Chapter 183: I Always Get Soaked with Wine

[Chapter 183: I Always Get Soaked with Wine]

After buying UTA, Ian transferred the contracts of the young women he had signed under Lockbridge Productions to UTA. This significantly boosted UTA's power.

If there was a downside, it was that they had to prioritize opportunities for Ian's ladies first. However, that wasn't much of an issue for most agents, as making money came first. While many women in Hollywood sought opportunities through their looks, most were pleased just to earn some good money. In a sense, UTA became Ian's harem!

It was no surprise. Similar to how Microsoft was seen as Bill Gates' domain, where numerous women accused him of harassment after leaving their jobs, he himself was often seen around young women. This demonstrated that relationships between men and women didn't necessarily hinder professional success.

Ian keeping a harem at UTA reflected his restraint, showing he believed he needed to outdo Bill Gates to justify that level of control. After acquiring UTA, Ian continued collaborating with various businesses, swinging checks to buy every project he believed in.

Due to the different timelines, Ian wasn't deeply familiar with many aspects outside Hollywood. Thus, most of his energy still focused on those film projects. He invested in works he understood and acquired copyrights that would continue to sell in the future.

Although profits were limited for film companies, a well-executed project could yield substantial returns, so he aimed for projects rather than companies.

---

Today marked another Hollywood gala -- the celebration for the release of The Scorpion King from Universal Pictures.

Universal's CEO, Adam Ferguson, donned formal attire as he chatted with Ian Carr nearby while crowds of Hollywood elites surrounded them, including a slew of stars. Many familiar faces caught Ian's eye, like Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts, quietly whispering to each other and occasionally exchanging smiles with Ian. There was also Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Nicolas Cage among a group of big names.

At that moment, Adam Ferguson stood by the window next to Ian, singing praises, "The promotion for The Scorpion King was well done; our pre-sale box office already reached thirty million."

Ian casually remarked, "If you're satisfied, let's take on the promotions for The Bourne Identity, Blue Crush, and others as well."

Ian listed seven or eight films, all set to release from Universal that year.

Adam frowned, "Comcast has its own channels. They can't hand everything to you."

Ian laughed heartily, "That only shows that Carr Media isn't powerful enough yet. But no worries, Adam, I'm not excessive; I just want to share the pie."

When Ian wasn't breaking news, his requests were all reasonable.

Adam Ferguson sighed in relief, "That's fine, I can offer you twenty percent."

Ian smiled in satisfaction. Every year, Hollywood poured billions into advertising; even just ten percent would yield hundreds of millions in returns. And since his "slice of the pie" was quite large, ten percent wouldn't suffice.

How much exactly depended on Hollywood's fear of him. The fact that Universal would offer him twenty percent indicated that their fear level only measured up to that amount. This meant plenty of room for improvement.

So, Ian simply continued chatting with Adam Ferguson while glancing around for hidden opportunities in various corners... At that moment, Tom Hanks approached them.

...

This Hollywood superstar, known for Forrest Gump, consistently delivered hits at the box office, showcasing his script-reading and crew-managing skills. Naturally smart, he became the first star to approach Ian, offering an eighty percent share in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Even though Ian paid double the price, Tom Hanks would not sell it if it were someone else.

Knowing how to play his cards right, Ian had never leaked any dirt on Tom. They shared a warm embrace with Tom just as Adam Ferguson excused himself to greet other guests.

Tom then asked, "I heard you were helping Jessica Alba with her upcoming project?"

Ian replied, "That's what Jim Giannopulos said, hoping I'd go easy on 20th Century Fox."

Tom laughed, "Jim doesn't have that much sway over Spielberg; he's closer to James Cameron. He's just talkin' cheap, but I could help you out."

Ian paused, suddenly realizing that Tom Hanks and Leo were the lead stars in Catch Me If You Can. He indeed had the capacity to help. So, Ian smiled widely, "That would be fantastic! Is there anything you need from me in return?"

Tom shook his head dismissively, "Ian, Ian, no need for pleasantries between good friends."

Ian chuckled, hugging Tom again. "You're right about that."

...

At that moment, a girl walked by them. As she passed, she suddenly stumbled, spilling a glass of wine over Ian.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, hurriedly patting the stains on his clothes.

Ian looked at her, realizing it was Lucy Liu, the most recognized Asian-American actress. Unfortunately, she didn't meet his standards of attractiveness.

