When Ethan arrived at the backstage door, Kaiden came out to greet him. She was wearing a black trench coat, her hands tightly clutching the collar, which made one curious about what she was wearing underneath.
"Boss! Come in!" She grabbed Ethan's hand and walked into the backstage area under the watchful eyes of the staff. Although Ethan didn't have a staff pass, they turned a blind eye since he was backed by a model.
As soon as Ethan stepped into the backstage, he immediately felt what true paradise was!
Long, sexy legs, lots of exposed skin, sparkling lingerie, and beauties of all kinds.
These Victoria's Secret models were standing in front of clothing racks, receiving makeup and styling assistance from makeup artists and stylists, adjusting their lingerie details.
Though a little noisy, the visual experience was truly delightful.
Ethan quickly spotted Gisele Bündchen, the top model often referred to as "Goddess Gisele." If he remembered correctly, she was still dating Leonardo DiCaprio at the time.
After a quick glance at the sea of long, beautiful legs, Ethan was pulled into a storage room by Kaiden. There were no models or staff here, just a row of clothing racks hanging various lingerie.
Ethan looked back and saw a large mirror.
"What's going on, Kaiden?" Ethan frowned, sensing that Kaiden's intentions might not be entirely innocent.
Kaiden didn't respond; she simply leaned against the door. Her makeup was particularly glamorous today, and her long, golden hair had been styled into big waves. Standing in front of Ethan, she looked almost like a living doll, and it was clear that this wasn't a result of cosmetic surgery.
"Click!" Ethan heard the sound of the door locking.
Then Kaiden gave him a playful kiss in the air and tossed her trench coat to the floor!
"Whoosh!" Beneath the black trench coat, a shimmering lingerie made of silver tassels appeared, glinting under the light.
Ethan chuckled, praising her, "Wow, Kaiden, your outfit today is definitely going to stun the crowd."
"Is that so?" Kaiden tossed the coat onto the ground. "But I don't just want to stun the crowd; I want to stun... you, Boss."
"I'm already stunned."
"Really?" Kaiden pushed Ethan into a chair, then straddled his lap. "Boss, there's a secret passage in this room. Do you want to check it out?"
Ethan supported her soft waist. "A secret passage? You've piqued my curiosity. Where is it?"
"Boss..." Kaiden leaned her face toward his ear. "It's right above your head."
Ethan looked up, but all he saw was the white ceiling and bright lights.
Before he could speak, a wave of comfort began spreading upward from below.
"Ah!" Ethan let out a long, relieved breath.
A moment later, Kaiden nestled her head against his shoulder. "Boss, did you find it?"
"I found it. This secret passage is really well-hidden."
Twenty minutes later, Ethan helped Kaiden steady herself as they left the storage room. With Kaiden's teasing and flirtatious glances, he said, "By the way, when you see Gisele, tell her something for me."
"What?" Kaiden asked, confused.
"Tell her that the animal rights activists have infiltrated the venue, and they plan to interrupt the fashion show."
What Ethan was referring to was the unexpected incident during the 2002 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, where four members of the animal rights group attempted to storm the stage, holding signs that read "Fur is Dead," trying to disrupt Gisele's runway walk.
But true to her reputation, Gisele remained calm and composed, completing her runway walk flawlessly.
Ethan knew about the incident because he had once watched the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for inspiration. He was curious and later searched for details on the event. It turned out that Gisele had previously signed a contract with a fur brand and shot several advertisements, which caused animal rights activists to target her, believing she was promoting the killing of animals.
To Ethan, it seemed absurd. The fur company was the one responsible, yet the model was the one getting hurt? It was clear they were trying to target someone easy.
Ethan, seeing an opportunity to return a favor, wasn't about to let it slip by.
Kaiden nodded, agreeing to pass on the message, though she couldn't help but tease, "Boss, I didn't know you were so... loving."
"I've always been loving. But Gisele doesn't fall into that category," Ethan said, playfully tapping Kaiden on the rear as he watched her walk away.
He then left the backstage area and returned to the front of the venue.
By now, the fashion show was about to begin, and Ethan found his seat based on his invitation. Before long, he saw security personnel patrolling the area, soon apprehending the animal rights activists.
They were easily spotted, dressed in dark clothes with backpacks, which stood out compared to the other well-dressed guests attending the show.
That wasn't all. Security had also escorted out some people who had sneaked into the venue, their appearance not quite fitting in with the other attendees. It was a bit like how, back in the day, Ethan used to sneak into subway trains.
Soon, all the seats in the front row were filled, and the lights dimmed. The glamorous host, Tyra Banks, stepped onto the stage to introduce the fashion show.
