Chapter 344: Duke and the Elf Angel

Although winter was slowly fading, the September temperatures in Wellington were still a bit low. Duke's weekend party could only be held inside the manor's villa. Parties were a favorite pastime for the cast and crew, and indeed all of North America. As a way to relax after work, Duke occasionally hosted them in his villa at the foot of Mount Victoria.

The barrier to entry for his parties wasn't high. Any of the main cast and crew could attend, but the turnout was especially large this time because most of the Victoria's Secret models had joined in.

However, even at a party, these models maintained extremely strict standards for themselves while they were working.

"I'm used to watching other people enjoy good food."

In the grand banquet hall, Alessandra Ambrosio sat across from Duke. A short distance away, she watched John Schwartzman stuffing his face from a plate piled high with barbecue.

She speared a tiny cube of cucumber and brought it to her mouth. "Meat, grains, fats, and cheese. Ever since I became a model, those foods have been completely off-limits."

Duke cut a small piece of roast steak. After eating it, he said, "Everyone in this industry is on a diet, and I'm no exception. Otherwise, I would've ended up looking like John a long time ago."

In recent years, John Schwartzman's skyrocketing fame had been accompanied by his skyrocketing weight.

"Barbecue, cheese pudding..." Ambrosio looked at her vegetable salad, bereft of dressing. "The staple foods in New Zealand are terrifying."

She pushed her plate of vegetables aside. "For every extra bite you take, you have to work that much harder in the gym."

Ever since the Victoria's Secret angels joined the cast for filming, Duke had learned a bit about their habits through the staff. Compared to actresses, who also dieted, their control over their food and water intake was absolutely hellish.

A good figure wasn't just innate; it was forged through insane workouts.

Standing up and heading for the banquet hall's dining area, Duke asked, "Do you want something to drink?"

Ambrosio gave an entirely unsurprising answer. "A glass of water."

Passing through the lounge area, Duke walked past a gathered crowd of actors and models.

Elijah Wood's voice rang out from the side. "Hey, Duke! Come play Truth or Dare with us."

"You guys go ahead and play without me."

Setting aside the fact that he was in no mood for games, as a director, he usually had to keep a bit of distance from the actors anyway.

Stepping into the dining area, Duke went straight to the beverage table. He grabbed a carton of juice and walked around the long oak table toward the water pitchers on the other side. As he did, a girl who had been picking through the nearby fruit strode over.

"Hi, Duke," Gisele Bundchen greeted him.

Duke picked up a water glass and gave her a nod. "Hello, Gisele."

He started heading back the way he came, but Gisele Bundchen followed, catching up to him in just a few steps.

"You're not a very active host, hiding in the corner all the time," she said. "It looks like you and Corinne were having a great chat."

"She just had some questions about her role that she wanted to ask me."

As he spoke, Billy Boyd walked toward them. Seeing Gisele Bundchen, Billy deliberately winked at Duke. Duke raised an eyebrow at him, and the guy immediately clamped his mouth shut and brushed past them.

"Duke, I've already finished writing a song!" he tossed back as he passed. "I'm going to go practice with the band now. Listen for my performance later."

Duke joked with him, "Billy, if you're just going to make noise, I'll rally the crowd to throw you out."

"He's a lively one."

Continuing to walk alongside Duke toward the lounge area, Gisele Bundchen said, "He came up with the most tricks during our game earlier."

"Hmm..." Duke nodded without breaking his stride.

Gisele Bundchen continued, "During Truth or Dare, I chose a dare, and he actually told me to run over and forcefully confess my love to you."

Although she kept walking forward, Gisele Bundchen's eyes never left Duke.

Duke turned his head and glanced at her. The eyes of this nearly six-foot-tall female model seemed to be conveying something.

"Hey, Duke."

Another tall figure suddenly came up to meet them. Alessandra Ambrosio seemed a bit impatient from the wait as she asked, "Where's my water? I'm so thirsty..."

"Sorry, I got held up for a moment."

The vast majority of the time, especially in public settings, Duke's manners were impeccable. He handed the glass over, and Ambrosio took it and immediately drank a large mouthful. She seemed genuinely thirsty.

"Corinne, don't you avoid drinking water at night?"

The other tall figure had already caught up. Gisele Bundchen stood right beside Duke.

"Aren't you worried about having bags under your eyes and puffy skin tomorrow?" she asked, her affectionate tone carrying an entirely different implication.

"Thanks for the reminder."

As if Duke had handed her holy water, Ambrosio took another large gulp.

"I trust my body's metabolism," she said.

She pointed to the chairs around the lounge table, inviting her to sit with the air of a hostess. "Take a seat, Gisele. Don't be shy."

With that, Ambrosio stayed by Duke's side and was the first to sit down at the small round table. Gisele Bundchen, holding her fruit plate, looked at her before walking over and sitting down directly across from Duke.

