[Chapter 197: A Temporary Loss of Power]
The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom as Eric stepped out, drying himself off.
The sunlight streaming through the curtains signaled a bright morning in September, and Los Angeles had a pleasant temperature of about 72 degrees -- just right for human comfort.
He quietly slipped on his clothes while stealing glances at the lovely woman sprawled out on the bed, still fast asleep. Due to the blanket being thrown to the side, her bare body was laid out before him without reservation. With her Indo-Austrian heritage, her delicate frame seemed petite, and her skin appeared smoother and softer than that of many women. The gentle curve of her back tapered down, forming a slender arc at her waist, which then swept up into two small, enticing hills at her hips, exuding feminine allure. Her round thighs lay slightly together, yet couldn't conceal the tempting view between them.
Eric finished tying his tie and putting on his jacket, with no sign of the woman waking up. He watched her adorable state, thumb in her mouth like a baby, and couldn't help but feel a surge of playfulness. He gently sat on the bed, tugging at the finger she had been sucking, and replaced it with his own, gently offering his index finger to her.
In an instant, he felt her warm lips wrap around his fingertip instinctively. As he explored gently, he felt her small teeth nibble at him, as if testing this unexpected visitor. It seemed her tongue began to push against his finger, perhaps trying to shoo away this intruder.
Unfortunately for her, her little tongue could not rival Eric's strength. After a playful exchange, she suddenly opened her eyes wide.
"Ah!"
She shot up, pulling the blanket around herself. As Gabrielle recognized Eric's smiling face, memories of last night flooded back, and she sighed in relief.
"G-good morning, Eric," she said, a hint of embarrassment creeping into her voice as she smiled and greeted him.
"Morning," Eric replied, waving his moist fingertip playfully. "I didn't expect you to look so cute while sleeping."
"Did I... really?" Gabrielle asked shyly, lowering her gaze. As soon as her eyes opened, she noticed Eric's finger and recalled some images from the previous night.
Eric nodded with a smile, "Absolutely. You're the first girl I've seen who likes sucking her thumb while sleeping."
"I didn't even know," Gabrielle mumbled, still casting her eyes downward, glancing around as if looking for something.
Understanding her unspoken need, Eric gathered a few pieces of clothing and handed them to her. "No worries. Actually, many people don't even realize they snore when they sleep. Some even deny it when they wake up."
As she was about to sneak on her underwear, Gabrielle looked up in shock, "I-I didn't snore, did I?"
"Of course not," Eric quickly shook his head. "I was just using it as an example."
"Oh," she replied, visibly relieved.
Once Gabrielle slipped on her underwear and a little tank top, she padded over to the wardrobe barefoot. Eric said, "Baby, I think I need to get going."
As she paused, contemplating what to wear more beautifully, Gabrielle turned back, "Can't we have breakfast first?"
Eric glanced at his watch, "It's almost 8:30. There might be traffic. I'm not sure if I can reach the office by 9. I have a flight to Venice at 2 this afternoon, so I need to handle some urgent matters. At 10, I need to meet with Robert and Jeffrey about the merger between Firefly Films and New Line. My schedule for the new movie has also come in, and I need to review it. I have a lot to take care of in the next five hours."
Seeing Gabrielle, who looked a bit dejected, fiddling with her fingers while listening, Eric softened his tone, feeling a hint of guilt for being so insensitive. He waved dismissively, "Is there a breakfast place nearby? Maybe we could grab a quick bite together. What's a few extra minutes?"
"Of course! I can wash my face first, right?" Gabrielle asked, her face lighting up.
Since they were already committed, Eric relaxed about the timeline. "You might as well take a shower, but make it quick."
"Just wait for me!"
Excitedly, she chose a few outfits and dashed into the bathroom on her tiptoes. In less than fifteen minutes, she emerged, wearing a light blue one-shoulder mini dress that hugged her curves, the black stockings accentuating her long legs. Her hair was gathered into a small bun, and she picked out a high heel from the nearby shoe rack, standing up to Eric. "Okay, let's go! The restaurant is just across the street, about fifty steps away."
