Chapter 422: The Courage to Decide

Leaving the lounge, Ivanka's cheeks were slightly flushed after two glasses of wine. Her eyes searched for Duke. Spotting him, she quickly made her way over, exchanged a few words with Warner Bros. CEO Jeff Robinov, and then bid farewell, leaving the banquet hall with Duke.

"Have you been drinking?" Duke asked, catching the faint scent of alcohol.

"I had two small glasses of whiskey," Ivanka said, taking his arm as they walked. "With Charlize Theron."

"Sally?" Duke asked, leading her toward the hotel lobby. "Her alcohol tolerance is terrifying. Rumor has it she can drink several men under the table."

"Duke..." Ivanka suddenly stopped.

Duke had no choice but to stop. He looked at her in confusion. "Did something happen, Evie?"

"It's nothing."

Ivanka shook her head. Just as Duke was about to continue out of the hotel, her gaze turned resolute. She pulled on his arm. "I have something I want to say to you."

As if afraid the courage she had painstakingly mustered would vanish, she grabbed his arm and pulled him straight into an adjacent lounge. These were auxiliary rooms for the grand banquet hall, prepared specifically for VIPs. The soundproofing was excellent; there was no fear of anyone outside overhearing.

Shutting the lounge door, Ivanka stood against it and looked at Duke.

"Evie..."

Duke already realized what was happening. Just like with Sofia Coppola and Aerin Lauder, he had always treated Ivanka as a friend.

Ivanka opened her mouth but found she didn't know what to say.

Since she didn't know how to say it, she decided to just act. Although she was usually subtle and reserved, when it came time to make a decision, she didn't lack the courage to carry it out.

Before Duke could finish, she stepped forward, intending to grab his hand. Perhaps due to a lack of experience, or perhaps because she moved too fast, an extremely awkward scene unfolded.

The distance between them was already short. Caught off guard, Duke couldn't react in time, and their prominent noses collided head-on. Ivanka had lunged with quite a bit of force, making the impact incredibly painful.

The next moment, the two quickly sprang apart. Ivanka covered her nose, her azure eyes turning slightly red.

Duke wasn't faring much better. He lowered his head and pinched his nose, the wave of soreness making his eyes water.

They both rubbed their noses, only looking at each other a few seconds later. Their gazes were a bit awkward, but seeing the other pinching their nose with red, watery eyes, they broke into laughter at the exact same time.

"Evie, that was attempted murder," Duke said, trying to change the subject.

Ivanka lowered her hand from her nose, her voice still a little muffled. "It wasn't murder, and it's not a joke."

She didn't give Duke a chance to interrupt. "I'm serious, Duke..."

Staring into his dark eyes, Ivanka enunciated every word clearly. "Let me be your girlfriend, okay?"

Her azure eyes remained fixed on his. Ivanka just stood there, waiting for his answer.

Duke hadn't misheard her. Ivanka had said "girlfriend"!

To be precise, if he were looking for a girlfriend, Ivanka was definitely a suitable candidate.

Had this been two months ago, Duke would have rejected her without a second thought. Although he had considered changing his lifestyle, he was just like some of the addicts in the industry—the urge to change would pop up from time to time, but he never acted on it.

How hard was it for a person to change their habits?

But the Jessica Alba incident had affected him deeply. Just how rotten were the outwardly glamorous female stars she represented?

He wasn't entirely sure about the others, but when Edward Newgate investigated Christophe Rocancourt, he had also looked into Jessica Alba. Regardless of her past, during the year or so she had dated Rocancourt alone, this supposedly sunny and wholesome actress had slept with at least a platoon's worth of men. Among them were quite a few well-known Hollywood figures. These men naturally wouldn't have just one or two bedmates themselves. Only God knew if Jessica Alba had passed some virus onto them, and if they would then spread it to other men and women in the industry...

Every time Duke thought of this, a chill ran down his spine. While he wasn't a psychological germaphobe about women—if he were, he wouldn't be fooling around with Hollywood actresses in the first place—he absolutely did not want to catch some disgusting disease.

Therefore, over the past two months, the thought of cleaning up his chaotic private life had only grown stronger. Even though his busy schedule suppressed the urge so that it rarely surfaced, every time it did, the desire was more intense than ever.

Duke had promised his mother that he would eventually get a girlfriend, marry, and start a family...

In that fleeting moment, countless thoughts raced through Duke's mind. Ivanka's thoughts were equally turbulent.

Even though the man standing before her had flaws as glaring as his virtues, she was confident she could bring about a change.

Watching Duke's brows furrow slightly, Ivanka Trump said nothing more. Leaning forward, she reached out her hands slightly and slowly closed her eyes.

