Chapter 264: Spokesperson

[Chapter 264: Spokesperson]

"Where are my sisters?" Elizabeth Olsen walked into the conference room and found only Ryan inside. Her two sisters and Ivanka were nowhere to be seen.

"Close the door," Ryan said, taking a sip of his iced tea in a commanding tone.

"Why should I listen to you? Where did they go?" Elizabeth Olsen huffed. Seeing Ryan always made her inexplicably angry — her prideful nature flaring up instantly.

"Do you need to see them for something?" Ryan put down his uniquely designed Dior-logoed metal cup.

"Ashley said she had something important to discuss with me." Elizabeth Olsen frowned.

"Sit down and wait. And close the door while you're at it." Ryan reminded her again.

"No way. If I leave the door open, I can run if you try anything shady." Elizabeth Olsen muttered but still closed the door.

"If I really had bad intentions, that door wouldn't stop me." Ryan smirked.

"Yeah, well, you're not even interested in me. You like big-chested, long-legged women." Elizabeth Olsen mumbled, deliberately sitting two seats away from Ryan.

"I recall your legs aren't short either — your thighs are plump, and your curves are well-shaped." Ryan reminisced about a steamy night they had once spent together in her dorm. Elizabeth Olsen might have only been a 32D, but the natural, slightly downward shape made them easy to cup from underneath, offering an unparalleled tactile experience.

"Stop talking!" Elizabeth Olsen immediately interrupted, her face flushing as she clearly remembered that night too.

Ryan studied her carefully. "What have you been busy with lately? I haven't had the chance to ask."

"As my sisters' secretary, I'm always running around doing something." Elizabeth Olsen sighed. Technically, Ryan was now half her boss as well, since her two sisters managed not only sTray but also other personal brands.

"How much does sTray pay you per month?" Ryan inquired.

"Around ten thousand dollars, sometimes more." Elizabeth Olsen looked slightly embarrassed when she mentioned this.

Over ten grand? Just to hire you for this nonsense? What a waste!

"Normally, that salary could hire two more competent professional assistants." Ryan narrowed his eyes.

"Then fire me. I was thinking about taking a break anyway." Elizabeth Olsen said nonchalantly.

"Besides, I didn't even know about this salary, which clearly violates company policy. How do we account for this loss?" Ryan tilted his head.

"Do you have to be such a cheapskate? I took your money, but I also worked for you!" Elizabeth Olsen shrieked, looking exasperated.

"My money doesn't fall from the sky. Considering your salary is unreasonable, I've decided… to adjust your position. You'll be transferred to Orlando's Bad Room as my secretary." Ryan pondered.

"Not a chance! I'm not going!" Elizabeth Olsen shook her head like a rattling brass bell.

"Then pay back the money."

"Whatever. I have no money anyway!" Elizabeth Olsen crossed her arms angrily.

"If you don't have money, I'm open to alternative payment methods." Ryan tapped his fingers on the table.

"You bastard! I'll find a witch to curse you! You'll have bad luck for life!" Elizabeth Olsen yelled instinctively.

Perfect. I already have a "witch" around — Taylor Swift. Maybe two negatives will make a positive.

Before Ryan could respond, his vision was suddenly flooded with a series of images.

...

Elizabeth Olsen was wearing a red robe, her eyes glowing an eerie crimson as a red aura enveloped her. She hovered midair, exuding an alluring yet mysterious presence — clearly a witch.

In the next moment, a massive green monster appeared beside her. Behind her, a metallic man shot flames from his feet as he sped past. A man in a blue tight suit wielded a shield, blocking an oncoming missile. Not far away, a woman in a black bodysuit executed a dazzling martial arts move, taking down a robotic enemy…

...

"You okay?" Elizabeth Olsen asked as she noticed Ryan suddenly go silent. When she looked up, she saw his hands gripping the armrests tightly, veins bulging, his whole body tensed. His closed eyelids twitched rapidly as if trapped in a vivid dream.

The unusual sight startled Elizabeth Olsen She rushed to his side, shaking him slightly. Ryan remained unresponsive.

"Don't scare me like this!" Elizabeth Olsen panicked. After hesitating for a few seconds, she pulled out her phone to call for an ambulance — only for a large hand to suddenly grab her wrist.

