"Long time no see, Carmen," Michael Davenport greeted Carmen Kass with a hug as she walked out of the airport gate. Stepping back, he added, "You look even more beautiful."
Carmen Kass looked him up and down. "Thank you," she smiled. "You look a lot thinner than the last time we met."
Michael noticed cameras aimed at them but paid no mind. Carmen Kass, tall and strikingly beautiful, was dressed in a light gold women's suit and easily attracted reporters.
A female assistant came up behind her, pulling a suitcase, accompanied by a shrewd-looking middle-aged woman.
Dior representatives were also there to receive her, but Michael didn't bother with them. "Where are you headed? I'll take you there."
Having met only a few times and not seen each other for a long time, there was a slight sense of unfamiliarity between them.
Carmen Kass didn't refuse and smiled, "Thank you."
Michael took her small suitcase, saying, "We're friends. No need to be so polite."
As they were about to leave, the middle-aged woman suddenly caught up and pulled Carmen Kass aside, reminding her, "Carmen, Dior has booked a hotel for you."
Michael turned to her and said, "I'm Carmen's friend. I'll take her to the hotel."
Perhaps out of caution, the middle-aged woman was not very polite, "Who are you?"
"This is my friend in Los Angeles, Michael Davenport," Carmen Kass quickly introduced. "Michael, this is my agent, Daisy Bruni."
Michael politely nodded at the agent, "Hello, Ms. Bruni."
Daisy Bruni quickly sized up Michael, who was wearing jeans, a white shirt, and sneakers. Besides being somewhat handsome, he looked pretty ordinary.
Michael noticed the journalists approaching and reminded, "This is not the place to talk. Let's get to the car first."
Carmen Kass didn't say much and followed Michael. The middle-aged woman frowned, watching Michael's back as if trying to remember who he was.
The assistant and Dior's people followed behind.
Carmen Kass was no longer the unknown model she had been last year. She was now a bona fide supermodel. As soon as they stepped outside the airport, paparazzi swarmed to take photos. Michael quickly shielded Carmen Kass, using his body to block a few overly aggressive photographers, and hurried her into his Cadillac.
The assistant and Dior's people got into another car, but the agent joined Michael's car.
Michael had dealt with many agents in Hollywood. Here, agents were considered service providers. Even directors like James Wong could fire their agents if they didn't get along.
This understanding influenced him greatly; he didn't take the middle-aged woman seriously.
"Where to?" Michael asked.
He couldn't take her to his place as their relationship wasn't that close.
Before Carmen Kass could answer, Daisy Bruni interjected, "The Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, thank you."
Her tone suggested she regarded Michael as a professional driver.
Michael started the car, drove out of the busy airport area, and asked, "Carmen, how long have you been staying in Los Angeles this time?"
Daisy Bruni tried to answer again but was stopped by Carmen Kass, who then replied in slightly awkward English, "About five days. After Dior's event, I must prepare for Paris Fashion Week."
Michael didn't know much about the fashion world and only knew the names of a few supermodels. "Is Paris Fashion Week starting soon?"
Daisy Bruni answered again, "In September."
Clearly, she thought Michael was a nobody who didn't even know the timing of Paris Fashion Week.
Carmen Kass asked, "Are you going to Germany this year?"
Michael thought for a moment, "I should be going after the New Year, but I haven't set a specific date yet."
"Okay," Carmen Kass responded.
Even though they occasionally talked on the phone, the long time apart inevitably created a subtle sense of distance. With the agent in the car, their conversation was sparse.
Michael kept trying to make small talk with Carmen Kass, but Daisy Bruni's interruptions often cooled down the conversation.
At one point, Michael wished he could kick the intrusive woman out of the car.
However, since she was Carmen Kass's agent, and Carmen seemed to respect her, Michael refrained from saying anything.
Entering Beverly Hills, Daisy Bruni suddenly asked, "Mr. Davenport, what do you do?"
"Film industry," Michael replied honestly.
"Hollywood?" Daisy Bruni asked further.
Michael nodded, "Yes, I'm a producer."