Ever since their last time in New York, Duke had vaguely sensed Ivanka's feelings but hadn't distanced himself. He didn't even know what he was thinking.

Ivanka didn't perfectly align with his aesthetic tastes; Duke wouldn't deny that even now. But the criteria for choosing a girlfriend and a casual fling were entirely different. Looks actually took a slight backseat...

In the end, it all boiled down to one question: did he want to cultivate a long-term, stable relationship, even if it might not ultimately bear fruit?

When it came to changing his lifestyle, Duke was indeed somewhat hesitant, but when it was time to make a decision, he didn't lack the courage to commit.

After waiting less than two seconds, Ivanka suddenly felt a familiar warmth press firmly against her hands. Then, they were enveloped in a broad grasp. Her anxious heart instantly settled. Opening her eyes just a slit, she met a pair of incredibly bright eyes.

Faint amusement danced in his dark eyes. Ivanka returned the gaze and gripped the slender, powerful hands holding hers. Closing her eyes again, she let Duke guide her, fully savoring the sweet sensation of their intertwined fingers.

Their hands remained firmly clasped together. Only after a dozen seconds did they slowly part.

Ivanka lowered her head, burying her face into Duke's chest. The distance between them had completely vanished.

Duke patted her back gently. "We should go. The car is probably waiting at the door."

When they first left the banquet hall, a waiter had already contacted his driver. With this delay, the hotel entrance was likely experiencing a traffic jam.

"Mhm, let's go."

Having gotten the answer she wanted, there was no point in staying any longer. Ivanka took Duke's arm and followed him out of the hotel. They were immediately met by a barrage of camera flashes, but she didn't mind in the slightest. Seeing Duke pull the car door open, she bent down and climbed inside.

Duke got in, and the RV slowly pulled away from the hotel entrance. The driver was clearly waiting for his instructions.

"To my place?" Duke asked.

Ivanka hesitated for a few seconds before giving a slight nod.

"Back to Malibu," Duke told the driver.

Then, Duke made a phone call, arranging for Ivanka's luggage to be delivered to his estate the following day.

"Will this cause you any trouble?"

Ivanka pointed out the window. Paparazzi were trailing them, clearly wanting to see if Duke's female companion would get dropped off halfway.

Duke shook his head and reached over to lightly pinch her straight nose. "Darling, you should be more worried about yourself. Becoming the girlfriend of a public figure means things will be very different from now on."

He was unlike traditional directors. When it came time to promote his films, he never minded stepping into the spotlight to grab the headlines himself.

Furthermore, Ivanka was different from Suzy Amis, who hid completely behind James Cameron. Her looks, her background, her surname, her father, and the fortune she stood to inherit all guaranteed that she would attract immense media attention.

But Ivanka replied with a confident smile. "I've been prepared for this!"

"Been prepared for this?" Duke teased. "May I ask since when?"

"That's a secret..."

Ivanka hadn't intended to say, but seeing Duke's insistent gaze, she sorted through her sweet yet somewhat complicated feelings and answered, "Since my second trip to Wellington."

"Around the time we went fishing on the lake?" Duke pressed.

"Sometime around then." Ivanka didn't want to continue detailing her unrequited crush. "Duke, I'm tired. I want to rest for a bit."

Compared to the typical American girl, Ivanka was noticeably more subtle and reserved.

She scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder. Duke kissed her forehead. He knew she wasn't actually tired, just reluctant to talk about it anymore, so he didn't push.

Wrapping both arms around one of Duke's, Ivanka gently closed her eyes.

Amidst the paparazzi's pursuit, the RV finally arrived at Duke Manor in Malibu, thoroughly shutting the blood-scenting hounds out behind its high walls.

The vehicle parked in front of the Eye-Shaped Villa. Duke stepped out and led Ivanka inside. In the spacious living room, Tina Fey was chatting with Emma, the housekeeper.

"Hi, Tina. Hi, Emma."

Ivanka greeted them familiarly, while Duke led her to sit on the long sofa.

Tina Fey had worked for Duke for years and knew his personality inside and out. Seeing him bring Ivanka back so late—and especially noticing their tightly linked hands—she instantly understood what was going on.

"Should I notify Penny and Nancy?" she asked, referring to Duke's PR manager and agent.

Duke nodded, then turned to the housekeeper. "Emma, let me reintroduce you. This is my girlfriend, Miss Ivanka Trump. She'll be staying here for the next few days."

After quickly making two phone calls, Tina Fey smiled and said, "Duke, Evie, congratulations."

With that, she shot Emma a look and stood up. "Emma and I will go chat somewhere else. We won't disturb you two."