The match against Newcastle United ended in a crushing 5-2 victory for Manchester United.
Glenn Roeder, branded a disgrace by the British media, bore the brunt of the blame and was sacked early after United's relentless onslaught.
None of this had much to do with Claire.
Because Lymm Valley Stadium in Newcastle's Anfield had finally welcomed its first wave of visitors!
Massive character banners and vibrant murals greeted every first-time visitor to Lymm Valley Stadium, radiating warmth and hospitality. Lining the road to the stadium were lush British oak trees, with [British Snack Carts] scattered about, offering a taste of traditional UK food culture.
These [British Snack Carts] not only displayed the origins of each dish in characters but also kept prices affordable, ranging from £1 to £10.
After passing through a street of forty snack carts, visitors were met with a colossal silver-framed glass wall. The bold, bilingual words [Claire's Duty-Free Shop] glowed with a dazzling light.
Stepping into [Claire's Duty-Free Shop], visitors were immediately drawn to a massive LED screen showcasing an array of liquors and cigarettes. At the top of the screen, a small line of text floated:
[Spend £1,000 for a signed Manchester United player photo.]
[Spend £10,000 for a live interaction with a player.]
[Spend £100,000 for a group photo with the entire Manchester United team and a private dinner.]
The United players trailing behind Ronaldo gawked at Claire Lee, stunned by the promotions, but Claire didn't think it was excessive at all.
"This feels like robbery!" one of them muttered.
"You guys just don't get the fan economy!" Claire shot back, patting Ronaldo, who was dressed in a sharp suit. "Plus, the tax savings from the duty-free shop are all going to a charity foundation. Trust me!"
Before Ronaldo could check out the rest of the shop, Rooney's voice rang out in awe. "You've got 2000 Bordeaux vintage wine here? How many bottles do you have? Can I buy them all?"
Claire's heart sank. His business hadn't even fully kicked off, and his old mate was already trying to clean him out. The 2000 Bordeaux was a prized, appreciating asset—Claire's flagship item for the duty-free shop.
Sure, Rooney lived large, but Claire knew he had the cash to buy out the entire stock. Smirking awkwardly, Claire slung an arm around Rooney, steering him away. "No, no, Rooney, let's leave the wine for the customers. You focus on making money!"
"Come on, let's check out the stadium's locker rooms and prep for the match," Giggs chimed in with a grin, waving Rooney along as he reluctantly left the shop.
---
Little Simon looked up with wide, innocent eyes at the pretty older sister who'd been keeping him company. "Sis, can I really get a badge from Batman himself?"
Du Juan, sitting on the hotel bed, crouched down and gently patted Simon's bald head. "Yup, but it might take a few days. Batman's busy fighting crime, but once he's done, he'll personally invite you!"
She pulled up a video on her phone. It showed Christian Bale as Batman, gripping a rusty steel rod and pummeling a "villain" on the ground. The bad guy writhed, trying to dodge, but Batman kicked him aside with ease.
After finishing the fight, Bale's Batman looked at the camera with righteous conviction. "Simon Sharaf, right? I hear you have a dream. I'll find the perfect time to help make it come true!"
Simon, buzzing with excitement, popped out from under the covers, waving his arms wildly. Du Juan's face softened into a warm smile at his chatter, but she stayed quiet, her attention shifting to an email from Claire Lee on her phone.
The email contained a striking photo from a DC Comics event. The surrounding walls were covered in vibrant DC character murals, with workers bustling about the renovation site. A man stood with his left hand raised, directing the crew.
If Du Juan knew Christopher Nolan, the Batman director, she'd have recognized his silhouette instantly.
---
Unlike the quiet morning at Lymm Valley Stadium, the afternoon was a whirlwind of activity, with servers dressed in traditional suits bustling about. Some were white, some asian, some Black, but they all shared one thing: each held a translator, stumbling through halting Mandarin phrases.
"Hello?"
"What would you like?"
"Do you need any help?"
Denis Irwin, hands clasped behind his back, strolled through the stadium like a proud landlord, inspecting everything. He wove through the food street, duty-free shop, health clinic, candy store, and restaurant.
When he spotted an MUTV news van pulling into the parking lot, Irwin's curiosity piqued, wondering who'd step out.
