[Chapter 246: Annoying Little Thoughts]
Nicole realized that being Eric's girlfriend offered her many advantages. Just like Jennifer Aniston, within the Friends cast, Nicole had a status akin to a princess. Although the other five main stars matched Aniston's fame, the special treatment Aniston received on the Friends set far surpassed that of the others. UTA leaned heavily in Aniston's favor in terms of resources, a situation partly due to her father being a producer on Friends. However, everyone understood that the root of this privilege was mostly because of Eric.
Of course, Nicole wanted to bask in such "treatment" herself. She didn't care whether others whispered behind her back. What mattered was that they knew she was Eric's woman, and that meant they had to treat her delicately.
Yet, despite her efforts, Eric had never actively introduced their relationship to others. Nicole had to navigate this situation alone, subtly creating little incidents and hints. In no time, nearly everyone who was supposed to know about her connection with Eric did, while those who weren't supposed to know remained oblivious.
Eric was well aware of Nicole's little schemes, but she had treaded carefully and never crossed any lines with him. What could he do? He couldn't explain their relationship to each person who found out.
Silently, he walked to the large bed and propped up two pillows at the headboard. Picking up the documents Allen had sent, he absentmindedly patted the surface beside him. Nicole quickly flashed a seductive smile, slid off her sheer nightgown, and climbed onto the bed in her exquisite black lace lingerie. She slinked into Eric's arms like a docile cat, teasing and rubbing against him with her soft, warm body. Her little hands even attempted to tug at the towel around his waist.
Pating her on her restless backside, Eric said, "Cut it out, I need to finish these documents first."
Nicole leaned in closer and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Eric's large hand glided down her silky skin to her chest, gently kneading one of her soft curves beneath the lace and replied, "The information on the real estate mogul who invited me to lunch today."
"Oh," she nodded, feigning disinterest. Leaning against Eric's chest while he fondled her, she let out little sighs and occasionally nibbled on his chest.
Ignoring her antics, Eric frequently pulled his hand back from her chest to flip through the pages of the documents. Allen had hastily gathered some information, which was limited but enough for Eric to understand Donald Trump.
As he read, Eric noted that much of what Trump said during lunch was half-truths. Perhaps Trump realized that if Eric were genuinely interested, he would later gather relevant information. Therefore, he didn't dare fabricate any outright lies. However, some concepts were definitely switched around, with certain details left intentionally vague.
For example, Trump had mentioned that his real estate company needed financing, which was indeed true. His company was on the brink of financial collapse. Yet, the reason banks were reluctant to lend was not solely due to the overall economic situation. Rather, it was because of Trump's overambitious expansions, leaving his company particularly vulnerable amidst the real estate downturn that began this year. Banks found themselves in a difficult position; if Trump's company went bankrupt, the loss would hit them the hardest. Despite some efforts to help him, they refused to lend him another cent.
Feeling Eric's hand on her chest growing lighter to the point of stopping altogether, Nicole's eyes flickered. She rubbed her thighs against him and softly asked, "Eric, what do you think about me getting breast surgery?"
Eric looked up from the documents, lifting her little lace bra to peek. "Sounds good. What kind of surgery?"
Nicole pulled down her bra, pushing her chest toward him, "Don't you think it's too small?"
"Oh, do whatever you want; if you want to get it done, go ahead," Eric replied nonchalantly, returning his gaze to the documents.
Nicole bit her lip, and even though Eric said it didn't bother him, she sensed a hint of displeasure in his eyes, which instantly cooled her previous thoughts.
Flipping to the next pages, Eric discovered that Allen had also collected articles analyzing the North American real estate market. It struck him as odd that Trump suggested it was a great time to invest in real estate, while the experts indicated that this downturn was just beginning. According to historical patterns, it could last another two or three years, and how long the market sat at this low point would depend on future economic conditions. In other words, investing in real estate in North America wasn't wise for at least the next five years.
The final graph illustrating North American housing prices solidified Eric's initial hesitation. From the 1950s to the 1990s, housing prices didn't consistently rise as Trump had nonchalantly claimed at lunch. While there were fluctuations, it stayed within a relatively stable range. Over forty years, inflation existed for currency, but housing prices had not seen significant changes. North America's housing prices are closely linked to the economic climate, whereas political factors had minimal effect.
As Eric shook off those thoughts, he tossed the documents aside, removed the towel from his waist, and nudged Nicole's shoulder. "Go take care of it; I'll teach you a little lesson later."
"You're such a jerk," Nicole rolled her eyes at him but obediently started to climb down.
Eric let out a long, comfortable sigh.
*****
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