Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 219: Collaboration Development, Guest Appearance]

Miami, Southside. A car slowly pulled up to a newly vacated street, and Ryan stepped out, flanked by two sharply dressed men who worked for the Kushner Group. This was the second time Ryan had met these two.

"This is the destination. According to the plans, the final building area will exceed 1 million square feet," Ryan said, surveying the messy street. It looked like a disaster zone now, but in the future, it would transform into a five-story modern shopping mall. As a return for Ryan's assistance, APG awarded him the construction contract.

Ryan had reached out to the Kushner Group.

The commercial street beside the Bad Room had a construction area only one-fifth of this one, so by that calculation, the construction costs would exceed $100 million. It was a big deal.

"Mr. Kushner is very willing to collaborate with you again," one of the men noted. They were just there to conduct preliminary preparations.

As for the negotiations that would follow, it was up to the boss, Jared, to handle those directly with Ryan.

"By the way, Jared wanted me to convey his apologies. He couldn't be here because of a project in New Jersey."

Ryan shrugged it off. It didn't matter; he had been compensated well enough, and whether Jared came or not made no difference to him.

The two men then discussed the general cost and timeline for the project, which was more or less what Ryan had discussed with Nora the previous night.

Now there only remained one question: how much the Kushner Group was willing to pay for this contract.

Ryan tested the waters with the two Kushner employees, and they hinted that the final payment would be very generous... certainly to Ryan's satisfaction.

...

After their meeting, Ryan left the construction site and returned to his hotel. By then, the DJs participating in the music festival had started heading back. Some were off to perform in other U.S. cities, while others were returning to Europe. The winter music conference had concluded, and the staff was already preparing for the summer Bad Room Carnival.

Louis had about forty people working under him, most of whom were part-time. The actual core full-time employees were less than ten.

Overall, the labor costs for organizing the winter music conference and the International Dance Music Awards were reasonable. The major expenses came from travel and accommodation for the attendees, which accounted for the bulk of the costs. However, the winter music conference had industry sponsors, and the International Dance Music Awards even "publicly sold" some equipment awards, so in the end, they hadn't just broken even; they had made a slight profit.

Louis maintained his life with these modest profits, which roughly equaled the annual income of an average American household.

But now, the situation was different. Louis had transitioned from being an independent organizer responsible for profits and losses to a management role in the carnival, receiving a salary, which naturally placed the revenue pressure squarely on Ryan.

On top of that, with Alex still recruiting the original music festival staff, Ryan also had to bear the cost for this part, bringing the total monthly expenses to at least $500,000.

As for the revenue from the Ultra Music Festival and Russell's personal assets, they had all been frozen by prosecutors. The funds would be used for compensating the victims. Medical expenses in the U.S. were staggering; having a baby could easily cost around $70,000, so it was unlikely there would be any money left over.

Ryan had no leads on securing sponsorship yet and would have to deal with it as the carnival's opening approached.

...

"Finally winding down," Ryan sighed as he returned to his hotel room.

"Tomorrow, you need to head to Los Angeles for a guest appearance in 2 Broke Girls," said Teresa, who followed him in, relieved that her affairs had also come to a close.

"You look gorgeous today," Ryan turned to say, watching Teresa walk by.

Today, Teresa had donned a business suit, with a knee-length pencil skirt and black tights adorned with floral patterns, catching the eye. With her hair neatly styled, she embodied the essence of an office lady. Pair that with her striking features, a mix of Scarlett Johansson and Kristen Stewart, and she always drew the attention of nearly every man when alongside Ryan.

"Thanks, boss," Teresa replied with a delicate smile.

Most of the time, she was quiet around him, meticulously handling tasks. Ryan noticed this throughout their time together.

Just a couple of days ago, when Daddario was around, she had selflessly taken a step back, content to play the supporting role. Yet, Daddario didn't quite grasp the concept of humility, often wanting Ryan to remain with her for the entire night, and it was only after she had had enough that Teresa had a chance to gather the leftovers.

Having a personal secretary meant she would be busy handling important tasks, but Ryan decided to extend a small gesture towards Teresa.

"You've been doing a great job lately. I'll give you a raise next month," Ryan said, gently caressing her cheek, noting her incredibly smooth skin.

Teresa stood on her toes and offered him a soft kiss.

Ryan took her hands and said between kisses, "You're missing something on your ring finger."

Just like Daddario, she was engaged, which at least eased some of Taylor's concerns. Ryan had intentionally kept them apart for that very reason.

"As long as I'm in your heart, that's enough. The ring doesn't really matter," Teresa blushed.

