After being questioned by the sharp-eyed lobby guards and guided by a dedicated attendant to a private elevator along with a few other guests, the Delevigne family, accompanied by their two daughters, didn't relax as the elevator doors closed. Instead, they became even more alert.
They also took the opportunity to greet the other guests in the elevator.
Surprisingly, they knew each other.
To their left was a family of four—the Jenners from The Real Housewives of New York. Thanks to Sky TV's introduction of the Real Housewives series in the UK, Pandora Delevigne was a loyal viewer and knew that the couple's daughters were the Kardashians.
To their right was a tall, stunning woman who made the other women in the elevator feel a bit self-conscious. She was the supermodel Elle Macpherson, who had appeared in the Victoria's Secret fashion show.
This made the Delevigne family seem somewhat out of place.
After exchanging polite greetings, when Pandora Delevigne mentioned that she would be joining the new Real Housewives of London this year, Elle Macpherson seemed indifferent but still offered her congratulations. Kris Jenner, on the other hand, had a slightly complicated expression, though she didn't show it too obviously.
The elevator doors soon opened, revealing another guarded foyer.
The Jenner family and Elle Macpherson walked ahead, checked in with the female guard responsible for reception, and then entered.
The Delevigne family paused for a moment. Pandora helped her husband adjust his attire and then turned to her two daughters, Chloe and Poppy. She straightened Poppy's dress collar and instructed, "Remember to be polite when you meet Mr. Westeros later. Absolutely do not ask for an autograph or anything like that. It would be very inappropriate."
After both girls nodded seriously, the family stepped forward for their second round of identification and registration.
After this thorough security check, they finally entered. Far from feeling impatient, the Delevigne family felt a sense of relief and even pride.
Guided by another attendant, they turned past the entrance hall and into the main living room, which was already bustling with activity.
It was indeed a family gathering.
Aside from groups of adults, there were also teenagers mingling, though it seemed there were more girls than boys.
Scanning the crowd, Pandora quickly spotted her target. She tugged at her husband and, with their two daughters in tow, made their way through the room, nodding politely to those they passed.
"So, Elle, what brings you to New York?"
"Fashion Week is coming up, of course. I'm here to start working. I'm not as comfortable as Jerry is now—I still have to work hard to support myself."
"Ha, I mean, I thought you were in Australia."
"That's a stereotype. Do Australians have to stay in Australia?"
"Okay, my bad."
Elle Macpherson, who was chatting with Simon and Jerry Hall, had arrived just moments before the Delevignes.
This supermodel, who was around the same age as Cindy Crawford, had seen a resurgence in her career after appearing in two Victoria's Secret fashion shows. At 33, she was doing her best to stay relevant.
In contrast, Jerry Hall, now 41, not only maintained her appearance just as well as Elle but was also thriving in both television and fashion, thanks to her connection with a certain wealthy man. Having ended her first marriage without remarrying, Elle couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
This envy wasn't unfounded.
Back in the day—what felt like a lifetime ago—she and Hall had accompanied a certain man to Hawaii for a wild weekend. Unfortunately, after that, well, appearing in five Victoria's Secret shows, including two after their initial encounter, probably counted as a nod to their past connection. But it was nothing compared to what Hall had now.
As they chatted, Elle noticed the unfamiliar Delevigne family approaching. She tactfully, though somewhat reluctantly, excused herself. Hall, aware that this was a family Simon had invited on a whim, greeted them warmly despite not knowing the details.
After the adults exchanged introductions, Pandora pulled her two daughters forward. They seemed a bit shy upon seeing Simon. "Mr. Westeros, Ms. Hall, these are my daughters, Chloe and Poppy. Actually, Cara is here too—she's friends with Nina in the UK—but she's too young, so we left her at the hotel."
Simon and Hall greeted the girls. Seeing how nervous they were, Simon turned to Hall. "Why don't you introduce them to Liz?"
Jerry Hall nodded and led the two girls away.
Once Hall and the girls were gone, Simon turned to Charles Delevigne. "I've been very satisfied with your work in London over the past few years. I hope you can keep it up."
Charles Delevigne, flattered, gave a slight bow. "Thank you for your recognition, Mr. Westeros. I will certainly maintain my standards."
"No need to be so formal. You can call me Simon," Simon said, then added, "Also, I understand you've worked on real estate projects before, not just as a broker?"
Charles perked up immediately and nodded. "Of course."
Though he said this, he knew his limits. The largest real estate project Charles had ever handled was a six-story office building in West London, and even that was a joint venture where he played more of a managerial role.
Mainly, he lacked the capital.
Simon, of course, knew Charles's situation. Having already acquired enough properties in London, he couldn't keep buying indefinitely. Since Charles had proven reliable, Simon decided to give him more responsibilities. "Take some time to look for suitable real estate investment opportunities. But remember, my tolerance for mistakes is low."
Charles quickly assured him, hesitating slightly before asking, "Si-Simon, what scale are we talking about?"
Simon smiled. "You decide. Consider this a test."
A test of what?
Aside from ability, of course, it was also a test of character.
Charles needed to know his limits.
If Charles could only handle a £100 million project but proposed a £1 billion venture, Simon wouldn't let him proceed recklessly.
Charles wasn't stupid and understood this. He assured Simon again.
Simon then turned to Pandora Delevigne. "I looked into your background before the party. Your struggle with addiction could be a storyline for Real Housewives of London, but I hope you don't mess it up. This show is important to USA's lineup. Understand?"
Though Simon's tone was calm, Pandora felt an undercurrent of authority. She nodded along with her husband. "Of course, Si-Simon, I won't let you down."
