As dawn broke, Lena Kane woke up, climbed out of the soft bed, and draped herself in a light silk nightgown provided by the maids the night before. She pushed open the floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to the balcony outside her bedroom.
The morning breeze carried the distinct scent of the seaside.
The oval-shaped balcony, jutting out over the cliff, was spacious—about 40 to 50 square meters—complete with a round table, lounge chairs, and a sofa, perfect for hosting an impromptu salon.
It was just past 4 a.m.
Leaning against the pale yellow stone railing, Lena gazed out at the dark expanse where the sea met the sky, silently willing the sun to rise sooner.
But Lena wasn't one to wait.
For some reason, she thought this would be a great spot to dispose of a body—just strangle someone and toss them over the railing. Quick and clean.
After a moment of dark fantasy, she returned to the bedroom, freshened up, and came back to the balcony to practice yoga in the crisp morning air.
About half an hour later, the eastern sky began to glow with the hues of sunrise, and the dim light of dawn started to brighten. Voices drifted over from the neighboring balcony.
"Wow, it's so beautiful here," said Amy Adams.
Jessica Chastain chimed in, "Yeah, I've always dreamed of having a seaside villa like this since I was little."
After a few more words, the two noticed Lena on the adjacent balcony, upside down in a graceful yoga pose, wearing only her underwear. They were startled.
Why was there someone hanging upside down next door?
Then it hit them, and they couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. Lena's slender legs, her perfectly rounded and firm buttocks, and her tiny waist were enough to make anyone, even other women, drool. Amy even caught herself wanting to stand on tiptoe to check out Lena's bust.
Jessica tried to console herself, thinking, At least I'm paler than her. Simon likes fair skin.
Lena, seemingly oblivious, held her pose for a few more seconds before slowly righting herself. She sat on the mat, stretched, and then stood up, transitioning into a challenging tree pose—standing on one leg with the other bent, her arms pressed together in front of her, exuding both grace and a sense of zen.
Finally, she spoke to the two women still gaping at her from next door. "Jealous?"
"..."
"If you sneak a few extra snacks and slack off during workouts, you could have a body like mine too."
Amy couldn't resist firing back, "Lena, what's the point of having such a great figure if you're not an actress?"
"I'm not an actress because I don't want to be. I refuse to doll myself up and flatter old men in Hollywood just to land a role."
"..."
Jessica also couldn't hold back. "Lena, we are actresses, you know. Is it really appropriate to be so harsh?"
"I'm just motivating you. Right now, it's unavoidable, but don't let yourself still be at the mercy of others' whims when you're fifty."
Amy added, "Lena, if I recall correctly, you were fawning over Simon last night way more than we were."
"That's because Simon is worth my complete devotion. And so are you," Lena said, her breathing steady as she shifted poses again, this time simply standing upright. "Anyway, the scenery here isn't much better than Los Angeles. You'd be better off spending an hour in the gym downstairs."
Amy, not one to hold a grudge, perked up at the suggestion. "Lena, why don't you teach us yoga?"
"Yoga isn't something you can just pick up casually. If you're interested, I'll find you a professional instructor when we get back."
Jessica, noticing Lena's skimpy outfit and realizing she and Amy were also only in nightgowns, asked, "Did we even bring any clothes?"
Lena replied, "Go freshen up first. There's definitely clothing here. I'll have them bring some over."
Amy was skeptical. "Here?"
Lena didn't explain the rumors she'd heard but nodded confidently. "Go get ready."
Amy and Jessica exchanged a glance and retreated to their bedroom.
Once Lena had fully steadied her breathing, she returned to her room and touched the crystal ball on the nightstand used to summon the maids. Moments later, someone arrived, and after a brief exchange, several maids wheeled in racks of clothes and shoes.
Lena picked out a simple tank top, shorts, and a pair of sandals, then instructed the maids to deliver the clothes to the neighboring room. She stopped one of them. "Can you take me to see Simon?"
The maid shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'll need to check with Ms. Kass first."
"Do it now."
The maid nodded, pulled out a walkie-talkie, and spoke briefly into it before turning back to Lena. "Mr. Simon will be available after breakfast."
Lena wasn't disappointed. "In that case, can I go for a walk around the estate?"
"Of course," the maid said, then added, "I'll accompany you."
Lena understood the maid was likely worried she'd wander off to the main villa and didn't object.
The two walked downstairs and left the villa. Standing in the courtyard, Lena finally got a full view of the villa behind her. It was a sprawling Mediterranean-style complex built on the edge of a cliff. The section they'd stayed in was two stories high, while the central main building was three stories. The yellow walls, red roofs, arched doorways, and colonnades were breathtaking.
In front of the villa stood towering coconut palms, sentinel-like palm trees, clusters of banana plants, and a variety of other tropical vegetation, artfully arranged around plazas, sculptures, pools, fountains, pathways, and several guest villas, creating a perfect tropical estate.
Lena strolled through the grounds, making her way from the western villa to the southeastern edge, where a viewing platform offered a panoramic vista.
She realized the villa and gardens were perched on a seaside hill about 20 to 30 meters above the city of San Lucas. Thanks to the elevation and the absence of tall buildings in the small town, she could easily overlook the entire city.
Her gaze then shifted to the estate itself, which Simon had mentioned spanned 300 hectares.
The property was enclosed by an outer white wall and an inner iron fence, forming a spiral shell-like layout. The area where she stood was not only the highest point but also the tip of the spiral.
