A black Bentley sedan stopped in front of the Betty Amittaki Hotel in West Hollywood. Duke got out of the car with his assistant and agent and entered the hotel. As they stepped into the private elevator, Nancy Josephson seemed somewhat emotional.
"They actually rented the entire top floor. What a grand gesture," she said.
Duke remained indifferent, stepping directly into the elevator. The location of the discussion didn't matter; the content of the discussion was what was important.
The private elevator went straight to the top floor of the Betty Amittaki Hotel. The top floor was a high-altitude garden filled with a pristine ecological environment. It featured a heated seawater swimming pool, a pavilion, an outdoor sunken fireplace, and both indoor and outdoor lounges, offering a 360-degree view of the lush Hollywood Hills.
"Hi, Duke..."
As Duke stepped away from the elevator area, Christopher Rokenkort, whom he had met once before, approached him with an enthusiastic smile and extended his right hand. "Long time no see."
Duke returned his warm smile and shook his hand. "Yes, Chris, it's been a while."
Christopher Rokenkort also greeted Tina Fey and Nancy Josephson before leading the way. "This way, please."
The three of them followed him past the swimming pool, up a flight of stairs, and into an open-air reception room.
The open-air reception area was dominated by bark-brown tones. The floor, sofas, and outdoor fireplace were all of the same color. In front of the sofa lay the lush green trees of the Hollywood Hills, making the scenery exceptionally beautiful.
"I didn't expect such a place to exist in West Hollywood," Duke remarked as he looked around while sitting in a spacious single sofa. "I didn't even know about it."
"That's because all your time and energy are spent on filmmaking," Christopher Rokenkort subtly flattered him.
A waiter served tea, coffee, and snacks. Duke ordered a cup of tea and withdrew his gaze from the Hollywood Hills.
He scanned the reception room again. The waiter soon left. Unlike Duke, who had brought his assistant and agent, Christopher Rokenkort was alone.
Duke wasted no time on small talk and got straight to the point. "Chris, I'm very interested in your script and proposal."
"It's an honor," Christopher Rokenkort responded with a perfectly measured look of surprise. However, his tone shifted as he continued, "Duke, this is a project I can't fully transfer. It has to be a collaboration."
"Your Gallic Film Studio?" Nancy Josephson interjected.
"Yes, four-tenths of the investment is my bottom line!" Christopher Rokenkort was adamant, leaving no room for negotiation. "Gallic Film Studio must hold at least 40% of the investment and revenue share!"
"To my knowledge, you don't have the funds for such an investment."
This kind of negotiation was naturally left to the agent. Nancy Josephson spoke bluntly, "If the film requires $160 million in investment, you'll need to provide $64 million..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but the implication was clear: he didn't have that kind of money.
"Indeed, $64 million is an astronomical figure for me," Christopher Rokenkort admitted honestly, seemingly unbothered by Nancy exposing his financial limitations. "I personally cannot provide that amount, but don't forget, I have an extensive network in Hollywood."
"Ms. Josephson," he maintained his polite tone, "I've already secured $25 million in initial funding. As long as I find the right co-investor, using my $25 million as a base, plus proportional contributions from the partner, starting this project won't be an issue."
The $160 million listed in the proposal was only a budget number. In practice, no company or investor would allocate the entire amount at once during production.
If both sides cooperated, adding Duke's initial funding would easily kickstart the project.
Nancy frowned. "Your demands are too harsh."
Christopher Rokenkort smiled confidently. "My three conditions are the foundation of the collaboration."
Nancy Josephson then began a lengthy negotiation with him.
Duke listened silently and observed throughout. Whether from what he heard or saw, Christopher Rokenkort came across as a standard Hollywood producer: confident, with an attitude that screamed, "If you don't cooperate with me, I'll find someone who will."
Was it possible that he was overthinking things? He couldn't help but doubt his initial impression from their first meeting.
Nancy and Christopher Rokenkort talked for nearly an hour. Although they reached some consensus, many differences remained, especially regarding the proportion of investment and revenue sharing.
Duke had never expected such a large project to be settled in a single discussion. If it were that easy, he'd genuinely question the professionalism and intelligence of both Nancy and Christopher Rokenkort.
"Duke, I sincerely hope we can work together."
When saying goodbye, Christopher Rokenkort displayed another side typical of Hollywood, radiating enthusiasm. "I believe our collaboration will create a miracle."
