Chapter 381: Chapter 103 Caught a Cold

Adrian was sick with a cold. Although he wasn’t sneezing or having a runny nose, fevers and lethargy were inevitable, and he had to stay in bed for several days before he could recover.

That should have been a very normal occurrence. Who doesn’t get sick? And especially with something as minor as a cold. But to those familiar with him, it seemed unbelievable. Over the past few years, except for a relatively relaxed 1993, Adrian was constantly busy. Not to mention that in 1992 alone, he made three movies. Last year he produced two medium to high-budget films, which was more than what many others could achieve, and he maintained quality, no less.

Beyond movies, there were numerous other things he attended to, like focusing on the company’s development, discussing the future with Claude, and juggling his time among women. Particularly the latter–forget about one-on-one, he was lively even in one-on-two situations. All these years he remained full of energy, never once falling ill, strong as a bear. Now, such a man was laid low by a cold. How could one not be surprised?

Basically, unless the women had something truly unavoidable, like Gwyneth rushing to shoot “Titanic” in Rosarito, or Rachel who had just returned from Morocco still clueless about her own situation, the rest had come to visit him at the villa, including Blanchett, who was still struggling. Kate was particularly delighted by his misfortune.

“Lily is totally mine these days!” she boasted with a victorious air, not at all resembling someone’s mother, but more like a big kid who finally nabbed her favorite toy.

Of course, she didn’t bring her daughter along. If Lily caught the flu from him, that would have been a real mess.

Thanks to Charlize’s arrangements, the women didn’t run into each other, so the atmosphere with Adrian was still quite pleasant. Especially since Adrian always gave them a dominating impression, confidently playing with them in the palm of his hand. Now, to see him suddenly so feeble, weakly reclining on the bed as if he couldn’t do anything, was really quite a novelty.

Regarding the cause of the illness, Adrian was somewhat vague, and the women didn’t ask too many questions. After all, catching a cold is easy if one is not careful. Charlize suspected something, but she wasn’t involved, so she wasn’t present at the time and thus couldn’t be certain. Therefore, the real cause was known only by Claude and the two people involved.

However, Claude, as both a best friend and a teasing buddy, didn’t offer comfort to Adrian right after learning what happened. Instead, he erupted into unceremonious laughter, completely disregarding Adrian, who was still wearing pajamas and leaning against the headboard.

“I think… I think we should dig out some of your old nicknames… see which one fits… and then crown you with it…” Claude laughed so hard he could barely catch his breath.

“Have you laughed enough?” Adrian looked at him, annoyed yet somewhat resigned.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop laughing, I promise…” Claude finally controlled himself after waving his hand and then he sighed, “God, I admit Sophie Marceau is really something. I know you appreciate her, you like her, but come on, it’s still winter!”

“Don’t tell me that when you’ve done everything to acquire a company immediately, you would tell them the timing isn’t right, let’s talk again when we can maximize the benefits, especially when two other companies are acquiring fervently next to you,” Adrian retorted with a scoff.

“That’s right, Mr. Playboy, you’re absolutely correct. So stop complaining and focus on getting better,” Claude said as he patted his arm, then burst into laughter again.

“I wasn’t complaining, I was just stating my point,” Adrian corrected, convinced any man in his position would have done the same.

Sophie’s pleading gaze was but a thin sheet of paper, easily punctured, and after just a few rounds, that pitiful expression turned into a dazed one. No matter what, Adrian was very attractive to her, and with the contact they’d had over the past year, occasional sparks of ambiguity, and the recent surge of passion, all pushed her over the edge.

Moreover, a wild encounter was incredibly thrilling, with another couple nearby demonstrating vividly, their moans as if urging her on. So, after the couple left, Sophie, now completely governed by desire, sat up to show her wild side. Although Adrian was well-experienced, he too found exceptional pleasure lying beneath her. Soon after, he spread his clothes on the ground, and there, on the grass, they indulged in a fervent and carefree battle.

French women can be quite a handful when they let loose. Adrian reminisced about the moment, especially with Sophie’s sultry yet pitiful look, as if she was constantly saying, “Faster, faster.” This may have been related to him feeling under the weather, with his entire body weakened and self-control diminished, but Sophie’s wildness and allure were undoubtedly factors as well.

However, the next day Sophie hurriedly left Adrian’s villa in Los Angeles and rushed back to Paris. Adrian had intended to see her off but was rejected. He didn’t take it personally, though he did notice a certain haste in her departure. Unexpectedly, he soon started to come down with a cold and fever and ended up bedridden.

