111-115

*Chapter 111 Almost Became a Bachelor*

  Ooh la la~  

  At around 6 PM the next day, a TGV-R train from Paris slowly pulled into Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station.

  "Director Bertolucci, thank you for your appreciation, but I have other roles on hand and no time to play Matthew. Okay, I'll seriously consider it."

  On the platform, Luca wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, bid farewell to the eager-looking director, and pulled his suitcase off the train.

  He had boarded the train from Paris around 3 PM, not expecting to run into Director Bertolucci, who was in the area for a location scout.

  Bertolucci is an Italian director who won the Academy Award for Best Director, with famous works like The Last Emperor and Last Tango in Paris.

  Now in his sixties, the old man was preparing to start filming a new movie, The Dreamers.

  The male lead in this movie, Matthew, is an American student studying in Paris—tall and handsome. During his studies, he meets a pair of French twin siblings, and the three of them experience a chaotic yet dreamy love story.

  The story is pretty good, and the lead actress, Eva Green, is also quite impressive. But the male lead’s scenes are too revealing, with many explicit moments where he is fully exposed.

  Initially, Luca was ready to take on the role, given the director's personal invitation, but he had one request: could he at least wear some underwear? The director firmly refused, urging Luca to sacrifice for the art of cinema and even suggesting an audition in the restroom.

  Luca gave a small laugh. He understood that the old man was not interested in his acting skills but rather his art-like physique and impressive build.

  Since the director wouldn’t budge, he had to refuse.

  He hadn't even cleared up the situation with Britney yet, and if he took on such a role, he wouldn’t know how to explain it to Lima.

  He pulled his suitcase and left the train station.

  Saint-Jean Station is on the Garonne River bend, and from the exit, you can see the shimmering river in the distance. Surrounding the riverbanks are endless vineyards, with a faint glimpse of stone castle wineries on the hilltops, creating a picturesque countryside scene.

  However, the train station square nearby is a fashion hub, with numerous luxury stores like Dior, Tiffany, and LV, as well as many artistic cafes and exhibition galleries.

  On the square steps, many music enthusiasts sit around, strumming guitars, playing violins, and even bagpipes, creating a melodious atmosphere. They all look like artists.

  Luca walked through them with his suitcase, feeling a bit mundane, unlike someone who had once sacrificed for literature.

  Clap clap clap~  

  A pretty female violinist finished playing Canon in D major, earning applause and the clinking of coins being tossed.

  This piece was a soundtrack in Step Up, and Luca had heard it many times. The girl played it quite well.

  He clapped his hands and tossed a coin into the box.

  "Bonjour, can you tell me how to get to the Grand Hotel?"

  As the crowd dispersed, he stepped forward to ask.

  "I don't know. Wait!"

  The girl was tuning her violin and waved him away, uninterested in this kind of approach. But hearing his accent, she curiously glanced up, her light green eyes lighting up instantly.

  In front of her stood a man with long, strong legs and a tall, six-foot-plus frame that towered over the average Frenchman.

  He wore a white Nike T-shirt and blue jeans, with muscular arms and a well-developed chest. Under the brim of a long baseball cap, his chiseled face, sensual lips, and deep, shadowed eyes were more captivating than the stars in the night sky.

  As handsome as a work of art on display in a gallery!

  Helena couldn’t help but blink, feeling pleasantly surprised.

  She adjusted her sea-green dress and smiled, "Hello, welcome to Bordeaux. Are you American?"

  "No, I'm Brazilian, but I now live in New York."

  "New York?"

  Helena's eyes sparkled. New York might not have Bordeaux's pastoral scenery, but it has Broadway and the Metropolitan Opera House—a holy land for artists worldwide.

  "Are you a Hollywood star?"

  Helena seemed to realize she might be getting ahead of herself, gesturing as she said, "You look familiar."

  Luca smiled slightly, "No, I'm a model."

  "Wow~"

  Helena thought, no wonder he has such a good figure and is so handsome.

  "Hi, I'm Helena. You’re going to the Grand Hotel, right? I can show you the way!"

  "Thanks, but I don't think that'll be necessary. I’ll take him there."

  As Luca was about to say thank you, a dissatisfied voice came from behind him. Before he could turn around, someone grabbed his arm, pulling him back a few steps.

