In just a day after the Golden Globes Awards, it was still a hot topic on social media due to the rigging allegations, and Ricky's exposé as the presenter seemed to confirm it as an open secret.
Meanwhile, Lucas, who had just experienced sex with Jennifer, couldn't stop thinking about it. The experience felt surreal, and he yearned for more, but he knew he had to focus on his upcoming commitments.
The "Grammy Awards 2011" was just around the corner, and the Oscars were also approaching, leaving him with a packed schedule. He knew he needed to prioritize self-care amidst the chaos.
---
In her apartment, Jennifer couldn't stop thinking about what had happened between her and Lucas – she still couldn't believe it.
She had sex with Lucas, someone she had feelings for. The thought of calling him again to do it again was tempting, but she managed to control herself.
Her schedule was packed, with rehearsals for her role in "Hunger Games" and preparing for the "Oscars 2011" where she was nominated for Best Actress for "Winter's Bone".
She secretly hoped to see Lucas at the Oscars too.
And she secretly hoped to see Lucas at the Oscars as well.
Jennifer begrudgingly admitted that she owed Harvey a debt of gratitude, albeit a twisted one. If he hadn't tried to make advances on her, Lucas might not have had the courage to confess his feelings.
---
At the Weinstein Company, Harvey, fresh from being rejected by Jessica Barth at this year's Golden Globes and feeling spurned by Jennifer's growing distance, was livid.
Just now, he had taken out his frustration on his secretary.
"You shouldn't treat her like that, Harvey. She's your secretary." Bob said to Harvey, who had just abused his secretary a moment ago.
"You don't get to fucking order me around." Harvey retorted, throwing a stack of papers at Bob in irritation.
Bob frowned but didn't respond. Harvey had always lacked empathy towards everyone around him, and that made Bob hate Harvey, his own brother.
"Did you find anything after Jennifer vanished at the party last night? Did you get any information on where she went?" Harvey then asked, puffing on his cigarette.
Bob hesitated before responding, "Why do you even care? If she doesn't want to cooperate, just let it be—"
"Just fucking tell me what you found out!"
Harvey interrupted, enraged. "I hate it when a bitch makes a fool out of me! Making me expect something! Nobody in this world can make a fool out of Harvey Weinstein!" he shouted, slamming his hand on the table.
Bob sighed in defeat and reluctantly said, "Well, according to my sources, she left the party with someone."
Harvey frowned. "Who is it? Is it a man!?" he demanded.
Bob was hesitant to answer, but Harvey's anger made him cave in. "It was indeed a man… an actor."
Hearing that, Harvey furrowed his brows. "An actor? Who is it?"
"Lucas Knight." Bob said, "Jennifer left the party with Lucas Knight, and no one saw where they went afterward."
Harvey frowned as he tapped his fingers on his desk. "Lucas Knight? I thought Jennifer would go for someone more influential and powerful than me… Just a puny actor."
However, he knew that Jennifer had other actor friends, including Lucas Knight.
"I thought she'd go for someone like Bob Iger, someone I couldn't mess with, but since it's just an actor, it's different. Though I doubt Lucas would do anything with Jennifer, I still hate it when someone is touching what'belongs' to me…" Harvey said, visibly resentful.
Bob looked at his brother, rolling his eyes at Harvey's possessive attitude, but he didn't say a word…
---
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills.
Lucas was oblivious to Harvey's growing interest in him, and even if he knew, he wouldn't have cared less about a "pathetic asshole, smellyfungus" like Harvey Weinstein.
Today, Lucas found out about his accumulated wealth so far, and he was surprised to see it had reached 5.3 million dollars.
He was taken aback by the amount in his bank account, which had only reached millions due to the songs and his first album's success.
Currently, Lucas was discussing his finances with his newly hired financial manager, Gaylord Sanford, from Capital Group.
"What do you plan to do with such a large sum of money?" Gaylord asked, both envious and glad to be Lucas's financial manager, given his potential.
Lucas stroked his chin thoughtfully. So far, he hadn't spent much of his earnings – he was still renting an apartment and didn't even own a car despite his rising celebrity status.
He remembered the time he had to wait for a rented limousine that made him late for the Golden Globes red carpet.
So, Lucas said, "I want to buy a car…"
Gaylord nodded. "What kind of car, sir? I'll arrange it for you."
