The next morning, Carmen Kass was glowing with energy. She ordered breakfast to be delivered to the room, and when Michael finished freshening up, a sumptuous meal was laid out on the table.
Michael walked over, gently kissed Carmen, pulled out a chair, and sat down next to her.
Carmen said, "I didn't know your tastes, so I ordered a bit of everything."
Michael picked up Carmen's plate and asked, "What would you like to eat?"
"No need," Carmen replied, taking a plate of pure steamed vegetables. "I overate last night, so I need to control myself this morning."
Michael knew that models often had to diet, so he put her plate down and selected a few items for himself.
Watching Carmen eat her vegetables without much enthusiasm and then mix a meal replacement drink, Michael commented, "Being a model isn't easy."
Carmen smiled, "You get used to it. Women back home tend to gain weight easily as they age, so I have to be vigilant."
Michael remembered that Estonia was a former Soviet republic, likely sharing some characteristics with Russians, who were known worldwide for their robust physiques. However, considering Estonia's proximity to the Baltic Sea, they were more similar to Finns. With her blonde hair and green eyes, Carmen had a distinctly Nordic appearance.
Before they finished breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Carmen went to answer it, and her agent, Daisy Brooke, walked in.
Daisy immediately noticed Michael, her face turning slightly sour, but she held back from saying anything. She simply told Carmen, "I'll be waiting for you in the hotel lobby. You have one hour."
With that, her moody gaze drifted over Michael.
Knowing that this was Carmen's trusted agent, Michael pretended not to notice.
Carmen opened her makeup bag and began to apply makeup, saying, "Don't mind her. Daisy is a good person, just a bit overprotective at times."
"It's fine," Michael said, not bothered at all.
Standing behind Carmen as she did her makeup and changed clothes, Michael felt a surge of affection but restrained himself, knowing she had work soon.
Carmen changed into a light gold cocktail dress, looking both beautiful and sensual.
Michael gently placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Golden goddess, will you be my girlfriend?"
They had shared an intimate night but hadn't yet discussed this topic.
Carmen suddenly turned to face him and said, "Michael, let's leave this for later, okay?"
Her response was unexpected, leaving Michael puzzled. He had thought it was a natural progression.
He remembered someone once saying that in the Western world, people often start with physical attraction before discussing emotions, similar to evaluating a computer's hardware before considering the software. If the hardware weren't suitable, the software wouldn't matter.
Last night, it was shown that they were physically compatible.
Before Michael could process his surprise, Carmen continued, "Michael, don't misunderstand. I really like you, but you're in the US and I'm in Europe. I also frequently need to return to Estonia for my business."
She paused and added, "I don't want to deceive you and hope you understand. We're both very focused on our careers. I can't abandon my work in Europe to come to the US often, and you can't leave your work in the US to be with me in Europe. We're still young; there's no rush to decide."
Michael stroked Carmen's face, smiling awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
But he couldn't deny the truth in her words.
Though young, Carmen had been travelling to places like Milan on her own since she was 14, and she was very independent.
Michael sighed, "This is the first time I've ever confessed to someone."
It was his first time since coming to Los Angeles.
Carmen kissed Michael without hesitation and said, "Let's leave it to time."
Michael had never been indecisive. Just as he had decided last night to pursue a physical relationship with Carmen because he felt strongly about her, he now made a quick decision: "Let's leave it to time."
Carmen needed to attend a Dior media promotion event, so Michael didn't stay to disturb her. He called a taxi back to Seashore Entertainment. On the way, Susan Arnold from DreamWorks called to discuss the "Blair Witch" sequel rights.
Despite feeling low due to the situation with Carmen, Michael was mature enough not to let it affect his work.
Susan Arnold and Michael's negotiations moved quickly, with DreamWorks agreeing to the sequel rights for $12 million.
Michael felt he had made a good deal, and DreamWorks and Susan Arnold felt the same.
A film that grossed $150 million in North America, with a sequel rights sale for less than one-tenth of that amount, was a bargain.
The sequel rights were sold outright, meaning any new "Blair Witch" film DreamWorks produced would have no financial ties to Seashore Entertainment. If successful, the series could produce several films, much like "Nightmare on Elm Street" or "Friday the 13th."
That morning, Susan Arnold signed a preliminary agreement with Michael, with a formal contract to follow.
Michael's mood lifted somewhat, feeling that the $12 million was an excellent return for something he considered almost a byproduct.
In the afternoon, Robert Lee visited the company and noticed Michael's unusual demeanour.
"What's wrong with you?" Robert asked. "You seem off."
Michael rubbed his face, "Is it that obvious?"
Robert nodded, "You look down. Did you get dumped?"
Michael took a deep breath to steady himself and said, "I confessed to someone this morning and got rejected."
"The Estonian supermodel?" Robert had seen their pictures in the tabloids.
"Yes, Carmen Kass."
"Don't worry," Robert consoled him. "You'll meet someone even better. Once you're a famous producer, you can have anyone you want, even Julia Roberts."
Michael couldn't help but say, "She's too old."
Robert continued, "There aren't many outstanding actresses among the younger generation, but I'll look into it. When we cast for our next film, we can invite some promising candidates for auditions. As long as they aren't dumb..."
"Enough, let's get back to business," Michael interrupted, asking, "What brings you here?"
Robert got serious and said, "I've heard that the Indians are talking with DreamWorks again. This time, it's a private foundation from Mumbai assessing the feasibility of investing in DreamWorks. DreamWorks offered them a WWII TV series project, but the script isn't finished yet. The Indians want to invest in a big movie, so the talks fell through for now."
Michael immediately understood that Robert was referring to "Band of Brothers," a project he had been following closely, just like Netflix.
"Have the Indians left?"
"They've gone back to Mumbai," Robert replied concisely, "but DreamWorks hasn't given up."
Michael thought for a moment and said, "Keep monitoring their talks. This information could be useful for our future plans."
"Got it," Robert responded.
Michael knew that DreamWorks was serious about becoming the seventh major Hollywood studio, expanding from films to TV, animation, and music, aiming to build a comprehensive industrial chain.
However, achieving this required more than just the efforts of the three founders and their major shareholder, Samsung Group, which held one-third of DreamWorks' shares.
In some ways, the three founders were also leveraging others' resources.
Michael recalled that in the past, Spielberg had successfully secured significant funding from India, although he couldn't remember the exact amount. It was likely around $300-400 million.
In the current era, many developing countries undergoing transformation had produced several wealthy individuals who often struggled to find suitable investment opportunities due to various national conditions.
Hollywood films still carried an air of mystique and prestige in many countries.
After Robert left, Michael took out his notebook and noted down DreamWorks, Indian funding, and Seashore Entertainment, along with "The Bourne Identity."
Seashore Entertainment was set to expand, which would require funding. The revenue generated by "The Blair Witch Project" couldn't be used for new film productions.
To cover "The Bourne Identity" film budget, leveraging external funding was the best option.
Having already visited Abu Dhabi twice, Michael knew it was time to diversify his funding sources to avoid potential issues. Indian investors seemed like a promising alternative.
However, Indian investors were different from Arab ones. Unlike the nascent film industry in the UAE, India's film industry was well-established and more complex to deceive.
Michael continued refining his plan.
The more detailed, the better.
It would be ideal to find a third-party guarantor.
After finishing, Michael noted, "Leg wound treatment delayed me a bit, please understand."