Lucy said, "Mr. Carr, please excuse my rudeness. I can call them to bring you a new outfit right now. I can take you to change..." As she spoke, she shot Ian a flirtatious glance.

Ian gently shook his head, "No need; I always carry spare clothes."

With that, he waved to his assistant, Ida, who promptly arrived with a fresh suit. Ian stepped outside onto the nearby terrace to change. This scene left Lucy somewhat stunned, and she had no choice but to walk away.

...

Tom followed Ian to the terrace, watching him change, chuckling, "Looks like you came prepared."

Ian replied coolly, "I started getting soaked every banquet since Olivia, so now I prepare for it."

Ian ended up changing outfits twice on average each time he attended a banquet because pretty girls often accidentally spilled wine on him -- they hardly ever thought to switch tactics; after all, subtlety didn't work when they were trying to send clear signals.

Within the rooms, terrace, small lounge, and even on the lawns, he enjoyed the company of these women. Not every girl needed to reciprocate; many times, Ian didn't even remember their names. Occasionally, when they met again, it was the girl who prompted him with a reminder.

Then Ian would look bewildered: "I thought you looked familiar!" But not every girl who spilled on him would have another chance.

For instance, this girl.

Ian was very generous, so she didn't have to compensate for the clothes.

Tom teased, "You didn't like her?"

Ian shook his head. "She doesn't meet my standards."

"I heard you also turned down Julia Roberts?"

Ian was surprised, "You know that?"

Tom leaned against the railing, casually responding, "I mean, she complained to me you didn't want her connections, only her money... But, you're wealthier than she is."

Ian laughed, "A sound business is just the rich exploiting the poor; besides, she's not poor... I should've jumped on the opportunity that day."

Tom just rolled his eyes at that, then said, "You'll get another chance. While there are many beautiful women in Hollywood, the number of stars is limited."

He leaned closer, whispering, "Marti Clay hopes you'll ease up on her."

Marti Clay?

The agent for Scarlett?

That woman had previously considered selling Scarlett's contract after being disgruntled with her for not renewing. Upon finding out, Ian had Deryl Chandler support some environmental and other organizations, then created trouble for Marti Clay regarding her projects -- truth be told, this was his gentlest approach.

Ian just wanted to test the "rich people's methods of dealing with each other."

After that, Marti Clay abandoned the idea, and just a few days ago, Scarlett's contract had just shifted to UTA.

Ian frowned, "Scarlett's matter has passed; I never indicated I wanted to trouble her."

Tom replied, "But Scarlett's quite unhappy with her; during that time, she constantly tried to persuade Scarlett to see other suitors, and Scarlett despised her. When she terminated the contract, she warned Marti she was done with her and implied you'd teach her a lesson! This frightened Marti a bit."

Scarlett had been quite busy lately and hadn't sought him out; Ian genuinely didn't know about all this.

But was it only now that she felt scared?

Ian grew increasingly puzzled, "Why are you helping her so much?"

Tom shrugged, "Well, I slept with her, too."

Ian was taken aback. "But that old woman is forty-six!"

Tom laughed, "When I was with her, she was forty. She's a bit older but still quite fun... You know, sometimes services matter. Plus, I don't want to expose her when I'm back in bed with her next time! Alright, besides that, she introduced me to a few other girls. When an agent promotes their own girl, it's irksome; but when they recommend someone else, it's nice, isn't it? She still holds some value for you; you can't just pick on UTA girls, CAA has many nice girls, and you can't swallow them all in a short time... She can fetch you loads of beautiful and easy girls, plus some insider info."

Ian remained speechless.

Admittedly, Tom had a point.

Ian nodded, "Make sure she properly apologizes to Scarlett and sends gifts, then I'll smooth things over. Scarlett is a generous girl; she just wants a little regard."

Tom grinned, "Not a problem."

...

The two leaned against the railing discussing, while Ian glanced around the banquet hall. Many women kept their eyes on him like they were hawks; only Nicole Kidman had stepped aside.

He activated his perspective skill and saw...

Fuck!

I didn't know you had that interest, Nicole!

Ian smirked, "I should probably take my leave; otherwise, I truly won't have a change of clothes left... They're lining up to give me a wine bath."

Just then, another girl with a drink approached him. Just before she reached Ian, he slipped away.

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.