...
"Eric, it's almost 9:30! What happened? Your cell phone was off, don't you know how tight the schedule is today?" Jeffrey asked urgently as Eric arrived at the office.
Feeling slightly embarrassed in front of Jeffrey's flustered demeanor, Eric explained, "I'm sorry, Jeffrey, there was... traffic."
"That's impossible! There's no traffic from where you live to here; I know that route well."
"Actually, I came from West Hollywood," Eric admitted, raising his hands in honesty.
"Uh..." Jeffrey paused, quickly piecing things together. Realizing he might have overstepped, he acknowledged that Eric was technically his boss. Though Eric always respected him, there was a limit to how often one could chastise without fanning resentment.
"Alright, there are a few documents that need your signature. I had Allen sort them out on your desk; you have half an hour to take care of them. Robert is on his way with his team; I'll go prepare for the meeting."
"I'll handle it right now," Eric nodded and quickly walked to his office, while Jeffrey went off to prepare.
Even though they had already signed the merger agreement, merging the two companies involved multiple logistical issues like aligning business, organizational design, structural adjustments, and personnel consolidation. In reality, it could take several months for the two companies to fully integrate, and both would continue parallel operations for a period.
After hastily signing a few documents, Eric's assistant knocked on the door, and he hurriedly set the binder down to head to the meeting room.
...
Inside the meeting room, New Line had Robert Shea and six or seven mid-level managers present, while Firefly only had Eric and Jeffrey -- ignoring the clerical staff focusing on minutes. This stark contrast showcased how much weaker Firefly's foundation was.
Even though New Line's profitability didn't come close to Firefly's, it had well-rounded operations with departments for production, rights, promotions, and distribution. In contrast, Firefly felt more like a small workshop despite its impressive profit margins. Jeffrey managed operations and served as a producer for Eric's films; while he might occasionally be overwhelmed, he mostly had enough capacity to manage it alone.
The two-hour meeting didn't yield substantial results, as they swiftly reached a consensus about relocating to a shared office space, but the debate over production power intensified.
Eric naturally wanted Robert Shea to relinquish that area to focus on distribution. If their distribution capabilities strengthened, coupled with his keen vision for films, Firefly had the potential to become a leading player in just a few years.
However, Robert immediately refused that suggestion, which wasn't surprising. After all, it would be a joke for a company head to lack production authority.
Eric offered that Robert could helm some low-budget horror films, considering that was his 'specialty.'
To his surprise, Robert rejected that too. He wasn't satisfied merely handling smaller productions; he wanted to manage some big-budget films in the future. With the expected revenue from Eric's upcoming projects, Firefly would soon have substantial cash flow. Previously, Robert hesitated to play big at New Line due to the risks involved; losing money on a major project could devastate the company. Yet now, backed by Firefly's resources, Robert's ambitions soared. Hollywood had few success stories for low-budget films; that was precisely why Eric's achievements felt so extraordinary. To secure consistent high returns, big investments in major productions were essential.
Eric could not immediately agree to Robert's vision. While Firefly had some funds to play with, this was not a game. Plus, Eric lacked confidence in Robert's acumen. A look back at New Line's failures suggested a lot of luck played into Robert's productions.
However, faced with Robert's insistence, Eric had to make a temporary concession. He understood that controlling the distribution channels was paramount; hence, fully integrating New Line was the first priority, making a temporary loss of authority unavoidable.
Finally, after a round of arguments with Robert, Eric reluctantly agreed to provide New Line with two major productions over the next year, each with a total budget under $50 million, placing complete control in Robert's hands.
After two hours of the meeting, Robert and his team left satisfied. Eric munched on a simple lunch while flipping through documents, needing to wrap up the last of the sign-offs before heading directly to the airport.
*****
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