Known as "The Black Beauty," Tyra wasn't just the host but also a model in the show, fulfilling multiple roles at once. However, Ethan wasn't particularly impressed by her; her pure African-American beauty just didn't match his personal taste.
Time passed as various performances unfolded, and before long, Kaiden appeared on the runway, wearing that shimmering tassel lingerie. As soon as she stepped out, her exquisite looks and exaggerated body proportions immediately drew all eyes to her.
The men around Ethan began discussing her name, while some kept their eyes glued to her, even without speaking.
Kaiden walked briskly down the runway, her tassel-adorned lingerie swaying with her every step, like a pendulum, adding a dynamic beauty to her presence.
When she reached the front of the stage and faced the camera, she blew a kiss with her left hand and, casually, formed a heart with her fingers before turning and swaying away.
"She's stunning!" one of the men next to Ethan exclaimed.
"Sexy beauty!" another man chimed in.
Kaiden's charm was unique. She exuded an irresistible allure and sexual appeal. Any man who saw her would immediately think of her in a much more intimate way.
But unfortunately for them, Ethan had already claimed this dark queen's heart and body.
An hour later, Ethan finished watching the entire Victoria's Secret show, thoroughly impressed.
Thanks to him, the animal rights incident never took place, and Gisele Bündchen completed her walk without any disruptions. The other models also showcased their unique beauty, with each one more captivating than the last. Only by sitting up close in the front row could one truly appreciate the full experience.
After the show ended and the crowd began to disperse, Ethan didn't leave immediately. He waited for Kaiden to change so they could head back together.
When Kaiden finally emerged from the backstage area, Ethan was surprised to see her accompanied by two other women—Gisele Bündchen and a sunny, tanned woman with sunglasses who seemed oddly familiar.
Before Ethan could place her, Kaiden stepped forward to explain, "Boss! Gisele wanted to thank you in person!"
"Hello, Ethan," Gisele smiled and extended her hand to shake his. "Thank you for the heads-up earlier. Otherwise, I would've embarrassed myself during the walk."
Ethan shrugged. "I didn't think it would be something that could trip you up, Gisele."
Gisele's smile deepened. "Still, thank you, Ethan. I heard from Kaiden that besides running the company, you're also a director?"
"That's right."
Before Ethan could say anything further, the woman next to Gisele suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! Ethan! It's you! You're the one who shot Avril Lavigne's 'Sk8er Boi' music video!"
"This is...?" Ethan turned to her, and Gisele introduced, "This is Jessica Alba, one of my good friends."
"Ah, so it's Jessica!" Ethan realized. "I thought you looked familiar. I've seen you in The Fantastic Four."
Jessica smiled brightly, removing her sunglasses. "I've also seen your music videos and the MTV awards show. You look much more handsome in person than on TV."
"Thank you for the compliment. There's nothing better than receiving praise from a beautiful woman."
Ethan was pleasantly surprised, not expecting to meet someone so perfect for his next project. Although Jessica wasn't a huge star yet, her talent had been evident in her performances. Moreover, her figure and looks were top-tier in Hollywood.
The best part was that she wasn't yet a full-fledged A-lister, which meant there might be room for negotiation.
With all these factors in mind, Ethan decided to seize the opportunity and approach her with a proposal.
He didn't hesitate. "Jessica, would you be interested in playing a cold-hearted female assassin in my next project?"
"What?" Jessica's eyes widened. "A female assassin? Me?"
"Yes… that's right," Ethan confirmed. "I have an upcoming music video to shoot. It'll be full of fight scenes, quite violent and bloody, and I need someone for the role of a female assassin. I think you've got the potential for it. Would you be interested?"
"Wow, sounds interesting!" Jessica exchanged a glance with Gisele and then nodded thoughtfully, "Maybe I should look into it more?"
"Of course." Seeing her reaction, Ethan pulled a chair over. After they all sat down, he explained his idea to Jessica in detail.
"Sounds really good," Jessica said, thinking about how she didn't have any movies lined up at the moment. She immediately became interested.
Although this was just a music video, the influence of Sk8er Boi had long surpassed the music industry, and even Hollywood had given it high praise.
After Cameron gave it a free promotion, many celebrities specifically bought the album to watch, and Jessica was one of them.
Not to mention that it was a pure action video. Since her debut, Jessica had always played the sweet, girl-next-door type. She only showed a strong character in Drak Angel, but it wasn't extreme enough. Now, with the opportunity to play a unique cold-hearted character, she was intrigued. On one hand, it could strengthen her tough image, and on the other, it would let her indulge in action scenes. She was quite tempted.
So after talking with Ethan, she immediately picked up the phone to call her agent.
Not long after, she returned to Ethan with a big smile on her face. "No problem, Ethan! I'll take the role!"
"Great!" Ethan was delighted. "Welcome to my MV, Jessica!"