  He knew who it was from the voice alone and asked in surprise, "Lima, what are you doing here?"

  "Hmph, are you disappointed? If I hadn’t come, you could have gone on a date with that woman, right?"

  Lima, with her wavy brown hair down, wore a sleeveless black lace dress and had her arms crossed, looking quite stern.

  "Lima, don’t get me wrong; I was just asking for directions."

  Luca explained with a smile.

  Lima snorted softly, "Why ask a girl for directions when there are so many people on the square? And a pretty girl at that?"

  Luca was at a loss for words. He had just passed by and thought of asking for directions, but would Lima believe him if he said so?

  "Darling, I was wrong. I’ll be more careful next time. Look what I got you."

  Luca let go of her shoulders and pulled out a square white box from his suitcase.

  "What’s this?"

  Lima frowned.

  "The latest game console from Nintendo, the Nintendo DS, a trial version with twenty-eight built-in games."

  Luca happily offered it up with both hands.

  "Hah~ Do you think I care?"

  Lima gave the box a dismissive glance, "Does it really have twenty-eight games?"

  ".Yes, it does!"

  "Hmph, I’ll forgive you this time."

  Lima took the box and got into the car.

  Luca was stunned. Forgiven, just like that?

  That was too easy. He hadn't even taken out the ten-thousand-word letter of remorse or the ten-thousand-word guarantee, not to mention half of the washboard.

  "Dummy, get in the car!"

  Lima shouted from the car.

  "Coming!"

  Luca laughed and waved at the violin-playing girl before quickly getting into the car.

  "Goodbye!"

  Helena watched the car drive away and sighed in disappointment. She thought she might have a romantic encounter today, but someone came along and stole it.

  Squeak squeak squeak~  

  The violin music started again, but this time the tune was a bit melancholic.

  (End of this chapter)

Chapter 112: Coercion

Hugo said, "This is a peculiar city, primitive, and perhaps unique. Combine Versailles and Antwerp, and you get Bordeaux."

In the sunset, a light yellow Beetle car slowly headed towards the Plum Blossom Square on the Bordeaux Bay highway.

It's close to Moon Harbor here, and along the way, you can see the blue river with many white and blue cruise ships shuttling back and forth, painting a picturesque scene.

"Lima, neither you nor Kate answered my calls. Do you have any activities this afternoon?"

Luca put down his camera and asked.

"I didn’t pick up because I didn’t want to,"

Lima replied with a snort.

"Uh, okay, I can understand why you’re mad and not picking up, but why didn't Kate?"

"Kate was taken by the police,"

Lima said, biting her lower lip.

"What?!"

Luca froze. "Taken by the police? Why?"

As he was asking, he suddenly noticed Lima’s strange expression, as if she was smiling. "Lima, stop joking. What really happened?"

"I'm not joking,"

Lima said, curling her lip. "Last night's car chase led to Raul Balmay being seriously injured, possibly becoming a vegetable. The police believe Kate is responsible."

"So the police came and took Kate away today?"

"Yes."

"Was she handcuffed?"

"She was."

Lima pursed her lips and nodded.

"Did the police say how many years she'd get?"

"Emm~ about seven or eight years, I guess!"

"Haha, do you think I'm a fool?"

Luca lifted her chin and laughed. "An incident happened last night, and today they came to arrest someone, and it's a well-known foreign writer? Are the local French police this efficient, and do they have the authority to sentence? You dare to fool me, little chubby girl?"

"Stop it!"

Lima shot him a look and said with a blush, "The police really came at noon, and they took Kate away from the book signing to question her. Even the local bookseller's intervention was of no use."

"Taken straight from the book signing?"

Luca frowned. It was obvious that someone wanted to embarrass Kate.

"Does that guy Raul have a lot of money?"

"Billionaire."

"Just a billionaire?"

Luca shook his head. "Even if his family has hundreds of millions of dollars, so what? You didn't do anything wrong. You saw a friend in danger, took action, and almost got shot.

"Moreover, Raul being thrown out of the car was purely accidental. The primary responsibility lies with Raul and that driver. Morally or legally, Kate has no responsibility.

"Why did the Balmay family call the police? Aren't they afraid that exposing the incident will harm their reputation? Or is Raul particularly cherished in his family?"

Lima shrugged. "It doesn't seem like the Balmay family called the police. Now the Balmay family is here, having a meeting with Nina and Kate to discuss how to handle this."

