New York, Manhattan.
It was September 25, the day before the release of Paranormal Activity.
At around 5 p.m., after finishing a taping of NBC's The Jay Leno Show, Amy Adams and Jessica Chastain began preparing for a fashion show they were set to attend that evening.
This year's fall fashion season had kicked off on September 19 with New York Fashion Week, which ran for 10 days and was now in its second half. The show they were attending that night wasn't the closing event for New York Fashion Week, like Calvin Klein's, but it was still a rapidly rising fashion brand: Anna Sui.
Clearly, it was part of the Melisandre Group.
Over the past two weeks, the two actresses, who had been paired together by Simon's arrangement, had been on a whirlwind schedule: TV, radio, internet, and newspaper interviews; magazine cover shoots; attending various industry parties… Essentially, they were seizing every possible opportunity for exposure.
This was part of New World Pictures' low-cost promotional strategy for Paranormal Activity.
And it was working.
Of course, the key to all this was that Daenerys Entertainment—or rather, the entire Westeros system—could provide the two actresses with ample exposure opportunities. From the invitation to the Anna Sui show to media interviews and magazine covers, other second- or third-tier film companies simply didn't have the connections to pull off such a campaign.
The Anna Sui show was scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The two actresses, dressed in Anna Sui loaner gowns, arrived at Bryant Park 20 minutes early. As soon as they stepped out of the car, the flashbulbs started popping—these were pre-arranged photographers.
After posing for a few photos and ignoring the questions shouted at them, the two women quickly made their way into a nearby tent under the protection of their bodyguards.
They were a bit early, so the tent wasn't yet crowded. The two took their seats in the front row, where name cards marked their spots. Their shared assistant, Lena, who had been arranged by WMA, took more photos of them, mainly for their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
After all the hustle and bustle, they finally had a moment to relax.
As Lena headed toward the backstage area, Jessica Chastain quickly pulled a chocolate bar out of her borrowed Gucci handbag. She tore it open as if afraid someone might snatch it away, stuffed half into her mouth, and then, remembering Amy, offered the other half: "Here's yours."
Amy Adams instinctively swallowed, glanced toward the backstage entrance, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately shook her head. "No, Lena will freak out if she sees this, and then she'll report it to Jason."
Unlike Jessica, Amy had a body type that tended to gain weight easily. She had been on a strict diet since signing the contract for Paranormal Activity, and now, with her career about to take off, she was even more disciplined.
Before Amy could finish her refusal, Jessica had already shoved the remaining half of the chocolate into her mouth, swallowing it whole to avoid leaving any telltale scent.
Even though Jessica wasn't prone to gaining weight, she was also on a diet.
It wasn't that she lacked willpower—it was just that with workdays often stretching over 10 hours, she was constantly hungry.
After finishing the chocolate, Jessica opened a bottle of water she had brought in and took a few gulps to further mask the scent. Amy couldn't help but laugh, though her expression soon turned somber. "I feel like we're so pitiful. Is this what our lives are going to be like from now on?"
"I just couldn't take it anymore. Unlike you, I don't have fat to burn," Jessica said, earning a light smack from Amy for the "fat" comment. She dodged slightly and added, "But you know as well as I do that if you really wanted to eat, neither Jason nor Lena could stop you. They'd just be disappointed. And if you turned into a chubby girl, I'd probably end up as the lead in the Paranormal Activity sequel."
Amy wanted to hit her again but paused, then said, "I think Daenerys might be planning something like that. Otherwise, they wouldn't have paired us together for all this promotion. And, plot-wise, my character probably dies in the movie. If they want to continue the story in a sequel, they'd likely promote your character to the lead."
Jessica nodded slightly. She had been thinking the same thing, which was why she was also looking forward to it. She glanced at Amy. "How much do you think our movie will make?"
"Hard to say, but given the recent buzz, it's definitely not going to flop. For a first movie, I'm already pretty satisfied with how far we've come."
"I feel the same way."
As they chatted, other guests began to arrive. Soon, they saw faces they had only ever seen in magazines. Sitting near the edge of the front row, they weren't bothered by anyone and continued their whispered conversation.
"Anna Wintour… I feel like she's at every fashion show."
"That's just your imagination. Anna Sui is part of the Melisandre Group, so of course Anna would attend. She's a big deal—the editor of Vogue."
"I know that," Amy said, then subtly gestured toward another guest. "It's 'Superman'! Brad Pitt is so handsome in person. And the woman next to him… I think I've seen her before. She's an actress too."
