Made In Hollywood

Leaving the yacht marina, Duke drove his sports car toward Beverly Hills. This Maserati sports car was a recent purchase, though sports cars neither aligned with his aesthetics nor his needs. However, according to Penny Kellis' plan, throughout the promotional period of Chicago, he and Catherine Zeta-Jones needed to maintain a relatively high profile.

For the sake of the $25 million investment and to ensure that Chicago's commercial performance wasn't too poor, Duke, just like during the promotional period of Independence Day, once again became a focal point of publicity.

In the passenger seat, Zeta-Jones was still thinking about the yacht. "When we left, I heard Cruise and Sunseeker had signed a preliminary agreement. Don't you plan to personally negotiate with the Princess Company?"

"Don't be anxious, darling." Duke stepped on the brakes as the car stopped at a red light. "Even if we sign the agreement now, it'll still take a long time for the yacht to arrive."

He didn't intend to negotiate personally but planned to have either Tina Fey or someone from Nancy Josephson's team handle it later. Given the yacht's significant value, both parties had plenty of room for negotiation.

Duke was not one of those extravagant Hollywood stars with no restraint. Having come from a standard business family, he wouldn't sacrifice real benefits for mere appearances.

As the car started again, Zeta-Jones checked the time and suggested, "The auction isn't until tonight. Shall we grab dinner first?"

"Sure," Duke agreed without hesitation.

That evening, a grand auction targeting Hollywood stars and elites would take place in Beverly Hills, complete with a red carpet rolled out in front of the Hilton Hotel. Such occasions were always the focus of entertainment media. As suggested by Panny Kellis, Duke and Zeta-Jones had to attend, at least to walk the red carpet or buy an auction item.

The Maserati entered the Beverly Hills area, and Duke drove directly to Mr. Chow's Restaurant. Like the Hollywood Planet Restaurant, it was a frequent hangout for Hollywood celebrities and swarming with paparazzi and entertainment reporters. From the parking lot to the entrance, camera flashes went off at least a dozen times as Duke and Zeta-Jones walked inside.

Promoting a movie was a demanding and systematic task—and an essential one. A film with little to no publicity or a short promotional period stood virtually no chance of box-office success.

Mr. Chow's Restaurant's success and popularity among Western patrons showed that its dishes, from ingredients to preparation to presentation, were essentially Westernized versions of Chinese cuisine with only a hint of Eastern flavor. Even in this era, let alone twenty years ago, non-localized foreign cuisines rarely thrived in this country.

This practice was universal across East and West. Barring a few exceptions, the idea of pure, authentic cuisine being introduced to another country and widely praised was far-fetched.

As always, Duke and Zeta-Jones barely ate before leaving Mr. Chow's Restaurant, walking once again under the flashbulbs of paparazzi, and driving toward the Hilton Hotel.

The two avoided the hotel's main entrance and the red carpet since their current attire wasn't suitable for such an occasion. Instead, they entered through a side door, went to a pre-booked room on the 11th floor, and changed into the formal attire that Tina Fey had sent earlier in the day. They then headed downstairs, circled around to the hotel's main entrance, and stepped onto the red carpet for the auction.

Many stars attended the event. The number of paparazzi and reporters lining both sides of the red carpet was evidence enough. Duke, escorting Catherine Zeta-Jones, walked past the flashing cameras, even giving a few interviews. When asked about their relationship, he avoided the topic and instead continuously brought up their collaborative work, Chicago, making every effort to promote the new movie.

"These reporters are impossible to deal with," Duke sighed as he finally stepped into the Hilton's main lobby. "If I have to do this a few more times, I might lose my mind."

Zeta-Jones immediately put on a slightly aggrieved expression. "Are you saying being with me is unbearable?"

"Of course not, darling," Duke replied, escorting her toward the auction hall. "You know how much I like you."

"Yes, I do," Zeta-Jones said, tightening her grip on his arm. "I love you as much as you love me, right?"

Duke simply smiled and led her into the auction hall.

The auction was held in the form of a banquet, with dozens of tables neatly arranged throughout the spacious hall. As Duke walked along the wide aisle between the tables, he suddenly noticed a familiar face and decided to approach.

"Hey, Leo," he greeted.

Coming around to the front, he initiated the conversation. "When did you get back to Los Angeles?"

"Hi, Duke," Leonardo DiCaprio responded, standing to greet him. Duke introduced him to Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Leonardo gave him a knowing wink, leaning in to whisper, "Another one?"

"Where's your date?" Duke shifted the topic. "Don't tell me you came alone?"

