Chapter 110: Halle Berry (Part 2)

[Chapter 110: Halle Berry (Part 2)]

An hour later, Ian understood the situation.

In the living room, he smiled as he wrapped his arms around Helen Berry, seating her on his lap.

Halle Berry raised her eyebrows at him with bemusement.

Then Ian said, "About Miss Tillman, that was indeed my doing, and I sincerely apologize. At that time, the Los Angeles Herald was on the verge of collapsing, and we were barely making ends meet. You know how desperate times can lead to desperate measures..."

Halle Berry sighed lightly, "So, you won't do that again in the future?"

That surprised her.

Ian smiled, shaking his head gently, "No, I'll still do that."

Halle Berry looked taken aback, and even Helen teased him, "Ian!"

Ian Carr lightly patted Helen's thigh to calm her down.

Then he turned to Halle Berry and said, "Mrs. Benet, I'm a businessman. Businessmen have their own ways of doing things! If you're talking about obtaining photos or illicit information about certain stars to extort money, I won't do that again. That's just low. But as a reporter and a media group owner, acquiring news is something we must do. If one day I obtain certain information and someone doesn't want me to release it, they will need to give something!"

Ian spoke with conviction and determination, filled with immense confidence.

Halle Berry chuckled, "So what do you want?"

Ian shrugged, "I've recently been trying to arrange a celebrity interview, but I've contacted a few big agencies, and they've all turned me down."

Halle Berry smiled, "I guess your offer was pretty low."

Ian shrugged again, "I'm a small business; I can't make big offers."

WND wasn't exactly a major player yet.

Halle Berry immediately remarked, "You know that a star accepting an interview with a small media outlet is like lowering their market value, right?"

Ian replied, "They can choose not to take any money!"

Some interviews didn't require payment as long as you had enough influence!

Ian answered quickly, "If all of Hollywood's stars support me, WND will grow exponentially; that won't be seen as lowering their value."

He chuckled, "They can either accept my formal interview or deal with my informal one!"

Halle Berry took a deep breath, "You're threatening everyone."

"No, I'm just suggesting they think long term," Ian replied seriously, "Carr Media will become the largest media company in America, and WND will be the best news site in the country. Their participation won't harm their reputations; it will only show their extraordinary foresight!"

Halle Berry scoffed, "Even though I'm an actress, I've met at least a hundred business owners each year. Do you know what all you types have in common?"

Ian didn't say anything.

Halle Berry continued, "You all like to brag about your futures."

Halle Berry knew how capable Ian was, but her instincts kept her from wanting to see Ian Carr's arrogance; it was a star's self-preservation instinct.

So she preferred to believe this was all just a stroke of luck for Ian Carr!

Ian nodded, "Some people brag, while others simply state facts!"

Smiling slightly, he asked, "Want me to prove it to you?"

Halle Berry looked confused, "What are you talking about? How will you prove that?"

...

Ian didn't speak. He just picked up his camera from a nearby cabinet and pointed it at the opposite building.

Carefully adjusting the focus and aperture, Ian was focused and diligent in his actions.

Halle Berry wondered, "What are you doing?"

Ian softly replied, "News is everywhere; it just takes a keen eye to spot it. Look across!"

Halle Berry and a few other girls turned to look at the opposite building.

They saw nothing at first, pondering until they noticed a window where the curtains were drawn just enough to reveal a portion.

Through the gap, they saw a man in a raincoat holding a knife over a woman's lifeless body on the floor.

Blood covered the ground.

The woman was dead, but the man seemed unwilling to accept it and stabbed her throat again, attempting to behead her.

"Oh my God!" the girls all exclaimed.

The more timid Barbara and Amanda covered their eyes, whereas Jessica and Kelsey stared intently.

"Call the police!" Helen shouted.

Ian didn't stop; he continued filming silently.

Halle Berry was in shock, wondering how he knew this?

Could it be that he set it up?

