"Thanks for today!" Claire said.
"No big deal. We're friends, so no need to be so formal. It's tough for us out here," Du Juan replied, a slight smile tugging at her lips.
Claire Lee sat awkwardly in the van, glancing at Du Juan, who was quietly staring out the window. He'd heard plenty about her agency, IMG Models USA. The company was a juggernaut, controlling 55% of North America's fashion runway market and cozying up to every major luxury brand. And that was just one arm of the massive IMG International Group. Their other subsidiary, IMG Entertainment, was a top-three player in sports entertainment. They had ties to Manchester United's owner, "Skinflint," helping orchestrate the team's three-day China tour in 2005 and securing David Beckham a three-year, $250 million deal to play in the U.S. Major League Soccer.
But that wasn't even the half of it. According to gossip from Claire's agent, Costa Mayor, IMG Entertainment was behind the tabloid-fueled scandals pairing football and basketball stars with supermodels, stirring the pot for headlines.
Tom Hardy's residence was nestled in South Kensington, London's posh inner-city district. Du Juan gazed curiously at the neighborhood's sights. When a towering castle suddenly appeared along the road, she let out a soft gasp. "Wow, a castle just pops up here like that?"
Claire, seated on the opposite side, couldn't see it. To get a better look, he leaned toward Du Juan. A faint lavender scent wafted from her, and their skin brushed slightly due to the close quarters. Du Juan didn't mind; instead, she propped up Claire's arm with her right hand to help him see better.
"It's just a museum," Claire said. "But South Kensington's got the priciest real estate in Europe, then and now. It's where all the aristocrats want to be. Plus, it's directly under royal jurisdiction."
Du Juan's attention had already shifted from the castle to Claire. "Your Mandarin is so standard!" she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
She already knew plenty about Claire's background, thanks to the chatter from other models during her runway walk and some tidbits from her chatty college bestie, Du Chan. Du Juan might even know more about Claire than he knew about himself.
"Oh, yeah," Claire chuckled. "My dad hired a foreign student to tutor me when I was a kid. Du Chan says I've got a bit of a Beijing accent!"
"Tch, that Beijing 'r' sound is on point," Du Juan teased, rolling her eyes playfully. Her gaze made Claire's heart skip a beat.
She turned to look at him, noticing he was staring right at her. Her usually calm heart started racing. "Why're you staring at me like that?"
"I-I zoned out!" Claire stammered.
---
Finally, they arrived at Tom Hardy's residence. Du Juan, her cheeks flushed, held Claire's right arm as they stepped out of the van. She was wearing an evening gown tailored for Megan Fox's frame, which was a tad short on her, but being a model, she pulled off the black dress flawlessly. Her white, crystal-embellished heels added a touch of goddess-like elegance.
"Tch, having a model as a date sure makes you look good," Claire muttered under his breath. Du Juan overheard, her face reddening as she gave his arm a light pinch.
Wincing from the sharp pain, Claire awkwardly showed his invitation to the security guard at the entrance. One of the guards, apparently a Manchester United fan, stood ramrod straight when he saw Claire. His hands trembled with excitement as he took the invitation.
Claire started to head inside but paused and turned to his assistant, Delia. "Got a pen?"
Delia blinked, caught off guard, but the guard practically bounced with excitement. "First! I'm the first! This is Claire Lee's first autograph!"
Du Juan glanced at Claire, amused but not surprised. His down-to-earth demeanor was almost too relatable.
Inside Tom Hardy's residence, Tom and his wife, Charlotte Riley, greeted them warmly. "Hello! I've heard so much about you!" Tom said.
"I love your song One Day," Charlotte added.
Claire blushed at their tag-team enthusiasm. This was his first proper visit to someone's home in the traditional sense. Sure, he'd grabbed meals at teammates' places, but those were casual, filled with banter and familiarity. This was different—Tom Hardy carried the weight of royal connections.
"Wow, this lovely lady looks so familiar! Have we met before?" Charlotte said, enthusiastically taking Du Juan's hand. To Claire's amazement, Du Juan hit it off with Charlotte instantly, chatting back and forth. Within minutes, they were deep in personal topics.
"Hey, boys, they're off talking girl stuff. Come meet some of my friends," Tom said, pulling Claire away.
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