Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 234: Rescue]

"You're investing in a movie? Taylor, that's a bold choice! I just knew you were different from the other girls!" At the dinner table, Julie exclaimed with a smile after hearing the news about Taylor's investment.

Taylor glanced at Ryan before revealing the truth.

"Oh, Ryan..." Julie quickly realized she had flattered the wrong person and casually continued, "You two make a strong team."

Then, she turned her attention back to Ryan, seemingly nonchalant as she asked, "Has filming started? Olive Bridge Entertainment -- I've never heard of them. Ryan, you must be super busy; can you really handle it all?"

"Julie, can I trust you?" Ryan suddenly asked.

"Ryan, you can trust me one hundred percent. I'll keep a close eye on things when I get over there," Julie assured him immediately.

Ryan then looked at Trey beside them. "Do we have reliable people in finance for the crew?"

Trey, who appeared a bit lost in thought, replied, "There are a few options. I just spoke to an old classmate recently, and she mentioned her daughter is looking for a job in accounting."

Ryan nodded, and with that, the plans for Easy A commenced smoothly. As for casting...

...

"Ryan, you're working so hard these days -- it must be exhausting," Alexandra Daddario said as she unexpectedly walked to Ryan's side, and took the initiative to pour red wine for him.

Taylor was watching from the side, so she naturally didn't dare to do anything that crossed the line. Ryan then asked her about the filming progress of 2 Broke Girls.

"Everything's fine on our end."

"The CW Network only ordered the first six episodes. You and Amber can't slack off; you need to stay focused on filming," Ryan dashed any hopes she had about appearing in Easy A.

Daddario laughed, "You're right! By the way, John and I have moved into a house near Palm Beach. You should bring Taylor over to visit when you have a chance."

"We'll be neighbors then! We definitely have to go," Taylor agreed eagerly.

"No time for that; Taylor and I are super busy right now," Ryan directly declined.

Daddario's smile dimmed slightly, and without a word, she quietly returned to her seat.

...

The atmosphere at the table grew somewhat awkward, until Trey finally broke the silence. She looked at Ryan and Taylor and said, "Don't think I'm nagging you two. Taylor is young now..."

"I..." Taylor's face turned red, realizing what Trey was hinting at. She felt somewhat embarrassed and sneaked a glance at Ryan, gauging his reaction.

"I've already said that Taylor has a tour planned for the next two years. We have a lot to handle, and now isn't the time to have kids," Ryan said, shaking his head.

After finishing their meal, the group parted ways outside the restaurant. Trey watched others leave and when she saw Taylor snuggling in Ryan's arms, for some reason, there was a hint of reluctance in her eyes.

...

Back in the room, Taylor hugged Ryan and suddenly said, "Actually, having a baby wouldn't affect my tour. We should start thinking about having a love child. My parents have been nudging me about it."

"We're in a critical time for your career. If you take time off to have a baby, you might fall behind other new female artists. This is a pivotal moment; if you lag, you might not catch up," Ryan reminded her as he held her waist.

"That's true..." Taylor couldn't find a way to argue.

Even if she could tour while pregnant, it would inevitably impact her work. Ryan kissed Taylor, prying open her lips...

...

The next morning, Ryan watched as Taylor entered the airport to fly directly from Los Angeles to her next tour stop. Ryan planned to stay in Los Angeles for a few more days. He decided to meet with Gary, the director of Valentine's Day. Ryan's biggest concern was Will Gluck, so talking with Gary, another director, might help ease his worries.

He called Gary, who happily agreed to meet and provided the current shooting location.

...

Today's shoot involved an indoor scene -- specifically a bedroom scene. However, there weren't any risque shots; it began with a man and a woman waking up in bed, putting on clothes, and chatting. Ryan wasn't too familiar with the male actor, Topher Grace, but he recognized the female lead -- Anne Hathaway.

At that moment, Ryan stood behind the director, observing the lighting, sound, and camera crews filling the bedroom. Anne Hathaway stretched lazily in front of the camera, wearing a pure white tank top.

What kind of woman sleeps in her underwear? The outfit was far from professional, Ryan thought.

Anne Hathaway gained her fame from The Princess Diaries, which was also directed by Gary. Out of respect for the director, she took on a supporting role in Valentine's Day, much like Ryan and Taylor -- her appearances were minimal.

The scene was wrapped up quickly.

...

"Ten-minute transfer time; all units transfer," the assistant director called out.

Anne Hathaway walked over to chat with the director. "Was the shot okay? If not, I'm happy to try again," she said.

With the equipment already cleared away, did they really need to discuss that? Ryan internally scoffed at her.

Sure enough, the director confirmed it was fine, and the two exchanged pleasantries. At that moment, Anne noticed Ryan and immediately waved at him with a smile, saying, "Mr. Rivers, I didn't expect to run into you here! What a nice surprise! I'm sorry I didn't notice you earlier."

It had to be noted, her smile was impressive, radiating an elegance that very few women possessed.

"Watch out!" she suddenly raised her hand to block, realizing a sound technician was holding a boom pole dangerously close to Ryan's head.

