In the bar at the Gramercy Hotel, to avoid being disturbed, Simon and Eileen Landy chose a booth in the corner.
However, recognizing Simon's identity, not only did the existing patrons approach him, but more people gathered as the news spread. Even though Simon signaled his two bodyguards to fend off the admirers, it didn't stop the bar from filling up quickly.
In less than ten minutes, even Eileen Landy realized they couldn't stay any longer. While she fancied the idea of some gossip about Simon's nightlife surfacing, considering he was married, and seeing how he would handle it, she didn't want her identity to be exposed either.
With these thoughts in mind, Eileen glanced across the table. Simon, looking utterly unconcerned and relaxed, leaned back in the booth with a glass of whiskey in his hand, staring off to her right shoulder into empty space as if lost in thought.
If he had been staring at her, it would have made sense, or even at the attractive women in the bar. But zoning out like this?
After watching him for a moment, Eileen spoke up, "Hey!"
Simon shifted his gaze to her. "Hmm?"
Eileen, keeping her patience, asked, "What were you just thinking about?"
Simon shook his head and smiled. "Nothing much, just enjoying the rare chance to think about nothing."
Eileen detected a hint of weariness in his casual tone, which slightly dissipated her annoyance. She continued, "So, what do you usually think about?"
"Too many things," Simon replied. "One or two sentences can't sum it up."
Looking at the handsome man across from her, Eileen asked impulsively, "Then what do you think about when you see me?"
Simon answered honestly, "Estée Lauder."
Eileen, somewhat dissatisfied, pressed on, "And then?"
"Various evaluations," Simon explained. "Is it worth investing in, worth acquiring, the future of the cosmetics industry, the prospects of Estée Lauder, and so on."
Eileen was curious about Simon's view on her company's future, but she couldn't help but blurt out, "I meant, what do you think of me personally?"
"Estée Lauder," Simon reiterated.
Eileen nearly threw her drink at him in frustration. "I mean, how do you see me?"
"Oh," Simon nodded, glancing at the young woman in a white floral long-sleeve dress. "You're smart and hardworking, though outwardly strong, you're actually conservative at heart. You could become a great successor for the Landy family."
Eileen's eyes flickered. Instinctively, she asked, "Have you investigated me?"
Simon just shrugged, not bothering to answer.
Through their brief interaction and the bits of information he remembered, Simon had formed a rough idea of Eileen's character, but he certainly wouldn't tell her that.
Eileen regretted her question as soon as she asked it. It was foolish. Perhaps those with ulterior motives might research her, but the man in front of her had no such reason.
Feeling a touch of disappointment, Eileen realized there weren't many people in the world who could maintain their pride when facing Simon.
Owning a majority of Estée Lauder's shares and the Landy family's assets exceeding two billion dollars placed her in the upper echelons of wealth. Yet, compared to the young man across from her, it seemed insignificant.
Taking a sip of her drink to hide her slight embarrassment, Eileen observed Simon, who appeared relaxed again. Leaning forward slightly, with a hint of unconscious flirtation, she asked, "So, what else?"
Noticing the subtle change in her posture, Simon smiled. "You're a lovely lady. Maybe we could continue this evening."
Eileen froze, then quickly masked it with a disdainful expression, "And if you can't?"
Simon shrugged, "Then I can't."
She suddenly remembered the two women standing by his side at the party earlier. Indeed, whether he could take her home or not seemed irrelevant to him.
Understanding this, Eileen felt a small, conflicting mix of determination and reluctance—both not wanting to give in and not wanting to let him get away with it.
Draining the rest of her drink, feeling a bit tipsy, she boldly looked at him and asked, "So, shall we leave now?" She then added a seemingly reasonable excuse, glancing around at the growing crowd in the bar, "If we don't leave, you'll be all over the tabloids tomorrow."
Simon nodded with a smile, "Sure."
They stood up, navigating through the crowd with the bodyguards' help, and left the bar, heading straight to the hotel's underground parking lot.
Once inside Simon's luxury car and feeling the engine start, Eileen couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness. She was indeed conservative and had never had a one-night stand, especially not with a married man.
To be precise, certain things would be entirely new experiences for her.
