Chapter 354: Chapter 78: Someone Needs a Lesson Chapter 354: Chapter 78: Someone Needs a Lesson This guy… was he doing this on purpose or did he really not understand what he meant? Watching Tom Cruise with an assured look, as if saying “It’s settled then,” Adrian suddenly felt a sense of irony mixed with laughter.

“I still think Kate Blanchett is the most suitable,” he said, his words laden with deeper meaning.

“Have you seen Renee’s performance, Ed? I guarantee you’ll like it, she might not be that especially pretty girl but she has quite the charm, I’ve always been looking forward to working with her.” Cruise spoke animatedly, still with that sense of superiority, then laughed and waved his hand dismissively, “Come on, there’s nothing to argue about.”

“Is that so?” Adrian replied without changing his expression, but he sneered inwardly. It seemed that after yielding for too long and too much, some people had not only forgotten who they were but also who he was.

Speaking of which, his insistence on casting Renee Zellweger, wouldn’t be because she was the one next door that night, would it? Adrian thought somewhat maliciously, then changed the subject: “Do you have any thoughts on the production, Tommy?”

“We worked well together last time, why not continue?” Tom Cruise replied as expected, even though his agent was giving him meaningful looks at his side, he didn’t catch on to anything.

“I see,” Adrian nodded, then stood up, “That’s it, then. I’ll take my leave.”

“Leaving? You’ve just arrived.” Cruise looked at him, puzzled.

“I just remembered I have other matters to attend to, sorry.” Adrian replied nonchalantly, then signaled Charlize and the person in charge from Bossworth Film to leave. Of course, he maintained the basic courtesies.

Cruise, after all, wasn’t a fool and could clearly see Adrian’s attitude, but he never considered why this was, there were no thoughts of any remedy, just an unhappy frown. He probably huffed heavily in his mind and finally shrugged, “Alright then, let it be.”

There was not a hint of an attempt to retain him, and once again he ignored the signaling agent.

Nothing more could be said now, Adrian walked out first, only glancing back inadvertently as he reached the door, catching a fleeting glimpse of a figure that had been hiding at the top of the stairs since they entered.

“Even the Miracle Director encounters situations he can’t handle?” On the way back, Charlize couldn’t help but tease Adrian, her smile seeming almost gleeful at his discomfort.

“Do you really think I can’t handle him?” Adrian looked at her playfully, his question half-serious.

Charlize answered with a shrug, then sighed, “I finally understand why you don’t like him. They’re both named Tom, but they couldn’t be more different in how they conduct themselves. It’s rather amusing.”

At this point, her gaze at him flickered, “You quite enjoy watching this unfold, don’t you?”

“His excessive arrogance has blinded his eyes, preventing him from seeing the situation clearly, always assuming the world revolves around him,” Adrian didn’t answer her question directly, “He won’t be the first, nor the last.”

Every person or rather every successful person has a side of arrogance. Once you are a top performer in an industry, looking back at those still striving behind you naturally gives birth to a sense of superiority–no one is an exception, not even Adrian. The difference is that Adrian knew how to control it; aside from being a very calm person to begin with, he was also clearer about how his success came to be. Despite seeming reckless on many matters, he was extremely careful before taking any action. Without a clear recognition of the reasons behind one’s success, even those at the peak can quickly fall.

Tom Cruise is the best example. While he worked hard and had some ability, his lack of interpersonal skills was significant–not trivial. It was only because he was currently the hottest star with enormous commercial value that movie companies had to pander to him. If it were an average person behaving this way, they would have been ostracized and vanished without a trace. Therefore, once his commercial value was squeezed dry, it was inevitable that he would face the situation where everyone turned against him–I believe this happened around ten years later.

You really think the movie couldn’t be made without you, Tom? Adrian sneered internally once more. Since Cruise had forgotten the true rule that roles make actors, he didn’t mind teaching him a lesson.

“I will share the rights to ‘Mission: Impossible’ with you, but it’s only to give you a taste of sweetness,” Adrian thought again of the elusive figure. If he had felt any bit of discomfort towards Cruise before–though it was rare–it had now completely dissipated, which was why Charlize said, “You’re quite happy to see such a situation,” she knew most of his affairs–both business and personal.

Although he had almost decided to give up on Cruise, there were plenty of suitable male actors. There was no need to mention Pitt, Spacey, or Reeves; River and Dennis were quite good, and there would be no problem with them replacing Cruise. Plus, they took direction well. But it was undeniable that Cruise had an exceptional agent.

“I’ve spoken with Tommy in detail several times, and I’ve taken a good look at ‘Speed’. Miss Blanchett is indeed a good fit, it’s just… her pay is slightly high, but I don’t think that’s a problem, is it, Mr. Adrian?” The little woman called early the next morning, not mentioning the previous day’s unpleasantness and repeatedly emphasizing Cruise’s willingness to cooperate, her tone was quite sincere and she thought of a not-so-excuse excuse.

