43rd Street, Queens. Bucky Tower.
The building is over twenty stories tall.
The lower floors house supermarkets, shopping malls, and hotels.
The upper floors are office spaces.
The famous Greenwood Publishing headquarters is located on the 16th floor.
Today, however, the general manager of the publishing house, Mr. Felix Mason, wasn't working late in his 16th-floor office. Instead, he paced back and forth in front of the lobby on the first floor of the building's east wing.
"Emily, where are Kate Luca and the others?"
"They're almost here!"
Hanli put down her phone and glanced at the street in the distance. A silver-gray Mercedes van was approaching from the west.
"They're here!"
As she spoke, the van slowly pulled up at the entrance.
With a swoosh, the door opened.
First to step out was a stunningly dressed, even more stunningly handsome man.
"Haha, Luca, your outfit today is absolutely striking. I'll give you a perfect ten!"
Felix laughed heartily as he approached.
Luca smirked and shook hands, asking, "Is ten the highest score?"
"No, no, Luca, ten is the full score."
Felix laughed again.
"Oh, really? If you gave me a perfect score, then what would you give her?"
Luca smiled and pointed toward the car door.
*Click, click!*
The sharp sound of high heels echoed as Kate Kelly, the eldest daughter of the Kelly family, made her dazzling entrance.
With delicate features, fair skin, and dressed in a stunning white suit, Kate looked elegant and poised. Her hair was tied back into a sleek braid, and she wore refined gold-framed glasses, adding an air of sophistication.
Her earlobes, peeking out from beneath her hair, were adorned with tiny diamond studs that glittered like snowflakes.
Her sharp eyebrows hinted at both grace and a hidden fierceness, and her seemingly endless legs added a sexy, commanding presence.
Passersby couldn't help but stop and stare.
"Wow, that's the supermodel Kate with the long legs!"
"Yes! She's not just a supermodel; she's also the author of the bestseller *Twilight*!"
"Oh wow, both beautiful and talented. She's got to be the world's ninth wonder. Praise the Creator!"
Hearing the admiration around her, Kate smiled gracefully, her lips curving slightly.
"Wow, Kate, you look stunning today!"
Hanli clapped her hands in admiration.
"Thank you!"
Kate gently hugged her. "Emily, is everything ready for the press conference?"
"Yes, please follow me!"
Hanli led Kate, Nina, and the others to the lobby on the first floor.
"Felix, how would you score Kate's outfit?"
With his hands in his pockets, Luca stepped up the stairs.
Felix rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment. "One hundred."
"Hmm?"
Luca raised an eyebrow. "I thought ten was the full score?"
"No, one hundred is the full score."
Felix said seriously.
"So I only get ten?"
"Yes, you only get ten! Hahaha!"
Felix extended his hand as they both rode the escalator to the second floor.
"Let's go check out Kate's press conference!"
The two of them walked through the glass corridor and reached the second-floor hallway, where a small conference hall below was hosting a press event.
There were over fifty reporters present, both male and female.
"Ms. Kelly, good afternoon! It's reported that *Twilight* has sold over two million copies worldwide, making you a bestselling author. What are your career plans moving forward?"
A short, stocky reporter stood up, microphone in hand, asking the question.
Kate, Nina, Emily, and the host stood in a line at the front of the room.
Kate smiled calmly and said, "I'd like to correct that number. As of yesterday, *Twilight* has sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide, not 2 million as reported last week."
*Applause erupted.*
After the applause subsided, Kate added, "As for my career plans, I'll continue to focus on the fashion industry for the next five years."
"And what about your writing?"
A reporter asked.
"My writing?"
Kate smirked slightly, replying, "Writing is just a hobby. I'll write when I have free time."
*The audience gasped.* Some marveled at her nonchalance, while others scoffed at the idea of writing as a mere pastime.
Luca smiled to himself, quietly giving her a thumbs up. She really knew how to put on a show.
"Ms. Kelly, I'm a reporter from *Book Weekly* and also a fan of yours. It's said that *Twilight* is just the first book in a series. Now that the first book has achieved such success, when can we expect the second one?"
The *Book Weekly* reporter, a young woman in her twenties, looked at Kate with admiration in her eyes.
Kate smiled gently at the reporter, "Thank you for enjoying my work. I've already started working on the second book in the series. The tentative title is *New Moon*. In this installment, I plan to include more fantastical experiences, breathtaking settings, and interesting characters—like werewolves."
"Luca, has the second book really begun?"
Felix asked excitedly from the second floor.
Hearing the question, Luca tried to forget the image of a frazzled Kate, her hair a mess, as she struggled at her computer. He replied seriously, "Yes, Kate is outlining the story. I've read the draft. It's even better than the first."
"Wow, that's fantastic!"
Felix couldn't help but punch the air in excitement.
The publishing house had been struggling for years, on the verge of bankruptcy.
But then they signed *Twilight*.
The discovery was made by Emily, as the author was Luca's sister, Kate.
They initially signed the book out of a sense of obligation, as a favor.
Little did they know, they had struck gold—found a lifeline.
Now, *Twilight* had sold over 3.5 million copies globally. After accounting for distribution, marketing, and author royalties, the company would retain at least 30% of the profits, plus revenue from various rights. The income exceeded 30 million.
And that was just from the first book. If there's a second, third, fourth... how much more could they make?
Felix clenched his fists tightly, his face flushed with excitement.