Adjusting her position slightly, Eileen quickly found a topic to distract herself. Looking at the neon-lit Manhattan skyline outside the window, she asked, "Won't we be noticed?"
Simon shook his head. "Even if we are, there will be people to handle it."
Hollywood gossip often seemed scandalous, but it was usually just the tip of the iceberg. A star's management and PR teams could suppress most of the negative stories. Gossip media often inform the celebrity's team first, negotiating for exclusive interviews or direct monetary deals.
For someone of Simon's stature, unless someone deliberately sought to cause trouble, it was unlikely for any negative news about him to make it to the media.
As Simon explained, he also sensed Eileen's unease. He reached out, pulling her close and tilting her chin up. Feeling the softness of her skin, he leaned in to kiss her.
Eileen felt Simon's hand on her waist, another sliding down her neck as he kissed her deeply, creating a breathless sensation. The pressure of his hands was firm, almost crushing at moments, leaving her feeling weak and powerless, yielding entirely to his touch.
When she woke the next morning, it was already dawn.
Noticing movement beside her, she opened her eyes, and memories of the night flooded back. Turning her head, she saw Simon fully dressed. Sitting up slightly, she hesitated but chose not to cover herself with the sheet.
Seeing her stir, Simon, while buttoning his shirt, greeted, "Morning."
"Morning." Eileen replied, contemplating, then said seriously, "I'm not planning to become your mistress."
Simon smiled, walked over, tilted her chin, and kissed her cheek instead of her lips.
Eileen noticed his slight change of target and, once released, glared at him, "You're such a bastard."
Moreover, it had been her first time.
Her first time.
Raised as a devout Jewish girl, her parents had always taught her to protect herself. Given her background, she rarely found men who met her standards, and she had intended to save herself for her wedding night.
But now, this man had taken that from her.
Although she didn't regret it, she couldn't help feeling a bit down.
Simon, hearing her curse, felt a bit at a loss. He didn't care about virginity but had assumed a woman in her twenties wouldn't be a virgin, unaware he had stumbled into a complication.
What should he say now?
"I'll take responsibility for you?"
That would be ridiculous.
He had an appointment with Laurence Fink for breakfast this morning. Given the situation, it wouldn't be appropriate to just walk away; that would be truly despicable.
Ignoring Eileen's earlier statement, Simon buttoned his last shirt button and asked, "What would you like for breakfast?"
Remembering he had arranged breakfast with Cersei Capital's executive last night, Eileen asked, "Weren't you supposed to meet someone for breakfast?"
Simon replied, "We'll reschedule for lunch."
Smiling despite herself, she noticed how neatly dressed he was. Looking around, she remembered her dress from last night was torn to shreds downstairs. She gave Simon a look, "Hey, what am I supposed to wear?"
Simon walked to the closet, rummaging around, and pulled out one of his white shirts, handing it to her. "You can wear this for now. You'd look great in a white shirt. I'll have some clothes sent over shortly."
Taking the shirt, she instinctively brought it to her nose to smell it, realizing how intimate the gesture was and quickly pulled it away. "Just a shirt?"
Last night, he had destroyed all her clothes.
Simon chuckled, "Would you like to try some men's underwear?"
Though suspecting there might be women's underwear in his closet, she had no intention of wearing anything from another woman. She shot him a look, put on the shirt, buttoning it quickly, and got out of bed. Being about 5'6", she found the oversized shirt fit her perfectly.
Then she felt a bit lost.
Simon laughed, guiding her into the adjacent bathroom, finding fresh towels and toiletries. "You can take a shower. I'll be next door."
Once he left, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and finally took a bath.
After drying her hair, she spent another half-hour gathering her courage to step out, still only wearing the white shirt, and barefoot, navigating through the clean apartment like a cat. Eventually, she ran into a baby-faced girl, Zoe, who led her to the dining room.
She soon discovered there were at least three other women in the apartment.
Simon's assistant, Allison, the baby-faced Zoe, and another girl, Isabel, whose bust she couldn't help but envy.
In the dining room, after discovering this, Eileen couldn't resist a slightly teasing question for Simon. "Is this why it didn't matter to you if you couldn't take me home last night?"