"It's quite crowded in here, isn't it?" she remarked with an embarrassed grin.

She always seemed to aim for a friendly demeanor, her words filled with pleasantries. Yet somehow, it felt a little too forced, giving off a vibe of being calculative. No wonder some people think that she is a scheming woman.

"You all chat; I have to take off," Anne Hathaway seemed to sense her presence wasn't necessary there, quickly adding, flashing Ryan another smile.

...

Ryan wasted no time diving into discussions about Screen Gems with Gary.

"So you're saying Terry Stapleton from Screen Gems is interested in men? I heard that too. The last time I met him, he was with a male actor," Gary chuckled, indirectly confirming Will's claims.

From across the crowd, Ryan noticed Anne Hathaway receiving a phone from her assistant and frowning as she answered, speaking softly, covering her mouth with her hand.

"It's probably an FBI investigator calling," Gary quietly commented to Ryan.

"Yesterday, two FBI agents came to the set and questioned her. Her ex-boyfriend is under investigation for embezzling religious funds," Gary continued.

"Embezzling religious funds?" Ryan frowned slightly.

"Yes, her ex-boyfriend was involved two years ago with the bishop of the Camden diocese in New Jersey, acquiring half of the local church's assets with money raised by Bill Clinton and Ronald Burkle."

Ryan recognized the latter name but was unfamiliar with the details of the former. A wave of relief washed over him as he remembered he hadn't revealed anything to Nora, keeping their land deal's shady details under wraps. Otherwise, he might have faced a similar fate as Anne Hathaway's ex-boyfriend.

"What charges does her ex-boyfriend face?"

"Investment fraud."

"And what does that have to do with Anne Hathaway?"

"It's simple. The FBI sees her as a means to dig up more evidence against him. They've already gathered most of the information they need, but for some reason, they're not letting her go," Gary shook his head.

To put it simply, her ex had upset some bigwigs, and now they wanted to see him completely disgraced.

Ryan watched from a distance as Anne's expression shifted to panic. She even caught Ryan's gaze, turning her back to him quickly.

"There's been quite a commotion outside; this situation has significantly impacted her. A few films that were hoping to cast her have pulled their offers due to this mess," Gary sighed, as he and Anne Hathaway had a decent rapport, he felt inclined to share more.

Ryan nodded as his phone rang just then.

...

"Ryan, are you in the Bad Room?" Ivanka's voice came through.

Ryan inquired about the reason for her call.

"Not much; just wanted to let you know most of the staff is in place, and the office has been secured. The design aspect has been outsourced to a New York design firm. The 'Spirit Club' project is now officially underway. We'll start promoting and attracting investors soon," Ivanka explained on the line.

"Ivanka, you've really surprised me," Ryan smiled.

He had anticipated it would take at least a week to get things sorted, yet she was moving quickly.

...

At that moment, Topher Grace walked past Ryan, overhearing the name "Ivanka" and quickly turning, as if it rang a bell.

...

"This shouldn't be too difficult; I'm getting paid to do my job," Ivanka added on the phone.

"I'll head over as soon as I'm back in Florida."

"Sure thing. Also, the design company is pushing for the first payment today, and the rent..." Ivanka chuckled nervously.

"How much in total? Add everything up, and I'll pay you right now."

"Not too much; it all comes to around a million," Ivanka replied.

"What? Isn't that a bit high?"

"High? Ryan, this is a nationwide franchise; we need to hire the best industry companies for design. The office needs to look impressive; otherwise, how can we convince investors of our credibility? Plus, we need a human resources company to find talent; they'll charge a consulting fee. These are the costs, along with employee benefits, office amenities. I want to create a comfortable break room for staff, even a gym. Next, we might even have a pet area so employees can bring their pets to work..." Ivanka rambled on about her plans.

"Your ideas have merit, but the execution needs refinement. Ivanka, we're still a small company, not some Silicon Valley tech giant spending investor's money," Ryan reminded her.

Now he understood why she was moving so quickly; everything was outsourced and money spent easily.

What he feared wasn't the children of wealthy families wasting money but rather them going out to start businesses!

The key point was, it was still his money being spent!

"How about this -- you ask your dad for some funds?"

"He said he doesn't have any money at the moment and told me to talk to you first." Ivanka sounded a bit exasperated.

"According to our investment agreement, your dad has to contribute," Ryan pointed out.

"Fine, I'll call him back."

"Besides rent, pause all other expenses, including design costs. We can discuss specifics when I'm back," Ryan hurriedly ended the call, already contemplating a change of people in charge.

...

"Did you just mention Ivanka?" Topher Grace asked curiously.

Ryan sized him up.

"New York's Ivanka?" he continued.

"Not much, just had a brief thing with her three years ago. I didn't expect to hear her name here again," he shook his head, reminiscing.

After all these years, he still hadn't moved on -- only Ivanka remained on his mind.

She was stunning; perhaps a better fit as a decorative figure or company spokesperson, Ryan thought.

...

Without wasting any more time, Ryan walked over to Anne Hathaway, who had just hung up her phone.

"The director mentioned you're in some trouble?" Ryan remarked suddenly.

