The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 242: Ms. Kidman, Please Respect Yourself]

Century City, Fox Tower.

Hawke donned a formal suit, taking the elevator up to the eighth-floor banquet hall. He presented the invitation sent by Megan Taylor to the receptionist, a woman in a business suit with a bright smile, "Mr. Osment, welcome! Your presence honors Fox."

Hawke nodded slightly and entered the banquet hall.

This was a collaboration party hosted by Fox, and he was specially invited.

The Fox network had established itself in Los Angeles since its creation in 1986. This television station, famously known as the Elephant Promotion Department, had expanded into one of the top five networks in the United States.

Megan had been waiting at the entrance of the banquet hall and quickly approached Hawke when she saw him, saying, "I thought you wouldn't come."

Hawke smiled, "You personally delivered the invitation, of course, I had to show up."

As they moved through the hall toward the central area, they encountered a rotund elderly gentleman along with a white man in his thirties. Hawke recognized the former as Roger Ailes, the chairman of the Fox network.

After catching a glimpse of Megan, Roger Ailes focused his attention on Hawke.

Megan hastened to introduce them.

The white man was James Murdoch, representing the Murdoch family.

Roger Ailes stood still and nodded, "I've heard of you; you provided significant news coverage for Fox."

Hawke replied politely, "I look forward to more opportunities for collaboration."

Roger Ailes responded affirmatively, "There will be."

He turned away to engage with other guests.

James Murdoch stepped forward to shake Hawke's hand. "The Twitter you founded has shone brightly online in the past six months."

Hawke remarked, "Twitter's just getting started; Fox is the benchmark in the media industry."

The Murdoch family specialized in media and recognized the internet's influence. James continued, "Let's discuss the development and cooperation in the media industry sometime."

"Anytime," Hawke said, pulling out a business card to offer.

James took it and exchanged it for his own.

This wasn't the right setting for lengthy discussions, and as one of the hosts, James Murdoch had to attend to other matters quickly.

Hawke tucked the card away and politely exchanged comments with Megan before moving on.

...

Megan led him to meet the director of Channel 11.

Cynthia Rosenberg was a Jewish woman, with less ambition than her younger counterparts. Hawke had had an incident before where he presented a recording of Pat Kingsley to Megan, wanting to publish it, only for Cynthia, the director, to stifle the idea.

After leaving that area, Megan continued discussing the situation. "Cynthia believes a single recording isn't enough to shake the Catholic Church, especially since the Los Angeles diocese is quite powerful. Investigating proactively is too great a risk; if reported to the LAPD, they likely wouldn't pursue it."

Hawke, cautious in his own right, hadn't considered Twitter publishing anything and naturally wouldn't complain to Fox.

They were all in the same boat.

What was different, however, was his preparation for a large-scale media strategy.

More accurately, human wave tactics.

Hawke spoke softly, "The influence of the Catholic Church is vast."

Megan mentioned, "You may not know, but the Los Angeles diocese donates to the LAPD every year."

Hawke understood: "Take the money, clear the trouble."

Fox Group not only included the television network but also encompassed 20th Century Fox.

At tonight's party, alongside media personnel, many celebrities from Hollywood could also be seen.

Hawke spotted Ridley Scott, James Cameron, George Lucas, and various directors collaborating with 20th Century Fox.

He also saw Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, and Will Smith among the stars.

The latter spotted Hawke and quickly retreated to the side, sending a very clear idea: 'I can't afford to mess with him, but I can avoid him.'

The two, Hawke and Megan, found a quieter spot, each ordered a glass of lemonade, and sat down at a small round table to talk.

At that moment, Hawke noticed Dwayne Johnson, who was speaking with a 20th Century Fox executive, waving over to him.

Hawke smiled and nodded in response.

Megan jabbed him, saying, "Pat Kingsley."

Following her gaze, Hawke looked over and saw Pat Kingsley, dressed in a business suit, mingling with directors and producers.

Beside her, Nicole Kidman, in a red gown, appeared almost luminescent under the lights. This woman was stunningly beautiful, with delicate skin.

Megan teased, "Interested in the Oscar-winning actress? I can introduce you; I interviewed her before."

"Forget it," Hawke slightly shook his head, "I'm not interested in her."

Megan pondered, "You're the actual planner behind the Ice Bucket Challenge, which many in Hollywood must know, and the challenge allowed Tom Cruise to achieve unanimous acclaim, leading to Nicole Kidman's constant attacks on him since the Oscars fail."

She had interacted closely with Nicole Kidman before: "That woman is very petty, and if things go as expected, she would see you as an enemy."

Hawke shook his head, "I didn't provoke her, nor do I plan to."

Megan, once an entertainment host, understood Hollywood all too well: "Stars from ordinary backgrounds usually feel extreme self-doubt, leading to immense pride after becoming famous. Helping Tom Cruise equates to damaging her interests."

