Chapter 40 — Catherine's Calculated Move
"Mr. Blake… I was wondering if you might have time today?"
Catherine's voice carried a trace of nervousness over the phone.
Beside her stood her best friend—and soon-to-be "strategic ally"—Jennifer, listening intently.
There was no mystery to it. Jennifer wanted to act, too. And William was a connection worth climbing toward.
In Hollywood, there was no faster way to gain a foothold than building a direct relationship with a director.
"Hmm? What's this about?" William set aside the footage he had been editing.
Then it hit him.
Right—he had promised Catherine dinner.
Nicole had kept him occupied before, leaving him no opportunity to follow through.
But lately… Nicole hadn't been nearly as enthusiastic.
So love does fade, he mused.
And with that thought came clarity—this was the perfect opportunity to honor his earlier promise.
"Is this about the dinner we mentioned? My apologies. I've been busy lately—it slipped my mind."
On the other end, Catherine nearly jumped with excitement when she realized he remembered.
Jennifer shot her an ecstatic look.
"Yes, that's right. So… how about tonight?" Catherine asked, trying to sound composed while brimming with anticipation.
William considered briefly. He had no plans for the evening.
"Sure."
The moment he agreed, Catherine quickly gave him the name of a restaurant.
After confirming the time and location, William hung up.
"Yeah!!!"
Catherine and Jennifer clapped and celebrated.
But once the excitement settled, Jennifer hesitated.
"Catherine… if I just show up with you, won't that seem a little inappropriate?"
Unlike Catherine, Jennifer had never worked with William.
Catherine at least had a professional connection to rely on.
Jennifer, on the other hand, was still a complete nobody—no credits, no debut, no leverage. She couldn't muster a shred of confidence.
Hollywood was overflowing with beautiful faces.
So many that even someone as attractive as Jennifer could feel painfully ordinary.
"Relax. Did you forget the way he looked at you on set that day? You've absolutely got a shot."
Catherine gave her an encouraging squeeze.
She couldn't afford for Jennifer to lose her nerve. Alone, Catherine's chances were slim in a city filled with breathtaking women.
Teaming up with Jennifer—that was the smarter strategy.
---
Meanwhile, in Fairfax, at the same restaurant where William had once dined with Katya—
Nicole and Katya sat across from one another.
"One bowl of borscht, a loaf of black bread, and a glass of kvass."
Katya placed her order and handed the menu back to the waiter.
"Well then, Ms. Ivanova," Nicole began coolly, "what exactly did you want to talk about?"
She couldn't quite figure out Katya's angle.
In Nicole's view, they weren't competitors.
After observing William for some time, she had already abandoned the idea of securing him through marriage.
William wasn't Tom Cruise.
Nicole had seen it clearly—Tom might be dazzling at the moment, but compared to William, his ambition was modest at best.
William wouldn't surrender to beauty and walk into marriage so easily.
Yes, marrying up would have been ideal.
But based on what she'd learned, William wasn't the kind of man who would tie himself down.
Which meant mutual benefit was the most stable arrangement between them.
And if that was the case, even if this Russian woman liked William, it shouldn't concern her.
"Less a matter," Katya said with a faint smile, "and more a friendly reminder."
Nicole didn't like that tone.
It carried a trace of superiority—as if Katya looked down on her.
"What do you mean?"
Nicole frowned.
Was she warning her to stay away from William?
That didn't make sense. If she had objections, shouldn't she have raised them long ago?
Unless…
Was this about the agency shares?
Nicole's thoughts tangled again.
"I mean exactly what I said," Katya replied calmly. "Don't invest too much emotion in that man."
The waiter delivered the kvass. Katya took a sip.
"I'm sorry?" Nicole's composure cracked. "What gives you the right to say that to me? Are you his official girlfriend?"
For once, Nicole lost her usual elegance.
Her reaction was sharp—almost defensive.
Mentioning feelings seemed to hit a nerve she didn't want exposed.
"Calm down, Miss Kidman," Katya said evenly. "I'm not telling you to leave William. I'm simply advising you to know your limits."
She leaned back slightly.
"Once your agency is established, William's corporate structure becomes more complicated. And like you said—what happens if one day you two fall out?"
She gave Nicole a knowing look.
Katya didn't believe in William and Nicole as a long-term pairing.
And she was nearly certain Nicole had begun to feel something she shouldn't.
If they were merely using each other, parting ways later would be simple enough.
But emotional investment in a man like William?
That rarely ended well.
Katya prided herself on being clear-headed.
"This sounds like William's problem," Nicole shot back. "What does it have to do with you? Or are you his wife, that you feel entitled to manage his affairs?"
Katya didn't rise to the bait.
"My relationship with William is purely professional. Don't overthink it, Miss Kidman.
I have my own objectives. And your behavior might interfere with them. Do you understand?"
Nicole stared at her for a long moment.
"You know," she said quietly, "that superior attitude of yours is very unpleasant."
She stood and left the restaurant.
Katya made no move to stop her—only watched her retreating figure with mild interest.
---
At the same time, in a French restaurant across town—
William sat opposite Catherine and Jennifer.
"Well, this is unexpected… Miss Jennifer."
He would have been lying if he said he wasn't surprised.
He'd sensed Catherine's ambition from the beginning.
And he respected ambition in women.
No stealing, no cheating—just fair exchange.
In this era of Hollywood, that was perfectly normal.
But Jennifer?
She still had a touch of innocence about her.
William glanced at Catherine.
So this little enchantress… had layers he hadn't fully anticipated.
How calculating.