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Chapter 54: Control
🕑 Added 2024-10-03 10:05:13 +0000 UTC"Since childhood, everyone has let you down repeatedly. Now, you must think for yourself, Naomi!"
Sitting in the driver's seat of a red Ford, Naomi Watts stared at her reflection in the rearview mirror. Her snow-white face was as smooth and firm as a freshly boiled egg, her pink lips as tempting as a newly bloomed rose, and her exquisite makeup enhanced her already striking beauty.
She ran her five white fingers through her freshly curled blonde hair, ensuring that her appearance could charm any normal Hollywood man.
"You must seize this opportunity! Every chance in Hollywood is rare, and this is your moment to walk a red carpet with nationwide influence!"
Gazing at the beautiful woman in the mirror, Naomi Watts flashed a sweet smile. "I know what you're thinking, Naomi! Every time you've gone after something you wanted, fate's hand snatched it away from you. But not this time, Naomi! Not this time!"
Her blue-green eyes widened, filled with determination.
She slipped on a khaki wool coat, gently exhaled, and held her hand up to her nose, satisfied with the scent. Smiling, she pushed open the car door, stepping out in four-inch heels toward the restaurant.
As she walked, she observed her reflection in the glass walls. Though she didn't have the curvaceous sex appeal of an American bombshell, she had a petite, delicate charm. And at the prime of her beauty, she knew she could attract the attention of any normal man.
The MTV Movie Awards may not hold much appeal for Hollywood's A-list or even B-list stars, but for those seeking fame or just rising to it, walking MTV's live-streamed red carpet was a major opportunity. If lucky, a short interview could lead to national recognition. At the very least, it would be a notable addition to her resume.
A few days ago, Naomi Watts had heard from Nancy that Warner Bros. wanted Duke to attend the MTV Movie Awards, and they were looking for a suitable female companion. Nancy had even outright told her to go for the opportunity.
"'Speed' grossed $350 million globally, Naomi, and you know what that means." Her agent's words still echoed in her mind. "Duke will be a huge draw at the awards ceremony, and the woman standing next to him will be in the spotlight too. You're my client, so this opportunity should go to you, but I have an agreement with Duke, so I can't interfere. Therefore..."
Nancy was a pragmatist, and Naomi Watts knew it. She was speeding up Naomi's path to fame to profit from it.
But who doesn't want fame and success?
Entering the restaurant, Naomi Watts paused briefly, just about to search with her eyes when a server approached.
"Welcome. Do you have a reservation?" the server asked politely.
"Has Mr. Rosenberg arrived?" she asked with a smile. The server immediately made a gesture to lead her. "Are you Miss Watts? Mr. Rosenberg is here. Please follow me."
The elegant restaurant had a light, sweet fragrance in the air, the soft strains of piano music flowing like a gentle stream, and well-dressed men and women whispered around the tables, creating a playful yet serene atmosphere.
"Hi, Naomi."
Seeing the approaching beauty, Duke stood up, pulling out the chair opposite him and taking her wool coat, hanging it on the nearby rack. Only after Naomi Watts sat down did he return to his seat.
"You look beautiful today," Duke complimented, looking across at her.
Naomi Watts wore a beige high-neck sweater, with ruching around the chest that compensated for her slim, less curvaceous figure. Her makeup was exquisite, yet fresh and subtle, with no trace of heavy cosmetics. Clearly, a lot of thought had gone into her appearance.
"Thank you," Naomi Watts responded with a bright smile.
"Black pepper steak, medium well..." Duke casually ordered a few dishes.
"Fruit pudding, no sugar, no cream," Naomi Watts ordered only one thing. "Thank you."
"This is lunch," Duke frowned slightly. "You're eating too little."
"There's no choice if I want to maintain my figure and look good on camera," Naomi Watts said, clearly not intending to change her order. "Dieting is the price I have to pay."
"You could increase your exercise," Duke suggested.
Naomi Watts shook her head. "I don't want to build up ugly muscles. Fitness must be done in moderation."
"Are you busy lately?" Duke shifted the topic. "I heard from Nancy that you've landed another role?"