Below the tip was a sprawling, shallow blue pool surrounded by tropical-style leisure buildings. Further out was a lush green golf course, and beyond that, another complex centered around a rectangular structure larger than the biggest soundstage in Los Angeles, stretching over 150 meters long. The glass-and-steel building was far more aesthetically pleasing than a typical soundstage.
Lena asked and learned that it was an indoor sports complex, offering activities like shooting, archery, and bowling.
To the south of the pool area, golf course, and sports complex was a private beach over two kilometers long, dotted with several elegant villas. Near the tip of the spiral was a dock with about seven or eight private yachts moored, the largest of which was over 100 meters long and even had a helipad with a helicopter parked on it.
While the largest yacht was impressive, what truly amazed Lena was the fleet-like organization of all eight yachts. She could easily guess that these vessels were far from the harmless luxury crafts they appeared to be. Two of them, in particular, had what looked like radar systems and even what seemed to be gun turrets on their decks.
It was clear that anyone thinking they could target Simon Westeros on the open sea would be in for a rude awakening.
Lena turned her attention back to the estate. To the east of the sports complex, near the edge of the property, was a dense array of solar panels.
According to the maid, who spoke with evident pride, the entire estate was powered by solar energy, and even the water supply came from a desalination system, making it 100% eco-friendly.
Lena didn't comment, but inwardly she scoffed.
Coming from a well-off family that wasn't quite at the top of the social ladder, Lena had received a good education and had a broader perspective. She knew the hidden complexities behind many so-called eco-friendly initiatives.
For instance, the solar power system here might be sustainable within the confines of the estate, but the resources and potential pollution involved in producing, maintaining, and eventually disposing of the system could far exceed the direct air pollution caused by traditional coal-fired power plants.
Unfortunately, few people could see through this, and even fewer had the ability or willingness to expose it.
So, most people, upon learning that the estate used clean solar power, would likely praise it without a second thought.
Lena, being a pragmatic person, not only nodded along with the maid's explanation but also decided to compliment Simon on it when she saw him later.
The estate was too vast to explore fully, and with breakfast time approaching, Lena didn't venture further. After standing on the viewing platform for a while, she returned to the western villa where they'd stayed the night.
After breakfast with Amy and Jessica, Lena mentioned wanting to change clothes again and asked if there was a makeup artist available.
She felt that she, along with Amy and Jessica, needed to be perfectly groomed before meeting Simon.
The estate, of course, had maids skilled in makeup.
However, before they could start, Simon's personal assistant, Carmen Kass, arrived.
She had some confidentiality agreements for them to sign.
The three women complied, but that wasn't the end of it. Carmen then took them to a separate building that seemed to function as a clinic.
By the time they emerged, over half an hour had passed.
Finally thinking they'd get to see Simon, they were informed that Mr. Westeros had already left for the sea.
Returning to the villa, they stood on the seaside balcony of a first-floor living room and saw a grand "fleet" already several miles offshore.
Lena, who had initially thought her invitation meant she might have a chance to captivate a billionaire, finally cooled down as she recalled everything from the plane ride to this moment.
She realized something.
This was Simon Westeros, the world's first trillionaire.
As Sex and the City, one of her favorite shows on USA Network (owned by Daenerys Entertainment), would put it, Simon was Mr. Big.
No, even more than that.
He was Mr. Biggest!
There was no way a fresh college graduate like her could easily snag someone like him.
Simon didn't return for the rest of the day.
Fortunately, the three women had plenty to keep them entertained. They swam in the massive pool, surfed on the private beach, and Lena even taught the two "country bumpkins" how to play golf before heading to the sports complex to shoot guns and bows.
By the time they left the sports complex, the sunset had painted the distant sea and sky in hues of red.
The three were reluctant to leave, wishing the day could last 48 hours. They'd only scratched the surface of what the estate had to offer.
Back at the tip of the spiral, Simon had returned.
They were finally invited to dinner.
After dinner, the entertainment continued.
In the indoor bar, surrounded by a group of eager women, Lena, fearing further complications, seized the opportunity to act on her bold words from the previous night.
What followed was chaos.
The next morning, Lena woke up on the floor beside Simon's bed, feeling like a neglected kitten.
The bed was simply too crowded.
When Simon got up, he almost stepped on her, prompting him to pick her up and carry her into the bathroom.
After a day and night of revelry, the estate finally quieted down on Sunday.
Simon spent the morning playing golf with the group of women, and in the afternoon, they relaxed by the pool.
The sun was too intense, and knowing Simon's preference for fair skin, the women were careful to avoid tanning. Temporary canopies were set up over the lounge chairs by the pool.
After a swim, Lena climbed out and noticed Simon gesturing for her to join him. She grabbed a towel from a maid, dried off, and walked over. Simon didn't like the feeling of being wet, and from the estate's massive freshwater pool, Lena guessed he also disliked swimming in seawater.
Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, both engrossed in reading a manuscript titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, pretended not to notice Lena approaching and refused to budge. Lena simply crawled up from Simon's feet to his chest, turned around, and looked at the documents in his hands. "Simon, what are you reading?"
Christina and Britney, both petite at around 5'2", were easily held by Simon. He showed Lena the file. "Information on a director."
Lena glanced at the name on the document.
Paul Greengrass.
She hadn't heard of him.
But her eyes quickly lit up.
A director she hadn't heard of, yet his information was in Simon Westeros's hands? That could only mean one thing. As a Hollywood agent, this was her opportunity!
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