[Chapter 17: Celebration Party, Winona Ryder]
The recent armed robbery in Miami had struck Linton like a lightning bolt. He had often seen shooting incidents on television and thought little of them, but today, it was right in front of him, shaking him to his core. He could sense that if the three victims had fought back, the Cuban robbers would have fired their guns without hesitation.
Although he had the ability, before achieving mastery, he still faced significant threats from guns. It looked like he needed to hire a personal bodyguard, in addition to the security provided by Universal, and he mentally noted to take care of that when he returned.
---
That night, everyone arrived in Houston. Duke, the publicity manager, received a phone call and turned on the TV. After some adjustments, he found a channel broadcasting an interview with Linton's ex-girlfriend, Connie.
She was candidly discussing their relationship and bluntly describing Linton as extraordinarily virile. Linton's face darkened, while the others burst into laughter.
Ever since the song Baby had become a massive hit, especially with Linton's rising fame, several so-called "ex-girlfriends" had emerged, all claiming they were the inspiration behind Baby, including some Linton had never met.
The media loved to sensationalize such gossip, providing these women with plenty of exposure and earning them considerable appearance fees. Today, it was even worse; Connie had completely lost her sense of decency.
"This is outrageous! Doesn't she have any shame? She is shameless, but I still have some dignity. Duke, what are we going to do about this?"
Duke looked at Linton with a strange expression. "Are you really that impressive?" Upon hearing this, everyone laughed again.
"Stop joking. What are we actually going to do?"
"Honestly, it's not that big of a deal. It could even work in your favor, giving you more publicity and drawing more people to your music."
"So?"
"What I mean is, don't worry about it."
"But during media interviews, they'll definitely bring it up. How should I respond?"
"It doesn't matter; as long as you don't deny it, you can answer however you like. If you really don't want to talk about it, just say no comment."
In truth, Linton didn't care much. Although it was embarrassing, it didn't harm him and could even boost his popularity and speed up his gains -- they were minor issues in the grand scheme of things.
...
As expected, during subsequent promotional events, Linton became the center of attention for the media. The most pressing question from the reporters was whether what his ex-girlfriend said about him on television was true.
He felt embarrassed but remembered Duke's advice to neither confirm nor deny, deflecting the awkward questions.
Although the ruthless media hype left Linton somewhat irritated, it undeniably increased his popularity.
---
When he returned to Los Angeles on June 25th, Billboard's latest chart showed Believer at number one, Numb at number two, Mariah Carey's I Don't Wanna Cry at number three, and Baby at number four.
Believer sold 1.1 million copies that week; Numb sold 600,000; and Baby sold 400,000 copies.
Seeing these numbers, Universal went wild. Daniel flipped out, Lisa was ecstatic, Al and Dick were in a frenzy, and Mira from WMA was equally thrilled, as was Logan Donovan.
It hadn't taken long for Baby's sales to surpass 5 million; Numb had exceeded 4 million, and Believer crossed 3 million. It was quite a profit machine for them.
As Linton's manager, Daniel, alongside Lisa as the producer, Al and Dick as sound engineers and musicians, all stood to gain from the success. And the excitement for Mira and Logan was even greater.
---
On the evening of June 26, the Hilton was ablaze with lights. Universal's celebration party took place on the first floor ballroom. As Mira and Linton arrived, Daniel and a few others waited outside, clearly excited.
Daniel led them into the ballroom, which was packed with attendees. The upper management of Universal and their signed artists were present, along with executives from Universal Pictures. Since Universal hosted the party, many handsome men and beautiful women in the entertainment industry came to network and seek new opportunities.
...
When everyone saw Linton, smiles illuminated their faces with warmth and enthusiasm. Daniel first introduced Linton to John Smith, the president of Universal Music, then helped him navigate around and make connections.
"This is Lou Wasserman, the president of Universal Pictures," Daniel introduced him. At that time, Universal Music was essentially a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, and even though Daniel was the VP of Universal Music, the music division was quite profitable.
"You are indeed a prodigy. Linton, I heard you graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. With your looks, you should pursue acting and become a star. Consider taking a leap into filmmaking sometime," Lou Wasserman smiled as he spoke.
"If the chance arises, I'd love to. I studied film directing at USC and hope to collaborate with you in the future."
...
At the party, Linton also met other important figures at Universal Pictures, expanding his network significantly.
After greeting several of the label's artists, he also struck up conversations with a few actors, such as Will Smith (who was transitioning into film by then), Matt Damon, Johnny Lee Miller, Ethan Hawke, and Winona Ryder.
Except for Winona Ryder, who had gained some fame from last year's Edward Scissorhands, the others were not quite household names yet. When Mira introduced Winona to Linton, as they shook hands, she teasingly brushed her fingertips against his palm, igniting a warmth in him. Winona Ryder had deep brown hair, a tall and slender physique, and her fair skin glowed ethereally; she was truly captivating.
"Miss Ryder, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you, Linton, congratulations!"
The first half of the party revolved around Linton, who was toasted by everyone, receiving congratulations for his blockbuster hit and rising fame. Approximately an hour later, the crowd began to disperse, starting to mingle among themselves.
...
Linton glanced around and spotted Winona right after she finished talking with a chubby middle-aged man. He hurried over, taking two glasses of champagne from a server, and handed one to Winona.
"Winona, you look stunning. Let's toast!"
Winona accepted the glass, "Sure, let's find a spot to sit and chat."
They found a corner to sit down with their drinks. Linton started the conversation, "I've watched you in Edward Scissorhands with Johnny Depp."
Winona waved a hand dismissively, "Please don't bring him up; we're no longer together."
"Oh, you dated Johnny Depp?"
"That's all in the past, let's just drink."
...
"Hey, are you really as good in bed as your ex says on TV?"
"What's it to you, don't believe me? Do you want to find out?"
"Find out? Sure thing."
"Then let's go to the hotel room upstairs."
Linton never expected Connie's big mouth would actually lead to this unexpected benefit.
The two slipped away quietly, taking the elevator to the 26th floor, arriving at the room that Mira had reserved for them.
Once in the room, they embraced each other, and Winona, at 5'3", looked tiny and incredibly delicate next to Linton's 6'2" frame.
"Hey, Winona, you're truly enchanting..." Linton wrapped his arms around her soft waist.
Neither was inexperienced, and soon they happily lost themselves in each other's embrace, breathing heavily as they got lost in passion.
That night they candidly explored one another's worlds together.
*****
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