Chereads / REVIVE: AMERICA 1995 / Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: I Have a Party

Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: I Have a Party

As the most famous city within Los Angeles, Beverly Hills boasts the world's most upscale shopping streets.From 9406 Crest Drive, a drive down Mulholland Drive and a turn onto Beverly's most prestigious street, Rodeo Drive, would lead one to the heart of luxury retail. Rodeo Drive was Beverly Hills' premier shopping destination, housing Southern California's most exclusive boutiques. The famous saying among the luxury stores here was: "If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it."Milo drove his sports car up and down Rodeo Drive. He didn't get out of the car. The weather was beautiful, and the street was crowded with people, many of whom were clearly tourists. Almost all of them carried cameras, snapping photos of everything they saw.Sports cars and beautiful women were things Milo was definitely interested in, very interested in. But luxury goods and designer stores held no appeal for him.As a relatively successful descendant of a Mayflower family, the Blackbourne family rarely indulged in such so-called ultra-luxury items. It wasn't that they couldn't afford Hermès, Chanel, or Louis Vuitton. It was simply that Savile Row tailors offered better value for their money.After driving around for a while, as the sun began to set, Milo decided to head home.As the two sports cars reached the end of Rodeo Drive and were about to turn onto Mulholland Drive, Milo noticed what appeared to be a film shoot by the roadside.Films were, after all, one of Los Angeles' most recognizable trademarks. Milo had a strong interest in Hollywood and the media industry. Before his rebirth, he had worked in a related field.However, he was a latecomer to the industry and had no formal training. He was, in fact, just a screenwriter for short videos and dramas. In his previous life, he hadn't even had the opportunity to properly observe a film shoot.Intrigued, he parked his car by the side of the road and observed the film crew.After a few moments, Milo realized that it wasn't a film crew at all. There were very few people, fewer than ten in total. It seemed they were shooting a commercial.Slightly disappointed, Milo was about to leave when he was struck by the woman starring in the commercial.She appeared to be around twenty years old, with delicate features and a distinctive look. She possessed both the beauty of Eastern women and the allure of Western women. Just standing there, she resembled a painting."Catherine, stand over here. Just the same pose as before. That pose was very beautiful. And a bigger smile, of course!" a man, presumably the director, said to the young woman in a flattering tone."Okay," the woman nodded, cooperating with the instructions.The woman struck various poses as directed by the commercial's director. Milo, watching with interest, couldn't help but nod in admiration. Her face, combined with her figure, was truly captivating.The small commercial crew, including the woman herself, had noticed Milo's presence.He had parked a Ferrari by the roadside and gotten out to watch. Soon after, a Lamborghini arrived, and two large men emerged, standing guard around him. They were clearly bodyguards.The crew wasn't blind. They couldn't help but notice.They didn't mind being watched. Whether it was filming a movie, a TV series, or a commercial, being observed by onlookers was normal.The main thing was that the young man was tall, handsome, and stylish. The cars he drove and the bodyguards he had indicated that he was someone important.The small commercial crew certainly didn't dare to confront him.With countless thoughts swirling in his mind, Milo maintained a polite smile. He watched the young, not-yet-famous British woman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, filming the commercial. After a while, Milo realized it was a simple print advertisement for clothing.He didn't recognize the brand, but considering Catherine Zeta-Jones' current standing in Hollywood, it was unlikely that any major brands would hire her for commercials.After about half an hour of filming, the small crew began to pack up. It seemed they had finished shooting.At this moment, Milo, who had been secretly observed by the crew and Catherine Zeta-Jones herself, walked towards the young woman."Hello, beautiful lady," he said, approaching Zeta-Jones, who looked up at him with curiosity."Hello," she responded softly.Milo smiled and extended his hand behind him.His bodyguard, David, promptly placed a business card in his hand. The action was smooth and practiced, indicating that the two had done this many times before."I'm Milo Blackbourne, the owner of Paladin Pictures. This is my business card," he said, handing the card to Catherine Zeta-Jones. "Tonight, I'm having a party at 9406 Crest Drive up in the hills. If you're interested, please come by before seven."Seeing her accept the card with a hint of reservation mixed with excitement, he added, "I think your presence would be a great fit for the female lead in my company's new film. I hope to see you tonight. Goodbye."Without waiting for Zeta-Jones, who was about to speak, he smiled at her, turned around, and left with his two stern-faced bodyguards."Ah, sir," Zeta-Jones took a step forward, but seeing that Milo had already gotten into his car, she lowered her voice. "I haven't introduced myself. I haven't even told you my name…"The roar of the two sports cars filled the air as they drove up the hill.Zeta-Jones looked down at the business card. It was quite extraordinary, appearing to be made of gold with a small, high-quality diamond embedded in the center."Wow! A business card made of gold?"At this moment, a middle-aged woman ran over, and the rest of the crew gathered around.The woman who exclaimed was Zeta-Jones's agent, Anna, who worked for United Talent Agency (UTA). Anna represented Catherine Zeta-Jones and had high hopes for the beautiful British actress, constantly seeking opportunities for her. The print ad today was something Anna had managed to secure for Zeta-Jones."Is it real? If it's gold, and the diamond is real too, this card could be worth thousands of dollars," the director, who had been overly solicitous earlier, said as he examined the card.Anna took the card from Zeta-Jones and weighed it in her hand. "It's definitely real gold, and the purity seems high. The diamond is real too. A fake diamond wouldn't be this beautiful."The director grumbled, "Using gold and diamonds for a business card is too extravagant. Who is this guy?""Paladin Pictures, Milo Blackbourne…" Anna read the company name and Milo's name from the card.Turning to Zeta-Jones, who looked a bit bewildered, she said, "Darling, I think this is an opportunity!"Zeta-Jones understood what her agent meant.What was more prevalent in Hollywood than talent scouts, directors, screenwriters, and film producers?Con artists!There were countless scams involving money, exploitation, and even luring people to the San Fernando Valley for nefarious purposes.Zeta-Jones was exceptionally beautiful and had a captivating presence. Even in Hollywood, a place teeming with beautiful women, she stood out.Many con artists, or people with ulterior motives, had their eyes on her.Her agent, Anna, smiled and said, "Looking at this business card, putting aside everything else, he's clearly someone with 'influence.' Even if he's a con artist, he's a very influential one."After saying that, the agent immediately added, "I'll look into this company and this man. If it's real, darling, I think we should seize this opportunity!"Seeing Anna's excited expression, Catherine Zeta-Jones, who had been in Los Angeles for three years without making a significant breakthrough in Hollywood films and had been relegated to television movies, nodded."If it's real, then of course I'll seize the opportunity!" she said to Anna with certainty.