Chapter 598: Self-Intoxication
The next morning, the couple went to the airport to see off Anthony Johnston, and Simon was sent to Park City, Utah by Janet.
Veronica returned to Los Angeles in the morning for the weekend.
With Janet's keen intuition, she had long noticed the strange connection between Simon and her aunt. Due to cognitive blind spots, she inevitably misinterpreted the situation and thus minimized the interactions between Simon and Veronica.
This year's Sundance Film Festival was set to close on Sunday.
After ten years of development, catalyzed by successful film projects like "Run Lola Run," "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," and "Reservoir Dogs," the Sundance Film Festival was no longer the modest event it was when Simon first visited Park City.
In ten years, the scale of participating and exhibited films at Sundance has increased dozens of times, and it has established a complete film trading platform. Starting last year, Sundance even launched its own Sundance TV channel.
As its reputation grew, it attracted not only film enthusiasts but also people from the music and fashion industries. Last year, for example, Park City hosted over two hundred various events during the eleven-day festival.
As the 10th anniversary celebration, this year's festival was even more grand. Many filmmakers who gained fame through Sundance returned to Park City, with the number of competing and exhibition films hitting new highs, alongside numerous music and fashion events.
Robert Redford originally established Sundance Film Festival partly to boost business at his underperforming ski resort. According to recent local media reports from Utah, this year's Sundance Film Festival attracted over 60,000 visitors from around the world to Park City within two weeks, completely overwhelming the small town with a permanent population of just over a thousand.
Due to a shortage of hotels, many visitors had to stay in temporary tents in temperatures below minus ten degrees Celsius.
Natasha Henstridge arrived in Park City on Friday with several artists under ICM.
Nancy Josephson, daughter of ICM founder Marvin Josephson, personally led the team of eight, including other agents and assistants. The actors were primarily British star Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell, who rose to fame with "Sex, Lies, and Videotape." Both were starring in a new film by Highgate Pictures titled "Four Weddings and a Funeral," premiering in Park City on Saturday.
At film festivals, the films shown later are usually more significant. The fact that "Four Weddings and a Funeral" was premiering the day before the closing ceremony indicated that Daenerys Entertainment held it in high regard.
Although Park City was overcrowded, as one of Hollywood's three major talent agencies, ICM had no difficulty finding accommodation.
They stayed in a beautiful two-story wooden villa in the northern part of the town, borrowed through Sundance connections. The villa had four bedrooms, perfect for the eight-person team, two per room. Neither Hugh Grant nor Andie MacDowell were big enough stars to complain, especially since ICM's next head was staying with them.
Natasha initially thought she would share a room with her assistant arranged by the company, but Nancy Josephson had her assistant stay with Nancy's aide, leaving Natasha to room with Nancy.
Both her agent Raul and Nancy Josephson, along with her assistant Kate, had subtly or directly reminded her to avoid doing anything that might upset Westeros.
Natasha felt a bit aggrieved.
She never had such intentions.
Besides, with so many eyes on her, how could she dare?
Perhaps due to the mixed company, cautious Nancy Josephson wanted to personally keep an eye on her.
If so, so be it.
Natasha secretly felt proud of ICM's cautiousness.
Pride that came from that man.
No one else in Hollywood wielded such power that a major talent agency would treat them with such caution.
She thought she would wait with the group for that man's arrival, but before she could settle in, a car came to pick her up. She wouldn't just leave with anyone, so she asked more questions. The driver confirmed it was Mr. Westeros' arrangement.
Others were present, and it wasn't a secret. Noticing Hugh Grant's girlfriend, Elizabeth Hurley's envious look, Natasha understood why Elizabeth had been so attentive on the way.
Since that was the case, there was no need to stay cramped with everyone else.
She left her fairly good-looking assistant Kate behind, as she wasn't careless.
Nancy Josephson called Mr. Westeros' assistant Claire to confirm but still wasn't fully reassured and followed the car. Seeing the luxurious villas perched on a hill overlooking Park City, she had no more doubts.
Three villas, one large and two small, were scattered on the not-so-flat hill, with rustic stone exteriors and dark brown roofs, blending perfectly with the surrounding snowy landscape. The villas appeared new, likely built within the last two years.
Most buildings in Park City were wooden, whether private homes or luxury resorts, and rarely used more than half brick and stone.
Even Robert Redford, the town's most prominent figure, might not have such grand villas on a hill. Looking at the largest three-story villa with over a thousand square meters, Natasha Henstridge thought she might get lost inside. Her $2 million mansion in Bel-Air had a main villa less than 400 square meters, similar to the other two smaller villas here.
Thinking of magazine articles about that man's properties worldwide, these expensive villas might only be occupied a few days a year.
The driver stopped outside the main villa, and a well-dressed woman named Naomi greeted them.
They entered the main villa, which was much warmer inside despite the vast space, with other women cleaning and tidying the place.
Naomi led Natasha to a bedroom on the second floor, settled her in, and said she could call if needed before leaving.
After Naomi left, Nancy Josephson went to the balcony.
She had taken off her down jacket upon entering but still opened the French window and leaned on the railing. Above was a clear blue winter sky, with snow-capped mountains stretching into the distance, and Park City at the foot of the mountain, its streets filled with people and cars.
Natasha, also without a coat, joined her, looking at the tent-filled tourist area on the eastern side of Park City. She thought to herself that if she could always stand in such a position to view the scenery, life would be quite nice.
After Nancy Josephson left, Natasha finished unpacking and found that the women who had been cleaning the villa had disappeared, including Naomi, likely in the other villas.
Alone in the large villa, she didn't feel lonely or cold.
She felt excited.
Like a cat, she wandered around the villa.
Most rooms weren't locked, and she eagerly explored each one.
The villa's expensive construction was matched by luxurious interior decoration. Natasha found a set of leisure furniture she had seen in magazines in a sunroom: two lounge chairs and a table worth $30,000.
She cautiously lay down on one, thinking it was indeed comfortable.
She felt a bit silly.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she emerged from the private wine cellar on the basement level to find it was already dark.
Naomi reappeared, this time introducing herself fully as Naomi Lloyd, and asked what she wanted for dinner.
Natasha, reminded by Nancy of an evening filmmakers' gathering, ordered a simple meal, and Naomi thoughtfully arranged a car and driver for her.
The evening party was lively, and as a beautiful woman, she was inevitably approached. One guy, who introduced himself as a film company president, asked if she was interested in a lead role in a movie he was preparing.
Not interested.
Maybe Simon Westeros would be interested in your film. Want me to introduce you? Of course, she only thought this and didn't dare use his name.
Before the guy could pester her further, Nancy stepped in to fend him off.
Clearly, some people were watching the spectacle.
Not to see her, of course.
Anyone with some insider knowledge was very polite to her, including some big stars she used to look up to.
Later, the guy who offered her the lead role returned, awkwardly apologizing.
Not drinking a drop of alcohol, she left early but still felt slightly tipsy.
No alcohol, yet intoxicated.
Saturday morning was free, just waiting for that man.
In the minus ten degrees Park City, she didn't want to get up. Forcing herself to eat some breakfast, she went back to bed until she sensed movement beside her and woke to find the man etched in her mind standing by the bed, smiling.
"Hi, Sleeping Beauty."
Sleeping Beauty should be awakened by a prince's kiss. Looking at the man above her, she was about to respond when she suddenly changed her words with a bit of involuntary flattery, "Hi, my king."
"Time to get up for lunch," he said, pinching her chin. "There are so many interesting things to do, wasting time in bed isn't good."
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