After a delightful and wonderful night, Dunn was still fast asleep, cuddling Jessica's soft body, when a flurry of urgent phone rings jolted him awake.
He was pretty sure it had to be about *Star Wars: Episode I*—that movie must've caused a huge stir. But to his surprise, it was George Paxton on the line.
George, his personal assistant, handled Dunn's private stuff, not company business. Rubbing his eyes to shake off the grogginess, Dunn mumbled, "George, what's up?"
George's voice sounded a bit frantic. "Big news! That internet company you told me to keep an eye on—they're making some major moves."
Dunn bolted upright, instantly wide awake.
"Honey, you're so loud…" Jessica Alba grumbled with a pout, rolling over and drifting back into a hazy sleep, leaving Dunn with a perfect view of her stunning back.
He got up, threw on a robe, and stepped out of the bedroom before asking, "What's going on?"
"I just got word," George said quickly. "Last week, the famous search company Eite tried to buy Google for $750,000. Those two students—oh, I mean Google's founders—they've been negotiating with Eite's George Bell for days."
"And?" Dunn's heart raced. He was terrified his presence might've triggered some butterfly effect.
George sped through the update. "Larry Page and Sergey Brin asked for $1 million, but George Bell wouldn't budge past $750,000. Talks fell apart yesterday."
*$1 million?* Dunn couldn't even process that. It felt so surreal.
"After the deal collapsed, Bell said some harsh stuff, and it lit a fire under those two college kids. They've already moved out of Stanford, rented an office on University Avenue in Palo Alto, and they're gearing up to officially run the company."
Dunn caught on fast. "They're looking for funding?"
"Definitely. They're students—if they want Google to grow, they'll need more staff, and that takes serious cash." George had clearly done his homework.
"How's it looking?"
"No clue yet, but tech stocks are hot right now. Anything internet-related? Wall Street and big foundations are practically throwing money at it. Funding won't be hard to snag."
"This could get tricky," Dunn muttered.
He wasn't delusional enough to think he could swoop in and grab half of Google—or more—like some overpowered character from a novel. In Hollywood, he had his sunglasses system to lean on, but in tech? It was all about raw skill.
After a long pause, he said, "Here's the plan: we can't outspend Wall Street, so we'll win them over with sincerity! Find Google's exact address ASAP. I'm flying back to California—we're paying them a visit!"
He hung up, and Jessica Alba shuffled over in a sheer nightgown, rubbing sleepy eyes, barefoot, and leaning into him. "Back to California?" she murmured.
"Yeah, work calls."
"What about me?" She tilted her head up, gazing at him.
"Come to my place! *Spider-Man* starts shooting by August at the latest. You can use the time to get into character."
Jessica nodded, biting her lip before mustering the courage to ask, "I saw in the papers… they say you're living with Naomi?"
Dunn's Beverly Hills rental was only $10,000 a month—not exactly a gated mansion—so the paparazzi had every move tracked. Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts staying at his place? That was Hollywood's worst-kept secret.
Naomi, chasing fame, didn't shy away from telling reporters they were indeed living together. But Nicole? She played it cool, saying she was just crashing there post-divorce to clear her head, thanks to her good friend Naomi. She and Dunn were "just friends"—no juicy rumors needed.
Dunn never cared what the women said about it, as long as they didn't cross any lines.
Seeing Jessica's hesitation, he grinned. "Don't worry, Naomi and Nicole are super easy to get along with."
"But…" Jessica couldn't wrap her head around sharing a guy with other women. Then she caught a slip in his words. "Nic… Nicole? Her too?"
Dunn raised an eyebrow. "Surprised?"
Jessica's jaw dropped, speechless.
Her last shred of hope crumbled.
If even a huge star like Nicole Kidman was happily cozying up to Dunn alongside others, what chance did a newbie like her have?
---
That afternoon, Dunn flew back to California and headed straight to 165 University Avenue in Menlo Park, Palo Alto, with Reese Witherspoon and George Paxton in tow.