"You're more sensible than Daddario."

"She's just a bit insecure, feeling like she can't measure up to Taylor."

"Well, at least she has some self-awareness."

...

About half an hour later, the sound of a phone ringing disrupted them.

"Hey, Ryan, how's it going? You're becoming a hero in Miami! Your business is really taking off," Jared's excited voice came through the line.

Ryan caught a glimpse of Teresa struggling to get up, supporting herself to come to his side, and squatting down in front of him.

"Met a few more friends," Ryan answered.

"Rick, right? I know that guy, he's pretty close with the family. Knowing him is practically stepping into the inner circle," Jared said.

"So you were handling the commercial real estate development in Miami too?"

"Don't worry about it," Ryan replied casually.

"Well, anyway, thanks for remembering me. Later, I'll wire you a commission fee. Upfront payment of $5 million; how does that sound?"

That amount was about 5% of the construction costs. The construction industry generally had transparent pricing, so Kushner Group wouldn't make much profit this time, but squeezing out that 5% was a decent way to make a connection.

"The Kushner Group is a big company; $5 million seems a bit low," Ryan wouldn't let a haggling opportunity pass.

"Ryan... you need to understand, this is extra compensation."

"If that's the case, I might need to consider other contractors." Ryan said slowly.

"$7 million is the best I can do. If that's not enough, feel free to find another company," Jared's tone became serious.

"$7 million it is; we have a deal."

"Also, I was hoping to ask you... well, never mind. We'll discuss that later," Jared hesitated.

"What's on your mind? No need to hold back; I have time now." Ryan looked down and saw Teresa's golden hair lightly swaying as she moved.

"I was wondering, could you help me bridge a loan for about $20 million for roughly three months? I'll pay you interest."

"Can't you just go to a bank? I don't have that kind of money on hand." Ryan rejected him outright.

"Banks in New York... they'd probably be reluctant to lend."

"Well, you'll have to figure out another way. I have plenty of expenses too," Ryan said.

"Alright, then... this money..."

"As soon as possible."

"Got it." Jared hung up.

Didn't he just spend 1.6 billion dollars for a building purchase? And now he can't even scrape together $20 million? It seemed like the business situation wasn't as rosy as he had imagined... Ryan thought.

...

Ryan led Teresa to the bed and lay back down.

"Boss, I'm really out of energy," Teresa said, her legs weary and sore.

"You need to work out more. Consider this a test. Do you still want that raise?" Ryan said with a slight frown as he playfully spanked her ass a few times, the sound was very crisp.

Teresa had no choice but to comply. Finally, when Ryan saw she was almost in tears, he relented, changing roles and giving Teresa two more rounds on her own terms.

"The boss is getting better and better. I admire Taylor even more now," Teresa said with a wry smile.

Little did she know, Ryan was very sympathetic to Taylor.

"You'll be fine once we get back. Someone will share the load with you," Ryan said, pinching her cheek.

...

In New York, Jared's situation was far less carefree than Ryan's. The financial crisis was in full swing; the Kushner Group had mortgaged everything they could, still owing suppliers money while pouring resources into new projects. Jared was constantly worried about finances, unlike Ryan who seemed to have leisure time to deal with secretarial duties.

After thinking for a while, Jared dialed a number.

"Hey, how have you been..." he exchanged pleasantries with the person on the other end.

"Do you have some time in the next few days? I heard a famous French chef opened a branch here in New York. I thought about getting a reservation."

"Don't have any time... Are you going to Florida? I just came back from there. You know Bad Room, the hot nightclub? I'm friends with the owner there. He said he wanted to partner with me to start a new branch on Fifth Avenue, but I turned him down." He boasted about himself.

"Really? You want to check it out? No problem. I can get you the best VIP booth with one call. See you in Orlando." Jared hung up, feeling a bit lighter.

What made him the happiest was that he had finally managed to get Ivana to agree to go out with him again. That indicated a possible turning point in their relationship.

Moreover, Ivana's father was a property developer, which meant they could easily collaborate to handle the Miami construction project.

This time, he might just strike gold! A smile crept on Jared's face.

...

The next afternoon, Ryan landed in Los Angeles. With just his bodyguard and Teresa beside him, he was only there for a day. He would return to Orlando the following day. They headed straight to the Warner Bros. studio, Stage 25.

Upon arrival, the set was buzzing with activity.

The entrance led to the set of The Big Bang Theory, currently filming its second season. A bit further down was the set of Two and a Half Men, with its sixth season airing this year.

Next was the set for 2 Broke Girls, where Ryan noticed the two lead actresses, Daddario and Amber, in a scene together, while Trey and Julie quietly exchanged thoughts on the side.

