The Fashion Show

The next day, Irene sat in first class on a flight to New York, engrossed in the latest fashion magazine.

Just before the plane was about to close its doors, a familiar figure appeared beside her seat. It was none other than Robert Smith, the former head of marketing at MGM. He had been the one to push for the successful release of Legally Blonde.

Although MGM's later strategic changes had prevented them from continuing to work together, she knew it hadn't been Robert's fault. On the contrary, his keen eye for the market and his efficient execution had left a deep impression on her.

Robert spotted her too, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. "Director Irene? What a coincidence."

"Mr. Smith," Irene said with a smile and a nod. "It's been a long time. What a pleasant surprise."

Once the plane was cruising smoothly, Irene closed the book in her hands and casually struck up a conversation.

"Are you going to New York for work, Mr. Smith?" Irene asked in an even tone.

Robert paused for a second while taking something out of his bag, then gave a helpless smile. "Work's a little slow these days, so I'm making a special trip to see my daughter, who's studying in New York."

Being transferred from head of marketing to head of the Home Entertainment Department was like going from California to Mississippi. He was now far removed from the company's core projects, left to handle only peripheral work. It had dampened his ambition to keep making the company better.

And the source of all the hardship he'd faced was the young woman sitting right in front of him.

Irene didn't respond, but nodded thoughtfully. Shelly had told her about his situation before, and she knew that being sent off to the sticks was no easy thing to bear.

She chose her words carefully, hoping not to deal him another blow. "Speaking of which, I've never found the right opportunity to thank you in person. Your hard work and sound judgment were a big part of why Legally Blonde did so well. I'm sure the company will recognize your efforts."

"You're too kind, Director Irene." The smile at the corner of Robert's mouth was a little more sincere than before. "It did so well because Legally Blonde was an excellent film to begin with. I may not have had the chance to help with your new movie, but I'll still make a point of going to see it."

"Thank you for your support, Mr. Smith. If you're unhappy at MGM, perhaps you could take some time away to relax and clear your head. You never know—better opportunities might be just around the corner." Irene smiled faintly. The idea of recruiting him had popped into her mind the moment she saw him.

He'd worked in MGM's marketing department for years and knew film promotion inside out. She couldn't keep investing only in her own movies forever; she'd never make the big money that way.

She needed someone who could help her pick films with potential and commercial appeal—and perhaps, one day, acquire a distribution company.

Robert was a smart man. He immediately caught the implication, but didn't give her an answer. She was too young; he needed to see whether her success was inevitable or merely a lucky break.

"That sounds like a good suggestion." His tentative reply showed that he'd picked up on her signal.

"I can't promise much else, but I do know a thing or two about having a good time. If you need anything, Mr. Smith, just get in touch." Irene took a business card from her purse and handed it to him.

Robert took the card, glanced at it, and put it away carefully. "You're too modest, Director Irene. I hope we'll get the chance to work together."

That was where the conversation ended. They seemed to have exchanged nothing more than a few casual pleasantries, but the possibility of working together had quietly begun to take root.

Irene turned her gaze back to the clouds outside the window. It looked like another piece could be added to her team. Once she finished shooting this action movie, she'd be ready to make her mark.

As soon as she got off the plane, Irene received a call from Britney.

"Irene, come out through the VIP exit, then head to Exit 2 and go to the C parking lot. My car's waiting there. It's a black Mercedes van." Britney's voice on the phone was brimming with excitement and a sense of freedom.

"Okay, I'll be right there."

There weren't many people in the VIP area, and Irene had no luggage, so she reached the parking lot in no time.

It was noon, and the lot was full of cars waiting to pick up passengers. Black Mercedes vans were especially common, and Irene wasn't sure where to start looking.

Then she spotted a pitch-black van stopped in the aisle. The tinted windows made it impossible to tell whether it was Britney's car.

Just as she was about to walk over and check, the window slowly lowered, revealing a familiar half-face.

Without another thought, she strode toward it. The door opened right before she reached the van, and she hopped in without hesitation. The door shut at once, the whole thing happening in one smooth motion.

Before Irene could even sit down and catch her breath, Britney started laying out the plans. "First we'll go to Louis Vuitton to look at clothes, then to Van Cleef & Arpels for jewelry, and then—"

"Wait, wait, wait." Irene hurriedly cut her off. "I haven't even had lunch yet. Besides, we're going to watch a show, not walk in one. Do we really need to buy more clothes?"

"Tonight's show is no ordinary event. It's the first time Victoria's Secret is recording the show for broadcast, so there'll be plenty of media and reporters there. And even though we're just watching, it's still a way to promote yourselves. I've arranged for them to seat you in the front row. The cameras will pan across you, so you'll need to dress up," Shelly said from the front passenger seat.

"Exactly! It's a really important show, so we need to look our best. I'll have my assistant get you lunch later. We'll eat at Louis Vuitton. Edward said he's paying for the outfits today!"

Irene couldn't help praising Edward in her mind. He'd bought the tickets, and now he was paying for the clothes and jewelry. Where could anyone find a boyfriend that wonderful?

As it happened, Edward had planned to invite Irene to Victoria's Secret Night because Britney was busy. But Irene thought going to a lingerie show with her friend's boyfriend would be awkward no matter how she looked at it, so she wanted to decline. She discussed it with Britney instead.

Irene had no idea how Britney had persuaded Jive to let her go, but in the end, the two women were going to the show together, while Edward, who'd provided the tickets, was left behind. Fortunately, he was easygoing and had grown used to his girlfriend liking her best friend more than him. He handed over the tickets without a fuss and even chipped in for their outfits.

When Shelly heard about it, she immediately contacted the media to build up publicity for Britney and raise her profile. After all, Britney really was the first young singer to attend a Victoria's Secret Night show in person. It was undoubtedly a great promotional opportunity for both sides.