Chapter 406: Finding a Place

[Chapter 406: Finding a Place]

Drew's proposed trip to Las Vegas ultimately didn't pan out. Not to mention that Eric was completely tied up; even if he had had the time, with their ages, he and Drew wouldn't have been able to enjoy much fun there.

Although Las Vegas was often dubbed Sin City, the reality was that the laws there were quite strict. There were even curfews, and anyone under twenty-one was prohibited from gambling or drinking. Eric wouldn't turn twenty-one until May, and Drew certainly didn't meet that age limit.

With no chance to hit the gambling mecca, Eric conferred with the young lady and decided to host a birthday party at the Malibu mansion. Even though tradition dictated that you celebrated your coming of age at eighteen, for the precocious Drew, her sixteenth birthday already felt like her adulthood celebration. So, the young lady placed immense importance on this birthday bash, dedicating herself to the planning in the days leading up to it.

Once news broke that the mansion would host another party, it caused quite a stir in Hollywood. This would be the second large-scale event at the estate; the first had been over a year ago when Eric first moved in. With Firefly's rise becoming an unstoppable force, the number of individuals wanting to associate with Eric continued to grow. Thus, Drew's birthday party became the center of attention in Hollywood. Many who had even the slightest past interaction with Eric called to request invitations.

With numerous primary and supporting roles still up in the air for Twister, the stars eager to connect with Eric and lacking contacts had to get creative about securing party invitations.

...

"This morning, with Soviet mediation, Iraq announced a detailed withdrawal plan. It seems this war won't have any more repercussions. It's hard to believe this is probably the quickest war the country has waged in decades," Jeffrey mused, having already arrived early at the estate and now sitting on the sofa in the study.

Eric handed Jeffrey a cup of coffee and took a seat opposite him. "Yeah, it feels almost premeditated. I sensed something was off back in New York. Not only did countries like Saudi Arabia cover over a billion dollars in military expenses, but the U.S. also raked in over a billion through oil contracts from this war. With such massive profits at stake, I bet some people are thinking about another round."

Jeffrey, unperturbed by the underlying implications of Eric's words, quietly asked, "How's Chris doing?"

"All contracts will be finalized by the end of the month. Chris has given me a fairly detailed report -- around $4.1 billion in total. Any specific fluctuations shouldn't exceed $100 million. Oil prices are down to $18 a barrel; it can't drop any further."

Jeffrey let out a slight gasp, "Adding that to the previous, it's almost $8 billion. If you factor in Firefly, your net worth is now $10 billion! Wow, at your age, that's a record that could make it into the Guinness Book. I doubt it'll be broken anytime soon."

Eric shrugged. "Pure financial figures don't mean much. It's all about how to turn that money into real power and influence."

Jeffrey chuckled, "After hearing that, I can't help but feel curious. I really want to see how far you can take this."

Eric replied with confidence, "It won't take long -- maybe ten years, at most twenty..."

While they chatted casually, the study door opened, and Drew, clad in a pink little dress and high heels, strutted in. "Eric, the guests are piling in; I'm almost overwhelmed!"

"As long as you've greeted them properly, you don't have to hover. There's no need to get frazzled," Eric said, shifting aside so she could sit beside him.

Drew waved a hand to fan herself, "If I had known, I wouldn't have invited so many! We already have over two hundred guests, and others are still coming!"

Though she complained, a smile danced on her lips, clearly elated with the event's scale.

Eric furrowed his brow. "Tell Carter to step up patrols around the mansion. We can't have any shenanigans, and we absolutely need to keep outsiders out."

"I took care of that already. I had Carter borrow 30 security personnel from their headquarters, so they're on strict duty at the entrance," she replied.

Eric nodded, glancing at his watch. "The important people should be arriving soon. Shall we head out? Jeffrey, are you staying here?"

Jeffrey got up, "Nope. Who knows, I might run into some familiar faces to catch up with."

...

The three move from Eric's study to the grand hall, which was already bustling with guests. Well-dressed men and women in exquisite gowns flowed through the space, quietly talking in groups; it felt orderly and far from chaotic.

As soon as Eric appeared, he became the focal point of everyone's attention. Those closest to him approached him to say hello. Drew linked arms with Eric, completely unfazed by the attention on them. She knew Eric was the main draw behind the party gathering.

After mingling a bit, a bodyguard approached Eric to deliver a message from the mansion entrance. After listening, Eric gestured for Drew to follow as they stepped out of the villa.

As dusk settled, the mansion's colorful lights illuminated the space, casting it in a dreamy glow.

"Eric, who just arrived?" Drew whispered.

"Francis Ford Coppola," Eric replied just as he spotted Coppola arriving with his daughter Sofia and Nicolas Cage. He beamed and made his way over to them.

"Frank, I didn't expect you to come personally today," Eric said, embracing Coppola, greeting Cage, and shaking Sofia Coppola's hand. "Sofia, you look lovely tonight in that white evening gown."

"Drew looks beautiful too," Sofia responded with a polite smile, nodding at Eric before greeting Drew.

Before they could exchange more pleasantries, Eric noticed Amy Pascal walking in with a man who seemed to be her husband. Amy Pascal was the vice president at Columbia Pictures, although their partnership had faded since Running Out of Time. However, compared to Warner Bros. or MGM, Firefly still had ties with Columbia.

After greeting Amy Pascal and letting the couple inside the villa, over half an hour passed, and with the party about to start, Eric was just turning to take Drew back to the hall when he spotted two women approaching.

"Drew, happy birthday!" Elisabeth hugged Drew before pulling the woman next to her over. "Eric, this is the leading lady of my next film, Susan Sarandon."

Eric smiled at Susan Sarandon, "What a coincidence -- we meet again, Susan! I didn't expect you to star in Liz's film."

"I thought the script was great, so I accepted, but I look forward to working with you again," Susan beamed, sharing a quick greeting with Drew afterward.

As they walked side by side back to the hall, Eric asked Elisabeth, "By the way, what's the title of your upcoming movie? I haven't heard anything yet."

"The script is titled Thelma & Louise; it's a road movie," Elisabeth explained.

Eric paused for a moment, then quickly connected the dots. It was pivotal in paving the way for feminist road movies and had a significant impact, so he was surprised it was now in Elisabeth's hands.

However, he recalled that Thelma & Louise would be produced by MGM and had performed fairly well at the box office, meaning the unfortunate MGM would be losing yet another successful project.

"From the title, I assume the two main characters are female, right? Who's the other one?"

Elisabeth shot Eric a glance. "I originally had Gina Davis in mind. But given everything you stirred up, that's definitely out of the question; I'll need to find another lead."

Eric considered briefly and said, "We start filming The X-Files in June. Famke Janssen shares a similar vibe as Gina Davis, so let's give her that role."

Elisabeth, recalling the sultry Famke Janssen, teasingly asked, "Why should I give it to her? You beg me!"

"Not a problem," Eric said with a playful glint in his eye, "How about I find a private place to beg you right now?"

"..."

Elisabeth fell silent for a moment, her cheeks flushing as she clenched her teeth and finally said, "You're such a jerk."

*****

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