Chapter 61: You Stole Durant's Spotlight

[Chapter 61: You Stole Durant's Spotlight]

In the office lobby of the L.A. Herald, Ian was still briefing his team. At that moment, he told Ron Lloyd, "Bill is at the police station. Go over and get an in-depth interview with him, but until our interview is published, I won't allow any other journalists to scoop us. Dig deep into his story!"

Lloyd nodded vigorously, "Don't worry, boss. Bill's our guy; nobody can take him away. You paid him off and saved his life; he should be grateful. Otherwise, we can flip the narrative... Bill's betrayal would be a story too!"

Ian smiled.

That was exactly the way to handle it.

Lloyd turned to his team and called out, "Leal, you and I are going to interview Bill. You two head to the police station and talk to Chief Beaton. Ask him why he supported his officers shooting an innocent kid."

"I haven't heard Chief Beaton gave that order."

Lloyd shouted, "Forget about that, just ask the question. Covering their tracks is their problem; we just need the juiciest scoop. Move it, move it, move it!"

All the editors jumped into action, like agents responding to a command.

...

Scarlett watched this scene with excitement.

It was the first time she saw how reporters worked, and she felt a rush of curiosity.

Meanwhile, Ian asked, "Scarlett, do you want to do an interview with the L.A. Herald? For example, talking about the experience of saving that boy? I can shape you into a true heroine!"

Scarlett laughed lightly, "Only if you interview me in bed!"

"Yeah!!" The editors in the lobby whistled in unison.

Someone exclaimed, "That's a good story, boss!"

Ian waved modestly, "Not yet, guys, not yet. Good news needs the right timing!"

Scarlett felt a bit angry but couldn't find a reason to stay mad.

Wait, why would I be upset?

This meant we'd eventually go public about our relationship!

Her eyes sparkled with happiness!

She bit her lower lip, her thoughts completely consumed by Ian!

Full of Ian!

Full of happiness!

---

"Extra! Extra!"

"L.A. police attempted to fatally shoot a suicidal teenager!"

"Ian Carr and Scarlett Johansson stepped up to save the suicidal boy."

"A Hollywood actress played out a real-life heroine by trading a signature for the gun in the boy's hand, perhaps the best deal in the world."

As the news spread, it quickly went viral across America.

In reality, if one considered the value of the news, it wasn't that significant -- it was just about stopping a suicidal kid.

But it was tied up in several larger issues.

First, the L.A. police had shot at the suicidal teenager.

Second, Ian Carr had appeared, and he had become a celebrity himself.

Third, a Hollywood actress personally intervening to save a suicidal boy -- under Ian's instruction, most of the credit landed on Scarlett's shoulders.

After all, that was where the real story was.

There had been similar incidents in the past. For example, Harrison Ford once saved an injured climber, spotlighting heroes crossing from fiction to reality.

The intersection of film and real life easily sparked discussions, making it a hot topic.

The downside was that this wasn't an exclusive for the L.A. Herald, and it couldn't serve as a condition for Ian's deal.

In this scenario, although Scarlett's name wasn't widely recognized yet, she was still quickly gaining prominence.

...

"That girl Scarlett Johansson is impressive; she's got guts."

"Oh my God, she is stunning!"

"She's not just beautiful; she's got a heart of gold!"

"God, I want to commit suicide too. Scarlett, I'm in Florida; I'd point a gun at my head for you. I don't want your autograph; I just want your bathwater!"

Damn it!

You stole Durant's spotlight and ruined a potentially great story!

Florida really lived up to its reputation as a wild state; one would have to explore it someday, hoping to stumble upon mystical creatures like the warped treant or frost archer...

...

Ian's report put Scarlett Johansson in the limelight, her fame skyrocketing, much to the delight of her agent. Of course, she wouldn't know that this was the last time she would feel this happy.

Interestingly, some linked Scarlett to Kate Beckinsale.

Both women were connected to Ian -- one was saved, and the other was the savior.

People even took Scarlett's words about "liking Ian" and sensationalized them, suggesting Ian might be losing interest.

...

In response, Miramax personally called Ian, indicating they had a good idea -- essentially, Harvey Weinstein was looking to exploit Ian's creativity.

With this, Ian's potential change of heart seemed justified.

Ian said as long as the price was right, he was open to discussion.

The key was that he didn't have to carry the reputation of a scumbag anymore.

While Ian didn't care about his reputation, a good one could sell later; why rush to sell it now?

---

The L.A. Herald newsroom.

After wrapping up some work and testing the effectiveness of his hypnosis, Ian Carr finally confirmed the ability in his left eye.

Hypnosis could enhance his persuasiveness, but it had limitations. It was only effective in the moment and would wear off later.

Fortunately, effectiveness itself was subjective.

If someone had a 90% inclination, then with his persuasion, even if they regretted it later, they might not deny it.

But if they only had a 10% inclination, then even if he could briefly hypnotize them into agreement, they would quickly awaken and regret their decision.

This ability had its limits in business negotiations.

Most negotiations needed a formal process; even if someone agreed in the moment, if there was no contract signed, they'd have second thoughts, and even a signed contract could be renegotiated, especially with the party providing the funds -- "What does a signed contract mean? I'm not paying; the contract is automatically void!"

However, if it were just a 10% fluctuation, the chance of regret was slim.

Another issue was that large business negotiations often required convincing many people, which consumed significant power.

So while hypnosis could improve negotiation results, it only provided limited effectiveness.

That was still decent.

A 10% fluctuation in a large business deal could translate to hundreds of millions; the real problem was that Ian currently didn't have the standing to engage in hundred-million-dollar business negotiations.

After confirming this, Ian wrapped up his work and headed back to the hotel.

Upon reaching the top floor, he knocked on his hotel room door.

When the door opened, Scarlett stood there.

The girl wore a white crop top, showcasing her beautiful figure, her bright big eyes looking at Ian with hopeful anticipation.

Then she jumped into Ian's arms, and they shared an eager kiss together.

*****

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