Chapter 409: The Fast and the Furious

"You look gorgeous tonight, Evie." Charlize Theron naturally recognized Duke's former temporary assistant and gave her a seemingly friendly handshake. "We should grab coffee sometime."

"Sure," Ivanka said, her poise unchanged. "I'll give you a call when I have some free time."

On the surface, both women wore radiant smiles. What was actually going through their minds, only they knew.

Both Ivanka and Charlize Theron were smart women, however. After a brief greeting, they quickly parted ways; Ivanka stayed by Duke's side, while Charlize said a quick word to him before moving on to mingle elsewhere.

Duke, however, didn't get a moment's rest. Joanne Rowling and Chris Columbus were already walking over with several of the young cast members in tow.

Most of the cast now starring in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone were no longer the names from Duke's memory. Of the Gryffindor Golden Triangle, both boys were unfamiliar faces; only the young girl named Emma Watson still looked just as he remembered.

Of course, the final cast list had still gone to Duke for approval. It didn't bother him in the least that so many of the child actors were different. This was a classic case of the roles making the actors—as long as they met the basic requirements, it really didn't matter who played the parts.

"Chris, how's post-production coming along?"

Leaving the kids and Joanne Rowling for Ivanka to handle, Duke looked at Chris Columbus. "When will the film be finished?"

"October at the latest!" Chris Columbus said with total confidence.

Duke nodded, adding a reminder. "Keep Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets moving according to plan. Try to wrap filming before the young actors' voices start to change."

Chris Columbus was an old hand at family-friendly films, so he naturally understood the critical milestones in child actors' growth. "Pre-production on the second installment is almost done," he said. "Barring any surprises, we'll wrap up shooting before next year's Oscars."

A schedule that tight was a bit rushed and carried some risk, but it had its advantages. For instance, child actors' voices changed once they reached a certain age, which was always a headache for film production. Then there was their pay. Under the current agreements, the actors' salaries for the first two installments weren't very high; shooting back-to-back would cut down on future haggling and other such hassles.

The next person to walk over was Robin Grande. Using business as an excuse to slip away from the endless stream of people, Duke took Ivanka by the arm and led her into a lounge. He had lost count of how many people he'd mingled with tonight, and despite his abundant energy, he was starting to feel a trace of fatigue.

This wasn't physical exhaustion, but mental.

The people coming over to greet him were either A-list Hollywood stars, top executives from major studios, or prominent figures from the media and theater chains; Duke had to keep his wits about him to handle them all.

He certainly could have acted like some other directors, brushing these people off to mind his own business. But Duke was a businessman as well as a director, and he had never once considered distancing himself from mainstream circles.

"Robin, Duke."

Once inside the lounge, Ivanka cleverly stepped behind the small bar to act as a temporary bartender. "What will you drink?"

"A glass of water."

"I'll have water too."

"Duke, I can already picture it," Robin Grande said, sitting on a high stool at the bar. He thanked Ivanka as she handed him his water, then continued, "Once Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a smash hit, those young actors will definitely demand raises, egged on by their parents and agents."

"That's unavoidable." Duke took his glass, gave Ivanka a nod, and continued, "We can't pay them less than $100,000 forever. If they kick up a fuss, we can raise their salaries and provide some appropriate compensation."

Robin Grande nodded.

Duke took a sip of water, his tone turning serious. "Robin, you know where my bottom line is. For the first three films, do not negotiate profit sharing with any of the actors."

Although both Harry Potter Studio and Warner Brothers could pull off the legal trick of passing money from their left hand to their right, that was a tactic reserved for later.

"What if the three actors playing the Gryffindor Golden Triangle insist on it?"

"Then replace them!" Duke did not even have to think about it. "The names Harry Potter and Hermione Granger can be placed on any actor."

Replacing them would obviously be a last resort. The producers would also need to make certain concessions during future negotiations with the cast, but if the other side touched Duke's bottom line and refused to let go, they would simply swap the actors out.

"I understand what to do."

Hearing Robin Grande's words, Duke smiled and patted his arm. "You're the production manager. However you want to handle it, just make the call yourself."

Even before the two of them collaborated on Speed, Robin Grande was already a fairly well-known producer. He was far more adept than Duke at handling these sorts of crew matters.

Robin Grande did not stay long, quickly leaving the lounge.

"Are we heading out?" Ivanka walked over from behind the bar and sat down next to Duke.

Duke shook his head. "I've been socializing all night. Let's rest here for a bit."

