King of Hollywood
Chapter 417 - 139: Brilliant

Chapter 417: Chapter 139: Brilliant

Claudia Schiffer, like Cindy Crawford, was one of the first supermodels, born into a Catholic family in Dusseldorf, Germany. She rose to fame worldwide after being discovered in a nightclub in 1987, appearing on at least 500 Vogue magazines and countless lists. With her stunning straight blond hair and blue-gray eyes that seemed almost capable of speech, and a slightly pointed chin that added a touch of slyness, it was no wonder she was so sought after.

In the letter, Claude requested Adrian to invite her to become a spokesperson for Victoria’s Secret. Although they already had Cindy Crawford, having two supermodels endorse a rather ordinary lingerie brand would certainly draw immense attention, which was highly tempting for Claude, who wanted to develop Victoria’s Secret.

Beforehand, he had sent someone to contact Claudia, but her agent politely declined the invitation, which led Claude to turn to Adrian.

"After all, you always have a way with women, and Claudia is very beautiful, isn’t she?" Claude had said in a previous phone call.

What am I, a PR gigolo? Adrian was quite frustrated, but ultimately he agreed, as it was Claude’s request. Since he had already had a taste of Cindy Crawford, having the chance to spend a night with Claudia Schiffer, another of the first supermodels, seemed quite appealing. So, a few days later, he found himself at this party.

It was a party held in London by a well-known brand after a small fashion show. Although Milan, Paris, and New York were where the most eye-catching fashion festivals took place, these smaller fashion shows were indispensable and formed a fundamental part of the fashion world.

Since Claudia had participated in the show, she naturally attended the party that followed. From a distance, she looked undeniably sexy and beautiful; however, before Adrian could think of what to say, an interesting character appeared beside him.

Even though she was one of the first supermodels, Claudia might not be as wealthy as the true upper class, but she was definitely not cheap either, especially considering she came from a Catholic family and had maintained a clean image since her debut—well, how credible that clean image was could be debatable. As a German and European supermodel, being praised by the European media was nothing out of the ordinary. After all, even Madonna was a Catholic.

Yet, even so, even if she was good at hiding it and was really promiscuous behind her clean public facade, how could she ever get involved in such things? Surely a supermodel’s fortune was enough for her expenses.

"So, if you want to get her, how would you do it?" Adrian asked with a smile, mockingly looking down on the man beside him, who was most likely a scammer.

"What else? Good upbringing, refined conversation, empathy, and—money," the man replied seriously, apparently not catching the sarcasm in Adrian’s tone.

"Heh, it seems I am quite suitable then. As for the last item, how much do you think is appropriate?" Adrian’s eyes darkened with mockery—there were always some who used various means to sneak into parties like this and bluff their way through with their eloquence, but this guy was particularly foolish.

"Two million US dollars," Price answered without a flinch.

"...An interesting price," Adrian said, outwardly composed but inwardly bewildered. How audacious was this man, and what exactly did he intend to do?

"I only serve those with true status," Price chuckled lightly, as if seeing through Adrian’s thoughts, "like someone such as yourself."

"Do you know me?" Adrian raised an eyebrow, detecting a hint in Price’s words.

"Mr. Adrian Cowell, known as the Miracle Director, a prominent film producer and the emerging CEO of AC Media. Although many say that AC Media’s rapid expansion could be its downfall, sinking into losses, there are also those who believe that although AC Media always seems to be walking a tightrope, it always manages to maintain its balance, and its future is unpredictable," Price recited as if listing well-known facts.

Adrian reached out with an unfathomable feeling for the first time. If this guy was a swindler, he wouldn’t have been able to collect so much information in such a short time. But to say he was really a pimp, no one would believe that a supermodel would arrange for someone to pimp her out. Or was this guy targeting him? But not many outsiders knew about his trip to London.

"I’ve said it before, Mr. Adrian, I only serve those who truly have status, and all this is necessary groundwork." The other party adjusted his clothes, revealing a faintly proud expression, seemingly proud of his professionalism, "Miss Claudia is not the person you imagine. Only a true gentleman can touch her heart. I mentioned before that these are just some of the conditions, not merely the last one."

Adrian narrowed his eyes, suddenly understanding the other’s implication. If everything this Vincent Price said was true, then it meant Claudia Schiffer wanted to feel sought after while also making a tidy profit—otherwise, why would she require "good upbringing, refined conversation, and an empathetic heart"? But wasn’t that superfluous? If she let slip even a hint, a bevy of suitors would surely flock to her. Of course, she might focus only on the most eligible, unconcerned with the others, otherwise Vincent Price would not have collected such detailed information. Didn’t she feel that this demeaned her value? Or was it just a trap?