Pandora Delevigne had struggled with addiction, and not just any addiction—heroin.
This was something Simon had only recently learned.
After all, he couldn't oversee every detail, and many tasks were delegated to his team.
The couple had come to New York specifically to discuss this with the TV department. In the West, such issues weren't taboo, but to avoid jeopardizing the project, they needed to handle it carefully. The final plan was to incorporate Pandora's battle with addiction as a subplot in the first season of Real Housewives of London, which would also serve as a compelling hook.
Simon trusted the TV department to iron out the details in the contract. He didn't elaborate further with Pandora, simply raising his glass for a sip. The Delevignes took the hint, realizing the big man had other guests to attend to, and politely excused themselves.
Once they were out of earshot, the couple exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of accomplishment.
After all, at a social gathering like this, simply getting a moment with Simon Westeros was a victory. The unexpected opportunity to discuss real estate development was a bonus.
Being a real estate broker was nothing compared to developing properties!
As for Pandora's addiction, they hadn't expected it to reach Simon's ears so quickly. Pandora had been invited to the show largely because of her husband's work for Simon. Given the success of the Real Housewives series, they knew the benefits of participating and didn't want to miss out. Initially, they had planned to keep Pandora's struggles hidden, but when USA found out, they thought the opportunity might be lost. Fortunately, things had taken a turn for the better.
When Simon brought it up earlier, they were startled.
If the young tycoon had objected, no amount of persuasion would have helped. Thankfully, he didn't seem too concerned, offering only a mild warning.
Meanwhile, as the Delevignes walked away, the Jenner family, who had arrived earlier but hung back, approached Simon. Kris Jenner, not giving her husband much room to speak, eagerly engaged Simon, her expression clearly ingratiating. "Simon, I didn't see Kim. She came over this afternoon. I hope she hasn't caused any trouble."
If Kim had caused any trouble, it would have been for Hall, not Simon. Besides, Kim Kardashian was just Elizabeth's little follower, as obedient as her mother. What trouble could she possibly cause?
Simon simply smiled and responded casually. As they chatted, Kathy Hilton, Kris's rival from The Real Housewives of New York, approached with her husband and two daughters. This intrusion annoyed Kris, but there was little she could do. She silently vowed to make things difficult for Kathy in the next season.
And to find a moment alone with Simon later.
The thought made Kris feel a bit flushed. She wondered how rough Simon would be with her this time, though part of her hoped he would be even rougher than before.
When the glamorous Cindy Crawford appeared with her fiancé, Rande Gerber, the two feuding women had no choice but to retreat with their respective families.
The supermodel's presence was simply too overwhelming, and she didn't even try to hide it.
No comparison.
Once away from Simon, Kris casually dismissed her husband and daughters and made her way to the hostess, Jerry Hall.
Jerry Hall was once again chatting with Elle Macpherson, this time about skincare. "You have no idea how much effort I put into my routine every week. Of course, it's easier for me, and, you know, Simon prefers fair skin, so that makes it even harder."
The subtle comparison in Hall's tone wasn't lost on Kris.
Without missing a beat, Kris joined them, and the three women settled on a sofa by the window to continue discussing skincare.
Both Elle and Kris could only envy Hall's condition. Hall had always had an exceptional foundation as a woman, and now, at 41, she could easily pass for her early 30s. Aside from her discipline and diligent skincare routine, there was another reason for her flawless appearance.
Money.
It was all about the money.
Thanks to their close friendship, Elle had been taken by Hall to an exclusive, members-only women's club on the Upper East Side last year. Among other luxuries, the club flew in fresh thermal spring water from Europe weekly for baths—something even the wealthy couldn't easily afford.
Though Jerry Hall was thriving in both television and fashion, her income alone couldn't cover such expenses.
That meant the money had to come from a certain man.
Considering his trillion-dollar net worth, these expenses were mere pocket change.
Kris could only envy.
Elle, on the other hand, couldn't help but scan the room for a certain someone, feeling a bit lost. She wondered what she was missing.
Was it her skin tone?
Of course not.
In recent years, fewer women in the industry were tanning to achieve that sun-kissed look, and even fewer were opting for artificial tanning. Elle herself had stopped. As a natural blonde, she had initially built her modeling career on a healthy, bronzed complexion, but now it was easy for her to lighten her skin.
Just then, a group of girls ran past. Elizabeth, after some coaxing, had gotten the key to the walk-in closet from her mother and was now leading her little entourage away.
Watching the girls leave, Elle thought self-deprecatingly, Is it because I don't have kids?
Perhaps she was overthinking it.
Meanwhile, having secured the key to the walk-in closet, Elizabeth triumphantly led the Hilton sisters, Kardashian sisters, and the newly acquainted Delevigne sisters through a corridor to the expansive closet adjacent to the master suite.
This was her mother's most cherished space.
However, the reason she had been given the key was likely for some show-off purpose. Elizabeth understood her mother's mindset and had chosen this moment to ask for the key.
At other times, she wasn't allowed to enter freely.
It was a restricted area!
Even though all the girls came from wealthy families, stepping into the hundred-square-meter walk-in closet filled with rows upon rows of clothes, shoes, and handbags, their eyes lit up.
Elizabeth was clearly proud as she led her friends through the racks, chattering away. She occasionally had to swat away Kim Kardashian's eager hands when the latter couldn't resist touching some of the bags. Finally, Paris Hilton, who had never gotten along with Elizabeth, couldn't help but remark, "Liz, your mom couldn't possibly afford all these bags. Simon must have bought them for her."
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