"I'm fine… just a little dizzy." Ryan felt as if he had just been on ten consecutive roller coasters. The world spun wildly around him.

"You're not dying, are you?" Elizabeth Olsen leaned in, pulling up his eyelids as if checking for something — though she had zero medical knowledge.

"If you can't say anything helpful, just shut up." Ryan chuckled.

Elizabeth Olsen was wearing a loose T-shirt, and as she leaned forward, her neckline dipped, revealing a delicate, snow-white cleavage compressed by her bra.

In the reflection of Ryan's pupils, Elizabeth Olsen saw the madness in his gaze. She immediately backed away, clutching her collar tightly.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before. What's the big deal?" Ryan muttered. "Go get me some hot water."

Elizabeth Olsen decided to let the argument slide and hurried out.

...

After about five minutes, the dizziness in Ryan's mind faded significantly. The images that had just flashed through his head became increasingly clear.

The scenes were disjointed and seemingly unconnected, featuring an array of characters — including a black-and-white image of Elizabeth Olsen, resembling a 1950s sitcom.

But from a cinematic perspective, this was clearly a big-budget, top-tier production. While Ryan didn't recognize the character Elizabeth Olsen played, he did recognize the other major players. He had gone to see Iron Man in theaters with Taylor Swift and Abigail before.

Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Iron Man… Was this some kind of superhero ensemble movie?

Ryan recalled what Taylor had mentioned over dinner — Disney was considering acquiring Marvel Studios. If that were true, and Disney invested heavily, building a superhero cinematic universe wouldn't be impossible.

"You know any female superheroes in Marvel who wear red robes and have a glowing red aura?" Ryan asked Elizabeth Olsen

Ryan hadn't read much Marvel Comics. The original him had been more into Playboy and Penthouse during his childhood, so he knew very little about Marvel.

"I got it… Black Widow!" Elizabeth Olsen guessed.

You're even worse than me.

Ryan thought for a moment — maybe someone else could answer this.

...

He took out his phone and dialed a number. "Austin, how's work on set? Got yourself a girlfriend? Nice. Hey, do you read Marvel Comics? A hardcore fan? Perfect…"

Ryan proceeded to ask in detail.

"Scarlet Witch? Wanda, Magneto's daughter. Got it. What superhero teams exist in Marvel? I know about the X-Men… The Avengers? Okay. And who's that purple-looking guy? Thanos. Got it." Ryan hung up.

...

"You want to play a costumed superhero?" Elizabeth Olsen asked, puzzled by Ryan's unusual behavior.

"Elizabeth, you graduated from Tisch School of the Arts, right? Majored in acting?" Ryan confirmed.

"What are you getting at?"

Ryan pieced together all the clues. Marvel Studios was preparing for something big. Disney saw the potential and wanted to buy in. The big project? The Avengers — a superhero crossover film. Elizabeth Olsen would play Scarlet Witch, with Thanos as the villain.

The chaotic stream of images had overwhelmed him, making it hard to immediately grasp that these were from multiple films, spanning several years. He also didn't realize yet that all these movies were interconnected in a cinematic universe.

Most importantly, at this moment, Marvel Studios had only released Iron Man. Iron Man 2 was still in production, and the Avengers film wouldn't hit theaters for another three years — after three more Marvel films.

With the limited information at hand, Ryan made a decision.

"I'll make you a top-tier movie star! You'll be in blockbuster films. And right now, I'm the only one who can make that happen!" Ryan grinned confidently.

"You're insane." Elizabeth Olsen blinked. That line sounded just like something sleazy producers or directors said to seduce actresses.

"I'm not crazy. Marvel Studios is."

...

"Superheroes" are the ultimate power fantasy in the hearts of Americans. Although they've existed for a long time, they weren't particularly popular in movies for quite a while. Right now, the most commercially successful superhero franchise belongs to Sony — the Spider-Man trilogy.

Looking deeper, DC's two biggest icons — Superman and Batman — clearly have the edge. Especially Batman, who not only has multiple films but even clinched the box office crown in 2008. However, much of that success can be credited to director and writer duo, the Nolan brothers, rather than the Batman IP itself.

Marvel Studios, on the other hand, has far greater ambitions. If they succeed... they will undoubtedly redefine the ceiling for this genre.