Obviously, either Sophie’s unresolved cold or the night’s passionate encounter in the garden, which ended in heavy sweating and a chill from the cold wind, or both, were to blame. Falling ill from making love without regard for time or place wasn’t something to be proud of, so it was no wonder Claude found it amusing.

Well, a cold was just a cold, and even if he wanted to pursue victory in Paris, it would have to wait. Adrian wasn’t in a hurry and took the opportunity to continue discussing the company’s future with Claude.

“We’ve pretty much stabilized now, and your TV series and reality shows are indeed quite good,” Claude said with satisfaction when discussing the integration with ABC.

Ratings for “Everybody Loves Raymond” were now stable at around 14 million, and “Survivor,” after gradual adjustments and having several outstanding producers on board, was slowly gaining viewers as well, currently around 8 million. There was potential to break 10 million. These numbers were enough to halt ABC’s downward trend and to inspire the network’s team.

“If needed, I have many more ideas for TV series and reality shows,” Adrian offered. “For example, I have a concept for an improved version of ‘Millionaire’ right now.”

While hit TV shows could save a declining network, a network couldn’t rely on just one or two shows alone; thus, he wouldn’t mind bringing out more standout programs if needed.

“Don’t rush, Ed, let ABC maintain its current state for a while; it’s better for us,” Claude shook his head, “As for the improved ‘Millionaire’ reality show, the current ‘Millionaire’ hasn’t exhausted its potential yet, so there’s no need to hurry. I was thinking of giving this program…”

“Handing this program over to ABC to do, but Ted might have something to say about that, right?” Adrian chuckled. “No problem, you call the shots.”

“Good, regarding Marvel, unless something unexpected happens–I mean an intervention from Disney–it shouldn’t be past summer,” Claude then said.

“Oh?” Adrian raised his brows, “Seems like you’ve rounded up quite some funding.”

“Of course, you’re a genius in films, and I’m a genius here,” Claude boasted, before adding, “Even if you didn’t remind me, I would have gotten to this eventually.”

“You rascal,” Adrian said with a mix of exasperation and amusement, looking at him.

Acquiring Marvel wouldn’t be an issue when it comes to financing, as Marvel is rapidly approaching a dead end and considering cutting unnecessary departments to keep afloat. The cost of acquisition wouldn’t be much. Even though all the previous funding had been invested in the ABC acquisition, let’s not forget that it’s now 1996!

With the release of win95 and Yahoo’s IPO, the IT industry has taken off at a full sprint. Yahoo did report a loss last year, but the loss was only a few ten-thousands of US dollars, and profits this year are almost a certainty. Even Yang is already preparing to establish a true portal site for global isolation. Microsoft, Cisco stocks have become darlings of the banks. The initial shares have increased multifold by now, so raising funds is very simple, especially since…

“Websites need cash to smash. If you’re not willing to put in the work, you won’t catch the wolf. Pay big bucks to hire a few trolls to insult people. Find a few cultural celebrities to use as targets, whoever’s popular gets knocked down. What do websites rely on? They rely on click rates! When the click rates go up, the next buyer steps up. The money you put in, just add a zero and sell it to the next buyer–I’m telling you, if someone talks about acquiring, cash out immediately, don’t even talk about shares! If you’re interested, invest eight to ten million. I can’t promise more, but I guarantee you can make a hundred million within a year! For real–I’m talking about US dollars!”

Adrian was all too familiar with this classic line from some movie, though the current situation was not quite the same, and the hype tactics were oversimplified. Nevertheless, some fundamental things were unchanged.

In fact, before the bubble burst, it was true. During this period, if handled well, the profits might not be as massive as those in ’92, but they would certainly be a staggering figure.

“Alright, just focus on your recovery. I’ll handle everything,” Claude said as he prepared to leave.

Adrian wanted to say something else but thought better of it and gave up on the idea, lazily waving his hand: “Got it, don’t talk like I’m seriously ill or something.”

“In fact, I’m just a little worried,” Claude suddenly revealed a mischievous smile, “I worry that you can’t control your own ‘stuff,’ and if you spread it to someone else, and then it comes back to you, it would be the biggest joke in the world.”

“You bastard, Crow!” Adrian roared in anger, but Claude had already slipped away right after speaking, moving so swiftly that Adrian didn’t even have the time to grab something to throw, leaving only his laughter echoing down the hallway.

After all, a cold was a minor ailment. After resting for a few days and taking some medicine, Adrian was completely well, and before he knew it, February 14th was upon him. If he were to say what bothered him the most, it would be the various holidays. With several women around him, choosing to spend time with any one of them would inevitably displease the others, though most of the time it was smoothed over. However, it wasn’t good to do that often.