"Luca, did Kate mention when she'll finish the second book?"
"Listen!"
Luca pointed downstairs as Kate's voice echoed upward.
"... If I have time, I'll write. If I have a lot of free time, I might finish it by next year. If not, it could take until the end of the year or early next year, at the latest."
Felix's face twitched. He was relying on this book to save the company, and she was taking her sweet time. He had to push her.
"Luca, could you please urge Kate to devote more time to writing?"
Luca smirked to himself. Felix had picked the right person.
The second book was already finished and just sitting on his computer.
But since Kate hadn't even written a short story yet, he didn't want to reveal it too soon. He didn't want to dampen her creative enthusiasm—or risk getting scolded.
"Luca, I'll pay you a commission—a commission for pushing her to write."
Felix squeezed his shoulder.
"No problem!"
Luca didn't mind earning a little extra.
"Ms. Kelly!"
Suddenly, a loud voice came from downstairs.
"I'm a reporter from *The New York Times*. It's well known that *Twilight* was not well-received initially, nearly getting pulled from shelves. But shortly after, it skyrocketed in popularity, selling 3.5 million copies. Ms. Kelly, who do you believe contributed most to its success?"
"Luca! My brother Luca!"
Kate answered without hesitation.
"This reporter is setting a trap!"
Felix couldn't help but frown.
Luca smiled slightly. Even though the answer was wrong, it was touching.
Sure enough, the reporter's tone changed.
"Haha, yes, Ms. Kelly, I agree with your point of view. Just like Dr. George Pallard, professor at NYU's College of Arts and Sciences, said in the newspaper:
'Twilight' is an outstanding piece of literature.
And without the sacrifice of Mr. Luca Kelly, this work would have been buried.
The fans of 'Twilight' should be grateful for Luca's dedication. Without him, they wouldn't have been able to experience 'Twilight.' The literary world should thank Luca for his sacrifice. Without him, the history of literature would be missing a classic.
Professor Pallard believes that Luca's sacrifice for the sake of literature was meaningful, and it may even be remembered in the annals of literary history."
Hahaha~
Laughter erupted in the room.
Kate's expression changed as she calmly said, "Britney recommended 'Twilight' because she genuinely liked it. Now, 'Twilight' is a bestseller, proving Britney's recommendation was right. Thank you, Ms. Britney Spears. Next question!"
Without waiting for another question from the reporter, Kate pointed to another one who seemed pleasant.
The friendly-looking reporter stood up and asked with a smile, "Ms. Kelly, you just said that Luca played a key role in the turnaround success of 'Twilight.' Does this mean you admit that Luca got Britney's endorsement through a physical relationship?"
Boom~
This question instantly electrified the room.
It had always been a rumor that people knew about, but now it was laid bare and bluntly asked. The scene became intense.
On the stage, Kate clenched her fists, wanting to punch someone. These reporters were too annoying. Why couldn't they ask normal questions instead of setting traps?
She raised her sharp eyebrows and said, "I've already said, Britney and Luca are friends. She wanted to recommend 'Twilight' both because she liked it and out of friendship. I want to thank two people here. The first is my brother, Luca.
Yes, despite your doubts, I still want to thank him.
Creating isn't an easy thing. During the writing process, I encountered many obstacles and often thought about giving up, but I pushed through.
Because Luca was by my side, constantly encouraging me and supporting me, I was able to continue down this path and finish writing 'Twilight.'
Without Luca, there would be no 'Twilight,' so I want to thank him."
Clap clap clap~
Applause broke out.
"Clap!"
Felix clapped his hands vigorously, moved, and said, "Luca, thank you for your encouragement, which gave us 'Twilight.'"
"You're welcome!"
Luca secretly admired his sister. She was impressive, lying without even preparing.
He glanced at the stage and then at Ms. Nina next to him. Hmm, Nina must have been the one to corrupt Kate.
"The second person I want to thank is Ms. Britney Spears. I'm a fan of hers. Thank you for helping promote 'Twilight.'"
"Ms. Kelly!"
Before she could finish, a female reporter stood up and shouted in a sharp voice, "You just said Luca and Britney are friends. Does a small-time model even have the qualifications to be friends with Britney?"
Bang!
Before the reporter finished, Kate slammed the table with a cold face.
"Kate, calm down. She's deliberately provoking you!"
Nina gently tugged at her sleeve.
"Hmph!"
Kate coldly glared at the reporter. "Why can't a small model be friends with a big star? Are you discriminating against models? All people are born equal. Do we need qualifications to be friends? I refuse to answer your question, as it's full of ignorance and prejudice."
"Kate, if you don't admit to a physical relationship between them, how do you explain Britney promoting 'Twilight' the day after they were seen together in a car?"
"That's just a coincidence! They weren't having sex in the car—they're friends!"
"As far as we know, Luca is not among Britney's known friends."
"Bullshit! Does Luca need to announce his friendships to you?"
Kate clenched her fists, raising her eyebrows.
"The 'Twilight' press conference is over. Thank you for coming!"
Seeing Kate start to swear, Nina quickly grabbed the microphone and ended the conference early.
"Sorry, Luca, I didn't handle this well."
From the second floor, Felix said helplessly.
These reporters had been invited by the publisher, with the expectation that only soft questions would be asked. But someone had intentionally steered things in a different direction.
"It's okay, Felix. Surprises happen, don't they?"
Luca shook his head and walked over to Kate, wondering if she was furious.
(End of Chapter)