[Chapter 252: The Night Banquet at the Mansion]
After deciding to take on the film project, Link handed off negotiation duties to Sam Haskel and asked him to continue discussions with Warner Bros. to see if there was a chance to secure better terms.
Once the work matters were wrapped up, the butler came in to announce that lunch was ready. Link invited Sam and Richard to the dining room for a meal.
The dining room was located on the east side of the villa, a spacious and lavish room that offered stunning views. It connected to a long corridor and a gazebo, surrounded by panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased the villa's beautiful landscapes, including mountains, water gardens, and a clear stream flowing beneath, all thoughtfully arranged and well designed.
This spot served as the perfect place for hosting guests.
Today's guests were only two: Sam Haskel and Richard Fox. Accompanying them were four women: Sandra Bullock, Renee Zellweger, Julianne Moore, and Jennifer Lopez.
Link initially thought the four women would shy away from appearing at such a gathering, concerned about their public images. However, before the event began, they changed into beautiful evening gowns and entered the dining room one by one, politely greeting Sam and Richard before taking seats beside Link.
Richard couldn't help but stare in disbelief at the sight of them all arriving. Earlier, he had envied Link for vacationing with four beautiful women, but now he felt nothing but jealousy -- raw, unfiltered jealousy.
As a man himself, he also had his fair share of romantic entanglements. However, his relationship with his lover was kept very discreet; neither wanted anyone to know of the affair, especially not his wife, to avoid creating drama.
Seeing Sandra and the others, who were all public figures and unabashedly present in such a setting, made him reflect on how they didn't seem to mind the implication of their closeness to Link.
Richard admired Link's smooth charm with women and thought about probing him for tips, but then he reminded himself of the hassle. The women were all voluptuous, and he figured they would come with high maintenance.
"Sam, Richard, let me introduce you to the lovely ladies: this is Renee Zellweger, Julianne Moore, Sandra Bullock, and Jennifer Lopez. Like you gentlemen, they are here to discuss business," Link introduced generously.
Renee and Jennifer exchanged smiles, wrapping their arms around Link's. Richard raised an eyebrow; "Is that what you call what they're doing with you?"
"Everyone, let's sit down and chat. We're all in the same industry; it'll be lively to discuss while we eat."
...
After they settled in, Link clapped his hands, and the butler, Wailu, signaled to the staff to bring out the delicious dishes. Wailu was a native Hawaiian in his forties, who lived with his wife and children in the staff quarters, responsible for managing the estate, beach, and botanical gardens.
Whenever Link vacationed here, he gave Wailu a heads-up, and Wailu's family would make arrangements, including hiring chefs and extra help, to serve Link professionally. Wailu and his family kept everything in perfect order, and their attentive service was why Link continued to employ them.
The meals served at the villa were primarily local delicacies, featuring roasted meats, fruits, and an exquisite array of seafood laid out beautifully.
During the meal, Link conversed with Sandra about the new scripts she had brought -- While You Were Sleeping and The Net. Originally, Sandra intended for him to choose which script was best for investment.
After reading both, Link found them promising.
While You Were Sleeping told the story of a woman who fell for two brothers without knowing how to choose, bringing a fresh twist compared to typical romance tales.
The Net explored a programmer's encounter with an unreliable online friend, leading to a deadly confrontation -- one of Hollywood's early ventures into depicting internet crime, presiding before the full-blown internet age.
Despite its somewhat cliched premise, the script offered new insights into the emerging social landscape of the digital world and the fresh characteristics of crimes in the internet era, influencing films like The Matrix and Hackers later on.
Both films had box office potential, and Link expressed interest in investing, especially in The Net, which suited his taste, and he considered directing it himself if time allowed.
"Really?" Sandra exclaimed, thrilled, wrapping her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his cheek, her cheeks flushed with excitement. If it weren't for Sam and Richard being present, she might have jumped into his lap just like the other night.
Sam and Richard exchanged glances, both thinking that the sight was getting a bit too cozy for their liking. Moments before, they had assumed Sandra was genuinely here for work and that her relationship with Link was professional.
However, with her hugging Link, it was clear to them that something else was going on.
"Congratulations again on landing two great roles, Sandra," Renee said, raising her juice glass with a smile.
"Thanks! I've been following Link's advice to explore scripts and choose what I love. You should do the same and come back to Link for guidance; he'll be happy to help," Sandra replied with a slight grin.
Julianne and Jennifer raised their glasses in congratulations as well.
"Link, if I find a good script, can I bring it to you to look over?" Jennifer Lopez, a newcomer and among the least known at the table, asked. Always hardworking and eager to learn, she kept herself humble.
"Anytime," Link replied.
"Great!" Jennifer beamed, planting a happy kiss on his cheek.
Sam and Richard exchanged glances again, feeling satisfied and slightly full.
"Link, if Guess Pictures needs any partners for upcoming projects, Warner Bros. would be more than willing to collaborate," Richard suggested while holding his wine glass.
"Sounds good; Guess Pictures never aimed to be a lone wolf. We're open to partnerships to create more successful films together," Link responded.
"Ha! So glad to hear that, Link. You're even more charming and wise than the rumors suggested. I hope we have more collaborations in the future," Richard toasted, clinking glasses with Link.
Sandra and the others joined in a round of toasts, hoping for an opportunity to collaborate with Warner Bros.
*****
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