"Hey, Ryan!" Daddario was the first to spot him and greeted warmly while keeping a friendly distance.

Following that was Amber, who visibly shifted her demeanor upon seeing Ryan, growing slightly anxious.

Ryan approached Trey and Julie.

Julie noted that the pilot episode would air this Friday, preceded by the premiere of The Vampire Diaries the day before.

"The exact air time will be after Gossip Girl concludes. This could be a prime spot for the network, and the CW executives have a lot of faith in our show," Julie said.

"Confidence also brings higher expectations. Taking over for Gossip Girl is the best placement this pilot season. I just hope the show meets those expectations," Trey admitted uneasily.

"Don't worry, if it flops, it's a script issue," Ryan reassured her, lightening the pressure.

"I'm just worried about wasting your investment," Trey glanced at Ryan's beautiful assistant.

"Right now, the investment is from the CW. In any case, we've already made a profit; it's just a matter of whether it's a little or a lot. Don't stress about it. Worst case, I invest in your next project. I'll ensure you become a real director," Ryan smiled.

"I couldn't possibly spend so much of your money," Trey said a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry; if I spend it, I'll just earn it back." Ryan shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ryan's really good to you. With him supporting you, you must feel so lucky," Julie teased, emphasizing the word 'lucky'.

"What do you mean? I don't really get it," Trey shot back at Julie.

"Better hope you truly don't," Julie raised an eyebrow mischievously.

...

Then Ryan started his guest appearance. He appeared as himself in the show, portraying a singer in a restaurant, contributing a few laughs along the way. The whole process took less than an hour.

Once filming wrapped up, Ryan stayed on set, waiting to call it a day.

...

"Want to grab dinner tonight?" he turned to Trey.

"Dinner with me? For what?"

"Missed you, that's all," Ryan said with a playful grin.

Trey narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't eat out; it just wastes money. Make dinner at home for me instead."

Ryan willingly accepted her suggestion. As he left, he noticed another crew setting up scenes on the other side of the stage. Upon inquiring, he learned that a comedy called Modern Family was also shooting some scenes there.

...

Back in Trey's rental apartment in Los Angeles, Ryan made dinner for her.

"Tastes just like I remember; Taylor eats this often, right?" Trey devoured her meal, looking slightly entranced, almost forgetting such tastes.

"She loves it," Ryan nodded.

After feasting, Taylor would drag Ryan to burn fat together, which of course is an improper way to burn fat.

"You two have stabilized your relationship. You should consider having kids; if you decide to, I can help babysit," Trey suggested casually.

Ryan shook his head. "We're both too busy. At this rate, it'll be a few years before we even think of that."

"Right, you two are still so young. By the way, what's the deal with Daddario? After her return, she just got engaged. Who is she engaged to?" Trey couldn't help but ask.

"John Doe," Ryan replied.

"I knew it! You were up to something," Trey chuckled.

"Oh, and that dead guy couldn't possibly be your doing, right?" she inquired again.

"Impossible. He just happened to drop dead," Ryan shook his head.

"I almost thought it was you," Trey laughed.

"I'll send you some photos later, just like last time. Make sure you keep them safe."

"Whose photos?"

"The CEO of Victoria's Secret."

"How did you end up involved with her?" Trey exclaimed.

"That's a long story," Ryan replied.

The two continued to chat about the show until Trey noticed the time. She insisted on going to sleep and asked Ryan to leave.

"What am I supposed to do so late?" he asked.

"Just crawl into any woman's bed. I only have one bedroom anyway."

"Then let's squeeze in together."

"Get out of here," Trey pretended to throw a fork at him.

"Make sure to visit me often," she said, stopping their playful banter and adopting a serious tone.

"Miss me much?"

"What's it to you? Can't I miss you?" Trey shot back.

"Of course, and besides, about what I mentioned before: moving to Palm Beach -- how are you feeling about that?" Ryan asked.

"I'll think about it," Trey shook her head as she watched Ryan get into his car.

...

In the car, Ryan made a phone call.

"Where are you living?"

"I've got another man at home," the voice on the other end said coldly.

"I don't care."

"The other guy does."

"Where are you?"

"What do you want?" the voice remained frosty.

Seeing that Ryan didn't respond, the voice eventually relayed an address.

"Ryan, some paparazzi are trailing us," the driver chimed in.

"Make a few turns and take me somewhere else..." Ryan dictated the address he had just received.

About an hour later, Ryan arrived at an apartment door and knocked twice.

Amber opened the door.

*****

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