Chapter 64: Striking Up a Conversation

Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Striking Up a Conversation

While the two were whispering, a figure carrying a faint scent of cologne stopped at their table. They looked up and found Leonardo DiCaprio himself. He had somehow moved from their front left to their side without them noticing.

He held a champagne flute and leaned forward slightly. Those famous blue eyes were currently fixed on Britney’s face, unblinking and filled with a perfectly calibrated, affectionate focus.

"Good evening, you two charming ladies." His voice was intentionally low and husky, as if it had hooks in it.

Britney blinked her large eyes and clinked glasses with him very reservedly. "Good evening, Mr. DiCaprio."

Irene’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as she gave a casual greeting. Since his goal was clear, she didn’t need to show much enthusiasm. She simply picked up her glass and played the role of a quiet bystander.

"I’ve been deeply captivated ever since Miss Spears performed on stage. May I have the honor of calling you Britney?" Leonardo used smooth talk in what he thought was a profound tone.

"Of course. I also really liked Jack, the character you played. He was dangerous and charming," Britney replied easily, adding a slight lilt to her voice.

Watching Leo’s classic pick-up routine from the sidelines, with her best friend as the target, Irene felt a bit disillusioned. However, thinking of his many rumored girlfriends who were all blonde-haired and blue-eyed, it was perfectly normal for Britney to be his type.

"Please call me Leonardo. So, Britney, perhaps I could invite you for a drink after the party? I have many interesting stories from the filming of Titanic that I’d love to share with you."

Irene rolled her eyes inwardly and complained to herself. He was revealing his motives quickly. He could have at least said a few more nice things first. She knew they were all adults. Everyone understood what an invitation for a drink meant.

However, the sweet smile on Britney’s face didn’t change at all. Her tone held a hint of regret, but her rejection was crisp and clean. "Thank you very much for the invitation, Mr. DiCaprio. But I’m afraid I can’t. My boyfriend is already outside waiting to pick me up. It seems we aren’t meant to meet tonight."

Irene actually saw a look of embarrassment cross Leonardo’s face. Although it only lasted for a fraction of a second, it was still incredible. This was probably one of the few outright rejections he had received since Titanic swept the globe.

Leonardo was, after all, a superstar who had weathered many storms. He quickly adjusted his expression and maintained his grace, though his tone cooled slightly. "That’s a real shame then. I hope we can meet again if fate allows." With that, he gave Irene a polite nod, turned, and walked toward the next lively circle without lingering.

"You rejected him that directly?" As soon as he left, Irene looked at Britney in unconcealed surprise. She had clearly seen admiration for the superstar in Britney’s eyes just moments ago.

Britney took a sip from her glass. Her demeanor was relaxed and frank, showing a clarity beyond her years. "He’s a big star. Looking is enough. I like the Jack he played, but that doesn’t mean I want to become one of the female leads in his many stories for the night." She shrugged, looking completely unbothered.

Irene sincerely gave her a thumbs-up. "Great vision, great principles. That’s my girl!"

"Besides, my Edward isn’t much worse than him. And as long as I want, I can have Edward play Jack for me ten times, a hundred times. It would be the exclusive version," Britney said, tilting her chin slightly. Her tone carried a bit of a young girl’s pride and possessiveness.

Irene couldn’t help it and almost choked on her own saliva. Thinking of Edward’s acting, which was passable in Mean Girls but still a world away from Jack’s level, only someone with Britney’s filter could say such a thing.

However, she was truly happy for Britney. She hadn’t expected Britney’s feelings for Edward to be so serious. After all, in the vanity fair of Hollywood, fleeting flings were the norm. Clearly rejecting the temptation of a top superstar to stay in a stable relationship made the word true love seem like an anomaly here, but it was also exceptionally precious because of it.

After Leonardo, several more groups of men who considered themselves charming came to strike up conversations, but they were all easily dismissed by Irene and Britney, either politely or directly.

Then a steady, middle-aged man in a well-fitted suit with a carefully groomed gray beard walked up to them. His expression was serious and his gaze was sharp. He didn’t look like he was there for fun at all.

"Good evening, Miss Coppola, Miss Spears," he introduced himself. His voice was deep and clear. "I am Richard Kyle, Head of Distribution at Paramount Pictures."

Irene immediately perked up. Someone from Paramount, and the Head of Distribution at that, approaching her proactively in this setting carried significant meaning.

"It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Kyle," Irene said as she shook hands with him. Her attitude was neither humble nor arrogant.

"I’ll keep it brief, Miss Coppola," Kyle said, skipping the small talk and cutting straight to the point. "We understand you are preparing an action film project called The Italian Job. As you know, we at Paramount have always excelled in the action-adventure genre. For instance, Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible flourished with us.

Furthermore, we are very interested in the cross-genre potential you’ve shown as a director. I wonder if there might be an opportunity to discuss this in detail at your convenience?"

This was undoubtedly an olive branch. Although her cooperation with Fox was pleasant, Irene knew well that in Hollywood, having an extra option was never a bad thing, especially favor from one of the Big Six studios like Paramount.

She figured Shelly Ovitze must have built this bridge. Thinking back to how Shelly was the one who brought Fox to her last time, she once again felt a sincere admiration for the profession of an agent.

"Of course, Mr. Kyle. It would be my honor," Irene said. She took a private business card from her clutch and handed it over with a proper smile. "You are welcome to contact me anytime to discuss further."

Kyle took the card and nodded with satisfaction. "I look forward to our meeting." With that, he politely took his leave. His style of doing things was clean and efficient.

This scene clearly caught the attention of Adelaide Griffin, who had been keeping an eye on Irene’s movements nearby. The private contact from Paramount’s Head of Distribution was undoubtedly a strong signal, and it triggered Fox’s sense of crisis.

Almost as soon as Kyle left, Adelaide walked over with a wine glass and an impeccable smile.

"It seems our pearl of Fox is always so popular," he said half-jokingly, though his eyes looked at Irene seriously.

"To avoid any complications, I think it’s time to officially inform you. The final release date for Mean Girls has been set for the first weekend of next June. Your movie will spend the entire summer season in theaters. The full distribution and marketing plan will be delivered to you next Monday."

Irene felt relieved. This was indeed good news.

But Adelaide wasn’t finished. He immediately dropped another bombshell.

"Additionally, regarding The Italian Job, the company’s approval committee has officially authorized the project."

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice to show solemnity. "Next month, the company will form a dedicated negotiation team to discuss all the details with you officially, including the director’s contract, budget, and profit sharing. Congratulations, Irene. Fox is very much looking forward to joining hands with you again."

A genuine smile appeared on Irene’s face. Paramount’s unexpected intervention acted like a catalyst, clearly accelerating Fox’s internal decision-making process and allowing her to get this formal commitment ahead of schedule.

So, competition really does breed motivation.