"Is that so? You said Kate is in a meeting. She came back already?"

Luca smiled slightly.

"I don't know!"

Lima glared at him, then suddenly took out a lady's cigarette from her bag, lit it, and took a drag.

Luca was taken aback. When did she start smoking?

"What are you looking at?"

Lima asked fiercely, her face stern.

"Nothing, you look cool smoking."

"You don't mind?"

Lima asked, a bit disappointed.

Luca shrugged and smiled. "Got another one? Give me one."

"None left!"

Lima took another drag and blew smoke in his face, pouting.

Luca waved it away and took the cigarette from her lips, leaned back in the seat, and took a puff himself.

"This cigarette has a nice flavor, rich and smooth, with a hint of sweetness..."

Before he could finish, the cigarette was snatched from his mouth and thrown into an empty drink bottle.

Luca twitched his mouth. He thought taking away her game console would calm her down, but it seems he was too naive.

"Lima, Britney and I are just friends. She's a big star; being friends with her is great. If it goes beyond that, it could be a big problem. I know my boundaries. Don't you believe me?"

"You really didn't sleep with her?"

Lima slowed down, moving slowly along the riverbank.

"No! Lima, what are you doing?"

Suddenly, Lima parked the car on a staircase leading to the river and gradually released the brake. The car slowly moved downward.

"Luca, I want to hear the truth. If you dare lie, I'll drive the car into the river."

"Lima, stop it. There's really nothing between us!"

Luca grabbed her hand.

"Really?"

Luca nodded seriously.

Lima stared into his eyes for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled broadly. "Luca, you're too timid. That's Britney Spears, a huge star. Why didn't you sleep with her? You’re my boyfriend; if Britney likes you, that shows you're excellent. Isn't that something to be happy about?"

"Happy?"

Yeah, right!

Seeing the car slowly sliding down, he sighed, "Stop joking, Lima. We really didn't sleep together."

Lima snorted softly. "Luca, you've changed. You used to cheat so many times without hiding it. Why not say it this time?

"Just speak freely. Since agreeing to date you, I've been prepared for you to cheat, so I won’t get mad or break up like other women. So, one more time, did you sleep with Britney?"

"Alright, alright, I'll confess,"

Luca stared into her eyes, then suddenly smiled, "Still no!"

"Luca, you bastard! How dare you lie to me!"

Lima pounced on him angrily, but she forgot they were on a slope.

"Careful!"

Luca shouted, ready to pull the handbrake, but it was too late. In a flash, the Beetle slid down the stairs, and the five-meter-high slope would soon reach the water.

"Ahhh~ Luca, we're going to fall into the water!"

"Get ready to jump!"

"No, let's just die in the water together, shall we?"

Lima clung to his neck, shouting.

"Little chubby girl, just wait, I'll deal with you tonight,"

Luca muttered while opening the car door. As the car fell into the water, he dragged Lima to the surface.

The Garonne River originates from the Pyrenees Mountains, and due to the Atlantic warm current, the water in May is warm, perfect for swimming.

If not for the growing crowd of onlookers, he would have liked to swim around a bit.

"Luca, you go up first!"

Just as he was about to climb ashore, Lima suddenly let go of his hand and dived into the water.

"Lima, what are you doing?"

Luca asked in surprise.

Lima didn't answer. She agilely dived back into the car and retrieved a box from the control room—his gift, the game console.

"WTF!"

Blub blub~

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 113: The Snipe and the Clam

Dusk fell upon the Grand Hotel, where lights illuminated the luxurious business suite. The crystal chandelier on the ceiling refracted a brilliant glow, and the artistic sculptures in the corners appeared even more beautiful under the lighting.

On the cream-colored Italian leather sofa, Kate crossed her legs and asked casually, "So, Lima, you said you went to pick up Luca, and you took him to the Garonne River?"

Across from her, on the other sofa, Luca and Lima sat, wrapped in blankets, with embarrassed expressions on their faces.

"Kate, we just accidentally fell into the water," Lima shrugged. Seeing the guy next to her laughing, she snorted in dissatisfaction. "Kate, it's not my fault. It's all Luca's fault. Now everyone knows he slept with Britney, yet he still won't admit it."

"I didn't!"

