Chapter 62: I Wish to Be Ian Carr

[Chapter 62: I Wish to Be Ian Carr]

In a hotel room, Ian closed the door with his foot as he lifted the girl up, carrying her like a delicate ornament toward the bedroom.

Scarlett, experiencing this excitement for the first time, clearly relished every moment after being awakened to pleasures by Ian. She hugged him tightly, and they embraced and kissed passionately.

Feeling the tenderness radiating from Ian, she giggled, "No, no, don't touch there, Ian."

Her lovely face showed excitement and shyness, but deep inside, she was brimming with joy. She felt completely captivated by Ian, not wanting to be apart from him for even a minute. She spoke words of refusal, yet her body gave the most enthusiastic response.

Ian grinned, pressing her warm body down beneath him, asking, "Do you mind?"

Scarlett bit her lower lip as she looked at him, then passionately kissed him in a way that expressed everything. Just then, Ian suddenly released her.

He got off the bed and walked to the window, pulling the curtains closed.

With a smile, he turned back, saying, "There's a guy across the street watching me... I've gained a bit of fame recently, and I'm now a target for those annoying reporters."

Saying this, he chuckled as he returned to embrace Scarlett, their bodies pressed together, the warmth and moisture intoxicating.

Scarlett seemed a bit nervous. "Did he see me?"

"Do you care about that?" Ian asked.

Scarlett thought for a moment, and her anxious feelings faded. She gently shook her head. "No! I'd rather the whole world knew!"

Ian laughed.

There was so much sincerity in her words! He leaned in for a greedy kiss. "Then don't worry. What happens between you and me, only I can report on it."

If it were Kate hearing this, she would be upset. But Scarlett wouldn't be. She looked forward to the day Ian would report on their relationship, allowing her to openly be his significant other.

With that happy thought, she closed her eyes and emitted a passionate sigh, completely enveloped in Ian's tenderness.

Just as they were lost in each other's embrace, the phone rang. Ian kissed Scarlett lightly, saying, "Baby, hold on a second. I've got a call."

"No!" Scarlett playfully replied. "You talk, I'll keep doing my thing. It won't interrupt..."

Saying this, she slid down from Ian's grasp.

Uh...

Even a girl experiencing first love could be wild!

Ian didn't stop her and picked up the phone, saying, "Senator Brand."

...

On the other end, Brand laughed, "You've caused Director Beaton some trouble. He helped you out last time. He asked me to mention it!"

I knew it.

Feeling Scarlett's warmth, relishing her sweetness, Ian smiled, "It's no big deal, not enough to make him lose his position. I can have a word with Mayor Kuch, and I won't create any negative news for him, as long as he helps me out with a little favor."

Opportunities are often created by oneself; first suppress, then support, that's business!

Who said a bad reputation couldn't hold office?

U.S. senators even pushed anti-Semitic laws; isn't that reputation terrible?

How many have stepped down?

Infamous reputations influence elections, but for appointed positions, it matters less -- what's key is whether the decision-makers view you as worth their investment.

So as long as Ian offered support, this issue wouldn't affect Beaton's standing.

Brand understood. "What's the favor?"

Ian replied, "The police and reporters generally work hand in hand. I just need the Director to open a few doors for me in that regard."

This time, Ian wasn't making a request as a reporter but as a businessman.

Gaskill had taught him that a great boss provides more convenience for hardworking subordinates -- having police assistance would allow reporters to have an easier time reporting on violent cases.

Though paparazzi used police scanners for info, nothing compared to having the police provide exclusive insights first; the police could even give the news to specific reporters before responding to scenes.

As long as the money was right, everything could be negotiated.

The benefits from this arrangement could outweigh even a heavy news story -- most importantly, Ian wouldn't have to exert much effort.

If power isn't increasing, at least wealth is!

Brand chuckled, "That's no problem. I can agree to that right now."

As he was about to hang up, he suddenly realized something and asked, "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

Ian glanced at Scarlett resting on him, chuckling gently, "I'm not the one doing any moving."

Scarlett, with a mischievous grin, playfully sank her teeth into him.

"Ouch!" Ian gasped.

Scarlett shouted, "This is Scarlett Johansson, and I'm fucking Ian Carr!"

Brand: "..."

I wish to be Ian Carr!

He finally left with a parting "I envy you," hanging up the phone.

...

Ian looked at Scarlett and laughed, "You little tease!"

Scarlett grinned at him, suddenly pulling away the last remnants of cover to reveal her beauty.

Then he swiftly pinned Scarlett down, and they were caught up in each other once again.

...

Two days later, in the private gathering hall of Touchstone Pictures.

Ian entered alone, being greeted by CEO Bertram Leek, along with Michael Bay and Ben Affleck approaching him.

Leek gave Ian a warm hug. "You're a genius, Ian Carr. Your bets have boosted the Los Angeles Herald's circulation by twentyfold. This will go down as a miracle in American business history."

Six months ago, they had overlooked this teenage prodigy, thinking that everything he had was luck.

But now, no one dared to think that way anymore.

In this light, Bertram Leek was offering Ian another invitation to discuss the marketing for Pearl Harbor for the third time.

Ian smiled, "If I fail, I'll have nothing left."

Leek laughed heartily, "You won't fail."

In reality, he didn't care if Ian succeeded or failed since failures would be at year-end anyway, and Pearl Harbor was slated to release mid-year. All they needed was a couple of months of advertising, and that was sufficient.

Michael Bay also gave him an eager embrace. "Your news is also quality content; sometimes I really want to bring your story to the screen."

Ian smiled, "There's still not enough story here; you can wait a bit longer. More good stories will come."

Then he changed the subject. "WND News Network and the LA Herald can collaborate on your marketing for ten million, how does that sound?"

Sometimes business requires a straightforward approach.

Three hours of negotiation might only leave ten minutes for discussing the core issues; the remaining time was filled with small talk and rapport-building. High-level negotiators would use this chance to gauge each other's bottom lines.

Ian and Bertram were already quite familiar, so there was no need to feel each other out.

Bertram shook his head continuously, saying, "That price is too high; we don't rely solely on you for our channels."

He genuinely regretted it.

Half a year ago, Ian Carr had only asked for three hundred thousand!

Now, he was quoting ten million; it was outrageous!

Thank goodness no one had been aware of his past refusal to Ian; it would have given people a basis to attack him, potentially putting his position in jeopardy.

Ian raised an eyebrow slightly. "But I'm the only one who can deliver a heavyweight news story... and it's calculated at the reserve price."

*****

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