But on second thought, this might indeed be one of the reasons for Cruise’s refusal. Just think about his pitiful height of 5 feet 7 inches, and then Blanchett’s 5 feet 9 inches and Zellweger’s 5 feet 5 inches, it was obvious whom he would choose. Don’t think this is a joke; as far as Adrian knew, on the day ‘Mission: Impossible’ was released, Cruise himself had bought $5 million worth of tickets to ensure his film was number one at the box office for the weekend. So, it wasn’t surprising that he would do such a thing, not to mention the uncertain speculation.

Adrian had initially wanted to refuse, but the other party was very diligent, always seizing the opportunity to show goodwill, and they were quite articulate without being annoying and hateful. Even Cruise himself made several proactive calls after persuasion, even though they were mostly filled with flattery, but it was a subtle, reluctant way of apologizing.

In any case, neither of the two had completely torn their faces off yet, plus Adrian highly appreciated Pat Kingsley–Cruise’s agent–and her team behind her. Cruise might have been somewhat foolish, but his agent and PR team behind him were quite good. If possible, it would be nice to bring them under his own banner. Although Adrian’s talent agency had several outstanding teams, more talent is always better, isn’t it?

“Well, you’ve moved me with your sincerity, Pat. I’ll tell Laverne to proceed with the cooperation as soon as possible,” Adrian finally relented a few days later, and he didn’t hide his admiration on the phone.

“Thank you, Mr. Adrian. I’m sure you and Tommy will continue to have a pleasant cooperation,” Kingsley replied very appropriately, seemingly not catching the implication that “I relented because of your ability”.

Adrian wasn’t in a hurry, he shrugged his shoulders and put down the phone, smiling at the lady in front of him: “Sorry, I’m going to break my word again.”

“So you’ve decided to let Tom Cruise play the male lead?” Blanchett lazily asked from the sofa where she lounged. Dressed in a round-neck tee and shorts, her long legs were crossed and resting against the back of the sofa as she self-absorbedly read a magazine.

“Yes, he has an agent who’s good at fighting for him, so after much consideration, it’s best to let him play the role,” Adrian shrugged, then sat down, pushing aside the magazine blocking his view and leaned in to look at her, “Of course, if you really don’t want to cooperate with him, I’ll call them right away and switch people. It’s not a big deal.”

“Really?” Blanchett said with a teasing smile.

“Really. If you’re willing.” Adrian then reached out and pinched her chin, bending down to kiss her.

“Let’s forget it, I don’t want to be your scapegoat.” Blanchett subtly moved aside, her eyes carrying a small amount of pride but more of an indescribable complexity, wanting to break free but unable to.

“You saying that really makes me sad, Kate,” Adrian exaggerated a sigh, his troubled face as if to say, “I’ve already held you in the palm of my hand, what more could you want?”

Although knowing half of it was put on, Blanchett’s lips still curled into a smile, of course, verbally she still couldn’t submit: “I seem like a sinner, to make you so sad.”

Her tone was tinged with a hint of mockery as she stood up and walked over to the fridge with her attractive legs, bending over to grab a bottle of purified water. Throughout the process, she maintained that languid demeanor, and given her scant attire, she was both sexy and exceptionally charming.

“Well then, as an apology, how about I treat you to a performance of ‘King Lear’ by the Philis Theater Group at the music center?” Adrian suggested as he fished two tickets out of his pocket and waved them, “Their production is quite the event, and today is their first performance in Los Angeles. Why not join me and see if they’re up to your standards?”

“I have never performed in ‘King Lear’,” Blanchett replied noncommittally while sipping water, although her eyes did light up. The Philis Theater Group’s Shakespeare plays always had excellent reviews, for they were not bound to the original work but still retained that British classic flavor, popular among many. Many Hollywood stars would visit this theater group for stage acting refinement, so tickets were typically hard to come by, let alone for the first show.

Of course, for a bigwig like Adrian, getting two box tickets was no problem at all, but the fact that he went to the trouble of getting the tickets to ask her out was still quite touching.

However, after a moment’s hesitation, Blanchett still turned down his invitation, “Sorry, Ed, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

“Don’t want to go anywhere? What happened?” Adrian immediately asked with a concerned tone.

“Nothing, it’s probably because the weather is a bit hot, I don’t want to go out,” Blanchett shrugged. This was clearly an excuse. Although the temperature could indeed be high during Los Angeles summers, it was generally cooler at night, and the music center had air conditioning too.

Blanchett seemed to realize this, and she immediately turned away to mind her own business. Adrian chuckled inwardly without saying anything more, simply continuing to gaze at her, as her cool outfit was still a sight for sore eyes.

