Chapter 26: More Than Just This

[Chapter 26: More Than Just This]

In the hotel room, Kate reveled in the affection from Ian.

Although he was cold-blooded, ruthless, and heartless, at least he was gentle, considerate, and caring when it came to her.

Of course, he had a wild side, which was precisely what she craved.

He possessed the energy of a young man, combined with the skills of a seasoned pro, intoxicating Kate in a blend of tenderness and ferocity.

She spread her arms, tightly holding onto Ian, enjoying his warmth and the essence of him.

She wished it could last forever, but a ringing phone shattered the moment.

Ian pulled away from Kate's embrace and answered the call.

...

On the other end, Director Harnett was barely containing his rage. "Ian! What were you thinking? We're supposed to be friends!"

Ian patiently waited for him to vent, glancing at Kate with a grin.

He playfully nudged her, and Kate had to stifle herself from laughing out loud.

As the angry tirade softened, Ian chuckled, "Alright, Mr. Harnett, don't act like that. To be honest, I didn't expect to see you at Lily Marlene's bachelorette party; it was just a coincidence... No, no, don't get it twisted. This isn't a gift for you. You can obviously refuse to air it, but there are plenty of networks willing to play it, right?"

Director Hannett: "..."

Ian shamelessly kissed Kate's cheek, sprawling out next to her and casually draping a leg across her abdomen.

Kate playfully nudged him away, exclaiming in mock annoyance.

Ian teased, "I have divided the content into several parts. The part about Lily Marlene must be aired. You can choose not to release it and give it to others. I don't care about that, but you must buy it... Yes, you buy it. Isn't it interesting? I don't care what Lily Marlene thinks. The key point is that this will be a good deal. I want 300,000, non-exclusive. I also sold it to a website, and my own newspaper will also publish it!"

Mr. Harnett sputtered in disbelief. "This is outrageous!"

Ian rubbed the soft chest and turned Kate around so that her back was facing him.

He hugged Kate from behind and rocked her gently: "You'll agree, Mr. Harnett. After all, it's just the part about Lily Marlene... No, it must be aired. I need more than just money; I also need the Los Angeles Herald to grow! Or are you willing to sacrifice yourself to protect her?"

"That's blackmail!"

Ian laughed again. He kissed Kate's smooth neck, saying, "I don't like the word you choose, Mr. Harnett. This isn't blackmail; this is a legitimate news sale! Even if I wanted a billion dollars, that wouldn't be illegal. Of course, you can refuse... I don't need to remind you what happens if you do, do I?"

After a brief pause, Ian added, "Don't worry, Mr. Harnett. The exclusive scoop for the Los Angeles Herald will always be yours first at CBS; we're just print media, after all. We can't cover everything... Besides, we are long-term partners. I just want a fair price... CBS is still profitable; it just needs a little adjustment."

"Alright, Mr. Harnett, thanks for your generosity."

"Senator Brand? Of course, I wouldn't be foolish enough to offend a senator. I just want to make a new friend; how about you help connect us? Anyone else? Did you mention Miss Tillman? Which... Oh, the one spinning in the air... She has a great figure and a good appetite, really great... Haha, fine, I can skip that part, how about a million... Alright, alright, Mr. Harnett, for your sake, let's make it five hundred thousand!"

The call ended.

...

Ian looked at Kate, smirking, "He agreed."

Kate stared at him in disbelief. "The network director personally buying a scandal related to his own involvement in a bachelorette party? And he offered a great price? You really know how to do business, Ian."

"More than just this deal," Ian replied with a smile.

He pulled Kate closer, savoring the sweetness of her.

Kate closed her eyes and sighed, "What about us?"

Ian mumbled, "Not just this time."

That wasn't what she wanted to hear, yet somehow, it relieved Kate Beckinsale. At least he wasn't bored of her yet; she still had some allure.

Damn it, how had she sunk so low?

She sighed softly, "You can't just treat me like a plaything, Ian."

Ian savored Kate's soft sweetness, whispering, "Of course, you aren't a plaything. Right now, you're my legit girlfriend... during the publicity stunt."

Kate trembled gently, feeling Ian's advances, and indignantly said, "Has anyone ever told you you're a bastard, Ian Carr?"

Ian laughed, "That's a compliment, babe. I see myself as much worse than that."

Then he lifted Kate and laid her gently on the bed, whispering, "Treasure the time, babe; dawn is almost here."

For a split second, Kate wanted to punch him.

But ultimately, she chose to close her eyes, to abandon resistance.

Just enjoy it in silence.

---

Awaking in the morning, Lily Marlene opened her eyes.

The night of passion had left her feeling a bit soft in the bones.

Turning her head, she noticed the two handsome guys still embracing, and she chuckled to herself before putting on her robe and heading downstairs.

The living room was still a mess; the maid had just arrived and was in the process of cleaning it up.

She plopped down on the luxurious leather couch and asked, "What's the latest gossip?"

The maid smiled, "The most exciting news is probably that you're about to get married."

Lily Marlene pouted, "That's not exciting at all."

Her fiance was a spoiled rich kid, rude, unrefined, merely wealthy with a not-so-high status, but willing to throw money around.

Their union was a typical power couple scenario; one was famous, the other rich.

At that moment, as she pulled at her robe, her phone rang.

...

Lily Marlene picked up, lazily saying, "Lisa, babe, what made you think to call me?"

A gruff voice responded from the other end, "What the heck have you been doing? Are you trying to ruin yourself?"

"What did you say?" Lily Marlene was taken aback.

Lisa was her agent, but she'd never spoken to her this aggressively before.

"Check the news; Los Angeles Herald!" With that, the angry call ended.

Lily Marlene froze for a moment and suddenly recalled the incident from the night before, her demeanor shifting. "Oh no, no, no, get the newspaper!"

...

The maid hurried over with a stack of papers.

Lily Marlene flipped through them, shaking her head. "There's no Los Angeles Herald."

"You didn't subscribe to that paper, miss," the maid replied.

"Go buy it! Hurry up!" Lily Marlene dashed out, shouting to the security outside, "Go get a copy of the Los Angeles Herald, now!"

The two bodyguards exchanged glances before rushing out.

...

Fifteen minutes later.

Lily Marlene sat on the living room sofa, her complexion pale as she stared at the photos on the page.

It was an image of her in a compromising position with two handsome guys, topped with the glaring headline, "Lily Marlene Living It Up Before Marriage: Is One Not Enough Because Her Fiance Can't Satisfy Her, or Does She Have Insatiable Needs?"

"Oh my God!" Lily Marlene gasped, covering her face and tearing up.

It wasn't the wildness that bothered her, but the fact that she was about to get married, and she'd just been caught in the act!

Miss Marlene embodied the American spirit of living life to the fullest while simultaneously battling societal expectations of family values.

Whatever the case, this scandal would negatively impact her career and could ultimately ruin her marriage.

...

Sure enough, the phone rang shortly after.

It was her fiance, Albie.

On the line, Albie's voice boomed with rage, "You little bitch, look at what you've done. We're done! It's over!"

"No..." Lily Marlene cried out.

But the call ended abruptly again.

*****

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