In a cramped office, six young people hunched over computers, including Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Compared to the unknown Google, Dunn was a superstar! Especially after *Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace* just dropped and sparked a nationwide movie craze.
His arrival shattered the focused vibe. The six youngsters turned into giddy fans, swarming him like he was their idol.
Larry Page even cracked a joke. "We had eight employees, but two called in with stomachaches and went to the hospital. Pretty sure they snuck off to catch *Star Wars* instead!"
Dunn burst out laughing. "No problem! I'll make a call—tonight, you're all invited to a private screening at 20th Century Fox's theater. *Star Wars*, on me!"
"Woah!" Everyone clapped and cheered, instantly warming up to him even more.
But when Dunn revealed his real reason for coming, the excitement settled.
Invest in Google?
All eyes turned to Larry and Sergey.
Funding was the company's top priority right now. The two founders had already reached out to a few foundations, hashing out financing deals.
Sure, they loved Dunn's movies, but business was business.
---
Downstairs at the Starbucks, Dunn sat with Larry Page and Sergey Brin for some initial talks.
"We don't need that much money!" Larry shot down Dunn's big ambitions right off the bat.
Sergey cut straight to it. "Mr. Walker, we're definitely planning to raise funds, but we're only giving up 20% of the company."
"What's the price?"
"$25 million!"
Dunn frowned. "You think Google's worth $12.5 billion? Didn't you just try to sell it for $1 million not long ago?"
Sure, $12.5 billion was insane, but this was the dot-com bubble—crazy valuations were the norm!
Larry, looking like a middle schooler but negotiating like a pro, said, "It's simple, Mr. Walker. Google's like a rose about to bloom. A million bucks? That's just the seed."
Sergey jumped in. "Exactly. We've got the confidence and skills to grow that seed into a thriving, blooming flower."
Dunn could tell—these two weren't pushovers. They had one clear rule: protect their control of the company at all costs.
Famous director or not, movie fanboys or not, they weren't letting him meddle in their business.
Dunn didn't rush to haggle. "How big do you see Google's potential?"
"$10 billion! Not market value—revenue," Larry said, glancing at Dunn and his team while tapping his laptop. "Want me to show you why Google's search tech is the best?"
Reese Witherspoon giggled, smoothly covering their tech ignorance. "Hey, fellow Stanford grads! If you say Google's search is top-notch, I believe you. Us Stanford kids are the best, right?"
Dunn chuckled. "Honestly, I'm here because Reese kept raving about you guys. So, $25 million for 20%? I'm in!"
Sergey waved him off. "No, Mr. Walker, you've got it wrong. We're letting go of 20% total, but not just to you. We need multiple partners to help Google grow."
Dunn's face darkened. He hadn't expected 20% to be *this* hard to snag.
Larry added, "Mr. Walker, we really appreciate your support—and Reese's too. But Google's a high-tech internet company. We're not aiming for Hollywood. We need partners who can boost our growth in this space."
Google was tech-driven—its future relied on management and technical talent, not Dunn's network. Wall Street foundations, with their deep ties across the industry, could offer way more.
Dunn wasn't backing down. "Dunn Films has the biggest, widest fanbase out there. Movies are king. Google needs users—I can give you unmatched exposure."
"Absolutely, that's why we'd even consider you," Sergey replied. "Google's got the best search tech—we'll never lack investors. Your films are the big draw for us."
Dunn frowned. "How much equity can you offer me?"
"5%."
"Too low!"
"10% max. We still need a big foundation—Sequoia Capital or KPB, maybe. They've got huge appetites too."
Dunn's stomach sank. He didn't know KPB, but Sequoia Capital? That was a giant. Dunn Films was a baby next to them.
"I want priority for second and third funding rounds," Dunn pressed. "Mr. Page, Mr. Brin, I think you're seriously underestimating my movies—and me."
Larry and Sergey exchanged a look, a spark of excitement in their eyes.
They were sharp. They could see Dunn's potential.
Young people get young people—same age, same vibe.
But this was a negotiation. Everyone wanted the best deal.
---
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