"Hmph, don't try to deny it. It's all over the news. You're still trying to deny it? You deserve to be hit!"

Lima pounced on him again, wrapping her legs around him, hitting his chest, biting his neck and chin, making quite a scene.

"Enough, Lima, you two stop it," Kate said, holding her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"Alright," Lima let go and straightened her clothes. "Kate, how did the talks about the car accident go?"

Kate shook her head. "In the morning, we were originally planning to handle it discreetly with the Balmain family, but then city police suddenly appeared at the book signing event around noon and disrupted our plans. There were many fans and reporters present, so we couldn’t keep it under wraps."

"The police weren't sent by the Balmain family to embarrass you, so who could it be?" Luca asked, puzzled.

"Not sure," Kate swirled the wine glass in her hand. "The Balmain family asked the lead officer, and he said that the people who contacted him had a business card from the Balmain family and asked him to come to the book signing to teach me a lesson. Whether it's true or not, who knows."

"So, someone deliberately muddied the waters, wanting to make this public? What do they gain from exposing it?"

"Who knows," Kate shrugged. "Twilight is selling like crazy, and my reputation in the industry is growing. I've taken up a lot of resources and offended many people in the process. There are quite a few people who would love to see me and Givenchy have a falling out. They want to stir things up, and it could also be Raul's enemies or even friends. Who knows."

Luca nodded, thinking of the saying, "When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits."

"Did you come to any conclusions in your meeting just now?" he asked.

"No," Kate said, putting down her wine glass. "The Balmain family and representatives from Givenchy want to handle it quietly. They plan to not explain or spread anything, just let the media speculate.

Their idea is simple: they want me to tacitly agree to keep quiet about Raul's underhanded methods to take Miranda away. This kind of thing not only affects the Balmain family but also the Givenchy brand, since Raul is notoriously infamous in the French fashion circle.

If it gets out, it might drag in a lot of scandals, which would be very damaging to the French fashion industry."

"They want you to keep it a secret?" Lima asked with a frown.

"Yes, they want me to keep it a secret and agree that Raul's severe injury was caused by the car chase, offering some compensation. Hmph, a bunch of arrogant Frenchmen!" Kate poured herself another glass of wine, then looked at the bottle and smiled. "Luca, remember the Margaux wine you gave me last time? Try this; this is the authentic Margaux winery wine, a 1990 vintage, one of the best years."

Glug, glug~

Kate poured two more glasses for him and Lima.

Luca smiled helplessly. "Kate, aren't you worried?"

"Worried about what?" Kate raised her glass with a smile. "As you said, some things have already happened. We just need to face them. I never regret what I did last night. The worst outcome is getting blacklisted by the other side, but it doesn't matter, Luca. Remember our agreement?"

"Of course," Luca laughed. "When I become a billionaire, we'll go back to Brazil, buy a big estate, and spend every day riding horses, making wine, and growing cocoa."

"Yes, actually, with just ten or twenty million, we could buy a big estate. We could make our own wine and create a wine brand. What do you think?"

"Kate, your plan sounds great. How about including me in it?" Lima raised her glass with a smile.

"Of course, Lima, how could our estate not have you?"

"Great, it's settled then." Lima clinked glasses with Kate and glanced at a certain someone who was unmoved. "Luca, are you not welcoming me?"

"Of course, you're welcome! But with you two in charge at home, it seems like whether I have a say or not doesn't matter."

Luca shrugged.

"As long as you understand!"

Knock, knock, knock~

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Kate, the people in the meeting room next door are out. The Balmain family and the representatives from Givenchy want to see you," Nina announced from outside.

"Okay, I'll be right out."

Kate put down her glass and stood up. She tightened her pants; the silk shirt paired with slim-fit black trousers made her look dignified, elegant, shrewd, and capable. But the slight blush on her face added a touch of allure, making her very charming.

"You guys continue drinking; I'll be back soon."

"I'll go take a look too!" Luca didn’t have time to change clothes. He threw on a T-shirt and sweatpants and followed.

"Wait for me!" Lima called from behind.

Luca looked back, three black lines appearing on his forehead. "Are you planning to go out wrapped in a blanket?"

"Why not?" Lima quickly adjusted the blanket. A white blanket with black spots quickly turned into a monk robe-style outfit, revealing her shoulders and long legs, with a slender waist and an hourglass figure, looking very sexy.