Simon chuckled, "I simply prefer having beautiful girls around. Given the choice, I wouldn't hire middle-aged housekeepers to put myself at a disadvantage."
She rolled her eyes at him but kept eating her fruit salad. After a moment, she asked, "Just for the view?"
Simon nodded, "That's right."
Knowing he had no reason to lie to her, Eileen didn't push further. But she realized one thing—this guy was definitely a player, which gave her a solid reason to maintain some distance.
She didn't want to get involved with a man who had such a wandering eye.
Continuing their breakfast, they chatted a bit more. Eileen noticed that, despite mostly asking the questions herself, she had never managed to gain any control in their interactions since last night.
Thinking this over, she asked, "You're heading back today, right? Tomorrow night is the Oscars."
Simon nodded.
Not wanting to let him off easily, she asked, "Can I come to the Oscars with you?"
Simon was surprisingly agreeable, "Of course. If you want to attend, I'll arrange an invitation for you. Just remember to prepare a stunning dress; you wouldn't want to be outshined. After the ceremony, there are after-parties that are quite lively."
Hmm?
Something seemed off.
Shouldn't he be looking for a reason to turn her down?
Wasn't he worried about her running into his wife at the ceremony?
Suspecting something, she asked, "Aren't you attending?"
Simon shook his head, "No."
"..."
Seeing her confused expression, Simon asked with a smile, "So, do you still want to go?"
Realizing she had been outmaneuvered again, Eileen, though annoyed at his smug look, nodded firmly, "Yes!"
---
After breakfast, Simon had to leave for his meeting with Laurence Fink, leaving Eileen alone with his staff. Zoe offered to call for a car to take her home, but Eileen decided to stay a bit longer, intrigued by the setup in Simon's apartment and the dynamics among his staff.
As Simon left, Eileen explored the apartment, finding it tastefully decorated with modern, minimalistic touches. It reflected Simon's personality—efficient, elegant, and subtly powerful.
After a while, Allison approached her. "Would you like to change into something more comfortable? We have some spare clothes here."
Eileen looked down at Simon's white shirt she was still wearing and nodded. "That would be great, thanks."
Allison led her to a room that seemed to be a guest bedroom, and from the closet, she handed Eileen a simple but stylish dress. "This should fit you. It's one of the outfits we keep for guests."
Grateful, Eileen changed quickly. The dress fit well and was much more appropriate for her next move. She had decided to head home and start preparing for the Oscars. The fact that Simon wasn't attending made her even more determined to make an impression on her own.
---
The day of the Oscars, Eileen chose an elegant gown, designed to make her stand out. It was a deep blue dress with subtle silver accents that shimmered under the light. As she got ready, she couldn't help but think about Simon's casual dominance and how he had dismissed the event so easily. It irked her, but also motivated her to shine even brighter.
Arriving at the ceremony, she found herself in the midst of Hollywood's elite. The glamour and excitement were palpable. Eileen mingled with various guests, enjoying the attention and the atmosphere.
Despite Simon's absence, she felt a strange sense of his presence. Perhaps it was the knowledge of his influence in the industry or just the lingering thoughts of their encounter. Either way, Eileen was determined to make her own mark tonight.
As she posed for photos and chatted with other attendees, she wondered if Simon would eventually hear about her presence here. Would he care? Would he be amused or proud?
Throughout the night, Eileen maintained her composure, but the memory of Simon's touch and the intense emotions from their encounter stayed with her. She navigated the after-parties with grace, determined to enjoy herself and not be overshadowed by anyone.
When the night finally ended, Eileen returned to her hotel room, exhausted but satisfied. She had survived the Oscars on her own terms. The evening had been a mix of excitement and introspection.
Lying in bed, she found her thoughts drifting back to Simon. Despite her resolve to keep him at arm's length, she couldn't help but feel a pull towards him. But she reminded herself of his unpredictable nature and the complexities he brought into her life.
As she drifted off to sleep, she made a mental note to approach her future encounters with Simon with caution and a bit more control. She had allowed herself to be swept along by his charm once, but she was determined to be more prepared the next time.
_________________________
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