I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1174: If I Get Lost]

The penthouse at the entrance of Sixth Avenue.

Eric had just opened the door when a tipsy Anna Kournikova curiously slipped inside ahead of him.

It was already past nine in the evening. They had dinner at the Bernadine restaurant on 51st Street. Although Anna seemed to want to continue the night, Eric did not entertain any further activities. Instead, he opted to head straight home. Even though tomorrow was Sunday, he still had work to get done.

Anna shuffled her hands behind her back, taking a few steps in the foyer, when suddenly all the lights in the spacious apartment turned on, revealing her alluring, flushed face.

She instinctively squinted at the brightness, then turned around to see Eric smiling behind her. She returned his smile, boldly leaned in, and draped her arms over his shoulders, saying, "Tonight's dinner was nice, Eric. But I really enjoyed that waiter's helplessness regarding my outfit. He clearly disapproved of my choice, haha."

Most upscale restaurants had their dress codes, but in Eric's position of power and wealth, it was unlikely any restaurant would dare to enforce such rules against him. Eric wore a simple shirt and trousers, which wasn't inappropriate, as he was never one to dress flamboyantly. However, Anna had shown up at the Bernadine restaurant in a cropped T-shirt and tiny shorts, and the waitstaff, fully aware of her connection to Eric Williams, chose to ignore the breach in policy.

Perhaps due to the constraints from IMG, Anna seemed akin to a canary that had tasted freedom only briefly, excited yet lacking the courage to fully escape her cage.

As her rosy lips, slightly parted, came closer to Eric, he stepped back a bit, wrapped his arms around her lithe waist, and whispered, "Take off your shoes."

"Uh-huh, Eric, are you in such a rush? I'm all yours tonight," she replied playfully.

Saying this, Anna obediently kicked off her high-heeled sandals. Then, she lifted the hem of her T-shirt, seemingly intending to take it off completely. Eric halted her by stopping her hands, gently pushing her toward the living room, saying, "Alright, go take a shower first."

Push away by Eric, Anna danced barefoot on the cool floor as if twirling, saying, "Eric, your place is so big! If I get lost, don't forget to find me."

As she said this, Anna showed no inclination to ask Eric where the bathroom was. She lightly made her way toward the staircase, shortly after reaching the second floor, flirtatiously glancing back at Eric from the railing before vanishing from sight.

Watching the girl, who had only shared a bottle of red wine with him and seemed slightly crazed, akin to a cat high on catnip, Eric couldn't help but smile. Her low tolerance for alcohol suggested that IMG was indeed strict about such matters, making him quite pleased with their management team.

...

In the kitchen, Eric selected some fruits from the refrigerator, washed and cut them up, arranging a simple platter before returning to the living room.

He turned off the lights and settled on the couch near the floor-to-ceiling windows, casually checking his emails on his laptop, illuminated by the dim glow of Manhattan's skyline.

After an indeterminate time, he caught a faint scent of body wash in the air. Not making any noise, Anna Kournikova peered over his shoulder, a damp strand of hair cascading onto Eric's neck and sending a chill down his spine.

Eric turned his head and kissed her slightly chubby cheek. He gestured toward the fruit platter with a nod, "Here, eat some fruit. It'll help sober you up."

"I'm not drunk," Anna pouted lightly, appearing a bit shy as she came around from behind him and picked up the platter, glancing at where Eric sat on his single sofa. Still unsatisfied, she sat down across from him at the round table.

Intent on eating the fruit like a little mouse, she snuck glances at Eric, unable to resist moving closer and sitting on the armrest of his sofa, holding up a piece of apple to his mouth. "Eric, you eat too."

Eric took a bite of the apple as he watched her suck on the remaining piece, chuckling, "Stop teasing."

Giggling, Anna put the platter back down, closed the laptop he was holding, and picked it up, setting it aside. Only then did she straddle him, leaning down to kiss him.

Feeling the soft, apple-flavored lips of Anna Kournikova, Eric untied her robe, quickly unveiling her beautiful, naked body, his hands wandering over her supple skin.

After sharing a somewhat clumsy kiss, the girl raised her flushed face to meet Eric's gaze and suddenly exclaimed, "Eric, you're nothing like I imagined. You're so gentle, caring, and patient. I think I may have fallen for you."

"That's just your illusion," Eric replied with a smile as he gave her bottom a playful pat. "After tonight, I'm sure you won't love me anymore."

Anna blinked, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of pink in the soft light, her voice teasingly hopeful, "Eric, do you have any strange preferences? I've heard rumors. I--I'd be willing to play along, but you can't hurt me."

Eric felt a strand of hair fall across his forehead and leaned in slightly, lowering his voice, "Yeah, did you find that room I told you about? I'll just lock you up in there for a week."

"Um, a week definitely won't do. If Eisenberg and the others can't find me after three days, they might go crazy," she replied.

Seeing Anna completely believe him without an ounce of fear, he scooped up her light form and stood, declaring, "Let's go. I'll show you a whole new world."

...

He dreamt of a multitude of cats cuddling around him, their furry softness comforting. Suddenly, those cats transformed into girls dressed in cat-girl uniforms, pouncing on him, escalating the pressure.

At that moment, he opened his eyes.

In the soft morning light, a golden-haired girl adorned with nothing but a smile lay atop him, playfully fiddling with a strand of his hair.

However, feeling Eric's hands instinctively moving down, she giggled and twisted her body, sending a wave of warmth through him, then said, "Eric, let me put the rubber on for you. I'm not a gold digger; I wouldn't dare get pregnant secretly."