Looking at it this way, Disney's foresight is razor-sharp.

The problem is, Marvel Studios is too expensive — at least $3 billion. If it were one zero less, Ryan might have considered it.

...

"You'll find out soon enough. Once the press conference is over, you're coming with me to Florida. Oh, and I have to make a quick stop in London after the event," Ryan said. He needed to talk to Simon about Leona Lewis.

"I'm not going," Elizabeth Olsen retorted. She wasn't some naïve rookie actress who could be fooled by a few words.

"I swear to God, I won't touch you. Besides, I really do need a trustworthy assistant," Ryan said, raising one hand while placing the other over his chest.

"God is just a prop for you to swear on," Elizabeth snorted with laughter. She knew Ryan far too well.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

...

"I'm done talking to you — my sister's back." Elizabeth got up to open the door.

Her sisters had already gone out with Ivanka, though… Ryan was puzzled.

When Elizabeth opened the door, she froze. After a few seconds, she composed herself and gave a reserved smile. "Ms. Arnault."

Standing at the entrance was none other than Delphine Arnault, the eldest daughter of Bernard Arnault, the future richest man in the world.

She was dressed in a chic business suit — a white top layered under a black casual blazer, paired with black trousers. It looked simple at first glance, but the asymmetrical collar of the blazer, along with the exquisite diamond brooch on her chest, added a touch of refined elegance.

When it came to fashion, Delphine could rival any A-list actress. Then again, no matter how famous a Hollywood star was, they were still just entertainers in the eyes of true elites — good enough for the bed, but never the table.

If there was one flaw, it was her face. She had inherited her father's broad forehead, which compressed her facial features and made her appearance somewhat unbalanced — not exactly beautiful.

At public events, Delphine never wore extravagant makeup or overly elaborate outfits. Whether it was out of indifference or sheer disdain was anyone's guess. In her world, beauty was hardly a measure of a woman's worth — if it even counted at all.

She gave Elizabeth Olsen a slight nod as a greeting, then walked straight to the conference table and sat down. Other than a female assistant who seemed to be handling her schedule, she had no entourage.

This was Ryan's first time meeting Delphine in person. Until now, their interactions had been over the phone.

From the neck down, he could give her an 8, maybe even a 9. But factoring in her face? A 6, at best. Then again, for someone at her level, looks didn't really matter.

"Are the designs ready?" Delphine asked in a measured tone.

"They've been finalized."

"And the models?"

Ryan nodded.

"It seems you've taken care of everything." Delphine nodded, though it wasn't so much approval as a neutral statement. She had seen and worked with far too many people.

"But you're not satisfied," Ryan said with a smirk. "Or rather, you have a new plan."

Elizabeth Olsen, now seated next to Ryan, looked confused.

For the first time, Delphine's lips curved into a smile. "How did you figure that out?"

"You're too busy to make a trip just for a routine check-in. If you're here in person, it means something big is happening. And not just any request — one that'll cost me," Ryan said casually.

Why didn't I think of that? Elizabeth mused, realizing that when it came to dealing with real power players, Ryan was the one who knew how to handle them.

"Then I won't waste time. I'm not actually here for you," Delphine placed both hands on the table.

"I'm here for Taylor."

Ryan chuckled. "You want her to perform Mean at the press event?"

That song was a direct diss track aimed at Delphine's brother, Antoine. If Taylor performed it at the collaborative launch event, it would be the ultimate act of public humiliation, reminding everyone of Antoine's past misdeeds.

It wasn't anything catastrophic — at worst, it would tarnish Antoine's reputation a little. But his retaliation wouldn't be something Ryan or Taylor could easily afford.

Ryan wasn't the type to provoke someone like that unnecessarily.

But Delphine wanted to wield Taylor as a blade — to make a few cuts across her own brother's face.

"I have a friend who's going to her concert tomorrow night." 

And this friend was actually a real friend of hers. Delphine had no interest in these country-girl songs, and as for Ryan's electronic music, she considered it little more than noise. 

"She's heading to Marseille for her next tour stop," Ryan said. 

"I can make a call to the stadium there and have the concert postponed for two days," Delphine replied. 

"You could get someone else," Ryan said, spreading his hands. 