Lucy Pinder emerged, her upper body clad in a tight leather jacket, paired with light jeans. As she got out, she flicked her wavy hair with her left hand—whether on purpose or not, Irwin couldn't tell.
His driver let out an audible "gulp" from behind him.
"What, never seen a woman before?" Irwin snapped at the driver, then turned to his nephew's agent assistant, Delia, with a concerned look. "Still no progress between Claire and Lucy?"
Delia's face darkened as she glanced at the staff behind Irwin. He waved his left hand dismissively. "Go prep the stadium for the match. The tourists are arriving this afternoon, and check the hotel's sanitation!"
Once the staff cleared out, Delia whispered, "Claire Lee's my first client, but I rarely see him alone with other women."
Irwin sighed. "Does he… like men?"
Delia quickly waved her hands. "No, no, no! He's got a few close female friends. I know of a Korean and a one. This project involves the one!"
Irwin nodded, relieved. "Alright, that's fine." He turned to see Lucy Pinder approaching.
"Master!" Lucy's enthusiastic greeting nearly made Irwin trip.
"Haha, how's it going at United?" Irwin chuckled, gently pushing her out of his embrace and ruffling her hair. "I hear you're MUTV's new host—doing better than my nephew!"
"Yup, thanks to your help, Master!" Lucy beamed. "But a Fox TV producer contacted me privately. I'm not sure if I should go for it."
Irwin's face twitched briefly before he masked it. "Talk terms with them first. You could also chat with Claire about it. Maybe look into Warner Cable's media outlets, too, since your current gig is tied to me and Claire."
Lucy looked a bit confused but quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Master, is Claire up to something big again? The media's buzzing about his investments, and I see [Claire's Ticketing Website] ads all over the stadium!"
"This match isn't simple," Irwin replied. "We'll talk later. For now, join the other media and head inside. Everything else can wait until after the game."
---
Claire Lee wasn't warming up on the pitch with his teammates. Instead, he sat calmly with his agent, Costa Mayor, on the top floor of the Castle Hotel, across from a casually dressed Taylor Swift.
In early 2007, Taylor Swift still carried a hint of teenage rebellion, but her focus was locked on her album's lead single. Claire could only marvel at her meteoric rise.
Her debut album, Taylor Swift, released under Warner Records, had earned a 5x platinum certification from the RIAA. Her former boss, Scott Borchetta, had struck gold with her, turning Big Machine Records into a North American powerhouse.
But Warner Records had swooped in, paying a hefty sum to free Taylor from her old contract and securing the lead single for her second album. According to Costa Mayor, Taylor's former boss was left with little more than Big Machine's fading reputation.
Claire didn't care much about the drama—Warner's ruthlessness was just business, and they were his allies.
"'Unstoppable' is incredible," Taylor said, eyes sparkling. "If you can write another song like that, I wouldn't mind hooking up with you!"
Costa coughed awkwardly, but Claire felt a chill run down his spine. Everyone in America knew Taylor Swift always had a big scandal before a new album, and Claire had no intention of being her next headline. "Uh, let's focus on your live performance in three days. Hope you don't mess it up!"
Claire bolted from the room, only to be stopped by Gavin Harris waiting outside.
"Hey, Claire, thanks for thinking of me for the good stuff!" Gavin grinned.
"My man, it's been forever! Let's get plastered tonight!" Claire replied, glancing warily at Taylor's parents, who were eyeing him like hawks. He quickly pulled Gavin toward the hallway.
Once out of earshot, Gavin leaned in, gossip mode activated. "So, what's the deal with Taylor?"
Claire's eyebrow twitched—he vaguely recalled some history between Gavin and Taylor. "Dude, focus on the job. If this goes well, you're in for a win, too!"
Gavin nodded, conceding. "Fair. Not everyone can get Linkin Park to show up."
Claire didn't bother explaining. Their respective careers weren't on the same level—Gavin was just a drummer under Beyoncé's wing, while Linkin Park's appearance was thanks to Warner Records' pull. The band was a global sensation and Warner's cash cow.
At the hotel entrance, Claire spotted a long line of tour buses, and a wide grin spread across his face—his first batch of tourists had arrived!
"Hey, Delia, you here alone?"
"I'm waiting for Nikas Bed. He's personally guiding this group, so I'm checking if there's anything I can help with."