"You're amazing!" Luca laughed softly, taking her hand and walking out. Just as they reached the door, they heard someone outside speaking.

"Kate, don't forget your identity. Even though you’ve become a writer, you're still just a model. Falling out with us won’t do you any good," said a man with a voice that was sharp and full of arrogance, speaking English mixed with French.

"Yes, I am a small-time model, but essentially, I am a free person. I have the right to choose whether to cooperate or not, don't I?"

"You—"

Clap, clap, clap!

Luca clapped his hands as he walked out. "Ms. Kate Kelly, you spoke very well. I support you!"

Kate smiled slightly, holding his hand, and said to the three men and one woman opposite them, "I'm sorry, but I won't work with someone who doesn't respect me."

"Hmph! I hope you don't regret this!"

The middle-aged man called Mr. Balmain, with a long, thin face and green eyes, stared coldly at Luca and Kate before leaving the hotel with his people.

"Sigh~ now we’ve fallen out. A small matter has turned into something even more troublesome," Nina sighed. She glanced at Luca and suddenly frowned. "Luca, why are you here?"

"I'm right here," Luca spread his hands helplessly.

"Nina, this is indeed troublesome, but it has nothing to do with Luca, right? Don't blame him for this," Kate chuckled softly.

"Does it really have nothing to do with him?" Nina pursed her lips and walked away with her people.

"Alright, it's all my fault!"

Scapegoat Luca shrugged. If it weren't for him, Kate wouldn't have become a writer, wouldn't have come to Bordeaux for the wine event, and Miranda wouldn't have been brought into the company by him. So, he had to take the blame.

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 114: Dilemma and Allies*

As expected, the next day, multiple French media outlets reported on what happened in Bordeaux yesterday.

One report was about Raul Balmain, the playboy from the Balmain family, getting into a car accident in Bordeaux. He suffered multiple fractures and a severe brain injury and is still in a coma.

Another piece of news was that the author of "Twilight," Kate Kelly, was taken away by the Bordeaux municipal police for questioning at a book signing. It's said that Kate was involved in Raul's car accident.

"The Independent" Bordeaux news reported, "A serious car accident occurred the day before yesterday on the A10 highway outside Comandé Winery. The accident sent Raul Balmain, the second son of the Balmain family, into the intensive care unit.

This incident involves a well-known woman, none other than the author of "Twilight," supermodel Kate Kelly.

Witnesses confirmed that at the time of the incident, the two were racing on the highway and had a violent collision.

The reason for their collision is unknown."

"Le France Express" on April 12 reported, "Does anyone remember Raul Balmain, the defendant in last year's 'rape case'? Later, Raul only paid a small compensation to the plaintiff, Miss Merlin.

According to the news from Bordeaux yesterday, Raul had a serious car accident on the A10 highway the previous night.

According to hospital sources, Raul's injuries are severe, and he might become a vegetative state.

Will Miss Merlin and Miss Christine laugh at this news?

It is understood that Raul was thrown out of the car during a street race, which was quite tragic.

And the person racing with him was none other than supermodel Kate Kelly, the author of "Twilight," a newly popular bestselling author.

According to insiders, before the race, the two attended a wine-tasting party at Comandé Winery.

After the party, Raul drove away first, with Ms. Kelly in hot pursuit.

The two had a fierce collision and a gunfight on the highway.

During the confrontation, Raul was thrown out of the car.

It turned out that Ms. Kate Kelly's driving skills were somewhat superior."

"Bordeaux Daily" reported, "Yesterday, supermodel Kate was taken away for questioning by municipal police at an event because she participated in a street race the previous day, during which her car collided violently with that of the renowned sommelier Raul Balmain.

It is understood that after attending the wine-tasting event, Kate immediately drove away, exceeding the speed limit.

According to Mr. Balmain's driver, while he was driving, the car was suddenly hit hard, causing Mr. Balmain to be thrown out of the car."

"Fuck!"

After reading several newspapers, Luca just wanted to execute all these reporters for their lack of professional ethics.

The first news report was relatively objective, but it still suggested that Raul's car accident was caused by a street race with Kate.

The second report seemed objective on the surface, first denigrating Raul Balmain, indicating he wasn't a good person, but later mentioned they both attended the wine-tasting event and raced under the influence, subtly implying that Kate was associated with the disreputable Raul.