"I came with someone, but not a woman." Just as Leonardo finished speaking, a middle-aged Jewish man approached from Duke's side.

"Duke, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Hello, Ino," Duke greeted Ino Martin, one of CAA's top executives. Seeing him piqued Duke's interest, and he gestured toward the two empty seats at the table. "Are these seats taken?"

"That's up to the organizers," Leonardo shrugged.

Zeta-Jones quickly called over a staff member. After a brief negotiation, she and Duke switched tables and took the empty seats.

"Leo has terminated his contract with William Morris," Ino Martin said once they were seated. "He's now signed with me."

"Congratulations, Ino, on signing a Berlin Film Festival Best Actor," Duke remarked, turning to Leonardo. "Should I congratulate you for signing with CAA as well?"

"Duke, you know," Leonardo said with a smile, "I'm on your side."

Ino Martin also smiled. "Aren't we all on the same side?"

Shared interests and a common enemy had forged this temporary alliance.

While waiting for the auction to start, Duke asked Leonardo about his upcoming projects. "Have you been to Baja California recently? How's the progress there? When do you start filming?"

"Progress is very slow," Leonardo said, crossing his arms and sounding somewhat helpless. "I visited about half a month ago and spoke with both Cameron and the producers. The film's start date is still undecided."

"Still undecided?" Duke asked curiously. "Hasn't it been in preparation for nearly two years now?"

"You didn't hear?"

It was Ino Martin who replied this time. "There's been buzz around the industry. Fox and Paramount have already invested over $100 million into Cameron's project, but he's still asking Fox for more funding. Fox recently poured a significant amount into the Speed sequel and seems to be struggling financially. Paramount also no longer trusts Cameron."

Duke nodded. "So that's the situation."

Fox struggling financially? They still owed him the profits from Saving Private Ryan. The contract's deadline was the end of June. This might be an opportunity to get involved.

It wasn't the right place to dwell on such matters. The thought briefly crossed Duke's mind before he refocused on the auction.

The auction soon began, primarily featuring artwork and luxury-brand jewelry. It was clearly targeted at Hollywood's wealthy elite who liked to flaunt sophistication.

"$500,000!"

"$700,000!"

"$1.5 million!"

This was for a painting by an artist Duke had never heard of. Thanks to the organizers' efforts, it sold for a staggering $1.5 million to nouveau riche Will Smith.

The following paintings also fetched high prices, but neither Duke nor Ino Martin showed any intention of bidding.

Their backgrounds allowed them to see things many Hollywood folks couldn't—for instance, the schemes behind art auctions, particularly those involving so-called "masterpieces."

Auction houses, art moguls, and certain companies often collaborated to inflate market prices for artworks of little intrinsic value, luring newly wealthy individuals into the market and then profiting off them.

Hollywood stars, often newly rich and eager to flaunt their status, were prime targets. Once hooked on collecting "masterpieces," it could be even more financially draining than gambling.

And when these stars tried to resell their collections to recoup their losses, they often realized how worthless those "masterpieces" truly were.

Of course, Western art moguls and auction houses were especially fond of exploiting newly wealthy individuals from rising nations.

Duke recalled his mother mentioning how, during the 1980s, when Tokyo's real estate prices could supposedly buy all of America, Japanese companies bought up vast amounts of overpriced Western art at auctions. After their economic bubble burst, Japan had been trying to offload these assets, with little success.

This mindset wasn't exclusive to the Japanese. Most Hollywood stars, having risen from the bottom, often lost themselves after acquiring wealth. They loved to flaunt sophistication—and paid the price for overreaching, becoming easy prey for exploitation.

The same applied to luxury-brand jewelry auctioned at exorbitant prices. These brands often collaborated with celebrities to generate hype, and the schemes behind the scenes were no less shady than Hollywood's darker dealings.

Of course, such transactions involved willing buyers and sellers, leaving little room for external criticism.

When the auction ended, Duke and Zeta-Jones didn't leave immediately but instead took the elevator to their room upstairs.

Their temporary romantic arrangement wasn't new, and they sometimes engaged in more intimate "exchanges."

Zeta-Jones was still in peak physical condition, her figure untouched by time, making her both stunningly beautiful and irresistibly alluring. She often came up with new ways to please Duke, sometimes incorporating unbelievable techniques and positions that showcased her exceptional dance skills, leaving him unable to resist.

Afterward, feeling relaxed, Duke couldn't help but think about the auction. He decided it was worth looking into further.

.....

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