Chương 49: Chapter 49: Some Things You Just Couldn't Avoid
[Chapter 49: Some Things You Just Couldn't Avoid]
"Come in, Ms. Barrymore," Eric said flatly as he let Jaid Barrymore inside and closed the door, then he headed straight for the villa.
Jaid quickened her pace to follow Eric, her eyes darting around at everything in the luxurious mansion. When she caught sight of the opulent modern villa, envy washed over her.
Although Drew had a big name, the film industry had started to forget her due to her age, and there weren't many suitable roles available. Since starring in E.T., she had only managed to land a few more parts, and the pay wasn't great. The money she earned barely allowed Jaid to splurge, let alone buy such a lavish house.
In the last couple of years, Drew's sense of independence had grown stronger, and their relationship had soured significantly. Jaid knew relying on Drew to land movie roles and make money was becoming increasingly tough. Thus, when someone suggested she sue Eric, Jaid only took a moment to consider and ultimately agreed. The other party promised that if she signed her name on the lawsuit as Drew's guardian, she could get a sum of money without even appearing in court; everything would be handled by a lawyer. To Jaid, this opportunity, almost like a windfall, was too tempting to pass up.
...
As she stepped into the villa's living room, Drew turned in response to the noise on the sofa. The moment she saw her mother, the smile on her face melted away like snow in the sun. Her expression shifted through emotions rapidly. Unable to suppress her anger, Drew jumped up, grabbed a throw pillow, and hurled it at Jaid, yelling, "What are you doing here?"
The throw pillow landed off target, but Eric quickly caught it and shot Drew a warning look. "Drew, no more messing around."
While Jaid didn't dare show off in front of Eric, she felt bold confronting her daughter. "You little brat! How dare you throw things at me? Do you see what you've become? I'm your mother, of course I'm here to take you home!"
"Isn't it ironic?" Drew retorted, waving her hand at Jaid. "I was out late so many times before, and once I was so drunk that the cops picked me up and brought me home in the middle of the night. You never came looking for me then. But now, you think you're my mother? Ha, what a joke!"
Jaid shot back, "Isn't it your disobedience that caused all of that? If you had just stayed home like a good girl, those things wouldn't have happened! And what happened at home? Do you even realize how many bed sheets you ruined? Those cost money! Come home with me, and we'll settle this."
As she said this, Jaid stepped forward to grab Drew.
Eric frowned slightly upon hearing Jaid's words. The white bandage on Drew's knee was clearly visible, yet Jaid overlooked it to worry only about a few bed sheets. That made Eric feel a deep sense of disgust.
Drew ducked around the couch to avoid her mother's grasp, shouting, "You can't make me! I know exactly what you plan to do. I love Eric, and you want to frame him for money! I will never forgive you. I'm cutting off ties with you!"
"You... what nonsense are you spouting?" Jaid exclaimed, momentarily shocked by the revelation. She glanced nervously at Eric, feeling at a loss.
Drew noticed her mother's sudden stillness and sneered, "What, have I struck a nerve? Let's not even say Eric and I have done anything. Even if we did, I'd still deny it. If you dare sue him, I'll testify against you, and you can just wait to see yourself in prison."
Seeing that Drew was on the verge of saying something even worse, Eric interjected, "That's enough, Drew. Go upstairs for now; I need to talk to your mother alone."
Drew glared at Jaid and huffed as she turned to head for the stairs.
...
"Please have a seat, Ms. Marco. Let's talk," Eric said as he set the pillow back on the sofa and took a seat himself.
Jaid lowered her head slightly while sitting across from Eric, suddenly realizing that the money might not be so easy to secure after all. Initially, she had thought Drew's relationship with Eric would be just like those of Drew's previous wild friends. She assumed that with a little persuasion and the lure of cash, Drew would agree to testify against Eric.
But Drew's intense reaction made Jaid understand that her daughter had genuinely fallen for this man and was deeply attached. In the past, whenever they fought, Drew had never said such harsh words about cutting off their mother-daughter relationship.
More importantly, even if Jaid sued Eric and lost, she felt her loss would be minimal. But now that Drew said she'd testify against her for framing Eric, that could carry serious weight. With this young man's wealth and status, would he let her off easily?
With these thoughts racing through her mind, Jaid couldn't help but shudder.