The third news report was blatantly biased. "Bordeaux Daily" only mentioned Kate as a supermodel, not a writer, while portraying Raul as a renowned sommelier and quoting his driver's words to distort the facts.

Today's newspapers mostly ignored Miranda's ordeal and Raul's shooting. Only a few small-circulation papers mentioned Raul's shooting, but their impact was too small to affect mainstream public opinion.

The other side had essentially controlled the mainstream narrative, framing Kate as the primary culprit in the accident and holding her responsible for Raul's condition.

"Luca, don't worry, our PR was a bit slow, but by tomorrow, many newspapers will explain the reason for the chase and Raul's shooting. It will all be clarified," Han Li said after hanging up the phone.

Luca shook his head, "Being a step behind means being behind every step. The first impression of a news event is crucial. The readers' first impression is that Kate and Raul were racing. No matter how we explain later, it's hard to shake off the fact that Kate was driving under the influence.

Tomorrow, there will surely be many newspapers saying that Kate drove under the influence, leading to one person being seriously injured. Since Kate is more famous, the media will pick the points that grab the reader's attention. Explaining it completely will be very difficult."

"I'm sorry, Kate. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have drunk that glass of wine. I didn't expect Raul to be so despicable," Miranda said, hanging her head in apology.

"It's okay, Miranda. As long as you're safe, it's all worth it," Kate smiled indifferently.

"Miranda, be more careful at wine parties in the future. After all, there are more bad men in this world," Lima said with a glance at someone.

Luca smiled helplessly, "Wasn't it just a little heavy-handed last night? Is that necessary?"

He then looked at Ms. Nina, who had just hung up the phone, "Nina, what does IMG say? This matter is likely to go to court. We need a competent legal team and PR support."

Ms. Nina frowned tightly, pondering for a moment before speaking, "Kate, the company..."

"What is it?"

Everyone was puzzled.

"The company wants to handle this matter quietly. If you take a step back, from tomorrow, both sides can work together to minimize the impact and reduce the negative effects as much as possible," Ms. Nina said slowly.

Kate sneered coldly, "So the company intends to stand by and do nothing?"

"How can they do this?" Miranda said angrily.

"Don't be surprised. Agencies always act weakly when it comes to confronting brand partners," Lima said with a curl of her lips.

"Nina, is there no way for IMG to negotiate?" Luca frowned.

Nina shook her head, "You should understand, IMG has collaborations with Givenchy and the LVMH Group. The interests of both parties are related, so the company doesn't want to ruin relations with Givenchy over the interests of Kate and Miranda. Moreover..."

Nina paused and looked at Kate, "Kate, the company thinks you were a bit too aggressive in this matter. Yesterday, Hubert Balmain proposed to take the lead in handling the PR to suppress this matter. You only needed to bear a small stain, but you refused. The company thinks your approach was too impulsive and is somewhat dissatisfied with you."

"Nina, what's your opinion?" Kate asked with a light smile.

Nina spread her hands, "Kate, I also think you were a bit impulsive in this matter. Although you're now a writer, you're still somewhat alone against a company like Givenchy."

"Luca, what about you?" Kate turned to Luca and smiled.

Luca pondered for a moment, "Kate, I think you did the right thing."

"Hmph!"

Ms. Nina glanced at him unhappily. Originally, if Kate had withdrawn from the negotiations, there might have been a turnaround. But since Luca came, Kate's attitude had become more assertive. He must have said something to her.

"Nina, don't be mad. Listen to what Luca has to say," Kate smiled.

Luca shrugged, "Judging by their attitude yesterday, I don't think there's any need to cooperate with them. Although they promise to temporarily suppress public opinion and offer compensation, can we be sure they'll keep their word? Can we be sure the Balmain family won't seek revenge in the future? And Raul, will he not retaliate?

Putting everything on the hope of their forbearance seems too passive.

From all aspects, I think there's no need to cooperate with them. However, it does seem a bit too fast to fall out with them. But..."

He looked at Kate with curiosity, "From yesterday until today, no matter how the situation changed, you didn't seem worried at all. You didn't even flinch when you heard that IMG gave up support. Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Why don't you take a guess?" Kate smiled with a high-arched lip.

