Miss Kidman. Will you forgive me?"

"Not a chance! You're such a jerk. My... that hurt for so long."

Eric casually spread the newspaper across the table and commented, "That's your fault. If you didn't always seize every chance to tease me, none of this would have happened."

"You... I'm not talking to you," Nicole pouted, lowering her head and aggressively chewing her breakfast, the crunching of the salad sounding almost like she was biting at Eric himself.

Nicole typically maintained a composed demeanor, and it was the first time Eric had witnessed her throwing a little tantrum. To be honest, it was somewhat cute.

Laughing, he got up, poured himself a glass of milk from the fridge, and pushed it towards Nicole. "Want a glass of milk? If you only eat salad, your body won't handle it. You're in such great shape. Why suddenly go on a diet? I prefer a bit of meat on your bones."

Nicole shot Eric another glare but poured herself a glass of milk nonetheless.

...

Eric smiled and took a few sips of his milk while casually flipping through the newspaper in front of him. A little while later, he suddenly set his utensils down and picked up a section of the newspaper. The photo was unmistakable. It showed him and Tom Cruise from their meeting yesterday. The picture had been taken through a glass window, capturing only their backs, but Tom and Paula Wagner were clearly visible.

"Tom Cruise reportedly criticized Ghost, possibly falling out with Williams."

"Hollywood's famous director Eric Williams is in the midst of intensive preparations for his new film, with the casting of the lead roles drawing public interest. Yesterday, our reporter spotted Eric Williams meeting Tom Cruise at a well-known restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard in Hollywood, supposedly inviting Tom Cruise to star as the male lead in his upcoming film.

However, the meeting appeared to be quite contentious. Analyzing Tom Cruise's lip movements, our reporters discovered that the negotiations were not going smoothly. Cruise referred to taking the lead role in Ghost as 'extremely foolish.' He didn't discuss much about Ghost with Eric Williams but seemed to hit it off with Eric's companion, Nicole Kidman, who shot to fame with Sleepless in Seattle, even inviting her to join his new project. He further stated that the female lead in Ghost had no room for development and was merely a crying trophy role.

After Tom and Paula Wagner left, Eric and Nicole Kidman sat in silence for a long while. Due to their position, it was unclear what they discussed, but after their discussion, Eric stood up to leave, while Nicole anxiously chased after him.

From the looks of it, our playboy seemed quite displeased with Nicole Kidman's conversation with Tom Cruise. Perhaps upset that Nicole Kidman did not refuse to appear in Tom's new film, he stormed off. It's likely that a rift formed between Eric Williams and Nicole Kidman, possibly due to Tom Cruise."

Eric sighed as he read the newspaper several times before passing it over to Nicole. "Look at this, another mess."

Nicole took the newspaper and skimmed through it, then pouted, "The paper isn't wrong; we've definitely developed a rift."

"Nicole, you look quite cute when you're throwing a fit. Just check the mirror."

"Hmph!" she scoffed, ignoring Eric's teasing and continuing with her breakfast.

...

However, Eric lost his appetite. While he didn't care much about the fallout with Cruise, the critic's comments about Ghost demanded his attention. If he didn't clarify and refute the claims quickly, the media might focus on Ghost, potentially creating a negative perception among the public. The film could be branded a flop before it even started shooting.

He grabbed the newspaper and headed to the living room, dialing Kepler's number. They discussed the situation, and Kepler promised to reach out to Cruise's camp for a statement.

The absence of any comments regarding Eric and Nicole in the newspaper suggested that the tabloids had only deciphered a portion of their conversation through lip-reading, rather than having any audio recording. If they had, the content of Eric and Nicole's discussion post-Tom and Paula's departure would have definitely made headlines.

...

Setting aside that topic, Eric returned to the living room. He glanced at Nicole, who was still eating her breakfast leisurely, and commented, "These reporters can read lips now. Looks like we have to be more careful moving forward. Even when no one's around, we can't just say anything."

Nicole rolled her eyes at Eric without saying a word, while she continued eating and reading the paper. But it seemed this meal wouldn't be peaceful; Eric soon spotted another newspaper showcasing a couple walking side by side, the man looking attentive while the woman had a faint smile on her face.

Shaking his head, Eric picked up the newspaper again and went back to the living room where he made a phone call. After finishing up, he finally felt at ease returning to the living room to finish his breakfast.

Once they were done eating, Eric drove Nicole to the airport before heading to the headquarters of Firefly Films.

...

When he arrived at the company, it was almost ten o'clock, just in time for his meeting with Robert Shea, scheduled for ten.

Following the blockbuster success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Robert Shea had been in a unique emotional state lately. After all, when Firefly acquired New Line, it had a valuation of only $150 million. Robert had managed to snag a 10% share from Eric during a tough time, raising his overall stake in Firefly to 25%.

