In the evening, the Ritz Hotel in the Place Vendôme of the palace district was brightly lit.
The hotel's private band played Beethoven's "Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor," with the music drifting melodiously through the air.
Dozens of elegantly dressed men and women sat at dining tables, savoring gourmet food and fine wine while chatting softly, creating an atmosphere that was both refined and comfortable.
In the central seat, Luca was dressed in formal attire, with his hair meticulously styled. He held a fork in his right hand, tasting the hotel's signature dish—foie gras.
The foie gras here was authentic, with a smooth and tender texture. When cooked, it had a very low melting point of just thirty degrees Celsius, and it would slowly melt in the mouth.
As it dissolved, a rich aroma exploded in his mouth, accompanied by the subtle fragrance of red wine, which then slowly flowed down his throat, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
He had tasted authentic foie gras several times in New York before, but the flavor here was much more profound.
"How does it taste?"
Across from him, Kate was wearing a creamy white long dress, gracefully swirling her wine glass.
"It's delicious!"
Luca praised.
"Right? Try this too, it has an even better texture!"
Kate smiled slightly and forked a baked snail for him.
Luca opened his mouth and ate it, and it indeed tasted wonderful.
"Come on, open up!"
Kate tried to feed him again.
"That's enough, Kate. If I eat too much tonight, I'll gain weight."
They had only ordered a few signature dishes: steak, foie gras, French baked snails, and a fruit salad.
Kate and Lima were both on diets, so they only ate a few pieces of fruit, leaving Luca to finish the rest.
"It's fine, you look even more handsome with a bit more weight."
Kate smiled slyly and fed him another snail.
"Don't lie to me. Last year when I gained weight, everyone called me a damned fatty, an ugly fatty. When you guys went shopping, you wouldn't even take me along, afraid I'd embarrass you."
"Haha~"
Kate covered her mouth, laughing heartlessly.
Luca smirked, "When I was fat, you made me exercise to lose weight every day. If I didn't, you'd beat me up, pinch my face, and turn me into a pig head. I couldn't go out for days and had to stay home exercising."
Kate bit her lower lip, holding her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably. Her face turned red, and she didn't look at all like the ice queen she usually was.
Luca swirled his wine glass, his face full of mock resentment, and said, "I think you developed the habit of hitting me back then. Now you're trying to fatten me up again, is it because my muscles make it less satisfying for you to hit me?"
Kate, still trying to contain her laughter, held onto the table and said, "Stop talking, or I'll really hit you."
"What's so funny?"
Lima, wearing a colorful long dress with a gold ribbon cinched at her waist, walked over, her figure drawing admiring glances from everyone around.
Luca stood up to pull out her chair, and once again, all eyes were on him, filled with a cold sharpness.
"Thank you, darling."
Lima smiled sweetly and kissed him on the cheek.
If looks could kill, he would have been torn to shreds by now.
Playfully, Luca gave her a discreet pat on the butt.
Lima chuckled softly and sat down, asking, "Kate, what are you laughing at? Your face is all red."
Kate, propping up her face with slender fingers, her golden-brown hair cascading down on either side, smiled and said, "Lima, remember last year when Luca hadn't lost the weight yet? Did you ever call him a fatty?"
"Fatty?"
Lima blinked, glanced at Luca's face, and then burst into laughter.
"No, I didn't!"
"You did!"
Luca complained. "I remember once when we were out shopping, you two were striding ahead while I carried dozens of shopping bags, panting like a dog. You turned around and yelled, 'Fatty, hurry up!'"
"Hahaha~"
After dinner, the three took the elevator to the hotel's upper floors.
The hotel's interior was incredibly luxurious, gilded and gleaming, borrowing from palace design with carvings and art pieces everywhere. It was an opulent space with a strong artistic atmosphere.
Kate and Lima's suite was on the top floor, and it was an apartment-style suite.
The room was as large as an apartment in New York, with both a living area and a recreational area. To the east was an open-air balcony with a view of the distant Seine River.
"The view is nice."
Luca stretched lazily on the balcony.
"Of course, we wouldn't settle for less."
Lima smiled as she walked into the dressing room.
"Luca, I heard someone's planning to blacklist you. How are you going to handle it?"
Kate set down a cup of coffee and sat cross-legged on the sofa.
Luca shrugged, "I'll wait and see. Compared to those old guys, I'm still weak, both in terms of resources and connections. Going head-to-head with them wouldn't be wise. Right now, I need to lie low, build up some strength and contacts, and start my own business."
"What kind of business?"
"Making movies!"
He then went into detail about his plans for a film company. "I'll do my best to make this project a success. Once the movie is a hit, Bra Films will have a foothold in Hollywood. With that company, I'll have leverage."
"That sounds great, but making a successful movie... it's not easy."
Kate shook her head.
"It's fine. I'll learn from you guys and work hard to make it happen!"
Luca said confidently.
Kate smiled, patting his head. "What about in the fashion world? Do you have any plans there? I can't help you much in the entertainment industry, but I do have connections in fashion."
"No need for your help. I'm tied to my agency. This year, I've made them a lot of profit, so they won't just watch me fall. Ed said the company is handling the PR, and it's going pretty well."
Luca smiled.
"Indeed, you've been a dark horse in the fashion world this year. Ford was lucky to sign you. If they don't treat you right, you could always jump ship."
"True!"
Luca shrugged and started massaging Kate's legs.
"Darling, Paris Fashion Week is coming up. Why not try your luck here? There are plenty of opportunities."
Kate suggested.
"Hmm, maybe!"
Paris Fashion Week was a festival in the fashion world and a golden opportunity for models to shine.
Before the SUN series launch, Luca thought he might give it a try, and maybe earn some extra income along the way.
Ben Hill's earnings had been rising rapidly lately, and many believed he'd be this year's top earner.
To maintain his position, Luca needed new sources of income.
Thinking it over, he pulled out his phone and called Ed, mentioning Paris Fashion Week.
Ed supported his decision and said he would contact the local branch to offer guidance and advice.
"Ed, your voice sounds off. Are you sick?"
"Hmph! Do you even know what time it is? It's the middle of the night here in New York."
Ed grumbled.
"Sorry, sorry."
Hearing Nina's yelling in the background, Luca quickly said goodnight and hung up.
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**End of Chapter**