I am in Hollywood (18+ version)

Chapter 52: Preventing the sale?

"What, the woman rejected us ? Didn't you tell me before that this was settled ?" In a villa in Malibu, Blount Cohen had just gotten up that his a.s.sistant had come in a hurry, bringing bad news.

"Mr. Cohen, it had been settled in the beginning, but last night when we contacted her, the woman suddenly changed her mind."

His day had barely begun that his mood was already down the dumps, Blount Cohen frowned: "If she thinks the money isn't enough, can't you just add more ?"

His a.s.sistant shook his head and said: "No, I thought so too and tried to incite her, but she bluntly refused. I think she might have come to a private agreement with Eric Williams."

The man handed a newspaper to Blount Cohen, and when the latter looked at it, he saw a picture of Drew Barrymore and her mother appearing at the door of Eric's mansion.

Blount Cohen didn't read the content, it was probably just some paparazzi nonsense anyway. He threw the newspaper on the table, thought for a moment, and said: "Is there anyway for the woman to know that we were behind this ?"

If Drew's mother and Eric had really come to an agreement, then the woman was likely to disclose all the information she had about the person who instigated her.

Although Blount Cohen was petty and narrow-minded, he had learned the hard way that Eric Williams was not someone to belittle, who knew when the lad would create another storm. Cohen would not make the same mistake and treat Eric as an ordinary young man.

His a.s.sistant quickly shook his head: "Of course not, Mr. Cohen, I've never had any direct contact with her, n.o.body will know it was our doing."

"That's good." Blount Cohen was somewhat unwilling, he hesitated a moment before saying: "Let's temporarily leave it at that."

The a.s.sistant fawningly suggested: "Actually, Mr. Cohen, we could use another method, we don't necessarily have to go through Drew Barrymore's mother."

Blount Cohen waved his hand: "I said we'll temporarily leave it at that."

Noticing his boss' unhappy look, the a.s.sistant readily shut his mouth.

If it was in the past, Blount Cohen would certainly not let the matter go, Eric had humiliated him big time, and if he didn't take revenge, then he'd probably blow up from the pent-up anger.

But now he had more important problems at hands.

After j.a.pan's Sony consortium had acquired CBS Records, they started frequently contacting the CocCola board in an attempt to s.n.a.t.c.h away Columbia Pictures from the Samsung Group.

As a result of the mediatic storm from before, Blount Cohen had used all he could to barely stabilize his position.

So long as Columbia stayed in the hands of The CocCola group, he just had to make use of his many years of connections and might just be able to keep his current position for a few more years, or better even, until his retirement.

All I need is a capable person to handle the rest, someone like you."

Kapoor listened to the young man, then shook his head and smiled: "Eric, you're really confident."

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Remembering the masterstroke that was the gambling agreement, Kapoor reluctantly nodded. He added: "Eric, turning someone into a superstar isn't easy, I worked at the CAA for many years, and I can tell you that there's a professional team working in the shadows of every single Hollywood star."

Eric interrupted Kapoor's speech and asked: "Would you say Stuart Runkle now counts as one ?"

Kapoor apparently knew about Home Alone's protagonist, he said: "Of course, he could be said to be Hollywood's current top child star."

"So," Eric continued, "If I later shoot movies as popular as Home Alone with the actors I'll have attributed to you, you're confident you'll be able to manage them ?"

"Without a problem, but Eric, this a.s.sumption of yours is meaningless, Home Alone's success is completely attributed to luck, it's not something one can just replicate."

"If you don't try, how will you know ?" Eric said as he put his hands on the table and crossed his fingers. He asked, a little puzzled: "Kapoor, why is it that you, as a seller who should be doing anything to convince me to buy, seems to be trying to... prevent the sale ?"

Kapoor shrugged: "Eric, I'm an agent, not a profiteer. I'm just being honest with you, all I want is to sell my agency and convince the buyer to let the current employees keep their jobs; I never intended to stay."

"When you work as an agent, do you also negotiate with movie companies so honestly ?"

Kapoor quickly shook his head: "Of course not, I would have given my all for the greater good of my employer, but these are two different things, Eric."

"Then there's no problem. Kapoor, I'll only buy your agency on the condition that you stay. If you don't, buying becomes meaningless to me."

"It seems I have no choice ?"

Eric firmly nodded.

Kapoor sipped on his coffee and thought for a moment, and in the end, he agreed. What changed his mind was expectation; the hope that the prodigy in front of him would keep on creating more miracles.

_ _ _ _

I used the terms 'brokerage firm' and 'broker' a lot before, but I'll be changing them to 'agency' and 'agent' from now on.