"It has to be her. Only she can deliver the best effect," Delphine said coldly. 

"This benefits you too, Ryan. Our collaboration doesn't have to stop at just this. I make the calls at Dior now — no one else can interfere. Taylor's main market is the U.S. Sacrificing her to secure your own gains… I believe she'd agree. This is for your own good," Delphine added. 

Elizabeth Olsen, listening in, had to admit Delphine had a point. She glanced at Ryan, who seemed deep in thought. 

You're not seriously considering this, are you? she thought, stealing a glance at him. 

Then Ryan slowly spoke. "The offer sounds pretty good. It's just one song, after all." 

From a purely financial standpoint, this was the best choice. Elizabeth acknowledged Ryan's decisiveness but couldn't shake a peculiar sense of helplessness growing inside her. 

Ryan had risen so quickly in the industry. He had to be a pragmatist, right? Feelings were just unnecessary distractions to someone like him. 

She felt like she understood Ryan a little better now. 

But then, the next second, Ryan smirked. "But if I only ever made decisions based on immediate benefits, that'd be way too boring." 

"You're refusing?" Delphine's gaze turned sharp. 

"I've been on your side ever since we agreed to work together. How could I possibly go against your orders?" Ryan shook his head. That was something he had to consider too — if Antoine was untouchable, Delphine wasn't exactly easy to deal with either. 

Since she had spoken, Taylor had to perform. 

"But if Taylor does this, Antoine won't let her off the hook so easily. So I want you to agree to an additional condition," Ryan said, looking directly at Delphine. 

"What condition?" 

"Taylor becomes Dior's brand ambassador," Ryan stated. 

Dior, along with LV and a slew of luxury brands, was under the LVMH umbrella. If Antoine and Delphine were going to feud, they'd have to tread carefully around each other's business interests — especially with their father still in charge, watching over everything. 

Binding Taylor to Dior would give her an extra layer of protection, along with plenty of other perks. 

"She's not worthy," Delphine dismissed the idea outright. Her tone was heavy. 

"That's for you to decide. But I don't think there's a better solution than this. Don't you agree?" Ryan countered. 

Delphine turned to her assistant. "Which product lines still need an ambassador?" 

"Apart from the cosmetics and fragrance lines, none of our other collections have a precedent for appointing individual ambassadors. Currently, Han Chae-young represents the cosmetics line in Asia, and Monica Bellucci endorses the Poison perfume series." 

"Then let her be the cosmetics ambassador for North America," Delphine said, eyes still locked on Ryan. 

"Thank you," Ryan said with a grin. 

One song in exchange for a brand ambassadorship? That was a major win. 

"Make sure she wears the collaboration pieces often," Delphine reminded him as she stood up. 

"Happy to oblige," Ryan replied cheerfully. Promoting a brand he was tied to? No complaints there. ...

As Delphine left, Ryan let out a breath. 

"You see? In front of real power players, we're just tools. Sometimes, we don't have a choice," he said with a wry smile. 

"But you didn't just meet Delphine's demand — you also secured a brand deal for Taylor. That's a win in every way," Elizabeth Olsen said, impressed by his maneuvering. 

Just a moment ago, she thought he was going to accept outright. She hadn't expected him to turn it down at first. 

"Come on, she was asking me to throw Taylor into a fire pit. Of course I wasn't going to agree," Ryan scoffed. 

"Would you have agreed if it were me instead?" Olsen asked suddenly, almost instinctively. 

"Not in a million years," Ryan said as he stepped closer, his voice honeyed as he pulled her into a hug. 

"Let go! This is someone else's office." 

"Alright, alright, I'll go with you back to Florida. But on one condition." 

"What condition?" Ryan's cheek was pressed against hers. 

"My salary stays the same," Olsen said, laughing as she playfully squeezed his arm. 

Her deep-set eyes, round yet intense, carried a Nordic mystery about them — the kind of gaze that made her perfect for playing Wanda. It was a look that could perfectly capture a thousand emotions. 

But when she smiled, that layered depth disappeared. Her full lips, bright teeth, and the way the corners of her mouth curled up gave her an irresistibly warm and sweet quality. 

A mysterious sorceress on the outside, but at heart? Just a softhearted girl.

*****

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