Chapter 482

April 28, 7:45 PM, the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester was packed. As the second-largest football stadium in the UK, second only to Wembley, Old Trafford was filled with an overcapacity crowd.

The first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final saw Manchester United playing Arsenal at home. It was also a showdown between the top two teams in the Premier League. Last season's Premier League champions Arsenal were up against the reigning Champions League champions, Manchester United!

In a small box in the south stand of the "Theatre of Dreams," Charles Capet and Emily Blunt, who was filming Gulliver's Travels in London, were quietly watching the match.

"The Premier League is already 34 rounds in, and Arsenal is leading Manchester United by five points. With only four matches left, Arsenal's league championship is getting closer," Emily Blunt analyzed seriously.

"Now that Arsenal has made it to the Champions League semi-final, we can expect a shot at the Champions League trophy too. But it's a pity that you lost to Chelsea in the FIFA Cup semi-final last month, missing out on that title," Emily added.

Charles explained, "Well, Arsenal did win the Community Shield by beating Manchester United before the season started, so that's already one title. The League Cup and FIFA Cup were strategically abandoned to focus on the Champions League and the Premier League."

"In the FIFA Cup semi-final, didn't Manchester United also lose to Everton?" Emily asked.

"The Champions League final four are the same as last year: Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona. Arsenal lost to Chelsea in last year's semi-final, and Barcelona lost to Manchester United. Eventually, Manchester United defeated Chelsea to win the title," Emily recounted enthusiastically.

"This year, it's Arsenal against Manchester United. In the league, you guys have one win and one draw against Manchester United, right?"

Charles laughed, wrapping his arm around Emily Blunt's shoulder. "We've completely dominated Manchester United."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney were playing for Manchester United, and the team was strong. But the summer rumors linking Ronaldo to Real Madrid were still fresh, and his future at United was uncertain.

Even though it was Manchester United's home ground, Arsenal managed to walk away with a draw in the first leg, ending 1-1. The goals were scored by Rooney for Manchester United and Sanchez for Arsenal.

After the match, Charles made a point of visiting the away team's locker room to meet the coach and players, offering words of encouragement before leaving with Emily Blunt.

With Manchester about 300 kilometers from London, Charles and Emily Blunt decided to spend the night in Manchester rather than head back.

They stayed at the Marriott Hotel at Salford Quays, not far from Old Trafford.

In the hotel room, Charles sat on the bed, flipping through a Manchester United magazine out of boredom, his mind pondering Arsenal's away goal which made winning at home seem like a breeze.

This season, Arsenal hadn't lost to Manchester United, and the Barcelona-Chelsea match was scheduled for the following night.

Could it be that within a year, he'd win the Champions League title again? If Chelsea could defend against Barcelona, surely Arsenal could learn from them. Arsenal's defense was top-notch in Europe.

May 2 would be the 35th round of the Premier League, followed by the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on May 6.

The Premier League was a demanding competition; back-to-back matches could be tough, especially for teams without a deep bench.

"What are you thinking?" Emily Blunt asked, walking out of the bathroom in a sexy nude silk nightgown with her red hair cascading down her shoulders, her elegant steps bringing her to Charles' side.

"Manchester United's magazine," Emily glanced at it indifferently. "You went to boost the team's morale after the match, right?"

"Correct. There's nothing more motivating than tangible rewards. I just told them the prize money for the championship is substantial. The coach and team management will handle the rest," Charles said, feeling quite practical.

"It's certainly better than the Glazer family's five brothers and one sister," he added.

"Oh, so you're going to stay in London for a few more days then? The Champions League semi-final second leg is at the Emirates Stadium in a week," Emily said as she stroked Charles' chest.

Her slender fingers lightly traced along his chest before she lowered her head and kissed it.

Charles wrapped his arms around her waist, her faint perfume lifting his spirits and making him feel a bit more heated. "We'll go back to London tomorrow and take it from there."

"The summer blockbuster season is coming, it's Hollywood's most important time," Charles not only had Iron Man 2 and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen sequels to look forward to; even mid-sized investments like The Proposal, The Hangover, and The Blind Side were highly anticipated by Charles.

"I know. But Iron Man 2 releases on May 22, and the promotional work doesn't require you," Emily leaned into Charles' arms, her hand constantly caressing him.

Charles smiled, leaning against the headboard. "I don't need to be involved in that. But there are still some other matters in Hollywood."

As Charles spoke, he pulled down the shoulder strap of her nightgown, his hand caressing the gentle softness beneath.

"Hollywood isn't as calm as it appears on the surface," Charles reflected on his Capet Pictures' rise since 2006, placing high in the top six studios and securing the second-largest market share for the past two years.

While it was glamorous, there were still issues to resolve, mainly the overreliance on Charles himself.

That could be solved easily, though. Once the company went public, Capet Pictures would still be under Charles' control. Having several successful franchises under its belt would help.

However, Charles's thoughts couldn't stray from NBC Universal. Donna Langley had thoroughly briefed him; she had spoken with Barry Diller, who brought Capet's COO Michael Lynn to meet with former GE chairman Jack Welch.

NBC Universal's primary revenue came from NBC's broadcast network and its cable movie network, with GE's acquisition of NBC Group being Jack Welch's handiwork.

The key to acquiring NBC Universal wasn't Universal Pictures, but NBC Television.

As one of the traditional Big Three networks in the U.S., NBC's importance was beyond words, not just economically but also as a political voice.

Charles might need to make several trips to Washington D.C. again.

As Charles was lost in thought, Emily Blunt kissed him on the lips and then climbed onto him.

"Baby, you're distracted," Emily Blunt said, taking off her sexy lingerie.

"Uh," Charles exhaled, holding her waist. "I was just thinking about a lot of things. I probably won't stay in London long, but I think I'll go back to the U.S. after the second leg against Manchester United."

"Really, I don't want to leave you!"

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.