However, shortly after, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hit theaters and pulled in $30 million during its opening weekend. As ecstatic as he was for its success, Shea couldn't help but feel immense regret.

If he had insisted on keeping New Line, the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would have been theirs alone.

With the current box office trajectory, there was no question the film would gross over $100 million. In the international market, including home video and merchandising, surpassing $100 million in profits would be a breeze. Not to mention, the movie could easily generate sequels. Just on the success of this one film, New Line's valuation would likely double.

"If only I hadn't sold..." Robert Shea had grumbled privately more than once in the past few days, but it was all for naught.

...

In a small conference room at Firefly, four people gathered around a small meeting table. Robert Shea then introduced the two individuals sitting beside him to Eric. "Eric, these are the scripts I've gathered over the past few days. Take a look? Oh, and these two are Ronald Bass and Nancy Price, the screenwriter and author of the original novel."

Eric nodded, took the script, and glanced at the cover where the title read: Sleeping with the Enemy.

He remembered this was a film starring Julia Roberts that had apparently done quite well at the box office.

"Eric, is there a problem?" Robert Shea asked, noticing the change in Eric's expression, thinking Eric might be dissatisfied with the script. However, backed by the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Shea felt much more assured. He thought to himself that even if he failed once more, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had already brought in a significant sum of money, money that rightfully belonged to him. Thus, even if Eric opposed, Shea had no plans to relent.

Eric shook his head. "Nothing's wrong." After saying this, he began to quickly flip through the pages of the script.

Minutes later, after skimming through the script, he looked up at Robert Shea and asked, "Robert, are you sure you want to make this movie?"

Robert Shea nodded confidently. "Eric, you mentioned before that you wouldn't interfere with my script selections. As long as I chose wisely, you would sign off."

Hearing the reluctance in Robert's voice, Eric understood why and just smiled lightly. "Of course, I'll keep my promise. This thriller script isn't bad. By the way, do you have any actors in mind?"

Robert Shea had initially prepared to argue with Eric, but since Eric didn't raise any objections, his pent-up tension dissipated, leaving him feeling somewhat awkward and silent. He then responded, "Yes. That's why I brought Ronald Bass and Nancy Price here today. Ronald, why don't you take it from here?"

Ronald, sitting next to Robert Shea, said, "Mr. Williams, the moment the script was completed, Nancy and I agreed that Julia Roberts would be the best fit for the female lead. However, we did extend an invitation, but Julia Roberts's agent outright declined. Mr. Shea thought perhaps you could help."

"Robert, what's your take?" Eric asked Robert Shea again.

Robert Shea nodded, "I also believe Julia Roberts is the best fit for this role. I even called Kepler Hyde directly, but Kepler said Julia wasn't interested in the script. Given your relationship with her, I believe you could assist in persuading her."

Eric pondered over the script for a moment before nodding, "Alright, I'll give it a shot."

"Eric, you and I both know your relationship with Julia, so can I count on you for a solid answer?" Robert Shea continued.

Eric raised his eyebrows and considered for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, I guarantee Julia will sign on. However, regarding her salary, you'll need to negotiate directly with Kepler. UTA is no longer around, and I'm merely friends with Kepler, so I won't be able to dictate Julia's salary."

"That's perfectly fine," Robert Shea replied. "By the way, the film's budget is estimated to be around $30 million, and I also plan to cast an A-list star as the male lead."

Eric slightly contemplated the script he had just perused and remembered the movies in his mind, doubting that this film would cost anywhere close to $30 million.

Looking at Robert Shea, who seemed eager to argue with him, Eric chuckled, "Alright, $30 million."

Robert Shea, who had been feeling frustrated due to his earlier comments, anxiously sipped his coffee, not knowing why he felt so worked up today, wanting to confront Eric about something, but Eric wasn't giving him any openings.

"Ronald, Nancy, why don't you wait in my office for a bit? I need to discuss some other matters with Eric, and then I'll come back to talk to you about the film."

"Sure, Mr. Shea," the two replied, sensing the tension in the air and promptly leaving the office.

"Eric, about the overseas distribution of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I think it would be best to let Disney handle it. Michael Eisner's percentage is quite high, and if we follow through with your previous plans and handle it ourselves, I believe we'll lose out on at least $10 million." Once they were alone, Robert Shea brought up the distribution situation for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

"Michael Eisner contacted you?" Eric asked, surprised.

"Of course," Robert Shea seemed to pick up on Eric's discontent and quickly added, "I know Michael targeted you for a while, but that's all in the past. Besides, you accepted the script for Ghost, so I think we can put that matter to rest. Also, my contact with Michael Eisner was solely for the benefit of Firefly."

*****

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