章 245: Chapter 245: What Do You Think of Me
[Chapter 245: What Do You Think of Me]
Just when Eric was about to speak, he was suddenly interrupted by Donald Trump. After the waiter finished serving the food, Donald noticed that Eric looked rather strange. He worried that the young man might bring up something he wouldn't understand, so Donald hurriedly opened the conversation, "Eric, have you been to New York before?"
Eric nodded slightly. "I've been a few times."
"And what do you think of it here?" Donald asked, pointing outside.
Eric smiled and spoke frankly, "Honestly, I haven't really had much of a feeling about it. The times I came were quite rushed, and I was just dealing with business."
Donald nodded, then added, "You should explore more. A bustling metropolis like New York is a paradise for people like us. By the way, have you considered purchasing property in New York? You should know that the prices are quite low right now. Perhaps in a year or two, they will surge again."
Eric cast a wary glance at Donald Trump. The real estate magnate had reached out to him personally -- was he trying to sell him property? It seemed far-fetched. Eric raised his wrist to check his watch and then said, "Mr. Trump, you know I don't have much time, so if there's something you want to say, just say it."
Donald Trump had intended to take a few minutes to ease into the conversation, but Eric's straightforwardness would not let him. The traditionally bold and decisive developer let his utensils drop and shifted his posture before saying, "Eric, are you interested in real estate?"
Eric felt he was beginning to understand, yet he was still a bit confused. He could only continue asking, "What do you mean?"
Donald spoke with an enticing tone, "I mean, would you like to invest in real estate? You need to know, this is a golden opportunity to buy into the North American property market. Miss this chance, and you might have to wait at least twenty years."
Eric didn't know whether this real estate mogul was being deliberate or casual, but he found himself mentally calculating the time until the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 -- well, that was twenty years away, wasn't it?
Setting aside his somewhat random thoughts, Eric asked calmly, "Why me, Mr. Trump? If, as you say, now is a great opportunity, there must be many others wanting to buy in?"
Donald Trump replied without hesitation, "Of course, there are many trying to buy in, but they don't have your advantages."
Eric smiled slightly and asked, "Are you referring to my... funds?"
Donald Trump nodded earnestly, "Eric, I happened to read some news about you in the newspaper, which was why I couldn't help but reach out for a visit. But this is also a huge opportunity for you. Your Firefly Films is going to generate significant profits this year, right? If you invest that in real estate, I can assure you that in a few years, it will double in value. That's a lot less risky than investing in movies."
Eric asked with interest, "Mr. Trump, if I were to invest in real estate, what advice would you have for me?"
Donald Trump was momentarily surprised, not expecting such a direct response from the young man. But noticing the mischievous glint in Eric's eyes, a hint of embarrassment crossed his face.
However, he quickly remembered his purpose in this conversation and pushed those feelings aside. "My real estate company needs financing right now, but you should also have heard about some of our country's recent economic conditions. Therefore, borrowing from the bank isn't very easy. I just happened to see some information about you in the paper, Eric. What do you think?"
Eric shook his head. "Mr. Trump, I actually don't have much money to spare. If you knew me even a little, you'd realize I've spent almost all I earned this year."
"Don't you still have... a few films coming out at the end of the year?" Donald Trump immediately countered. "Eric, your company has five films releasing this year, and they are all highly anticipated by distributors. They should bring in at least a hundred million dollars in profit, right?"
"Sorry, Mr. Trump, but I'm not interested in investing in real estate," Eric directly stated. Although his previous knowledge led him to believe real estate was profitable, Eric knew nothing about the industry; he felt that investing a hundred million or two would likely be a loss. Honestly, he preferred investing in movies -- after all, he was well-versed with the box office hits of the years. Even if he ended up with excess money, he would invest it in an industry he knew well, not in the unfamiliar world of real estate.
Donald Trump, unfazed by Eric's refusal, didn't press the issue further. He understood that as long as the young man exercised some rationality, no matter how much he talked, Eric wouldn't agree immediately. The most important thing now was to establish a longer-lasting connection with Eric. He believed that with his charm, despite the age difference, he could easily become friends with him.
Thus, Donald Trump relaxed and casually said, "Eric, I heard recently that your Home Alone 2 crew was in talks with a hotel for on-location shooting. What do you think of the Hyatt on 42nd Street? That's my property. I could let your crew use it for free."
Eric declined, "No need, we've already made arrangements with the Plaza Hotel near Central Park, and they agreed to let us use it for free."
Donald Trump was well aware of the Plaza's standard and asked incredulously, "Free?"
Eric nodded, a bit smug. Getting a five-star hotel to let the crew use it for free, even with staff willing to do cameos, wasn't something easily achieved before.
This situation was made possible thanks to Pretty Woman. The Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles served as a filming location, and once the film became a hit, the hotel gained significant popularity, even becoming a tourist attraction in Beverly Hills. Many visitors would specifically stop by the Wilshire Hotel when in Los Angeles, with some even choosing to stay there if they could.
While Donald Trump's Hyatt was of good quality, it didn't quite match the luxury of the Plaza. Thus, hearing Eric's statement, Donald Trump didn't push it further. After thinking for a moment, he again said, "So, Eric, what do you think of me?"
"What?"
"I mean, do you think I could make a cameo in your movie?"
Eric raised an eyebrow, recalling a background character from Home Alone 2. "Are you sure?"
Seeing an opportunity, Donald Trump quickly replied, "Of course! I've done cameo roles in a few TV shows before; I figure movies would be about the same, right?"
Donald Trump was not so much interested in the cameo itself, but more eager to maintain contact with Eric and continue persuading him.
Since the opportunity had come to him, Eric nodded in agreement, a smile with a hint of mischief on his face as he said, "If you're willing, then of course it's fine."
The lunch went quite pleasantly. Afterward, Donald Trump quickly escorted Eric back to the set.
...
"Everyone! Everyone pay attention, it's time to work! Allen, where are you?" Eric called out as he entered the set, grabbing a megaphone.
The crew, who had been resting, immediately gathered and got busy with their respective tasks.
"Mr. Williams, did you call for me?" Allen popped up from somewhere, asking.
Eric nodded. "You don't need to be here this afternoon. Help me collect some info on Donald Trump's company."
"Donald Trump? Who's that?" Allen asked, puzzled.
Not wanting to explain, Eric pointed at Elisabeth, who was approaching. "You can ask Liz, and then bring the info to me tonight."
"Oh," Allen nodded and headed toward Elisabeth.
Eric then began directing the crew to prepare for the scenes to be shot that afternoon.
...
At the hotel where the crew was staying, the accommodations were infinitely better than those in Seattle.
After a while, the sound of running water in the bathroom stopped. Moments later, Eric emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist.
Nicole, who had been lying on the large bed in a light blue nightgown, reading a magazine, sat up upon hearing noise. She held up a document that had been placed on the nightstand. "Allen just came by and delivered this."
Eric raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You opened the door?"
The woman innocently nodded. "I called for you, but you didn't hear me, so I had to..."
Eric looked at her for a moment, exhaling deeply. "Alright."
Seeing Eric not pursuing the matter further, Nicole secretly sighed in relief. Very few knew about her relationship with Eric, not even Aniston. That silly girl still believed Eric had cast her through legitimate audition processes.
However, while Nicole didn't want outsiders to know about her relationship with Eric, those who needed to know, like Jeffrey or Eric's assistant, or some other important people around Eric, still needed to be informed.
*****
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