Lucas said, "I'm not really familiar with cars…" He wished he had practiced the main role of "Drive" in his "Mind Workshop" since it might have given him some knowledge about cars, but unfortunately, he didn't get cast in that film.
"Well, I can recommend something for you, sir." Gaylord offered.
"I'm all ears." Lucas said, open to suggestions.
"The Lincoln MKZ isn't bad, sir, or you could consider an Audi A6." Gaylord suggested a few more car brands and models, showing their pictures on his phone.
Lucas thought about it for a while and said, "I'll go with the Audi A6. It's not too flashy."
Gaylord jotted it down and nodded.
Then Lucas asked, "Can you also help me invest in stocks?"
Gaylord was pleasantly surprised that a young actor like Lucas was interested in investing. "Oh? Which companies are you considering, sir?"
Lucas said without hesitation, "I'd like to invest in Tesla and Netflix."
Gaylord was taken aback. These companies weren't very popular, and he was surprised Lucas wanted to invest in them.
"I plan to invest 2 million dollars in Tesla and 2 million in Netflix." Lucas said without any sign of doubt.
Gaylord was shocked. "Um… Sir, I'm not against diversifying your investments, but… Aren't you concerned about investing so much in lesser-known companies? It's quite risky, don't you think?"
Hearing this, Lucas responded, "Investing in any company is risky, no matter how well-known they are. But the riskier it is, the greater the reward."
Gaylord couldn't argue with that, but he still felt uneasy about Lucas investing most of his savings.
"I don't recommend this, sir…" Gaylord said reluctantly.
"Just do it." Lucas smiled, sensing Gaylord's concern. "If it's a bad investment, I won't blame you or Capital Group. Investing this much is my decision alone… If I lose money, I can only blame myself."
Gaylord sighed. He couldn't force his client not to invest, and Lucas was right. If the investment paid off, it wouldn't be their success, so if it failed, the blame shouldn't fall on them either.
Lucas took a moment to chat with Gaylord, who then left to handle everything for him, including buying a car and investing in companies like Tesla and Netflix. Afterward, Lucas called Shawn, the driver who had driven him to the Golden Globes red carpet in the limousine.
As soon as Shawn picked up the call, Lucas asked, "Shawn, would you like to be my personal driver?"
Shawn was taken by surprise and responded, "You're finally asking me?"
Lucas smiled and said, "We can discuss the salary—"
Shawn excitedly cut in, "I'm in!"
Lucas chuckled, "Great! I'm getting a car bought, and since I can't drive, I thought it'd be best to hire a personal driver. You were the first person who came to mind."
Shawn laughed, "Well, I'm glad to finally be able to say I'm driving a famous person around!"
Lucas chuckled and continued their conversation before hanging up.
Next, Lucas called Jennifer, who answered the phone hesitantly, "H-hi, Lucas. How are you?"
Lucas replied, "I'm doing fine. And you?"
Jennifer simply mumbled, "Same…"
Lucas could tell that she was probably feeling the aftermath of their sex and was now feeling a bit awkward and embarrassed…
"How are you doing? Still busy with studying your role for the upcoming project?" Lucas asked, trying to make small talk.
Jennifer smiled shyly, "Yeah, but I can't seem to focus much, honestly… But I'll manage to pull through."
"Is it because of our… recent… sex?" Lucas couldn't help but chuckle.
"N-no! Of course not!" Jennifer denied, blushing furiously.
"Really?" Lucas raised an eyebrow, not quite believing her.
"Really," Jennifer insisted, her cheeks still flushed.
Lucas chuckled and said, "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I hope we can meet again soon, though."
Jennifer, still blushing, said into the phone, "Me too. I mean, I hope to see you too…"
Both of them longed to feel each other's arms again and relive their intimate moment, but they didn't vocalize it.
---
Time flew by, and before they knew it, the day of the "Grammy 2011" had arrived. The anticipation in the air was palpable as celebrities from all over the world flocked to the event's venue. Paparazzi swarmed the red carpet, cameras flashing like fireflies on a summer night. Fans lined the barricades, screaming and holding up signs, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars.
The Grammy Awards this year was even more intense than the Golden Globes. Unlike the Golden Globies, the Grammys were much more popular worldwide, as music artists tend to be more well-known and famous than most actors, with their songs reaching the ears of hundreds of millions around the globe.