The plane had been in the air for ten hours and finally landed in Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel.
It was just past midnight. The Mediterranean climate greeted them with a cool breeze.
After some rest, Eric felt refreshed. He casually threw the flight attendant's phone number into the trash before getting into the Cadillac with Judy.
A local driver was behind the wheel, while Judy sat in the passenger seat, pursing her lips in annoyance.
"Couldn't you have picked a different flight that arrived earlier, boss?"
"You're already complaining. Be glad we have a good relationship, or you'd lose your job tomorrow for stepping in with your left foot first."
"Ha! If you fired me for that reason, I might not win the lawsuit, but I would definitely make you regret it!"
Eric laughed.
"With what methods? We both know that in the world of finance, everything is dictated by capital. You must understand that."
Judy coldly smirked.
"I do understand, which is why I won't fight you directly. But don't forget, even capital has weak spots."
"If I can't get to you, I'll go after your brother. I don't believe your father is a saint. All I have to do is strip down, and I'll make sure your family becomes front-page news and public gossip!"
Eric raised an eyebrow.
"That's extreme. Maybe my father could handle it, but Joshua would definitely fall into your trap. But aren't you a lesbian?"
"Yes, I'm a lesbian, but life throws curveballs. I'll take it like a needle prick!"
"Alright, you win. Enough joking—tell me about the progress."
"If you want to know how things are going, why not attend the show?"
"What show?"
"Fashion, of course. Gal Gadot is a model, and she's walking in a show."
Eric seemed to catch on.
"You're upset about missing a chance to meet beautiful women?"
Judy silently turned to him and winked.
The car slowly drove into the city center. Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel, was gleaming with lights.
The city's full name is Tel Aviv-Yafo. Fans of the game Uncharted Waters might recognize the city of Jaffa.
Gal Gadot was scheduled to perform in the Bat Yam area. The car stopped by the curb, with the streetlights casting a glow on the windows of a building with "Vilamit" written on the facade.
"Is this her show? Is Vilamit her boss?"
"No, Vilamit is a well-known Israeli women's clothing designer. It's his show, and Gal Gadot works as a freelance model here."
"That's good. I can't stay here long, so I don't have time for pointless contract disputes."
The three of them entered the venue. The guard gave them a glance but didn't try to stop them.
Eric looked at Judy.
"Looks like you're a regular here. Are you here for work or pleasure?"
"Boss, do you expect me to work non-stop? That's ridiculous! Besides, I know how to mix business with pleasure."
"Alright, can we go backstage?"
"We can, but we'll have to wait for the show to end. It'll take about an hour. You've flown for so long—why not relax and enjoy the show?"
Inside, relaxing and slightly mysterious music was playing. Judy led him to the front row, just as a model in a high-slit dress passed by.
"This is a great spot. You can enjoy the fashion up close. You're in luck—she's coming out."
"Gal Gadot?"
"No, my girl!"
"What?"
"Look, she's coming—Bar Refaeli!"
As Bar Refaeli stepped onto the runway, flashes from cameras instantly illuminated everything around. Judy waved to her, but Bar only glanced briefly before continuing her walk, not showing much interest.
"Well, what do you think? She's as beautiful as an angel fallen from heaven, right?" Judy asked with a grin.
Eric watched the woman on the big screen, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, but he couldn't remember who she was.
"Yes, she's beautiful, but it looks like she's not interested in you at all. Are you sure she's yours?" he asked with a smirk.
"Of course, not yet, but in the future, she will be mine," Judy confidently replied.
At that moment, a tall figure in a deep-sea blue dress appeared on the screen. It was Gal Gadot, in an open gown, showing off her long legs, which even outshone Refaeli, who had just walked by.
Eric couldn't take his eyes off her. Though she looked younger than he was used to seeing her, he could already glimpse the future Wonder Woman in her.
Gal, noticing Judy, turned and glanced in their direction.
As she disappeared from the runway, Judy pinched Eric's thigh: "You were staring so hard your eyes were about to fall out!"
Eric brushed off her hand. "Now I'm absolutely certain—she's going to be the next sex symbol."
"What?" Judy was surprised.
"She's going to be the lead in the new Transformers movie. I'll make her a Hollywood star!" With that, Eric turned to Chen Xin, who was standing behind him.
"Hurry up and finalize the contract with Hasbro. We can make some concessions, and add a clause for the lead female role," he instructed.
An hour later, the fashion show came to an end. Gal Gadot and Bar Refaeli stepped out of the building, walking side by side. Judy immediately approached them.
"Gadot, Refaeli, wait, I want to talk to you," said Judy. She had been in Tel Aviv for over ten days and had gotten to know the girls, so they stopped.
"Gadot, Refaeli, you might have had doubts about my reputation, but now you don't need to. My boss came personally," she said, bringing Eric to them.
"Eric Cooper, Vice President of MGM. And by the way, his father is the president, Charlie Cooper," Judy introduced him.
At first, Eric intended to speak only with Gal Gadot, but seeing both women stop, he decided to be polite.
Eric extended his hand: "Nice to meet you, I'm Eric Cooper."
At 21 years old, Eric was young and attractive. His appearance immediately made a good impression. Plus, the position of Vice President caught the attention of both women.
"Hello, Mr. Cooper," replied Gal.
"Hello, Mr. Cooper," echoed Bar.