"A part where my total screen time is less than ten minutes," Naomi sighed just enough. "And all the lines together don't even add up to twenty. It was a small role I only got through Nancy's connections."
"If you have time, you should sign up for acting classes," Duke suggested, pushing the juice the server had brought toward her. "You still have a lot of room for improvement in your acting."
"I've already signed up," Naomi Watts took a sip of juice. "The classes start in February. There will be accent and movement lessons, so I'll be busy for a while."
The server brought their food. Naomi glanced at Duke and her eyes flickered slightly. Picking up her fork, she casually asked, "How's filming going? I saw in the papers that you apparently destroyed several streets in San Francisco."
"That's just Warner exaggerating for publicity purposes," Duke said while cutting into his steak. "It's going pretty smoothly lately. We should finish all the shots by the end of January."
"Warner's doing a good job with the early publicity." Naomi subtly guided the conversation. "I heard from Nancy that they want you to attend the MTV awards to promote 'The Rock'?"
"That's right. I've already received an official invitation from MTV," Duke raised his eyes slightly, his gaze briefly scanning Naomi's face before returning to his steak. "Warner suggested I bring a female companion to create some easy-to-spin news. I'm thinking, should I walk the red carpet with Nancy?"
"What do you think, Naomi?"
That seemingly offhand remark easily put the conversation back in his control.
Naomi Watts, just about to spear a piece of fruit, froze for a second before flashing a dazzling smile without missing a beat. "Nancy probably wouldn't agree, would she? She rarely likes exposing herself to the media unless necessary."
She paused for a moment, looked at Duke, who seemed ready to change the topic again, and decided to be direct. "Duke, would I have the honor of accompanying you to the red carpet?"
Biting her lip slightly, Naomi used all her acting skills, trying to present her most beautiful, heart-melting side to Duke. She knew that the man across from her was definitely not as stiff as she had once joked.
Slowly lifting his head, Duke looked at the blonde across from him. Beneath her charming, delicate appearance seemed to be a hint of nervousness and unease, as if her last words had taken all her courage and she was now afraid of rejection.
Duke knew he wasn't capable of such acting, so he just maintained a calm expression.
Of course, he had no intention of rejecting her. Otherwise, why would he have called to ask her out for lunch? After all, he had already tried asking two others. Sophia didn't want to be exposed to the cameras and criticized by film critics again, and Sienna had gone to Nashville and couldn't return to Los Angeles in time.
Though Duke could walk the red carpet alone, he understood the importance of publicity for a commercial film, and since Naomi was one of the few women in the industry he was close to—and she had played the only significant female role in "The Rock"—it seemed natural to ask her.
"Of course, it would be my honor," Duke said after a deliberate two-second pause. "I'm sure many people would be jealous of me for having such a beautiful and charming companion."
Since he was agreeing to Naomi's request, Duke didn't mind throwing in some flattery.
"Should I say thank you?" Naomi leaned slightly toward Duke, her arms resting on the table, and blew him a playful kiss. The sweet fruity scent combined with her delicate face made her seem irresistibly alluring.
Duke lightly tapped her lips with his finger. "Let's finish lunch first. Then we'll go shopping."
Walking the red carpet wasn't just a matter of showing up—especially for women, it meant a significant expense. Naomi's current income likely couldn't even cover the cost of a dress.
After lunch, Duke took Naomi directly to Chanel's boutique in Los Angeles. With the awards ceremony fast approaching, there wasn't enough time for a custom gown, but they could still find something suitable from the season's collection while avoiding the embarrassment of wearing the same dress as someone else.
The two spent the rest of the day like a typical couple, shopping, dining, and eventually returning to Duke's apartment in North Hollywood.
Naturally, the evening led to an intimate encounter, with Naomi being more proactive than ever before. During the foreplay, she even gave Duke a somewhat clumsy but memorable experience. Though her skills were far from perfect, the novelty brought its own thrill.
"Duke..." Naomi Watts paused in the middle of their moment and suggested, "How about I move in and take care of you?"
"Are you sure?" Duke held her waist. "Taking care of me is very time-consuming and exhausting. And Nancy wouldn't like it—it might affect your career."
With a slight bite of her lower lip, Naomi dropped the suggestion and resumed her pace with renewed intensity
