Chapter 253: French Kiss

Words : 1428 Updated : Oct 14th, 2025

"Cameron, I'm orderin' ya, go on, head home and rest right away. Come back in three days. I've got loads more films for ya to shoot down the road. If ya wear yourself out, it'd be a shame." "Alright, William, I admit I'm a bit worn out myself." "Alright then, get goin', Tanner, have my car take him home." "Okay, young master." ... After wrapping things up here, William White was off once again, rushing to Paris. That damned negotiation was nearly wrapped up, and it seemed like a conclusion was in sight. It wasn't that William White didn't want to delay, but it just wasn't necessary anymore. He had moved past the phase where funds were tight, and even if he had to bear huge compensation costs, he wasn't too bothered. Simply put, Disney had a good chance of going public next year, and getting tied up with a big setback at this time would be troublesome. Today's investors were crafty, and this issue would naturally compress the valuation. There was really no point in dragging things out any further. Both sides had revealed their cards and knew there wasn't going to be a Disneyland in Paris. The focus of the negotiations naturally shifted back to compensation. William White wanted to strangle the fool who signed off on the deal. What kind of nitwits were in the Disney family anyway? Just look at how strong Disney was in Michael Eisner's hands. That sickening "I'm the best in the world" attitude could drive anyone up the wall. ... William White chose to stay at the St. Regis Hotel, and he had his reasons for choosing it. Negotiations were left to his subordinates. All he needed to do was stroll down the Champs-Elysees, and if he felt like it, sip some coffee at a sidewalk cafe. Alright, the coffee didn't do much for him, but the Parisian girls sure did. "Sir, you just need to put in an appearance tomorrow. It's gonna be around six hundred million bucks or so." "Alright, got it. If it doesn't vary too much, let's run with that." Getting robbed naturally left him displeased, but losing because of someone else's mistake was even more infuriating. Alas, feeling displeased still gave him no choice, and it wasn't wise to mess with governments. Even if it wasn't your own, it's best to avoid it. For businessmen, making money was the only important thing. Being just a figurehead, William White only needed to complete his task. The haggling was best left to his team! Once he sorted through all this, it wasn't much of a dilemma. As for the losses, well, let's just say they fed the chickens. ... In the early morning, walking along the Champs-Elysees felt incredibly pleasant, with a faint aroma of coffee wafting through the streets, making the air seem almost sweet. "I'll have a mocha, two croissants, and a fried egg, please," he said. "Just a moment, please." A man in sunglasses wearing a suit was unusual so early in the day. He didn't look like a Parisian, but he spoke fluent French. The staff were curious but didn't pay too much attention. "Sir, may I sit here?" "Why not? And could the charming lady tell me your name?" "My friends call me Sophie. Nice to meet you, Mr. White." "My goodness, are you the so-called 'French Kiss' they talk about?" "You watch French films?" "Is it that strange? I'll watch any movie. Your performance was good, just a bit unfortunate." Ah well, here was someone shamelessly trying to charm a naive young lady again, even if he didn't need to. "Why? What's unfortunate?" "Your roles are just typecasting. As you age, those roles won't suit you. You need to break through and change, but audiences don't always love change." "I must admit, you're quite a genius to see my dilemma. Can you help me?" "Well, you know I rarely refuse a beautiful woman." "They say you have a wandering eye. Looks like the rumors are true." "No, no, that's all gossip. People are jealous of my talent. I'm really a stand-up guy. Honestly, I'm a devout person. I was planning to go to church today for some confession." "Oh, you're terrible." "Haha, isn't there some saying in Paris? 'Women love a bad boy.'" "Nonsense, I've never heard that!" William White's bodyguard stayed at a distance, not planning to interfere with his boss's flirtations. They just couldn't understand why these beauties seemed so drawn to him. An idle rich man meeting a romantic young lady -- such a setup was cliched enough. Even more cliched was how the romantic young lady swiftly turned into a little fan girl. Well, the level of skill in kissing was indeed extraordinary, completely incomparable to American girls. It was hard to fathom at what age they started training in this particular skill. Let's just say the man wasn't incapable of love, just unwilling to take responsibility. As for this chance encounter, everyone was an adult. William White considered himself decent but certainly not someone universally adored. For those who love the big screen, who wouldn't want to try their luck in Hollywood? Even if you failed after trying, it wouldn't be a big deal. Moreover, this guy was incredibly successful. Hollywood didn't have many real female stars. In movies of that era, women were just trophies. However, William White dared to make women leads. And he was exceptionally successful. In fact, Evita was far more popular in Europe than in the U.S. ... "Stop, I can't take it anymore." "Alright, alright, I just want to hold you." "Hmm, you're so nice." Was he really nice? That was unclear, but he certainly wasn't reliable in what he said. They agreed to stop doing 'that,' but then... They spent a night without words -- yes, there were indeed no words needed. "Come on, lazy cat, don't you need to make a call home?" "No, I'm an adult." "Alright, alright, but you should get up and eat." "It hurts." "Let me rub it for you." "No, I'll get up." They lazed around a while longer before getting up for lunch. How intense the night's battle was didn't need further words. "Sophie, do you want to try your luck in Hollywood?" "Me? Am I suited for it?" "Trust me, I'm an expert in this field. But your agency here could be an obstacle. Can you break the contract?" "I can, but it's costly, and I don't have the money." "Money? Haha, consider it an advance on your salary. No amount could be as expensive -- Disneyland here cost billions!" "You're impossible. Why not open Disneyland here?" "Sigh, it was a mistake. Haven't you noticed? You're very confident in your own culture. You even reject speaking English." "True, but gosh, what about my English? How is your French so good?" The barrage of questions left William White quite speechless. "Take it slow. For us, not speaking French gets you laughed at. As for you, I'll have everything arranged." "What's this? A lover?" "Well, if you're willing, I'd be very happy. If not, we'll still be great friends." "Why not? I'm quite satisfied with you as a lover." This time, it was William White who was shocked. He knew they were free-spirited, but not to this extent. "Haha, is it strange? Paris doesn't reject lovers. Even the president has a public affair, let alone regular folks." "Alright, alright, I have no experience. Honestly, I'm really a stand-up guy." "You shameless scoundrel, don't misuse the word stand-up." "Hahaha, I'm not about to say I'm a scoundrel." William White happily left, taking with him the mouse park and their rose. He was quite content. Money lost was money lost, but this compensation was enormously satisfying. Those damned French, thinking they could scam my money. A whole $650 million -- almost the cost of a dozen 747s. With those planes, I could start an airline. So, as they say, some folks are just miserly and insincere. That Disneyland was basically a disaster. Solving it for this price was already a steal. ***** https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.

Chapter 253: French Kiss

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