Watching Jaid wrestle with her thoughts, Eric smirked and asked, "So, Ms. Barrymore, you heard what Drew just said. Are you still determined to go through with your original plan?"
Jaid fell silent.
"Well, let me put it this way: You might have been offered some money, but I'm not so easy to manipulate. As Drew said, this is slander, and I can just as easily send you to prison for it. And the people who are pushing you to do this will surely toss you aside when it gets tough. Furthermore, once Drew turns 18 and out of spite decides to cut ties with you, do you know what that means?"
Jaid instinctively nodded, then quickly shook her head.
Eric continued, "It means your most important source of income would be completely severed. From what I understand, you don't have any other means of supporting yourself. You could very well spend the rest of your life in poverty, even ending up in a Los Angeles ghetto."
The thought of such a grim scenario sent another shiver down Jaid's spine. She weakly protested, "No, that's impossible. She can't do that to me. I raised her!"
"And so what? Over the years, how much money has Drew made for you? She owes you nothing. Even if you brought this to the media, based on your actions, not many would sympathize with you."
Jaid found herself speechless once more. Eric allowed her a moment to process before asking, "Have you accepted any money from those people?"
Jaid shook her head in defeat. "They said they'd only pay me once I signed the lawsuit."
Eric nodded, satisfied. "That's good; everything can still be salvaged. So now, I'm giving you another option: immediately refuse those people. I'll give you an upfront sum, but you have to agree never to disturb Drew again. I'll arrange for an agent to take care of her affairs. Once Drew turns 18, I'll convince her to give you a sum for support every year, enough to keep you living comfortably as a middle-class person."
After saying this, Eric took out a checkbook, filled in the amount, and slid it across to Jaid.
Jaid glanced at the figure on the check, her eyes gleaming with greed. She extended her hand slightly but pulled back quickly and argued, "Mr. Williams, isn't a million a bit low?"
Eric scoffed, "It is a little low; perhaps I should just write a check for five hundred thousand instead."
Jaid swiftly snatched the check and tucked it away.
"Alright, since you've made your choice, I have a few conditions to lay out. First, you can't profit off Drew's name in any way, meaning no disclosing her private life to reporters, no TV appearances, and no books about her. I'll have my personal lawyer draft a legally binding contract. If you break any of these agreements, then everything I've said today will be off the table, and you'll have to give back every cent you receive."
Jaid quickly weighed the pros and cons. What Eric laid out as prohibitions didn't seem to offer her much, and soon she nodded in agreement.
"Then, Ms. Barrymore, you may leave now. I'll have the lawyer prepare the contract promptly."
Jaid forced a smile and offered a few parting words, not caring about Drew anymore as she hurried out.
...
Once Jaid was gone, Drew came downstairs. Spotting Eric, she rushed over, practically buzzing with excitement. "Eric, you were so generous! A million! Now I'm yours!"
Eric ruffled Drew's hair, chuckling, "You're not a doll, you're still yourself. But remember, little lady, you owe me a million bucks, and you'll need to pay it back someday."
Drew pouted playfully, "I'm not paying! I've decided to be collateral! I wouldn't mind being a doll!"
Eric lightly tapped her on the forehead. "Stop joking. Did you order takeout earlier?"
"Yes, I did," Drew replied. "But why did you say I should give that money to... her? I don't want to deal with her. I want her to be broke!"
With a sigh, Eric patted her head, recognizing that Drew, only thirteen or fourteen, had some skewed ideas. She didn't understand that life operates by certain rules and can't just be dictated by one's whims. In Drew's past, even when she had clearly cut ties with her father, she still sent him a yearly support payment, a sign of her maturity at that point.
"You'll understand one day, Drew. This is a... fate. In life, some things you just couldn't avoid."
Drew nodded, somewhat begrudgingly, then her mood shifted back into excitement. "Eric, can I move into your place?"
Eric shook his head, "Drew, you need to head back to school. I plan to enroll you in a boarding school. With everything that's happened, how long has it been since you went to class?"
"No way! Eric, I get a headache just looking at books! Can't I just keep making movies?"
"No," Eric replied firmly. "You need to finish high school at the very least. Whether you like it or not, this is an experience you'll need. Plus, you're at an awkward age, and not many films are suitable for you right now."
"Alright, I'll do what you say," Drew conceded quickly, though her mind was already spinning with thoughts of skipping class adventures.
*****
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