"Of course, if you’re not interested, Mr. Adrian, I hope you will keep this confidential. Though I think even if you discussed it with others, no one would believe it." The other suddenly smiled and added.

"Is that so?" Adrian raised his eyebrows again, his curiosity rekindled, "What if I am interested?"

"According to Miss Claudia’s schedule, there’s a fashion show in London in two days, followed by a cocktail party at the Palassa Hotel. I will have someone send the invitation over. Please bring a check, Mr. Adrian," Price said with a light tone, his expression unchanging as if he had said such things many times before, "Miss Claudia needs time to arrange and prepare."

Although there were many doubts, Adrian’s interest intensified. This arrangement seemed to have no issues, and when the time came, he could also be flexible in his approach. Glancing at Claudia Schiffer in the distance, who was laughing and chatting with someone and seemed to glance his way, Adrian finally nodded, "Then it’s settled, no need for you to send the invitation, I’ll arrange it myself."

The cocktail party thus concluded. Returning to his lodging, two days passed, and as night fell, Adrian set off for the Palassa Hotel. Much like the previous time, the attendees all bore polite demeanors, the overall atmosphere was pleasant though occasionally it did grow somewhat stale.

Adrian immediately spotted Claudia’s figure upon arrival, then waited in a corner. It wasn’t long before Price joined him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Adrian," his ordinary face always carried a humble smile.

"It’s alright, patience is a virtue every gentleman must have," Adrian said playfully, handing over the check.

Price took it without a glance, then his expression became serious: "However, there are a few rules I must clarify, Mr. Adrian."

"Please do," Adrian gestured with his hand for him to proceed.

"First, please never discuss anything about this arrangement in front of Miss Claudia; second, treat Miss Claudia as you would any lady you wish to date; third, if you fail to secure a date with Miss Claudia, this fee will be refunded to you, though a 30% handling fee will be deducted. However, if the failure is due to inappropriate remarks on your part, unfortunately, the money will not be refunded," Price stated seriously.

"In other words, I should act as though I’m in a play, pretend we are actually on a date, not mention a word about our transaction, and also showcase my charm. If I fail, I can only get back 70% of the fee," Adrian said with a light laugh, finding the situation increasingly amusing, didn’t he?

"Yes, please understand, Mr. Adrian," Price maintained his composed demeanor, "I’ve said before, I only serve those who truly have status, and Miss Claudia is not the type you imagine—"

He pointed to his jacket pocket: "If you can’t accept this, it’s still not too late to stop now. I can return this check to you, but still, I ask for your discretion."

"Alright then, it’s settled," Adrian looked at him intently. It was only two million after all. Let’s see what he could come up with, "What should we do now?"

"Please wait a moment," Price said politely, bowing slightly, then walked over to where Claudia was standing.

Today, Claudia had donned a sapphire-blue dress, her hair cascading down one shoulder, still looking strikingly beautiful. She was conversing with two men and a woman. After Price approached and whispered something in her ear, she smiled, excused herself, and walked aside to chat further with Price. Then, glancing toward Adrian, she nodded her head and, after adjusting her hair and smoothing her dress, followed Price over to him.

"Hello, Mr. Adrian Cowell, I am Claudia Schiffer." The pretty lady approached Adrian, smiling modestly as she extended her hand. She first introduced herself in German, but quickly switched to English.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Claudia, please call me Adrian." Adrian maintained his smile, though inside he was immensely surprised.

Even though he had agreed to Price’s terms, Adrian still harbored some disbelief; it seemed unlikely that a supermodel would agree to such a thing. However, all following events, from Price calling Claudia over to her approaching him, all happened right under Adrian’s watch, leaving no room for doubt.

In his mind, there were only two possibilities: either she would take the check and leave immediately, which Adrian could easily invalidate with a phone call—an act only the most foolish would undertake; or someone had undergone surgery to look like Claudia, like in "L.A. Confidential," posing as her—a high-end escort, which would be easy to unmask since appearance might be altered, but not upbringing and erudition. Unexpectedly though...

"I’m sorry, I don’t speak German, but if you wish, I can converse with you in French," Adrian promptly switched to French. "I must admit, French really has a wonderful charm."

"Indeed, I very much enjoy reading Vincent Price’s poems in French," Claudia’s eyes lit up as she replied in French as well.

Well, there was no need for doubt anymore, it was a truly surprising fact.

"So, I won’t disturb you two any longer," Price said at this point, giving a discreet nod to Adrian before leaving.

"Why are you here, Adrian, gathering material for your new film?" Claudia spoke up again, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

"Yes, as a filmmaker, moving around is essential; inspiration might strike at any moment," Adrian replied nodding, also reflecting inwardly on the situation.