"She's not that pretty. She's about on our level."
"On your level," Amy shot back. With some effort, she could score above an 80 in looks. She then added, "Jennifer Lopez is here too. Wow, her butt really is huge. I almost signed up for American Idol last year. Glad I didn't."
"I'm just curious how she became a judge. She's nowhere near Cher's level."
"Maybe…" Even though no one was around, Amy leaned closer to Jessica and whispered, "Simon likes that type."
Jessica leaned in as well, whispering back, "I'm more inclined to believe Simon likes Cher."
"Simon… Cher," Amy repeated, then thought of some gossip she had read and smirked. "You know, that might actually be true."
"Or maybe Lopez and Cher together."
"I have to admit, Jess, your imagination is wilder than mine." Amy barely stifled a laugh, then pointed to a woman who had just taken a seat next to Anna Wintour. "That one, Jerry Hall, is the real deal."
"Which is why I think Simon is more likely to like Cher."
As the two were deep in their gossip, they heard chattering voices nearby. Turning, they saw that the last two empty seats next to them had been taken by a pair of girls.
They were clearly sisters, and they looked familiar—probably from a reality TV show. The Hilton sisters.
Next to them stood a plain-looking girl who also frequently appeared on The Real Housewives of New York. Her name was Kim, and she seemed upset about not getting a front-row seat. She lingered near the sisters, apparently hoping to squeeze in, but the Hiltons clearly had no intention of making room for her.
The Hilton sisters, dressed to the nines and looking more mature than their age, noticed Amy and Jessica looking their way. They nodded in greeting, quickly recognizing the two actresses due to their recent high exposure. After exchanging a few polite words, the sisters turned back to their own conversation.
With people sitting next to them, Amy and Jessica didn't dare continue their gossip.
In contrast, the Hilton sisters had no such reservations and chattered away.
"I'm only here to see Ivanka. I'm not interested in Elizabeth. Besides, in a couple of years, when I've grown a bit taller, I'll be able to walk the runway too."
"Models start at 13 or 14, like Liz. You're already 16, Paris. By the time you grow taller, you'll be past your prime. No way you'll get on the runway."
"If I want to, I definitely can."
"Then keep dreaming."
Paris Hilton shot her sister a look. "I mean, if I really want to, I can ask Simon for help."
Nicky Hilton immediately looked like someone was trying to steal her treasure. "Simon wouldn't bother with you."
"Last time we went to China, Liz said I couldn't go, but as soon as Simon said it was okay, what happened?" Paris said, then casually shoved Kim Kardashian, who was standing nearby. "Kim, go sit in the back. You're annoying me."
While Paris played the bad cop, Nicky naturally took on the role of the good cop, though she still looked apologetic as she said to Kim, "Sorry, Kim, there's really no room here. You'll have to sit in the back this time. Next time, I'll talk to Simon and make sure you get a front-row seat."
Kim Kardashian muttered "little bitches" under her breath but forced a smile and moved to the back row. She couldn't help but think back to that night at the Hall family party.
She and her mother had been there.
Unfortunately, her mother had sternly warned her afterward, threatening to beat her if she didn't keep quiet. Kim knew better than to push her luck, so she had to pretend nothing had happened.
And so, she remained a hanger-on.
Amy and Jessica, eavesdropping on the sisters' conversation, found it all rather surreal.
The "Simon" the Hilton sisters were referring to was undoubtedly that Simon. The man seemed to be everywhere.
When you thought about it, it was true.
In today's world, it was nearly impossible to go a single day without encountering something related to the Westeros system.
The 20-minute wait passed quickly.
As the lights in the tent dimmed, the show began, and the two actresses turned their attention to the runway.
Anna Sui had prepared three themes for this year's show, all focused on women's wear. Each theme lasted about five minutes, and the overall style remained quintessentially Anna Sui: bold, mysterious, and enchanting.
Compared to the relatively modest lineup at last year's show, which Simon had attended, this year's models were a star-studded cast. Stephanie Seymour, Karen Mulder, Fernanda Lima, Naomi Campbell, Roberta Chirico, and others were all top-tier names. Additionally, there were younger faces like Elizabeth Jagger (Jerry Hall's daughter) and Ivanka Trump (the daughter of a certain real estate mogul).
The show was a dazzling spectacle.
After about 15 minutes of visual splendor, the audience erupted into applause as the designer and models took their bows.
Once the show ended, everyone began to leave. Amy and Jessica's assistant, Lena, who had been sitting in the back row, approached them. She was about to say something when she sniffed the air, her eyes widening as she glared at the two actresses. "Who ate chocolate?"