That couldn't be possible!

That's not how intimidation worked!

Ian guessed her thoughts and smiled, "I'll give the evidence to the police, and that guy will get caught. You'll see it has nothing to do with me."

"But how did you know?" Halle Berry exclaimed.

Ian smiled, "I gave you your answer... I have an eye for spotting things; I saw it through a crack in the curtain while talking to you. Unfortunately, I couldn't save her in time."

That was the truth; Ian had indeed just discovered it, unable to save the person.

But for others, regret about not saving someone equated to remorse, whereas for him, not saving was a relief because he didn't have to wrestle with conscience for the opportunity to profit, in that feeling of "thank goodness I couldn't save anyone, I don't have to struggle between conscience and profit."

At that point, the man in the opposite room had finished decapitating the woman, placed her head in a bag, and seemed not to notice the open curtains as he took off his raincoat and left the room.

...

Helen had already made the call; after quickly explaining the situation, she hung up, looking towards the room with a shift in her expression: "He's gone!"

"Don't worry; he won't get away," Ian said with a calm smile.

"Maybe we should stop him!" Jessica suddenly called out, eager to act.

It wasn't about being reckless; the girls believed in Ian's abilities.

Ian smiled, "No, let him go. The police catching a criminal isn't news; the criminal getting away is the news. If there's any backlash, that would be even better. Ah, that guy is cunning; he can even disguise himself! But that's good; the police will get here in time."

The girls looked bewildered.

Barbara raised her cute round face: "How did you see that guy had left the room?"

"You need keen observational skills; there's a door ajar in the next room," Ian casually fabricated a lie, then continued, "I bet he'll brush past those police officers; I hope so -- that would make for incredible material..."

Ian chuckled softly, turning the camera toward the front door below.

Just as the murderer had finished disguising himself, he left the room and got to the elevator doors.

"Ian!" Kelsey exclaimed, "How can you just watch a criminal escape?"

Ian wrapped his arm around Kelsey's waist gently, saying, "I didn't let him escape; I'm brewing up a good news story. Good news is like fine wine; it needs time to mature, and it also requires twists to create a chemical reaction... If those useless cops can't catch him, I'll have to do it myself. But thinking that way, this footage isn't suitable to hand over immediately anyway."

With photos, finding that guy wouldn't be a problem at all.

Saying that, he looked at Jessica and Amanda: "Why don't you girls try to capture that murderer? The five poor girls just escaping danger could turn into the heroes who catch a ruthless killer. People would love that, and your fame would skyrocket, which would be great for your careers in the industry."

All the girls got excited, "That's a great idea, Ian!"

Except for Halle Berry, who exclaimed, "No, that's too dangerous!"

Helen hugged her aunt, saying, "Don't worry, Auntie; with Ian here, there won't be any danger! He's single-handedly taken down hundreds of gangmembers! We just need to step in and act after he captures him!"

In the girls' minds, Ian had already equated himself with Superman.

Halle Berry looked at Ian, stunned.

Ian smiled, "I don't need to showcase my abilities to you; it would only make me look like a brute. I just need you to know of my professional skills, and I hope my performance today satisfies you."

Halle Berry gasped.

This guy was terrifying!

He was not only skilled but also had a sharp nose for news; he was ruthless and decisive, willing to risk everything for a scoop.

He could have alerted the police to catch the criminal but instead chose to let him escape for the sake of a big story, enhancing his own reputation while creating news!

Having seen many successful businessmen, Halle Berry understood this was exactly the quality a successful person must possess!

Ian's abilities and methods completely overturned Halle Berry's judgment of him -- this was definitely a guy worth investing in!

So, she thought for a moment and said, "If you can catch that criminal without hurting Helen, I might be able to help you think of a way for your daily celebrity interview segment. After all, I have quite a few friends in the industry. But you have to promise me that such escapades with Helen will only happen this once, and never again!"

Ian smiled widely, "Deal!"

*****

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