[Chapter 37: House Hunting]
After buying the office building, Linton Anderson felt great -- his assets had grown once again.
He had planned to celebrate properly and remembered the success party at Universal that evening. He called Mira and asked her to book the finest presidential suite at the Hilton Hotel.
...
In the evening, Linton took Cameron Michelle Diaz to the Hilton to attend the celebration.
The event was especially grand -- top executives from Universal Music and Universal Pictures had all arrived.
Many media outlets were invited, and the main purpose of the celebration was to promote the upcoming album.
First, Daniel announced loudly that Linton's new album Grow up had sold over 20 million copies worldwide, prompting hearty applause, and he then invited Linton to lead the first dance.
As the music started, Linton took Cameron's hand and danced gracefully in the center of the hall. Cameron was so excited she felt weak; tomorrow's headlines would definitely feature her.
Later, at the celebration, Linton networked with many contacts, especially deepening his relationship with executives at Universal Studios. Cameron also used the opportunity to meet numerous industry insiders.
...
In the second half of the event, during free mingling, Linton was like a huge magnet -- managers, models, and actresses flocked around him, making him smile from ear to ear.
Cameron kept a tight hold on Linton's arm, causing many newcomers to inwardly curse, "Bitch!" Mira stood on Linton's other side, constantly exchanging contact information with new acquaintances.
...
Later, during a break, they sneaked out of the banquet hall and took the elevator straight to the presidential suite.
Once inside the room, Cameron gave Linton a mysterious smile. "Honey, I have a surprise for you today."
"Really? What's the surprise?"
Cameron pulled out a bag filled with various costumes, stockings, and accessories.
"You little devil, you really get me. But I'm curious -- how did you get these upstairs?"
"It's simple. I handed the bag over to Mira earlier and asked her to bring it up."
The playful costume show followed -- nurse uniforms, flight attendant outfits, school uniforms, secretary costumes -- and with Cameron constantly changing her look, Linton was getting more and more excited.
They didn't fall asleep until 2 AM, exhausted and happy.
---
The next morning, after a romantic breakfast delivered by the hotel, they parted ways. Cameron had to go for more engagements, while Linton coordinated with Mira to look at properties.
On the way, Mira hesitated but finally asked Linton about renewing his contract with William Morris Agency. Linton was straightforward -- he was very satisfied with Mira's service and had no plans to leave WMA, but WMA needed to show sincerity, which eased Mira's lingering worries.
...
The first property was a large mansion on the hillside in Beverly Hills, but Linton didn't like its structure or style.
Another was a luxurious house on Malibu Beach, very spacious with a good layout, yet he rejected it upon considering the location -- he didn't want to be bothered by wildfires every year; nature's fury was unforgiving.
The final option was a property offered by the real estate agent, also in Beverly Hills.
Mira sat in the passenger seat, reading through the materials, and told Linton, "This house is on Mulholland Drive, at the highest point of Beverly Hills, very close to the house Tom Cruise bought when he married Nicole Kidman in 1990. It was designed by famous luxury home architect Harrison, covering 6.88 acres, built five years ago. The previous owner was Wall Street financier Logan Carlsonberg."
As they drove past the Hurst estate, not far ahead, they saw Tom Cruise's mansion, which he purchased in 1990.
Driving a few more minutes, passing through Beverly Park, Linton was able to glimpse towering walls through the gaps in the tall trees.
The dense greenery almost blocked the view, providing superb privacy for the estate.
Seth Isca, the real estate agent, was waiting at the gates.
...
Linton got out of the car as Seth warmly approached and said, "Mr. Anderson, hello."
They stood before the gates -- flanked by polished white marble columns that were unadorned and smoothly finished. The gate itself was simple and modern, likely stainless steel.
Beyond the gate was a high, gray stone wall, with surveillance cameras spaced at intervals.
Through the steel gate, they could see a modern guardhouse behind the wall.
Seth pressed the remote control, opening the gate, then led them inside. Linton and Mira followed calmly, with Danny bringing up the rear.
Inside, a large garden stretched out, built into the hillside, with structures taking advantage of the terrain.
Near the entrance and the wall, trees were densely planted -- common trees in Beverly Hills like jacarandas and crepe myrtles.
Deeper inside, there were extensive beds of crepe myrtles, heliconias, and neatly trimmed hedges.
The garden was meticulously maintained, ending in a flat lawn with large, retractable umbrellas and seating at the center.
"If you want to hold outdoor daytime parties, the umbrellas are perfect," Seth advised.
Linton replied, "I like the idea of large retractable umbrellas; it's a smart design."
Seth then led them toward the white, three-story main building.
The architecture looked ultra-modern, with a white facade and blue-tinted glass, evoking the feeling of clear skies and fluffy clouds.
It was a stark contrast to the traditional grandeur of old estates -- more sleek, vibrant, and full of energy.
Linton paused, asking Seth to take a walk around the main building.
In front of the estate was a small square paved with white granite, with a similar auxiliary building nearby serving as storage, garage, staff quarters, and security post.
Behind that was a large, flat lawn with a helicopter pad marked on it.
Close to the main house was a spacious outdoor pool, complemented by a tennis court and basketball court, with outdoor sports equipment nearby.
On the right side of the main building was a small practice golf course.
Linton asked, "Shall we go inside and take a look?"
Seth explained frankly, "Logan Carlsonberg is selling this estate because he went bankrupt."
He continued as they walked, "It was built five years ago and purchased by Logan for $18.8 million with a bank mortgage. His company mainly dealt in stocks and securities. Last year, due to investment mistakes, he declared bankruptcy, and the bank seized the property."
"The bank cleared the title, completed all procedures, and handed it over to us to sell just two months ago," he said with a smile. "Since Logan's main office was on Wall Street in New York and he rarely visited, the estate has remained in its original condition."
*****
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