Late at night, when the party was over and the guests had dispersed, the maids quietly tidied up the apartment of Jerry Hall. Elizabeth, pulling along Ivanka, who was staying over for the night, searched around until they found Simon and Elizabeth's mother chatting over glasses of red wine in a living room overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
When Jerry Hall saw her daughter enter with her friend, she didn't shy away but gave instructions instead. "Liz, check on Jim and Gloria later, and don't stay up late."
Elizabeth, displeased, plopped down next to her mother. "It's already late! You're telling me to check on Jim and Gloria and not stay up? That's just unreasonable."
Jerry tousled her daughter's hair lightly and then turned to Ivanka. "Ivanka, isn't anyone coming to pick you up?"
"I asked Ivanka to stay over," Elizabeth interjected quickly. "She doesn't like going home anyway."
Ivanka smiled politely at both Jerry and Simon before sitting down nearby. "I've already called home. I'm not going back tonight."
Elizabeth suddenly jumped to hug Ivanka, but her gaze shifted to Simon. "We're planning a trip to Long Island this weekend, Dad. Can you arrange it for us?"
Simon smiled and suggested, "Long Island's boring. Why not the Caribbean?"
Elizabeth's eyes lit up. "Great idea! Oh, and we'll take your Boeing 767."
Before Simon could respond, Jerry Hall shook her head. "That's a no. I remember the weather report said there's a hurricane down there. It's too dangerous."
"Then Hawaii," Elizabeth suggested, leaping up to cling to Simon's arm. "There can't be storms in Hawaii, right? Or maybe… the Mediterranean! Rome! Dad, I want to go to Rome."
"No problem."
"Yay!" Elizabeth cheered.
Jerry looked at Simon helplessly. "I think you're deliberately spoiling her."
Simon shrugged with a smile. "Fine, we won't go then."
"Mom, be careful, or I'll cut ties with you."
Jerry pinched Elizabeth's cheek. "What did you just say? I didn't hear that."
Elizabeth winced in pain, sucking in a cold breath before pleading miserably, "Mom, I meant to say I love you."
Jerry finally let go and turned back to Simon. "We just went to Japan recently. I was hoping the rest of her summer break could include some tutoring. Liz's grades are terrible."
Elizabeth quickly roped Simon into the conversation. "Dad said I don't like studying, so I don't have to. He even promised to arrange modeling lessons for me, didn't you, Dad?"
Jerry interrupted again, rolling her eyes at Simon. "I'm sure now. You really are trying to spoil her."
Elizabeth chimed in, "Mom, I've been terrible at studying my whole life. That's actually your fault, you know."
"…"
Simon gently patted Elizabeth, who kept provoking her mother. "Alright, time for bed."
"Okay, but it's settled—Dad, I'm going to Rome tomorrow."
Simon nodded. "Of course."
"I'll bring friends."
"Sure."
"And my allowance…"
"Tomorrow morning."
Seeing her daughter about to bounce away gleefully, Jerry quickly stopped her. "You can only stay for two days. You have to be back next week."
"It's summer break!" Elizabeth protested before turning to Simon with a suggestive look. "Summer break…"
Simon played along, giving her a knowing glance.
Satisfied, Elizabeth ignored her mother and ran out of the room, pulling Ivanka along with her.
Once the girls were gone, Jerry sighed. "Maybe I should go with them tomorrow?"
"Sure, but Liz and her friends probably wouldn't want you tagging along."
"Then what? A group of kids on their own?"
"Don't worry, I'll arrange everything. Besides, Sophia is in Italy."
Jerry remembered that Europe was Sophia Fessy's domain. They'd met a few times, and Jerry found Sophia to be meticulous. She felt a bit more reassured.
Changing the topic, Jerry's demeanor softened, becoming sultry. Simon picked up on her mood, pulled her impressively long legs onto his lap, and began to toy with them.