Throughout the entire process, her gaze never left Ambrosio's face. Ambrosio stared back at her without the slightest trace of fear. Their eyes clashed mid-air, exuding a tension that only women could truly understand.

Duke opened his juice and offered it to the two women. Seeing them both shake their heads in refusal, he grabbed a glass, poured himself half a cup, and took a slow sip. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he was paying close attention to Ambrosio and Gisele Bundchen.

It was obvious that these two young Victoria's Secret angels were going head-to-head.

Judging by the current situation, Duke could easily tell that their conflict hadn't started in New Zealand.

Although he never underestimated himself, Duke also knew he wasn't the center of the universe. Even if he possessed the capital to attract any woman trying to climb the ladder of fame and fortune, it wouldn't be enough to make Ambrosio and Gisele Bundchen display their mutual hostility so openly.

As one of Victoria's Secret's major shareholders, Duke had his own proxy on the board of directors and was privy to some inside information. Just like Hollywood stars, the Victoria's Secret angels were not the picture of deep sisterhood in private that they displayed to the public. There were distinct differences in status among the angels. Fierce competition existed within their ranks, and with annual evaluations, those who ranked at the bottom were highly likely to be eliminated.

Duke vaguely remembered that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who had once starred in Transformers 3, later left Victoria's Secret. She publicly claimed she had stepped down voluntarily, but in reality, she had been swept out the door by the brand.

Besides, once you entered Victoria's Secret and became an angel model, who wouldn't want to become the top star wearing the multi-million-dollar diamond bra?

"I heard you're heading back to New York next Monday?"

Turning her gaze to Duke, Ambrosio suddenly revealed a faint, victorious smile.

"Are your scenes finished already?" she asked.

Gisele Bundchen's expression soured. Of all the models who had come to Wellington, Ambrosio, playing Arwen, had the heaviest workload. The others were nothing more than minor characters who showed their faces a few times; even the person filming them was the crew's second assistant director.

"Of course. Of course I'm returning to New York." Gisele Bundchen seemed to be reminding Ambrosio, "As a contracted angel for Victoria's Secret, my main profession is modeling. My future is on the runway."

Duke didn't have much interest in these squabbles between women. When Billy Boyd stepped up to the microphone on the small stage, Duke immediately turned his attention that way.

"Yesterday, I read the ending of the script. Frodo and Gandalf leave the Middle-earth Continent, and Pippin loses his best friends and companions."

The guy had suddenly completely changed his style, switching from comedic to sentimental.

"We, The Fellowship of the Ring, all of us gathered in New Zealand, working together to complete a magical journey. But! There will come a time when filming ends. The day will come when we must part ways..." he said.

Duke stood up, the first to start clapping. The people in the banquet hall also rose, applauding in unison.

"This is 'The Last Goodbye', for all of you."

The sounds of an accordion and acoustic guitar drifted through the banquet hall. Because the band had only just received the sheet music, their playing wasn't particularly practiced, and Billy Boyd's singing wasn't very professional either.

Perhaps it was because his earlier words had laid the groundwork, or perhaps it was due to the harmonious atmosphere among the cast and crew, but everyone listened with deep earnestness.

"I watch the daylight fade and twilight rise, I hear the wind's breath like a sighing cry, As falling snow conceals my old friends' forms, I softly whisper this final goodbye..."

When people who love to joke around suddenly turn sentimental, the effect can sometimes be quite profound.

"A thousand miles of rivers and mountains traversed, A myriad of pains and sorrows tasted, No regrets, no remorse, nor ever forgotten, Who will weather the hardships with me...

Though we've journeyed together all this way, there comes a time when the party is over."

The accompaniment had long since fallen out of sync with Billy Boyd's voice, but it couldn't stop him from singing a melody tinged with faint sorrow and reluctance to part.

Just as his song came to an end, applause erupted once more. Duke was also clapping. Throughout Billy Boyd's entire performance, he had remained standing, listening intently. As a die-hard fan of this series, thinking of the final separation of The Fellowship of the Ring and the inevitable passing of King Elessar brought a surge of emotion to his heart.

As the applause died down, Duke said in a clear, loud voice, "Billy, keep perfecting this song."

No matter how dense Billy Boyd might be, he understood that this song had gained Duke's preliminary approval. He quickly replied, "I definitely will!"

As if touched by the sentiment of the song, the party struggled to maintain its earlier lively atmosphere. The guests began bidding Duke farewell and leaving one after another. Among them, Orlando Bloom, Gerard Butler, and Zack Snyder all left with beautiful models in tow.

The most outrageous was Elijah Wood. Perhaps his endearing baby face made him quite popular; he actually walked out of the villa sandwiched between two tall female models.

Duke didn't care where these people were going to party next. Tomorrow was Sunday, and the crew didn't have to film.

What he cared about was Alessandra Ambrosio, who was sitting in the lounge area, not having moved an inch.