This woman really did seem authentic, showing no signs of acting; however, it was quite interesting. He thought as such, his smile growing warmer.

The two of them talked about various subjects, from global cultures to different art topics, agreeing on many things, like how British tea parties were rather bland and somewhat boring. Eventually, at Adrian’s suggestion, they slipped out the back door, changed clothes in the car, and indulged themselves at a nightclub. Adrian then drove Claudia along the Thames, where she seemed especially joyful. Later, naturally, they returned to the hotel to partake in some lovemaking.

"You were wonderful, Ed." In the dim room, a content Claudia cuddled in Adrian’s embrace, her finger continuously tracing on his chest.

"So were you, Dini, both your figure and otherwise," Adrian spoke admiringly while caressing the body in his arms.

A model’s figure is crucial, hence why it’s maintained so well, and during bedtimes, it allows for many complex maneuvers. This example had been proven more than once before; no need to mention Monica who had a modeling career, even Charlize and Liv who had only practiced for a few days excelled in certain moves compared to other women. Only Sarah, who trained daily in Taekwondo, could come close; although Taekwondo wasn’t particularly harmful, it was beneficial for physical flexibility.

Claudia was different again, possessing both a stunning body and beautiful face, and her style was particularly bold and wild, straddling Adrian and continuously tossing her hair, which left a profound impression on him.

"Why would such a goddess even think about doing..." Adrian caressed her face, sighing. Then, a lightning bolt crossed his mind, causing him to pause for several seconds before bursting into laughter.

"What’s up?" A weary Claudia lifted her head and asked groggily, her wild nature unable to withstand Adrian, ultimately leaving her utterly exhausted and defeated.

"Nothing," Adrian chuckled, shaking his head.

"It sounds like you’re hiding something," Claudia propped up her chin, her eyes half-closed, gazing at him.

"Nothing," although knowing that her inquiry was merely a woman’s habit, Adrian still explained, "I just regret noticing you at the party three days ago and only inviting you out today. Fortunately, I made the right choice; otherwise, I would have missed out on something wonderful."

Claudia smiled sweetly and lightly kissed him on the face.

Indeed. Adrian thought silently to himself, then got out of bed naked, "Just lie here. I’ll go fill the bathtub with water, then come back and carry you in."

Once he turned on the tap in the bathroom, Adrian could not help but burst into laughter. Of course, to ensure Claudia outside did not hear him, he covered his mouth, yet the chuckling sound was ceaseless, causing Adrian to double over.

It took quite a long while for him to regain his composure, before he let out a long sigh, "Brilliant, truly brilliant."

There was no need to ask; this "brilliant" surely referred to Vincent Price. The situation was clear now—this guy was a con artist, a remarkably clever one.

From his statement "I only serve those who truly have status," he had been subtly hinting, and every detail thereafter, from the US$2 million quote to "Miss Claudia is not the person you imagine her to be," to the various planned details and the way he casually pocketed the check, all served this implication: this affair was real.

Obviously, the target was also meticulously selected, someone like Adrian, young, wealthy, smart, and bearing the reputation of a playboy. From the very beginning, as visible from his familiar demeanor, the man had put considerable effort into this aspect. Plus, with his appropriate speech and manners, it would be impossible not to arouse curiosity. As Adrian always said, the smarter people are, the more they tend to overthink things, and the more they think, the more they can be deceived by details, even someone as composed as him had contemplated in the room for two days without conducting any investigation.

Especially the final set of rules, which, besides preventing being exposed, also stimulated the young man’s pride, grace, and performance instinct, making them naturally cooperate, and there’s no need to mention what kind of people these models are—at least with a little effort, taking them to bed wouldn’t be difficult.

Even if one eventually realized something was wrong, could the deceived person speak out? Ignoring the woman he had spent the night with aside, if the story got out, he would inevitably become the butt of others’ jokes. As for finding this con artist, that would be even less likely, since the name Vincent Price was clearly fake. Judging by his words and actions, he had done this more than once, and with this line of work being "open for business every three years, surviving on those three years’ earnings," he had long since vanished without a trace. Adrian believed that if he called the bank at this point, the check would certainly have been cashed.

Human vulnerabilities had all been calculated into his scheme—a truly impressive crook, Adrian wondered how many models, besides Claudia, had been sold like this.

"Who would have thought I could also be outsmarted," Adrian muttered half-mockingly while testing the water temperature.

If he ever got the chance, he would really like to meet this guy again, not for the money he had been tricked out of—US$2 million was nothing to him now—but because talent was always hard to find. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to visit qidian.com to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes, your support is my greatest motivation.)