Eric hadn't anticipated this girl waking up so early, looking so bright and lively.

He guessed it was an athlete's perk.

With a little force, he rolled over, pinning her beneath him. Eric brushed his lips against her delicate face and stated, "But I don't like it when girls are too forward."

"Mm, mm-hmm," Anna Kournikova nodded willingly, leaving only a series of soft whimpers in the air.

...

They sat alongside the breakfast table, and by now, it was already nine in the morning.

Casually nibbling on breakfast, Anna observed Eric with an unmistakable affection, and after a while, she spoke up, "Eric, I want to go to the Caribbean for a few days. Will you come with me?"

Eric picked up a slice of fried egg, shook his head, and replied, "That won't do. I'm very busy."

"But it's Sunday! You can just come back tomorrow. You have a private jet, right? That Boeing 747? Can I take a ride?"

Eric smiled and nodded, "Sure, if you want to go to the Caribbean, you can use the plane."

Anna's eyes sparkled with excitement, but just as quickly, her expression soured, "You really won't accompany me?"

"Really cannot," Eric said as he set down his utensils, took a sip of milk, and looked back at her, "But have fun for a few days, then you have to come back to Florida for training. No more wild antics."

"Um, why do you sound a bit like Eisenberg now?"

A smile crept upon Eric's lips as he said, "That's the point I wanted to make -- don't talk badly about your company to outsiders because that person might just become your boss."

Anna blinked rapidly, understanding Eric's underlying message. Her eyes widened, "You--you...?"

Eric nodded, "I'm about to buy IMG."

With the memory of her complaints about IMG being full of vampires fresh in her mind, Anna instinctively recoiled, bringing her hand to her face as if wanting to hide completely.

"Don't be like that. I won't bite, now eat your breakfast."

"It's so embarrassing," she stammered, glancing at Eric through her fingers for a moment before lowering her hand, her cheeks flushed red, "Eric, I don't love you anymore. You're such a jerk, um, boss."

After saying this, until Eric escorted her to the helicopter landing pad by the Hudson River, Anna didn't display any of her previous playful demeanor, appearing more like a good girl.

Once they arrived at the helipad and she caught sight of the black helicopter on the field, she glanced at the man beside her, saying, "Eric, perhaps I should just go back to Florida."

"The flight plan has already been set," Eric smiled and replied. "Go on and enjoy yourself, but do keep your focus. It would be wonderful if you could score a Grand Slam for me as the new boss."

"Sure, I," Anna nodded earnestly, but then added timidly, "But I can't guarantee that."

"Just do your best," Eric stated as he noticed the pilot giving him an okay sign. He nudged Anna, urging her forward, "Go."

Anna looked around and cautiously took a step forward. When she saw Eric grinning and opening his arms, she immediately leaped at him, kissing him briefly before escaping his embrace and stepping back toward the helicopter. Suddenly summoning her courage, she exclaimed, "Eric, actually, I still like you."

Saying this, without waiting for Eric's response, she turned on her heel and dashed toward the helicopter, effortlessly leaping aboard without needing any help from the staff.

...

As Eric watched the VH-60 take to the skies, he turned back to his car and instructed the driver to head to the Firefly Investment Company in Midtown.

There were not many employees at Firefly's headquarters that day; only Chris and a few others were present, while Caroline and Merissa Mayer had already arrived early.

Seeing Eric, Chris began updating him on the latest developments concerning the Department of Justice's objections to Yahoo's browser collaborations.

"This morning, news portals such as AOL and Microsoft's MSN published reports that the DOJ might veto Yahoo's pre-installation agreements with Microsoft on their browsers. Even the New York Times and Washington Post mentioned it. The DOJ's inquiry hearing is tomorrow. Eric, are you going to Washington?" Chris asked, a sly smile creeping onto his face. "There are a lot of people there hoping you will show up."

Eric took the documents Merissa passed him and settled into a leather chair in the conference room, understanding Chris's subtly weighted last comment.

In recent months, the upcoming presidential election had officially kicked off in America.

Although many candidates were expected from both parties, it was clear that the final two would undoubtedly be Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George Bush.

As the election year approached, barring any extraordinary changes, the battle for the presidential seat would largely unfold between these two figures.

Eric had kept an eye on this round of presidential elections. Although George Bush emerged victorious, it sparked yet another instance where the winner received fewer popular votes than the runner-up.

Given the current stance of the two candidates, it was evident that the emergence of a significant player like Eric would shift the dynamics considerably.

In the original timeline, the Murdoch family enjoyed a prominent status in Britain until the phone-tapping scandal. No matter which party won the elections, they had to pay homage to old Rupert Murdoch due to his immense control over British media -- from newspapers to television networks -- effectively swaying election results. The later phone-tapping scandal was a backlash that arose from prolonged suppression under the shadow of the media conglomerate by both political parties.

Likewise, the media resources controlled by Firefly could substantially impact the trajectory of the presidential campaigns in the federal election.

While presidential campaigns in the U.S. were complex compared to those in the U.K., the perspective that both candidates stood on equal footing made the control of substantial media resources by the Firefly Group extremely crucial.

Thus, in recent times, Washington had frequently reached out to the Firefly Group, aiming to secure Eric's support.

This also led Eric to conclude that the recent Yahoo browser controversy was an act of sabotage instigated by Microsoft. In critical moments like this, neither political party would be inclined to provoke the Firefly Group lightly.

Of course, while Eric had ample control over Firefly, the situation was not as simple as it appeared, requiring careful deliberation across multiple fronts.

Nodding toward Chris, Eric temporarily set aside these concerns to refocus on the documents in hand.

*****

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