Daisy Bruni glanced at the driver's seat, unfamiliar with the film industry but knowing there were many producers in Los Angeles.
Producers varied greatly in status.
She thought for a while and couldn't recall any famous producer named Michael Davenport.
As they neared the Four Seasons Hotel, Carmen Kass glanced at her agent, then asked Michael, "Are you free tomorrow?"
"I have to check the editing of a new film during the day," Michael said, as the editing of 'The Kingsman' was in a critical stage, and he couldn't afford to skip work for a date. "I'm free in the evening."
Carmen Kass invited him, "There's a Dior party at the Four Seasons tomorrow night. Can you come?"
It was a particular party hosted by Dior for the "J'adore" perfume campaign, one of many promotional events in Los Angeles. As the spokesperson, Carmen Kass had a few invitation slots.
Michael, of course, wouldn't refuse, "I'll be there."
After telling him the time, the Cadillac arrived at the Four Seasons. As Michael parked, Daisy Bruni said, "It's a reception, Mr. Davenport. Please dress formally."
Michael frowned slightly but ignored her comment, got out, and helped Carmen Kass with her luggage into the hotel, not staying long as she needed rest after her flight from Europe.
In the hotel suite, Carmen Kass hadn't even unpacked when Daisy Bruni knocked and entered.
"What's your relationship with Michael Davenport?" she asked directly.
Just as Hollywood agents meddle in their stars' lives, so do model agents.
Carmen Kass answered honestly, "A friend I met last year during an event in Los Angeles."
"Boyfriend?" Daisy Bruni asked bluntly.
"No!" Carmen Kass sighed. "Just a friend."
Daisy Bruni, with twenty years in the fashion industry, didn't believe in platonic friendships between men and women. "Carmen, people in Hollywood are unreliable. Be careful."
Carmen Kass knew her agent meant well, "I know. Don't worry, Michael isn't like that."
"Ha," Daisy Bruni scoffed, having seen all the dirt in the fashion world. "Don't forget you're a top model now, with significant investments and businesses in Estonia. It's not hard for interested people to find out."
Carmen Kass smiled helplessly, put down her things, and said, "Daisy, you're overthinking it!"
Daisy Bruni seriously replied, "There aren't many models who haven't been deceived."
Carmen Kass sighed, "Michael isn't like that, and he doesn't need to be. He's wealthier than I am. He owns a film company."
"What?" Daisy Bruni was surprised.
"I sometimes talk to Michael on the phone and have seen media reports about his company," Carmen Kass explained. "Do you know 'The Purge' and the recent hit 'The Blair Witch?'"
Daisy Bruni nodded, "I've heard of them. 'The Blair Witch' supposedly made hundreds of millions at the box office from a few tens of thousands in costs. A Hollywood agent friend said it's the highest ROI film ever."
"That's Michael's company's film," Carmen Kass said.
Daisy Bruni was shocked, "What? That ordinary young guy?"
"Yes, it's true," Carmen Kass repeated what Michael had told her. "He bought the film for $80,000 at a festival. Now it's nearly $150 million at the North American box office."
Daisy Bruni was speechless. Even if she combined the earnings of all her models, it wouldn't match the revenue from one of Michael Davenport's films.
He was a young multimillionaire, potentially a billionaire.
"Okay, I overthought it."
Despite her realization, Daisy Bruni thoughtfully added, "Carmen, remember your contract with the company?"
Carmen Kass looked a bit uncomfortable but said nothing.
Daisy Bruni reminded her, "If you want to play around with Michael Davenport, I have no objections. But a serious relationship will be very troublesome."
"I understand," Carmen Kass waved her off. "Alright, Daisy. I'm tired and need to rest."
After her agent left, Carmen Kass sat on the sofa, pondering her contract. She signed it when she first gained some fame, and it included lifestyle clauses standard in many models' contracts.
Now that she was more famous and confident, she found the contract increasingly unsatisfactory.
The next day, Michael spent half the day in 'The Kingsman' post-production studio, then went to a stylist and bought a new formal suit to attend Dior's reception.