Chapter 158: New Year's Date

[Chapter 158: New Year's Date]

The next morning, Ryan woke up in the VIP room with a pounding headache, clearly suffering from a hangover. He smacked his lips and glanced around at the cheerleaders sprawled out in different directions, realizing that last night had been quite the wild ride. When the party got going, it turned out to be a typical college frenzy.

Ryan shifted to make some space next to him and lay back down, enjoying the soft embrace of the pillow. He allowed himself a little more sleep while others gradually stirred awake, exchanging glances that mixed excitement with admiration for Ryan's performance the previous night.

"Are we doing this again tonight, babe?" Jenny asked, giving Ryan a tight hug as though she didn't want to let go.

"Depends on the situation," Ryan shrugged nonchalantly, not out of fear, but because he had important guests coming in that day.

In addition to the cheerleaders, a few Victoria's Secret models were set to arrive as part of a holiday event that was essentially a second wave of festivities. The necessary promotional material had already been shared, with teasers on social media from the Bad Room Nightclub announcing model appearances. Unfortunately, Ryan wouldn't find his favorite "Candy" Candice among the expected guests.

"Then you better not even think about leaving this room!" Jenny declared, tugging on Ryan's shirt before shouting to the others, "We're not letting Ryan out of this room!"

...

By three in the afternoon, Ryan could no longer stand it. He had to make a break for it; these cheerleaders acted like they were star-struck whenever they laid their eyes on him, and it felt suffocating. Eventually, with the promise of "There will be more opportunities; you guys are welcome anytime," he managed to soothe them.

Once in the recording studio area, Ryan bumped into Teresa as she arrived for work. Noticing his bloodshot eyes, she could tell he hadn't slept well.

"Prepare a confidentiality agreement," Ryan instructed her. The college crowd had been rowdy, and he needed to cover his bases to prevent anyone from spilling anything that shouldn't get out. This was legally permissible, but it came with a price. There was also a need to apply additional measures to ensure everything remained airtight.

"Also, get a portable video camera, one that can switch tapes."

Teresa seemed to figure out what Ryan had gotten up to last night and made a small huff but chose to remain silent.

'You're going to kill yourself!' she thought to herself with a smirk.

...

In the main hall, a group of tall women stood in awe.

"No way, this place is enormous!"

"It must hold thousands!"

"Why does the acoustics in here sound different from anywhere else?"

As they admired the venue, their voices echoed around the space, and a few servers didn't dare to approach them, acutely aware of the pressure radiating from the models in high heels.

"Welcome, everyone! If you need anything, just let me or any of the servers know," Ryan greeted as he made his entrance.

"This place is quite impressive," one of the models with a British accent smiled at him.

Her name was Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and while still just a runway model at that moment, she had recently landed her first VOGUE UK cover and starred in a Burberry autumn/winter advertising campaign. More than just a model, she had also replaced Megan Fox in Transformers 3, getting a lot of attention despite mixed reviews about her acting abilities at that time. Yet, her reputation changed after her performance in Mad Max, where her beauty captivated audiences.

"Any plans to open a branch in London?" Rosie asked, curious.

"London is way too competitive," Ryan replied, as he had no intentions of expanding internationally just yet.

"What a pity!" she said, tossing her golden hair back, which sent a sweet fragrance his way.

"So how do you plan to treat us tonight?" Rosie inquired next.

"That's up to you guys."

"If it's up to us!" Rosie said, glancing around at her fellow models.

"Ladies! Let's make tonight memorable!"

...

On the DJ platform, Ryan spotted Rosie and several other models dancing away, arms raised with drinks in hand. They swayed beautifully to the rhythm, fully enjoying their holiday break in the club.

From the moment Ryan set foot on the DJ platform, he had noticed an endless stream of men trying to approach the models. That was no surprise; wherever these ladies went, they turned every head in the room. Some of the models had found themselves dancing with partners, while Rosie politely turned everyone down.

...

As the night wore on, Rosie and a few others approached Ryan backstage.

"We just wanted to chat with you for a bit. Is that okay?" Rosie grinned, holding a beer in her hand.

It was clear they were interested in Ryan's influence in the fashion world, but Ryan didn't mind. Sure, he could benefit from them as well.

"How much do you guys know about Candice?" Ryan asked, finding a private space and requesting snacks from the servers.

"That South African model? Are you interested in her?"

"Should I try to set something up for you?"

"Just don't let Taylor know!"

Laughter erupted among them; they often joked about Taylor, but bringing her up was also a way for the models to keep their distance.

"I didn't say that. I'm just curious why there's been no news from her this year while Victoria's Secret keeps pushing her?"

"It's all about strategic partnerships. They need a set of cooperative models and someone to set the standard for others," Rosie explained. "That's how Lima and Alessandra made their way to the top. If Gisele hadn't let her contract lapse, Candice wouldn't have had the chance."

Rosie shrugged, "As for Candice, she's got a boyfriend who's also a model, and they've been together for years. I doubt anything scandalous is happening."

She dismissed the notion of any secret happenings.

"What about your runway order? Who arranges it?"

"The brand's creative department, working alongside Razek."

'Just Razek again?' Ryan sighed, knowing all too well.

"I got it. Rosie, come here for a sec." Ryan motioned for her.

Rosie exchanged glances with the others before quickly following.

"I need you to gather some intel on Candice, especially from other models who know her."

"Why me?" Rosie questioned, raising an eyebrow in curiosity, reminding Ryan of Anne's similar reaction earlier.

"If you can provide valuable information, it could lead to a contract with sTRay!" Ryan promised her.

...

"Ten, nine, eight, seven..."

In New York City, Times Square, Taylor stood excitedly counting down the New Year with several stars around her. She stood next to Demi Lovato, flanked on the other side by the Jonas Brothers. Thanks to Ryan's appearance, she was spared the embarrassing scene of being on the same stage after the breakup, and she didn't have to stand on the edge.

She eagerly lifted her head to watch the electronic countdown on the big screen hit midnight. The large ring on her finger sparkled brilliantly under the colorful lights.

"Happy New Year!" the host shouted excitedly toward the camera.

Yet Taylor felt a little forced in her smile. She looked down into the crowd, searching for a familiar face among the celebrating masses.

Of course, she came up empty-handed. He was off making money. How can he buy a house without making money? she reassured herself, having just spoken to Ryan the day before. He'd told her his club was thriving, and they planned on expanding and even building an outdoor pool for future poolside parties.

...

Once the midnight broadcast wrapped up, Taylor's work for the evening came to an end.

"By the way, Erica, this is for you," she said, pulling out some New Year's gifts once they settled into the SUV. Among them was the newly released iPhone 3G, Apple's second-generation phone, famous for connecting to high-speed 3G networks.

Taylor had always been generous with her team.

Just then, her phone buzzed, and she sensed it might be something. She quickly answered.

"Happy New Year!" she exclaimed, shedding her heavy black coat in excitement.

"Happy New Year! How's everything on your end?" Ryan's voice came through the line. The background sounded noisy; it appeared he was still at the club.

"It's going well, but it's pretty cold," she replied, glancing outside to see that New York was blanketed in snow.

"Yes, it's brutal; I'm on the verge of catching a cold," Ryan responded.

Just then, the door to the SUV swung open, and a blonde figure stepped in, shaking off snowflakes, dressed only in a thin coat, clearly unprepared for the harsh New York weather.

Taylor's phone slipped from her fingers, her jaw dropped as she couldn't believe her eyes.

*****

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