"Are you tired?" Ivanka asked with obvious concern. "I'll make you a cup of coffee."

"Just sitting here to rest for a bit is fine."

Picking up his glass, Duke took another sip and asked, "When does school start?"

"Not for a while." Ivanka turned to look at Duke. Recalling her earlier chat with those two, she asked, "Are you planning to partner with someone on a new project about Napoleon?"

"Word has reached you already?"

At Duke's curious question, Ivanka quickly explained, "I heard Christophe Rocancourt and Jessica Alba bring it up earlier while you were chatting with Charlize Theron."

"Did they try to rope you in for an investment?" Duke asked.

Ivanka nodded. "Christophe Rocancourt said you two had already reached a lot of consensus and weren't far from signing an agreement. He suggested I invest in your project once the paperwork is signed."

Duke frowned slightly. "Did you agree?"

"Of course not." Ivanka took Duke's glass and refilled it for him. "All my money is invested in our website. Plus, I don't understand the film industry, and I don't want to invest rashly."

Hearing this, Duke couldn't help but remember his own small investment, and he asked, "How is the website doing?"

"It's already expanded beyond the University of Pennsylvania and is steadily spreading to high schools and colleges in several neighboring states."

Seeing Duke ask about her business, Ivanka's spirits visibly lifted. "I hired a few tech specialists at high salaries, and our registered users have already surpassed 50,000."

"Very impressive," Duke praised. "Much better than I thought it would be."

The smile on Ivanka's face grew even brighter, like an elementary schooler who had just been praised by her teacher.

She looked at Duke, thinking it over for a good while before she slowly asked, "Duke, do you think it's okay for me to fully incorporate the website as a company?"

"Of course." Duke fully agreed with her idea. "If you need capital, I can continue to inject funds."

"There's no rush on that." Ivanka's intent clearly lay elsewhere. "We have enough funds for now. The main thing is choosing a location for the company."

"New York?" Duke casually suggested.

He was a complete layman when it came to corporate management, and the amount invested in this high-risk venture wasn't large. He was perfectly fine tossing it entirely to Ivanka to see what would ultimately come of it.

Ivanka gradually tucked away her smile. "The company can be registered in Delaware, but I think placing the actual headquarters in Los Angeles would be great!"

"Los Angeles?"

Duke turned to look at Ivanka, meeting her gaze head-on; she had been watching him the entire time. Those blue eyes were remarkably bright, completely filled with his reflection.

"You're the head of the company, so you just make the decision," Duke said.

Ivanka did not hesitate at all. "Then we'll put it in Los Angeles!"

"Los Angeles it is." Duke did not object.

With that, he stood up and headed toward the lounge door. "It's about time. I'm going to find Jeff Robinov for a quick chat."

"Go ahead." Ivanka's eyes flickered as she watched his back. "I want to sit here for a while."

The lounge door opened and shut again. Ivanka let out a long sigh; she simply didn't have as much courage as she had imagined.

And that bastard—she refused to believe he hadn't understood what she meant...

A soft knock sounded at the door. Before Ivanka could speak, a tall figure in a silver-white evening gown walked in. Ivanka glanced back and frowned slightly, yet said nothing.

The person who walked in was Charlize Theron. Seeing Ivanka, she showed not the slightest surprise or intention of leaving, instead walking over to sit in the chair beside her that Duke had just vacated.

"Care for a drink?"

The two of them had met back when Duke was frequently traveling between Sydney and Wellington. Charlize made herself right at home, stepping behind the bar to grab a bottle of whiskey and two glasses before returning to pour some for both of them.

"Cheers!" She tapped the glass in front of Ivanka and downed the liquor at the bottom of her own glass.

Ivanka hesitated for a moment, then picked up her glass and drained it too.

"You won't succeed," Charlize Theron suddenly said. "So, give up."

Turning her head, Ivanka looked at Charlize Theron. "This is my choice."

"Your choice might affect me." Charlize Theron did not explain, instead saying, "In Duke's eyes, aside from his mother, women fall into three categories. First are friends like Aerin Lauder and Sofia Coppola. Second are ordinary people he only has a working relationship with or doesn't know at all. Third are bed partners."

The left corner of her mouth quirked up slightly. "Which kind do you want to be? Or are you hoping to break out of those three categories entirely?"

Ivanka Trump said nothing.

The smile playing at the corner of Charlize Theron's mouth deepened. "How many years have you known Duke? I've known him for nearly ten years, and to this day, he still maintains an intimate relationship with me..."