Luca pondered for a moment, rubbing his chin, "Besides the company, we don't have any other helpers... Wait, the club. Could it be the Betty Club?"

"Haha, as expected of my brother, you can't hide anything from him," Kate hugged his neck and rubbed his head vigorously.

"Pfft~"

Miranda couldn't help but laugh. She used to think Luca was quite cool. When he didn't smile, he seemed cold and a bit intimidating. But she didn't expect this is how he was at home. It's somewhat unimaginable.

"Don't be surprised. He usually likes to act cool to deceive little girls. Don't be fooled by his appearance," Lima said with a curled lip.

Miranda blinked. This side of Luca seemed quite interesting.

"Enough with the teasing!"

Luca glanced awkwardly at everyone in the room and pushed Kate away, asking, "What's the club's plan? Why are they helping you? Do they have a chance?"

"They do!"

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 115: Codename*

"What assurance?"

Luca asked in confusion.

"They've been watching Raul for a long time and have crucial evidence," Kate said softly.

Shortly after the car accident, people from the club contacted her, saying they had key evidence and could help settle the matter. However, they wouldn't help for free. They wanted to use this incident as a breakthrough to expose discrimination against women in the fashion industry, give women a voice, and hoped Kate would cooperate.

Luca shook his head, "Although the Betty Club sounds powerful, it's actually just a loose organization. You shouldn't trust them too much."

"You're right. The reason I agreed to their request was to see how powerful the club really is. I've heard before that the Betty Reading Club is strong, but if it's just superficially impressive, it's not worth wasting my time on," Kate said with a light smile.

"It's still too risky," Luca remarked. This approach was like picking chestnuts out of the fire; it could either enhance her reputation or damage it, potentially affecting endorsement deals.

"Kate, the municipal police are here, along with people from the court," Ms. Nina said, frowning as she walked in.

"The court?" Kate raised an eyebrow. "They sure came quickly."

Luca and Kate, along with a few others, headed to the hotel’s third-floor reception room.

"Hello, Ms. Kelly. Our municipal police department received a report indicating there were serious errors in the Barme car accident. We need your cooperation for the investigation," said Maximo, the lead police officer from before, his voice even more stern this time.

"Ms. Kelly, we have received a complaint accusing you of dangerous driving that caused Mr. Raul Barme's severe injury. After review, the local court has decided to prosecute this case, and the trial will begin in three days. We hope you will appear in court to defend yourself," said a court official in uniform, handing out a summons.

"So soon?" Ms. Nina frowned as she took the summons. Kate's lawyer was not in place yet, so they would have to hire one temporarily.

Luca shook his head, thinking to himself that the world over, corrupt people are the same.

"Kate, when are they coming? You won't be deceived, right?" Lima asked worriedly.

Kate frowned slightly. She had considered that this matter might escalate, but the other side moved too quickly. It had only been three days since the car accident, and the case was already in the prosecution stage, catching her off guard.

"Ha ha, Kate, are you regretting it now?"

While everyone was frowning, a man slowly emerged from the nearby coffee table. He had a long, thin face and green eyes. It was Mr. Hubert Barme.

"Regret what?" Kate asked calmly.

"Ha ha, Kate, are you still pretending to be calm at this moment? I told you, you're just a model. Without the support of an agency, how much influence do you have? None at all. You're just a model. Ha ha, are you regretting it now?" Hubert Barme said arrogantly, taking out a document. "If you regret it, I'll give you another chance. Sign this, and I'll forgive your previous offense and the mistakes you made regarding Raul."

Kate glanced at the contract. There were eight clauses, one of which was a $100,000 endorsement of Barme's wine for five years. During the endorsement period, she was obligated to participate in wine brand promotions. The rest were even more shameless.

"Interesting contract," Kate couldn't help but smile. "Mr. Barme, if I had agreed to handle this matter quietly last time, would you have troubled me afterward?"

Hubert Barme widened his eyes, greedily looking at Kate as he laughed, "I'm a French gentleman; how could I lie? However, I can't speak for others. After all, Raul carries the Barme name. Even if he's a scoundrel, he's still a Barme scoundrel. Taking a small model away at a party and almost getting killed for it is hardly worth it."

"So, you had this contract ready a long time ago?" Kate pointed to the contract and asked.