Suddenly, he realized something amusing: whether it was Kate, Blanchett, or Zetajones, all their full names were Catherine. Especially Blanchett and Zetajones, their spellings and pronunciations were identical, and while Kate started with a ‘K’ and only sounded somewhat similar, there really wasn’t much else in common. If all three women were around, calling out ‘Kate’ would definitely elicit three pairs of eyes on him.

It looked like I had all of Hollywood’s most well-known Kates in my pocket, Adrian thought somewhat amusedly and a little proudly. Isn’t the joy of collecting just this? Of course, he had long since forgotten and dismissed Fert.

“Hey, what are you thinking about?” Blanchett’s voice rang out at that moment.

Noticing her puzzled and slightly annoyed expression, Adrian quickly snapped back to reality, “Nothing, just some work-related things. I just got a bit of inspiration, so I zoned out.”

“Is that so?” Blanchett was full of disbelief.

That’s why they say never think about another woman while on a date with one; women tend to be more emotional than rational, and their intuition on this front is sharper than any radar.

But sometimes, doing so isn’t entirely bad, like–
“Actually, I’ve changed my mind,” Blanchett suddenly said, “Your tickets can’t be returned anyway, so I might as well go with you.”

Adrian’s smile immediately deepened, and he didn’t remind her that she emphasized the word “accompany” a bit too much, “Then let’s change clothes. We’ll go out for a stroll first, then head over after dinner.”

As he spoke, he moved closer to cup Blanchett’s chin, planting a kiss on her pale lips. Blanchett didn’t pull away this time but briefly returned his affection before stepping into another room to change clothes.

Women are like that, they need to be pampered and made to feel a sense of crisis and competitiveness; only then will they obediently stay by his side. Of course, this required both skill and strength, and Adrian had both, so as long as they couldn’t bring themselves to leave him, they would be firmly in his grasp, even if…

“Quite interesting, but do you really think I’m suitable?” Zetajones asked with a laugh after flipping through the script in her hands.

“Of course, most British women have a sort of classical quality about them, it’s just a matter of degree, and you are no exception.” Sitting in the office chair, Adrian, who was enveloping her from behind, leaned in close to her neck and took a deep breath, “Not bad, Chanel No. 5, very tasteful. But this perfume is more suitable for formal occasions; for private instances, Chanel Coco would be a better fit for you.”

“I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable about perfumes,” Zetajones said, a little surprised.

“There’s a lot you don’t know,” Adrian caressed her still slender belly, “like your classical quality may not match that of those British actresses, but you have an alternative sultry sexiness, and this stunning Spanish princess has both aristocratic and wild qualities. She’s not the delicate lady type, and I can’t think of a role that suits you better.”

“Is that so?” Zetajones said noncommittally, and then gently shook her perched rear-end on his lap.

“Of course, what I say, I do. Although the script you hold is only partial, it will be completed within a week at most, and then we’ll start preparations. I’ll even invite an Oscar-winning actor to play a supporting role to bolster your performance,” Adrian’s right hand started to move upwards, then began to gently knead, the feeling through her clothes wasn’t ideal but was stimulating nonetheless.

“So all I have to do now is wait,” Zetajones’s eyes gleaned with a layer of moisture, making her look all the more beguiling as her body moved rhythmically to Adrian’s caresses, and her mouth slightly open as if she were gasping for breath.

“You’re not suggesting we do it here, Ed?” she asked in a low, seductive voice.

“It’s just that your outfit is too seductive; I lost a bit of composure,” Adrian replied with an admiring tone.

Zetajones giggled, cleverly concealing her triumph. She had dressed specifically in a white blouse and black jacket, a sort of office lady look, and hadn’t expected it to work so well. The possessive desire in Adrian’s eyes was certainly not feigned.

“Then I’ll be going now. Remember to call me tonight.” She stood up, adjusted her clothes, gave Adrian a flirtatious look, and prepared to leave, understanding the principle of playing hard to get.

“Of course,” Adrian smiled and nodded without saying much else.

Upon leaving Adrian’s office, Zetajones breathed out with a mix of excitement and pride, only to encounter the gaze of Charlize heading her way. She smiled politely with a nod, which Charlize returned with a somewhat cold demeanor.

Zetajones couldn’t help but snort inwardly. She’d bet this stunning secretary hadn’t escaped Adrian’s clutches, so what right did she have to put on airs in front of Zetajones? Quick to adjust her emotions, she shrugged indifferently after hearing the door close behind her and took the elevator down to the parking garage.

Getting into her new red Porsche, Zetajones internally praised Adrian’s generosity. She hadn’t wanted to accept the gift, knowing well what kind of presents she could accept, but when Adrian handed her the keys, he said, “You know, Kate, for a man, fast cars and beautiful women always go hand in hand; I spent a long time choosing this model for you.” He was very serious.

It was clear if she really had refused, the expensive Porsche would indeed meet a dreadful fate. To be honest, she did like the car very much, so in the end, Zetajones accepted it. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit wuxiaworld.site to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)