---
The next day was a weekend, part of the summer break, though these distinctions hardly mattered to Simon. Before leaving that morning, he instructed Zoe, his assistant, to arrange the Rome trip for Elizabeth and her friends. Then he took a helicopter to Greenwich.
He spent all of Saturday meeting with key figures from the Westeros system's political and military divisions, tackling a backlog of matters.
On Sunday, Simon returned to Manhattan, where his schedule was lighter—and more glamorous.
The day's primary task was finalizing the lineup for this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. As the last show of the brand's first phase, it was highly significant, drawing immense attention as the final major publicity event. Securing a spot as an Angel was an enormous deal.
After finalizing the roster, preparations for the November show would shift into high gear.
Interestingly, while the Angels' physiques appeared flawless on stage, many models weren't always in such perfect shape in their daily lives. Most started new training regimens three months before the show. However, a few exceptionally disciplined models maintained their figures year-round. It varied by individual.
Although the roster was finalized, any model failing to meet physical standards before the show could still be cut.
For this last round of selections, personal attendance wasn't mandatory. Even during off-seasons, many top models' schedules remained packed. Yet, at the Brooklyn studio that day, only a few unable to return had skipped the session. The studio was packed with stunning long-legged beauties.
The surrounding neighborhood buzzed with activity. Accompanying agents, assistants, and even media swarmed the area. Some models who didn't make the final cut still showed up to stage impromptu photo shoots on the street, posting captions like "XXX auditioning for Victoria's Secret" to generate buzz.
In reality, the selection process was far less dramatic. Despite the hours spent on makeup and fitting Angel costumes, each model's actual audition took only a few minutes: a walk, a brief chat, then done.
For Simon, it was a routine task that doubled as an excellent PR opportunity. The spectacle generated a week's worth of media coverage, and once the final lineup was announced, there'd be another wave of attention. This free publicity was worth tens of millions in marketing.
Knowing it was mostly for show, Simon split his attention. While skimming through the candidates' profiles, he also read a script.
As the ultimate boss behind Victoria's Secret, no one dared to question Simon's multitasking.
The auditions wrapped up by noon, but the models stayed, eager for lunch and a chance to interact with Simon. However, by the time they realized he'd left early, it was too late.
---
In a luxury car en route back to Manhattan, Grace felt both proud and nervous. Simon had chosen to skip lunch with the models to have a meal with her instead. Despite being a mother of two, she felt an emotional surge that nearly brought her to tears.
After lunch, she insisted on taking Simon to Elite headquarters, ostensibly to review the results of the Elite Model Look competition that concluded in July. Quietly, she spread the word that Elite's top models could swing by the office.
In her office, Simon lounged casually in her chair, legs propped on her desk. Grace bustled about, personally preparing his coffee and handing it to him. Finally, she perched on the desk edge beside him, her tone unusually soft. "What were you distracted by this morning? A script?"
Simon looked up, his gaze lingering on her elegant figure in a white blouse and navy pencil skirt. "A very brilliant script."
Grace rolled her eyes. "Sure, brilliant. What's it about?"
"It's a movie that will coin a very popular term after its release. You'll see."
Grace pressed, curious. "Can't I know now?"
"Alright," Simon smirked. "MILF."
"Hmm?" Grace blinked.
Simon quickly explained the term, leaving Grace blushing. She lightly hit his leg. "It must be a raunchy movie."
"Not at all," Simon said, shaking his head. "At its heart, it's a sweet coming-of-age story about high schoolers preparing for graduation."
"Well, I'll be sure to watch it," Grace replied, then recalled something. "I recently saw a movie from MGM, starring Travolta—'Phenomenon.' That had your touch, didn't it?"
"Yes."
"Autobiographical?"
Simon nodded confidently. "Absolutely."
Grace laughed. "Struck by lightning and given superpowers? Sounds like your life."
Simon smiled enigmatically but said nothing.
_________________________
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