Hubert shrugged, "Don't ask so many questions. Just sign it. Otherwise, you'll face endless litigation, from the Bordeaux local court to the Paris high court, and then to the international court. We will keep appealing until you go bankrupt and can't afford a lawyer."

"Bankrupt?" Luca raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Does the Barme family have a lot of money?"

"Who are you?" Hubert asked unhappily.

"Luca Kelly," Luca replied with a faint smile. "I heard that your family's total assets are just over 100 million francs, which makes you barely wealthy in Bordeaux. But in America, in New York, what is that worth?

I have a question for you. Which deity gave you the courage to belittle a world-renowned bestselling author like this? Do you know that just the royalties from the 'Twilight' series can reach at least $50 million? The rights to 'Twilight' are valued at $100 million. New Line and Summit were willing to offer $20 million plus a 20% share of the merchandise profits, which is more than all of your Barme family's assets combined, and Kate didn't even glance at it.

I sincerely ask you this: do you, a country bumpkin, understand what it means to be a world-renowned bestselling author?"

Pfft~

Kate, Lima, and Miranda couldn't help but laugh behind him.

"Merde!"

Hubert Barme had been listening seriously, but was dumbfounded by the phrase "country bumpkin."

"No manners!"

Luca waved his hand. "Now I understand why your son turned out to be such a disgusting creature—because he has an even more disgusting father. Oh, poor Raul, being born a Barme is truly his misfortune."

"Your name is Luca, right? I heard you're a model too," Hubert asked through gritted teeth.

"So what? I endorse Armani's jeans series and CK underwear. Do you want to find someone to take away my endorsements?"

Hubert frowned. Armani and CK are American brands, and he only has connections in the French fashion industry. He has no influence in the U.S.

He snorted, turned to Kate, and asked, "Kate, do you really not plan to reconcile?"

"Is this your sincerity?" Kate pointed at the contract.

In fact, now that things had escalated, she somewhat regretted agreeing to the club women's proposal. This matter was too risky. If it got out of hand, it would not only affect her interests but also Luca's future.

If Hubert agreed to suppress the public opinion now and not seek revenge afterward, while also compensating Miranda, she would be willing to pack up and return to New York.

"Ha ha ha~"

Hearing her soften, Hubert Barme couldn't help but laugh a few times. "Kate, this is my sincerity. I'll give you three days to consider. Once it's in court, it'll be too late for regrets."

"Really? Another trick to destroy evidence?!"

Suddenly, four people came down the corridor, two women and two men. Leading them was a woman in her thirties, dressed in a champagne-colored suit with a metallic frame glasses, exuding a sharp aura.

"Who are you?" Hubert Barme asked, displeased.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Delia Cobell, and I'm Ms. Kate Kelly's lawyer. These are my assistants," the woman said politely, bowing slightly.

"Delia Cobell? Are you Delia Cobell, the senior lawyer from The Third Reich?" the court staff exclaimed in surprise.

The woman ignored him and handed a business card to Kate. "I'm a partner at The Third Reich law firm and an associate professor at the University of Paris Law School. My specialties include human rights, international law, extradition, and criminal cases. Kate, would you like to hire me as your defense lawyer?"

Kate frowned at the card and asked softly, "Are you also from the club?"

"Yes!"

"What's your codename in the group?"

"Can I not say?"

"How can I trust you if you don't say?" Kate asked suspiciously.

The woman hesitated and then said softly, "Little Cherry."

Luca twitched his mouth and turned his head away.

The woman glanced at him and then asked Kate, "Now do you believe me?"

Kate shrugged, "Like they said in the group, is it free?"

"Of course, it's in the authorization letter."

"Alright!"

Kate nodded and signed the authorization letter.

The woman put away the authorization letter and looked at the court summons. "Completing the review work within three days makes you the most efficient in the world."

The court staff's face changed slightly. "The evidence chain for this car accident is complete, so the review work isn't complicated."

She shook her head and glanced at Hubert. "Raul has already woken up, right? This time, I definitely won't let him or you get away with it."

Hubert frowned and sneered, "I knew this was not simple. So, it was you guys causing trouble behind the scenes."

"For justice!"

"Heh heh, alright, alright, Ms. Justice. Last time, they lost, and now it's your turn, right? I'll tell you, you'll lose this time as well!"

"Really? Then see you in court!"

(End of the chapter)