Chapter 63: Reaching a Promotional Partnership

[Chapter 63: Reaching a Promotional Partnership]

As they talked, they settled into a small conference room nearby.

Compared to the junior label in the past, Ian now found himself on equal footing with them.

He believed that soon enough, these so-called 'big shots' wouldn't even qualify to sit at the same table.

This wasn't merely confidence; even people like Bertram Leek had started to realize this.

Ian's rapid growth was both astonishing and intimidating.

He demonstrated incredible potential.

Faced with a future media mogul of such caliber, even Bertram believed he needed to extend enough goodwill to Ian.

The simplest solution was to... throw money at him!

With a polite tone, he said, "Ten million does seem a bit steep. We already did some marketing prior to Pearl Harbor, and the current promotional budget is around forty million -- most of which needs to come from ABC."

He smiled slightly, adding, "This won't be just a one-time deal. If this partnership goes well, there'll be more opportunities down the line."

He shot a glance at a young woman next to him. She was likely another aspiring actress roaming Hollywood -- nothing too famous, but certainly attractive.

She leaned in closer to Ian, showcasing her expansive neckline and deep cleavage, trying to entice him.

Ian gently shook his head. "No, no need for that."

He pushed her away, leaving Bertram and the others slightly taken aback.

This wasn't the Ian Carr they knew.

But in the next moment, they saw Kate Beckinsale.

She wore a stunning purple velvet gown, exuding elegance and grace.

Standing at the door of the small lounge, her long neck held high, her gaze on Ian was one that felt like it could devour him whole.

Leek understood; today was not the day for games.

He chuckled, saying, "Five million, full spread."

A smile spread across Ian's face, his eyes sparkling. "I think we could push it a bit higher. After all, this isn't just a preview; we have WND involved as well..."

Hypnosis was an excellent skill!

That night, they discussed business partnerships amicably without Ian using any heavy-handed tactics, resulting in an agreement for eight million... hypnosis wasn't a threat!

WND and the Los Angeles Herald would provide extensive advertisements two months before the release of Pearl Harbor, and Ian Carr would officially start dating Scarlett Johansson.

Kate Beckinsale, heartbroken, would stir up publicity with Ben Affleck about the film, blurring the lines between the movie's plot and reality.

Meanwhile, Ian would do his best to avoid any negative news about Touchstone Pictures... this part was a verbal promise; since they preferred to do business straightforwardly, he would do the same.

Eight million in advertising fees wouldn't be enough for him to fully open up; it merely allowed him to give them a chance to mitigate potential bad news before it hit the press.

...

Once everything was settled, Kate approached him.

She naturally linked her arm through Ian's, playfully squeezing his arm as a revenge for his flirty behavior.

Then she whispered, "Don't think you can just shake me off. And don't think you can ignore the fact that you rejected that vixen; I know you saw me coming. You have quite the insightful eyes."

Ian: "..."

The key was, she wasn't wrong!

Kate blinked those beautiful big eyes of hers. "And you can't go spend time with Scarlett Johansson; tonight, you're mine!"

Ian smiled wryly. "Even with your rumors with Affleck, I'm still yours... but I really need to get home to sleep. It's been days since I last went home; my mom's been calling me reminding me. But if you're down, we still have a couple of hours left tonight."

Kate was surprised. "I didn't know you still lived with your mother."

"I can't afford a house just yet; all my funds are tied up in expanding the business."

Ian sighed. "But I'll make it up to you tomorrow, darling!"

Kate bit her lip, her gaze filled with affection, sultriness radiating. "So what are we waiting for? We still have some time."

It was their first meeting in days, and it was intense.

She led Ian out of the lounge and up to the rooms.

...

In the morning, when Ian got up, he headed downstairs to find Mrs. Carr had prepared breakfast for him.

"Wow, pan-fried eggs! Mom, this is perfect!" Ian laughed as he sat by his mother, eyeing the eggs topped with onions.

After slicing it open with a knife, the flowing yellow yolk brought him satisfaction. He added a sprinkle of pepper before digging in.

As they enjoyed breakfast, Mrs. Carr suddenly said, "By the way, Burnell came looking for you yesterday."

Upon hearing that name, Ian paused momentarily in chewing his food.

Burnell, a childhood friend of Ian Carr, ran a rough neighborhood, having done every shady thing imaginable.

Ian's foray into gambling was partly due to this guy.

One could say that Ian Carr's downfall was significantly tied to this troublemaker.

Once he moved here, Ian cut ties with his old friends; most understood, though a few didn't take the hint.

The mention of Burnell instantly reminded Ian of those naive, reckless days...

Memories from two different timelines intertwined, stirring a rush of emotions within him.

Ah, those bygone days still linger like ghosts!

Then he chuckled softly, brushing the thoughts aside.

"I won't be meeting him again, Mom."

But Mrs. Carr shook her head. "He said he'd come find you this morning, insisting you must meet him. I suspect he might have something on you."

Ian frowned slightly.

"Something on me?"

His former self indeed had chaotic days, but if it came to illegitimate activities, there had been none. At least compared to the 'hardworking' version of himself, he was just a harmless little lamb.

The higher one climbed, the more dangerous it became!

What could Burnell possibly have?

He lightly hummed, "Then I'll have a chat with him."

*****

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