Amy, noticing that Lena's gaze was mostly fixed on her, felt both wronged and exasperated.
Was this woman part bloodhound?
She turned to Jessica, only to find her co-star giving her a look of utter disappointment, her expression flawless.
"…"
Can I hit her?
Just as Amy was about to defend herself—even if it meant throwing Jessica under the bus—Lena sighed and said, "Let's go. We need to head backstage to greet Anna and the models, take some photos, and then there's a party. You'll make an appearance there too. Oh, and if you want to eat something at the party, you can. Just try not to drink too much. A hangover will mess up tomorrow's schedule."
Seeing Lena's urgency, Amy could only shoot Jessica a look that said, "I'll deal with you later," before heading backstage.
After mingling and taking photos, the two actresses left Bryant Park and changed into more casual dresses in a van. The gowns they had worn to the show were loaners and unsuitable for the party. Plus, they didn't want to risk damaging them.
Once changed, they arrived at a nearby hotel.
As they entered the party venue, they encountered an unexpected hurdle: a group of black-clad security guards at the entrance. Not only did they have to pass through a temporary security checkpoint, but they were also told that cameras weren't allowed inside.
The two actresses were puzzled, but Lena, handing over her iCam, gestured for them to comply, clearly excited.
The mystery was soon solved.
Inside the party hall, the petite Lena stood on her tiptoes, scanning the crowd. She quickly pointed in a direction and whispered to the two actresses, "It's really Simon. Let's go say hello. Be polite."
Following Lena toward the center of attention, Amy and Jessica felt a pang of guilt. They had just been gossiping about Simon before the show.
Simon was currently chatting with Jennifer Lopez, who had eagerly approached him. He had two young women hanging off his arms—Elizabeth Jagger and Nicky Hilton—and was surrounded by a group of stunning women.
When Simon noticed Amy Adams and Jessica Chastain approaching, he raised his champagne glass in their direction. "You've been doing great lately. Keep it up."
The two actresses nodded in unison, like bobblehead dolls.
Seeing that Jessica, who was usually more articulate, was now tongue-tied, Amy seized the moment to ask a rather mundane question: "Mr. Westeros, what brings you here?"
Simon smiled and gestured toward Elizabeth. "I'm here to apologize. I was supposed to attend the show, but something came up, so I'm late and could only make it to the party."
At this, Elizabeth, who was clinging to Simon's arm, pouted in mock displeasure.
It was clearly an excuse.
Her stepfather just didn't want to go to the show.
On Simon's other side, Nicky, who couldn't cling to him because he was holding a glass, stood quietly, listening to the conversation with wide-eyed curiosity. After the two actresses left, she said, "Simon, I've heard Paranormal Activity is really scary. Can we watch it early?"
Nicky's question piqued Elizabeth's interest as well. She tugged on Simon's arm. "Daddy, this party is boring. Let's go watch a movie instead. We can use the private screening room at my house. You can get a copy sent over, right?"
Truth be told, Elizabeth was feeling threatened by the group of glamorous women surrounding them.
Not for herself, but for her mother's sake.
Since the movie was set for wide release the next day, getting a copy a few hours early wasn't a problem.
Simon thought it was a good idea.
But of course, he wasn't planning to watch the movie with a bunch of teenagers. Not with so many stunning women around.
He had been busy lately and was planning to relax over the weekend. So he said to Elizabeth, "If you want to watch the movie, take Nicky and the others to the theater tomorrow. Be good and stop pestering me. I need to go say hello to Anna and the others."
With that, Simon made his way toward Anna Wintour and her group, leaving Elizabeth to gather her friends and glare after him. She then turned to Nicky. "You like Simon so much, but you couldn't even keep him here. Useless."
Nicky looked down at her flat chest, then at the group of curvaceous women following Simon, and felt a wave of insecurity.
Seeing Nicky's expression, Elizabeth couldn't bring herself to scold her further. Her gaze shifted, first skipping over Kim Kardashian, then landing on Ivanka Trump, the tallest and most developed among the group of girls. Her eyes lit up, and she moved closer to Ivanka, linking arms with her and whispering conspiratorially.
Ivanka hadn't really considered the possibility before, mainly because the man seemed so far out of her reach—not to mention he was her friend's mother's lover. She mostly hung out with Elizabeth to access the resources the girl could get from Simon. But now, with Elizabeth's encouragement, her thoughts began to wander.
If…
Her status among the group of girls would undoubtedly rise significantly.
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