"I hope so too," Duke replied, shaking his hand before leaving with Nancy and Tina Fey.
Once downstairs, seated in his car, Duke frowned slightly. Nancy Josephson asked, "Do you think we should collaborate?"
She leaned toward collaboration.
"Keep negotiating with him," Duke said, still frowning slightly.
Back on the top floor of the hotel, Jessica Alba excitedly introduced several potential investors to Christopher Rokenkort. These individuals had seen Duke earlier and were further convinced of their decision to invest.
At the Duke Manor, after Nancy Josephson left, Tina Fey unexpectedly approached the butler, Emma, asking her to step out and ensure they wouldn't be disturbed. She then walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, standing behind Duke.
"Is something wrong?" Duke noticed everything, of course.
"Just some personal experiences that might serve as a reference," Tina Fey said as she stepped forward to stand beside Duke, gazing at the sea outside. "I grew up in a lower-class neighborhood in rural Pennsylvania. That kind of place, Duke, you probably haven't been to—chaotic and filled with all kinds of crime."
Duke turned his head. Growing up in a wealthy environment, he had some understanding of North America's societal chaos but had rarely visited slums. He wasn't sure why Tina Fey was bringing this up.
Tina Fey smiled and continued, "Most people grow up to repeat this lifestyle, but some use money earned through crime to start anew. In my neighborhood, there was such a person. When I was about fourteen, he laundered his blood-stained wealth and later avoided any legal consequences through lawyers, banks, and accountants."
"Where is he now?" Duke roughly understood her point.
"Sent to prison by the FBI," Tina Fey replied with a playful shrug.
Duke laughed. "Thank you for the reminder."
In this life, his family background was solid, and while he had faced setbacks and challenges over nearly thirty years, life had been relatively smooth. Living in such comfort for so long, he might have overlooked the dark methods concealed behind the light.
Lawyers, accountants, and agents like Nancy were indeed highly capable but far from omnipotent...
The phone suddenly rang. Tina Fey walked over to the sofa, answered the call for Duke, and hurried back. "It's Sophia on the line."
"Hi, Sophia."
As soon as he took the phone, Duke heard Sophia Coppola's slightly nasal voice. "Duke, I had lunch with Nicolas today. He asked if you were considering directing an epic film about Napoleon."
"I did receive such a script," Duke joked casually. "Why, are you interested too?"
"Don't worry, I'm not competing with you for the project," she explained briefly. "Here's the thing: Nicolas' investment manager and accountant heard somewhere that you might collaborate on this project. They're urging him to invest. Since he hasn't been in contact with you for years, he asked me to find out. With you involved, his $15 million investment shouldn't be a risk..."
This was fairly ordinary news. Duke also knew that Christopher Rokenkort's funds were insufficient, and it wasn't surprising that he was seeking investments. Even borrowing Duke's name wasn't unusual in Hollywood—using potential collaborators' names to secure funding was common.
However... why did something feel off?
"Wait, Sophia," he interrupted. "Are you referring to Nicolas Cage?"
They had barely been in touch since The Rock, almost like strangers now.
"Yes, my cousin, Nicolas Coppola... also known as Nicolas Cage."
The former top star, whose fall from grace was well-known, came to Duke's mind. He confirmed, "You're saying Nicolas' financial advisors and accountants are encouraging him to invest in the project I'm considering?"
"Exactly."
Duke finally pinpointed the source of his unease. If he remembered correctly, Nicolas Cage's financial advisors were practically fraudsters. Cage ended up heavily in debt, becoming infamous for starring in countless low-quality films. His financial handlers were undoubtedly complicit, even if they escaped legal repercussions.
And now, Nicolas Cage's financial team was recommending he invest in this project?
"Sophia, under no circumstances should you invest in this project!"
Cage's fate wasn't Duke's concern, but he warned Sophia Coppola before hanging up. Standing there for a moment, the thoughts suppressed by Christopher Rokenkort's polished behavior resurfaced.
Turning around, he saw Tina Fey standing nearby and recalled her earlier words. He made a decision.
"Tina, get in touch with Anthony Pellicano from Hollywood's Eye..."
If his suspicions were correct, being approached and having his name borrowed were things Duke couldn't tolerate. "Contact Detective Carter from the Los Angeles County Police Department too..."