"I'm not helping Tom Cruise," Hawke corrected, "It's Tom Cruise who hired me."

...

Over on the other side, Nicole Kidman was trying to engage with several leading directors, following Pat Kingsley around.

But whether it was Ridley Scott or James Cameron, they all treated her rather coolly.

When it came to the collaborations mentioned by Pat Kingsley, they didn't even respond.

Nicole Kidman found her efforts to be a waste of time, clearly annoyed.

She didn't dare complain to these top directors, but her expression showed some displeasure.

Being naturally beautiful, this look made her appear exceptionally cold.

Nicole was the first to arrive at the bar, ordering a fruit cocktail while overhearing Hugh Jackman chatting with Will Smith.

...

Will, pointing to a corner of the banquet hall, said, "Do you see that man near Megan Taylor? He's the founder of Twitter, Hawke Osment."

Hugh Jackman had heard of him: "Is he the one from West Coast Studios?"

"Exactly, that's him," Will Smith replied, "That guy is a complete bastard and a rogue; keep your distance from him."

Hugh Jackman voiced his confusion, "He seems to have helped a lot of people in the industry, right?"

Indeed, this statement wasn't off the mark.

Will Smith recalled the Red Table Talk and said, "This guy does what he's paid for, no doubt about it. Saint Steve, Allison Faith's selfie gate... all his doing."

He maintained a good relationship with Tom Cruise, having heard plenty: "And this recent Ice Bucket Challenge, from planning to execution, it was all him controlling things, successfully helping Tommy out of several troubles."

...

Though those speaking hadn't noticed, the listener kept it in mind.

Nicole Kidman sipped her fruit cocktail, turning her gaze toward the corner of the lounge.

It was that inconspicuous man who had cleared the bad reputation of her ex-husband, which had taken her over six months, and made it even better than before.

Her ex-husband was doing well, which hurt her far more than dealing with Harvey Weinstein.

Nicole stood up and walked over directly to Hawke without needing an invite and pulled out a chair to sit at the round table, saying, "Good evening, Mr. Osment."

Hawke asked directly, "Is there something you want?"

"Yes, I have a business proposition for you," Nicole said earnestly. "Can we find a place to talk privately?"

Megan nudged Hawke's leg with her foot. "The terrace over there should be empty."

Nicole walked toward the nearby terrace.

Hawke whispered, "Did you bring a recorder?"

Megan pulled one out of her handbag and secretly handed it over: "Be careful." She winked deliberately, "I'll wait for you outside."

...

Hawke tucked the recorder into his jacket pocket and followed Nicole Kidman to the terrace.

Here, a curtain separated the noisy banquet hall from the calm area.

Nicole leaned against the railing, saying, "I've heard people mention that your West Coast studio is the best PR firm in Los Angeles."

Hawke replied, "As far as I know, you have a PR manager."

"I want to hire your services; she can't accomplish what I need," Nicole stated directly. "Help me devise a plan to ruin Tom Cruise's reputation..."

Seeing Hawke about to speak, she interjected, "Let me finish with my conditions first!"

Nicole Kidman knew very well what people in PR wanted: "No matter how much Tom Cruise pays you, I'll offer you double what he does!"

Tom Cruise was paying Hawke $3.5 million, which meant Nicole was willing to offer $7 million.

Hawke stared at Nicole Kidman, clearly realizing she wasn't joking.

Nicole was deeply sincere: "What do you say? Work for me."

Hawke was straightforward: "If this had come before Tom hired me, I would've accepted."

Though his bottom line wasn't high, he still had basic professional ethics: "Right now, I can only say I'm sorry."

"Wait a second." Nicole's face darkened as she clutched the side of her dress.

This gesture made Hawke, who had suffered through Bella Sain' false accusations, misinterpret the situation.

Warning signs flared considering the moral standards celebrities had gone through in the past few years in Hollywood.

Hawke didn't want to cause a scene at the party, pulling out the recorder as he warned, "Ms. Kidman, please respect yourself."

Nicole looked at the recorder in Hawke's hand, instinctively clutching her dress, her complexion turning nearly translucent: "Shameless! You creep!"

She felt immensely insulted: "You make me sick!"

Hawke said nothing, only observing her.

Nicole turned and stormed off.

...

Hawke shook his head, returning from the terrace to the banquet hall where he saw Megan.

Megan asked, "What happened?"

Hawke handed her the recorder: "I rejected her offer to help her bring down Tom Cruise, and now I'm being labeled shameless."

Megan put on her headphones to listen and then comforted him, "Don't let it bother you. These Hollywood stars have such inflated egos."

She leaned in close to Hawke's ear, "Only I understand your goodness."

The two left the banquet hall after not staying long, chatting a bit longer with James Murdoch before departing Fox Tower.

*****

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