Anne Hathaway turned around, surprised to see Ryan. She hesitated before finally saying, "But it'll pass quickly."

"Really? I heard this investigation has been ongoing for a while; the FBI's been keeping tabs on you," Ryan reminded her.

"It's just cooperating with their investigation. Mr. Rivers, I ask that you don't spread this around," Anne replied earnestly.

"I don't have time to discuss others' affairs, but speaking of which, you should seek help."

"Lawyers can only do so much in a situation like this, and others... they wouldn't be much help either," Anne shook her head, suddenly realizing something. "Are you suggesting, Mr. Rivers, you could help me resolve this issue?"

"I can give it a shot. You're a dedicated actress; you shouldn't suffer from an unjust disaster," Ryan said.

If she truly had wrongdoing, like taking money from those bigwigs, she'd have been taken away long ago and wouldn't be on set.

"Can you really do that?" Hope flickered in Anne's eyes; she had exhausted every means for the past six months without results.

"Mr. Rivers, this might be complicated. My ex-boyfriend got involved with a major player; you must know who that is?" Anne reminded him.

"Coincidentally, I can talk to those big players," Ryan replied, appearing calm and collected.

"Then please wait a moment. Once I finish work today, I'll get back to you with the details," Anne Hathaway declared like a person grasping at a lifeline.

"I won't wait around; when you finish work, meet me at..." Ryan mentioned the hotel where he was staying.

Anne and her assistant exchanged glances, recalling that Ryan was engaged to Taylor, possibly feeling reassured, and nodded in agreement.

...

Ryan left the set first. That evening, after finishing her filming, Anne arrived at Ryan's hotel room with her assistant.

Anne recounted everything in detail, much like Gary had.

Ryan pulled out his phone and glanced at Anne. "You go downstairs for a bit," she instructed her assistant.

Then she stood up and headed to the bathroom.

Ryan dialed a number.

...

"Hi, Ryan." The voice on the other end was a bit hoarse.

A familiar fox-like face flashed in Ryan's mind.

"I told you I'd hear from you eventually," he said.

"I can agree to your conditions, but I need a favor for a friend," Ryan replied.

Previously, he had assured Sharon that he'd feign consensus with Jeffrey.

"What's the request?" Jeffrey asked on the other end.

"The FBI is investigating Anne Hathaway."

"You know her?" Jeffrey's interest perked up.

"I don't know her personally; just a friend of hers approached me."

"Which friend?"

"That's not your concern."

The line hesitated, seeming to realize Ryan and Anne Hathaway were hardly connected.

"Is this about her ex-boyfriend? I heard Bill mention him."

"Her ex is already in custody, and she needs to separate herself from this situation."

"Is it possible that she's the one in trouble instead of her ex?" Jeffrey suddenly shifted gears. "The one interested in her is Ronald Burkle; that complicates things."

"There's only one way to solve this -- get Anne Hathaway to personally plead with Ronald Burkle."

If she had to plead... the rest didn't need to be explained.

After getting scammed out of money, not only did they want to put the scammer behind bars, but they'd also take the scammer's girlfriend with them! Ronald Burkle was truly ruthless.

"I'll think of another method," Ryan scoffed.

"Forget it; I have a decent relationship with Ronald Burkle. Since you want to protect her, I'll step in to help this one time. There are many women out there, yet the loss of one friend isn't worth it," Jeffrey chuckled.

...

Just as the call ended, Anne Hathaway returned.

She was dressed in a chic black and white ensemble paired with heels; in Hollywood, there were few faces that could rival hers.

"You've landed in deep trouble. Do you know who's got their eyes on you? It's Ronald Burkle; he wants to meet you in person," Ryan weighed his phone in his hand.

Anne Hathaway gasped, her previously fair complexion even paler now.

Despair washed over her as reality sank in; she began to realize her fate.

"Maybe I'll just exit the acting scene!" Taking a few deep breaths, she contemplated the worst-case scenario.

But even stepping away might not guarantee protection... at that moment, Anne felt a surge of hopelessness.

"However, this matter is resolved now. You're officially free from this situation starting now," Ryan smoothly transitioned his tone.

"You managed to contact Ronald Burkle?!" Anne Hathaway was incredulous.

"I sent a middleman to relay," Ryan clarified.

Never did she expect that Ryan Rivers could handle things so effortlessly.

Anne Hathaway sized up this young man before her, increasingly believing in the rumors of his reach and influence.

But someone like him willing to help her also meant that she'd likely owe him a favor...

"Mr. Rivers, whatever you need, feel free to ask. I'll do anything within my power," Anne declared, taking a deep breath; calling Ryan her savior wasn't an exaggeration.

"In that case, I'll need you to free up a few days," Ryan suddenly stated.

"Are we going on a trip?" Anne instantly thought of something.

"No, I want you to make a cameo in a movie," Ryan shook his head.

"Of course, I can do that! I'd be glad to take part without any pay," Anne Hathaway chuckled, then realized she might have equated Ryan with Ronald Burkle.

"Besides that, whatever you need in the future, just let me know," Anne Hathaway added.

*****

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