[Chapter 154: The Bet]
"Link's new movie is in production. I heard it had a budget over ten million. Shall we bet that it's going to flop, Michelle?" Richard Gere asked with a sly smile.
Michelle Pfeiffer blinked, a grin spreading across her face. "I heard from my agent that Jay Moloney was trying to broker a peace between you guys and Link. Didn't that go anywhere?"
"Ha! Hollywood is our turf. Why do we need to make peace with some newbie? He's not that important," Richard scoffed.
"Exactly. That guy even said we should apologize to him. Can you believe it? He's just a rookie director. Why should we apologize to him? Not a chance."
"If he wants to make amends, he should come to us and apologize. If we're in a good mood, we might think about forgiving him."
"Hey, I gotta say, his girl looks pretty good. She's totally my type. If I can bring him down a notch, I'll definitely try to steal her away," Richard revealed, their conversation growing heated as they disparaged Link.
Michelle frowned slightly. After speaking with Link, she felt a strong distaste for Richard's crew. Their crude remarks and self-assured airs seemed grossly uncouth and lacking in sophistication.
Maintaining her smile, she said, "Link might have crossed a line with you all, but he's now a millionaire worth four to five hundred million. He's a globally recognized writer and director with a thriving production company. It won't be easy to take him down."
"Pfft! Forbes has overhyped him. There's no way he's worth that much. Maybe a hundred million at best."
"Even if he does have a few hundred million, what does it matter? Big Seven just announced some of their projects falling below expectations, so now they see him as a competitor and are gearing up to take him down. Things won't be easy for him moving forward."
"Exactly! When he first hit it big, CAA tried to sign him, but he turned them down and went up against us. CAA isn't going to let that slide. Now that he's auditioning actors for his new movie, they've leaked just a hint of gossip, causing a lot of stars to bail on the auditions, leaving him without the right cast," noted Robert Downey Jr.
"Compared to CAA, a few hundred million isn't worth anyone's time," Robert added.
Dustin Hoffman and the others nodded in agreement. They had seen plenty of millionaires and even mingled with members of the Rothschilds and Rockefellers. A millionaire without any solid foundations wasn't on their radar.
"Alright, enough about Link," Richard said, waving his hand and turning his attention back to Michelle. "What about you, Michelle? Want to bet on Link's movie tanking?"
Michelle brushed her hair back. "Link's first three films raked in tremendous box office numbers -- totaling close to a billion worldwide. That's above 99% of directors in the industry. It's hard to see him losing money on this one."
Dustin shook his head. "Michelle, you're overestimating him. He's never made a big film before, and after a few low-budget hits, he suddenly jumps to a ten-million-dollar production. That's reckless."
"Right. Plenty of directors have done well with smaller budgets, but when they step up to a big project, they often flop. The odds of Link losing on this one are pretty high."
"Plus, that guy is way too cocky. He's running such a big project without any serious actors or A-list stars on board. How's that going to sell? He's banking on publicity?"
"I remember him saying in a TV interview that he wouldn't resort to cheap stunts for his next movie. If he doesn't promote it, who's going to want to see it?"
"Exactly! When The Blair Witch Project came out, we didn't even know he was the director. He sort of slipped through the cracks. This time, the media's watching him closely. If he tries any funny business again, he'll lose credibility and face the public's backlash. His standing in the industry would take a hit," Dustin said excitedly.
"We need to keep a close eye on him and make sure he can't pull any more tricks. If he stops using publicity stunts, it'll be like he's lost an arm. Let's see how he profits," Richard sneered.
"Honestly, Link is pretty foolish. Hype marketing is his go-to move, and just because of some media criticism, he's ready to throw that away. How dumb is that?"
"Ha! We played a part in that, remember? We set the press on him for his silly marketing strategies, and now he's buckling under pressure. That's why he's made those promises."
"Sure sounds like our tactics worked," they all cheered, raising their glasses and laughing.
Michelle stood by, not contributing to the banter, simply amused as they plotted against Link. Hearing A-list stars teaming up against him struck her as almost comical, especially when they credited themselves with convincing him to abandon his marketing strategies.
She couldn't help but be impressed by Link's strength. Not just physically, but in his career, he towered above many in the industry.
"Michelle, you want to bet?" Richard gauged her.
"Sure, I'll bet that bastard's next movie is a guaranteed flop," Michelle replied with a playful laugh.
Richard and the others erupted in laughter. "No way, Michelle! If you bet that, we can't even place a wager."
"Alright, fine. I'll bet that Link's next movie will be a hit. If I lose, I'll buy you all drinks," she said with mock innocence.
"How about if you lose, you treat me to a drink? I'll do the same for you if I lose," Richard proposed gallantly.
"Ha! Richard, so you're aiming for Michelle, huh? If she loses, you'll have to compete with Dustin for a chance to take her out!" Robert winked playfully.
"I'd gladly take on Richard in that race. I'm confident I'd win," Dustin declared with a grin.
As Michelle listened to their banter, discomfort washed over her. She held back the urge to throw her drink in their faces and forced herself to sit for a moment longer.
...
When Mike Nichols and the legendary Jack Nicholson walked in, she made her exit, joining a nearby table to discuss work. Richard, Robert, and the others were old acquaintances of Jack's and followed him to greet him.
Soon enough, the group was deep in drinks and light-hearted conversations, leaving little room for work talk.
The stench of smoke became unbearable for Michelle. She took a sip of her beer and made a quick excuse to leave.
...
Once outside, Michelle slid into her car and pulled out her phone, dialing Link, who was still in New York.
When the call connected, she could hear Link's magnetic voice on the other end.
"Michelle, what's up?"
"I've missed you. Can I say that?" she replied, leaning back in her seat, a smile creeping across her lips. Talking with Link felt more lively than chatting with her boyfriend.
"Ha, where's the longing coming from? Is it in your heart or on your lips?"
"Every bit of me is missing you," she answered.
"Don't tempt me. I'm in New York working. I can't afford to feed you all the way out in L.A."
"Have you started filming yet? Is everything going smoothly?"
"Pretty much. Just that the weather here has been more unpredictable than I thought. We only got going yesterday after some rain," he replied.
"Well, I'm glad you're shooting. I've heard a lot of people in the industry don't have high hopes for your new movie. Do you feel confident?"
"It's fine. My films often go under the radar, but they end up doing well. I have faith in this one too."
"You've been doing fantastic, so I know you'll pull it off," Michelle encouraged, her voice turning soft and tender. "Oh! I'll be in New York next week for an event, and I have some free time. Can I come see you?"
"Absolutely! Just give me a heads up, and I'll make time for you," Link replied warmly.
"Awesome! I can't wait to be by your side again."
She blew a few kisses into the phone before hanging up, feeling a warm thrill about seeing him again.
*****
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