So, Adrian tried to come up with indisputable excuses during the holidays, like spending Christmas at The Godfather’s house, or last Thanksgiving with Kate since they now had a daughter. But some holidays were more challenging to handle, like the upcoming Valentine’s Day.

However, he seemed to have found a good solution now, which was to attend a movie premiere!

The movie chosen for release on February 14th, 1996, was “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” starring Julia. A romantic comedy, of course, is perfect for a Valentine’s Day release, so Adrian showed up boldly at the premiere. He didn’t walk in with Julia on his arm like he had for the “Emma” premiere, but reporters still roped him into many questions about Julia.

“It’s really unfair treatment, isn’t it?” Julia teased him during the screening.

“If you want, I can walk out with you later,” Adrian replied with a laugh, and gave her inner thigh a squeeze, earning him an eye roll from Julia.

Of course, Julia didn’t really let him walk her out. After all, although Adrian had come to the premiere as an excuse, he ended up spending Valentine’s night by her side, which was already a nice victory. Why push oneself into being against everyone else?

During moments of intense passion, she would occasionally feel bewildered, wondering why she became so ecstatic over a single victory. But soon, she would be overwhelmed by a tide of pleasure.

“My Best Friend’s Wedding” was indeed an outstanding movie. Although only the director and the leading and supporting actresses remained the same, it was still exquisitely produced. Whether it was the opening song sequence, the cunning rivalry between the two women in the middle, or Julia’s confession at the end, it all resulted in a mix of laughter and sentimentality, earning high scores from many film critics.

“Another romantic comedy with Julia Roberts, still as charming as ever” — Chicago Tribune

“With a hint of retro style, using humorous and interesting sequences to showcase the various competitions among women–an intriguing film” — New York Times

“Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz are the most outstanding characters in the entire film. Julia continues her image of independence, personality, persistence, and self-confidence, while Cameron represents the complete opposite: the little woman who likes to cling to men and craves protection–every man’s dream. From here, one can guess the ultimate outcome. However, they brilliantly depicted a love battle among women; Julia becomes the little woman for love, and Cameron becomes brave for love too. This chemical reaction is both amusing and touching, it’s truly a fun and intriguing movie, definitely suitable for a Valentine’s Day release.” — Film critic Paul Fars

“My Best Friend’s Wedding” received rave reviews, and hence, in its first weekend in North America, it took in an impressive 23 million US dollars at the box office, which was rather remarkable for a period that was just entering the off-season.

Julia, whose popularity was restored, climbed two notches up because of this. Her character in the film–the confident and assertive Julian, as well as the side of the little woman fighting for a man–was portrayed splendidly by her, making her character very likable.

“It’s all based on personal experience,” said Julia the next day, casually speaking while sitting in Adrian’s arms for breakfast, after seeing the comments in the newspaper.

Cameron Diaz’s popularity also rose significantly. Although she might not be particularly beautiful, her excellent figure, blonde bombshell look, and the little-woman persona she displayed in the film made her a favorite of many. Coupled with her decent acting skills–which at least were a big step up from just being a vase in “The Mask”–her slightly dumb image was also very appealing; she was definitely on the brink of becoming a top-tier actress.

“Your works always have a mysterious appeal, Ed,” said Cameron on the night of the premiere, not missing a chance to flirt with Adrian while Julia was away.

“So do you, Cameron. It’s been a while, but you’re still as beautiful as ever,” Adrian replied, complimenting her but not pursuing any further. Though he didn’t mind flirting with Cameron for fun, Julia’s feelings still had to be considered.

“Thanks, indeed it’s been some time since we last met,” said Cameron not lingering too much. After Adrian visited the set a few times, she knew where she stood compared to Julia. Although she felt discontent and struggled to accept this before, she eventually let it go, realizing some things can’t be forced–what Julia could have, she might not necessarily obtain.

“Perhaps, we could go out for coffee sometime,” Adrian suggested casually.

“No problem, just give me a call,” replied Cameron with a seductive smile.

Changing flavors once in a while wasn’t bad; after all, he had much to offer. In recent years, Adrian had acquired many screenplay rights for novels, TV shows, and the like based on his memory, and there was a suitable one, just as long as…

The success of “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” along with the soaring popularity of Julia and Cameron, led to a resurgence of gossip. Particularly when the screenwriter’s column prominently featured Adrian’s name, the various hints of romance between him and Julia were once again brought up. Moreover, since Cameron was the lead actress in “The Mask,” which was produced by Bossworth, and according to “well-informed sources,” Adrian and Cameron were very intimate on the set of “The Mask,” so a love triangle rumor was quickly fabricated.(To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to cast your vote or monthly ticket at wuxiaworld.site, your support is my greatest motivation.)