บท 100: Chapter 100: The Goal for Two Lives
[Chapter 100: The Goal for Two Lives]
After the on-site inspection, Frank Gehry suggested finding a place to discuss more details, so Eric led him directly to Virginia's nearby vacation home. Virginia showed no displeasure at Eric's apparent ownership of the situation; instead, she quietly and attentively hosted Frank and his intern assistant.
Frank believed Virginia to be Eric's lover, but he kept his thoughts to himself, merely marveling at how the young, miraculous director truly knew how to enjoy life. Virginia, with her top-notch appearance and figure, was not only beautiful but also remarkably sweet and sensible -- such a partner was bound to bring no trivial troubles to a man.
As a renowned architect, he often mingled with the wealthy elite who invited him to design their homes, and over time, he had seen his share of bizarre secrets from high society, so he had grown accustomed to it. He had even witnessed a wealthy mogul keeping female slaves in his estate -- not just hired housemaids, but true, literal slaves who had been conditioned to the point of losing their identities, obedient like pets.
Meanwhile, Frank's intern assistant occasionally cast curious glances between Eric and Virginia. It took several stern looks from Frank to finally keep the assistant in line, who then dutifully took notes with his head bowed.
The plot of land Eric bought exceeded one hectare, translating to over 10,000 square feet. However, the Iron Man Malibu mansion he had sketched out from memory, together with the helipad and other facilities, occupied less than 2,000 square feet. Therefore, aside from the main building, all the other design elements were handed over to Frank's architectural firm.
Frank Gehry was known as a deconstructivist architect, and many of his designs were quite eccentric, earning him quite a bit of criticism, but also a great deal of admiration. After Eric assured him there would be no budget constraints, Frank became even bolder in his proposals, suggesting a construction plan that featured granite, special glass, and low-alloy high-strength steel as the main materials. This alone drove the cost to the tens of millions of dollars.
From Frank's explanations, Eric learned that such expensive materials were typically reserved for landmark public buildings in cities. Eric's initial vision was to make this mansion an iconic structure in Malibu, and it was a perfect fit. As for the money, it was not an issue for Eric; after all, he earned so much to be able to do whatever he wanted.
They continued their discussions until evening, at which point Frank Gehry promised to produce several complete design proposals for Eric to choose from and politely declined dinner, leaving with his assistant.
...
Once in the car, Frank earnestly advised the young intern driving, "Scott, you're going to encounter various wealthy elite in your future work. It's inevitable that you'll see and hear things, but remember, if you want to avoid trouble, it's best to keep your mouth shut."
Scott was already quite familiar with Eric and coincidentally knew Virginia, the not-so-famous actress. He couldn't believe that the eighteen-year-old director was having an affair with Virginia, who was ten years his senior. If this got out, it would definitely create a bombshell of a story.
Scott had actually planned to brag about this scoop to a few friends that night, but after hearing his mentor's stern warning, he thought better of it. Selling the story to the tabloids wouldn't yield much money, and it could cost him his bright future.
"I got it, Mr. Gehry," Scott replied.
Frank patted him on the shoulder and chose not to say more.
...
Back at Virginia's small villa, after seeing Frank off, she started tidying up the teacups and casually asked the young man sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine, "Eric, aren't you worried that bringing those two to my house might get out?"
Without looking up, Eric responded, "Don't worry, it won't."
"That's not certain," Virginia countered, washing the teacups in the kitchen. "Frank's assistant seemed to recognize me. I saw him casting glances between us more than once."
Eric turned his head to ask, "Are you worried our relationship might be exposed?"
Virginia flashed a flirtatious smile at Eric. "Of course not! I would love for a scandal to break out about us. That way, I could finally become famous instead of just another unknown actress."
"Then what's there to worry about? You should be praying that assistant sells the story to the tabloids," Eric chuckled, turning his attention back to the magazine.
Virginia finished washing the cups, dried her hands, and returned to the living room, sitting alluringly next to Eric. "I'm just looking out for you. Don't you have a formal girlfriend? You even have a little girl at home, and now you want to flirt with me. Aren't you worried the media will label you a playboy?"
"Being a playboy has been my goal in life for two lifetimes; it's something I've longed for," he quipped.
"Oh, don't look at that -- it's so sleazy for a man to read women's magazines." Virginia snatched the magazine from Eric and tossed it aside. "You seem very sure that Frank won't spill the beans?"
Eric picked the magazine back up, flipped to the page he had been on, intrigued by an article on women's fashion and personality. Blocking her reaching hand, he said, "Don't mess around; let me tell you. Mr. Gehry is a very stable person; he won't go broadcasting this matter. As for his assistant, did you notice how loose his suit was? It clearly didn't fit him."
"Hmm?" Virginia curled up against Eric's arm, her eyes wide with curiosity. The expression on her face, so cute coming from a mature woman, was hard to resist.
Eric couldn't help but gaze at her for a few seconds longer, then continued, "The ill-fitting suit is probably borrowed. No one would wear borrowed clothes to work long-term; it's more likely from his father's wardrobe. I've been in a similar situation myself, which indicates his family isn't very well off, and he would sure want to hold onto this job. Frank has also undoubtedly noticed that assistant's behavior observing us and will certainly warn him not to blab. If a person lands a position as an architect's assistant, their intelligence is pretty much unquestionable; as long as Frank gives him a gentle nudge, he'll know what to do."
*****
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