Those bright blue eyes were fixed firmly on the other side. His tall figure remained upright, his dark brown short hair still stood up in stiff strands, and his broad chest and firm back seemed capable of bearing any pressure in the world. He was like a mountain holding up the sky, shielding those around him from wind and rain a solid support. However, this dependable mountain no longer belonged to her. If not for his proposal and financial support, there would be no Instant Share today. He had the right to handle his shares, but Ivanka knew that if she left it entirely up to him, it would be extremely detrimental to the future of the Trump Group. Duke was still the same Duke, clearly distinguishing between insiders and outsiders. But Ivanka was no longer the same Ivanka. Anyone who had struggled in the business world for years would become more mature, rational, and... realistic! If Duke walked away, Ivanka knew she would never have another chance. She looked at Duke, her blue eyes slightly reddened. "Do you really not care at all about everything between us? Have you forgotten it all?" Hearing this, Duke was slightly stunned. His eyes left the coat on the chair and turned to Ivanka. That look it was as if he was looking at a stranger. People are always influenced by those around them and their environment. Eventually, they all change—just like how Scarlett Johansson had changed from a chatty, troublesome little girl to the woman she was now. A more mature and rational Ivanka, one who knew how to use every available resource, was undoubtedly better suited to survive and thrive in the business world. Picking up his coat, Duke said calmly, "You were my first official girlfriend, Ivy. There are some things I will never forget..." Ivanka’s eyes lit up a bit, but before she could say more, Duke’s voice continued. "But that has nothing to do with business deals." Putting on his coat, Duke turned and walked toward the café’s exit, never looking back. Watching Duke leave at a steady pace, Ivanka Trump showed no expression. Duke Rosenberg was still the same Duke Rosenberg. She took out her phone and dialed a number. Once the call connected, she said, "Sorry, Dad. I’ve done my best." After speaking, she hung up before the other side could respond. She sat back in her chair, picked up the gradually cooling coffee, and drank it down in a few gulps, letting the bitterness spread through every corner of her body... A severe test had only just begun. Leaving the café, Duke didn’t return to the hotel. Instead, he went to his nearby estate. After walking around the place, which was well-maintained by the housekeeping company, he noticed that perhaps because no one had lived there for a long time, it felt exceptionally desolate. Coupled with the cold winter wind, the atmosphere became even bleaker. After a quick walk around the estate, Duke returned to the car and instructed the driver, "Back to the hotel." He wouldn’t be staying long in New Zealand and had no reason to live here. He had originally thought about selling it, but after seeing the repurposed studio built by James Cameron, Duke felt he might return to shoot in New Zealand someday. It was better to keep the estate. In the following days, aside from continuing to monitor James Cameron’s crew at Weta Workshop, Duke also explored the surroundings of Wellington and even made a special trip to the filming locations of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. These sets had now been transformed into real-life Middle-earth attractions, becoming the most renowned tourist spots in New Zealand. On his last day in New Zealand, Duke met a director at Weta Workshop who had been deeply influenced by him. Unlike Zack Snyder, this director’s career path had become particularly rough because of Duke’s appearance. "Didn’t expect to see you here, Peter." Hearing Duke’s greeting, the chubby man with glasses shook his hand and said, "I heard from Richard Taylor that you were in New Zealand, so I came over." Duke gestured toward the chair beside him. "Sit." This was the lounge at Weta Workshop. Duke casually picked a small table and sat beside it. Peter Jackson sat across from him. "You came to see me for something?" Duke asked. Peter Jackson nodded. "Yes, I have something to discuss." In front of Duke, he appeared unusually humble reflecting the stark contrast between their status in Hollywood and the film industry. Duke made a gesture of invitation. "It’s ." Peter Jackson adjusted his glasses and, after a brief hesitation, said, "I inquired with the Tolkien rights representatives. They said the adaptation rights to The Hobbit are in the hands of Duke Studio?" Googlᴇ search 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✦𝕟𝕖𝕥 Hearing this, Duke immediately understood why Peter Jackson had come. "You mean..." Duke looked at him. Peter Jackson smiled and said, "You probably know I’m a fan of The Lord of the Rings Duke shook his head. "It’s okay." "The trilogy is already done," Peter Jackson continued. "I think The Hobbit is a chance to fulfill that dream. Of course, if you want to direct it yourself..." "It’s not in my plans." As soon as Duke finished speaking, Peter Jackson quickly said, "Would you consider me?" The Peter Jackson of today was no longer the same. Though he had directed a major production like King Kong, he was frequently troubled by Naomi Watts by then already an A-list actress during the shoot, nearly walking away from the project. Although the film was completed and earned nearly $500 million at the box office, it didn’t meet Universal’s expectations. Having missed the opportunity to direct The Lord of the Rings, and with his later two films receiving a lukewarm response, Peter Jackson who once struggled outside of the Middle-earth series had seen his directing career not just stall, but regress compared to the ’90s. "Duke Studio has been acquired by Warner Bros.," Duke said. "To be precise, the adaptation rights to The Hobbit are no longer in my hands." Just as Peter Jackson’s chubby face was about to fall, Duke tapped his fingers slowly on the table and said, "Prepare a proposal, Peter. I’ll recommend you to Warner." Peter Jackson was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you, thank you, Duke." Saying that, Duke stood up, gave Peter Jackson a few more instructions, then left Weta Workshop. His trip to New Zealand thus came to an end. The next day, he flew to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia. As soon as the plane landed on the private tarmac rented by Tom Cruise, Duke saw Tom Cruise through the window. As he got off the plane, Duke was greeted by Tom Cruise with a hug. Tom was very enthusiastic. Over the years, through his cooperation with Duke, his career had advanced considerably, especially as the co-invested films had brought generous returns. After getting into Tom Cruise’s SUV, the car headed east of Brisbane. "Where’s Mary?" Duke asked about Nicole Kidman. "Why didn’t I see her?" "Duke, you should congratulate me." Seeing Duke’s puzzled expression, Tom Cruise suddenly burst out laughing, "I’m going to be a father soon." "That’s great news." Duke gave Tom Cruise’s arm a strong slap. "Congratulations, Tom!" Although the two hadn’t divorced, Duke knew a bit about them. The golden couple had faced many difficulties, the biggest being issues of faith and children. Now that one of those had been resolved, perhaps their marriage could last a bit longer. As for the Church of Scientology, maybe family affection could awaken Tom Cruise from his obsession. Duke vaguely remembered that in the last couple of years, Tom Cruise wasn’t as blindly devoted to Scientology as he had been in his youth. Speaking of which, it’s like when a young actor becomes famous and their relationship with their agent changes no matter how long a horse has been led by a rein, there always comes a day when it wants to break free. Of course, when it came to something as personal as religious belief, Duke would never express any opinions. The farm Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman bought was right next to the Gold Coast, covering over 2,000 acres, including a horse ranch and a vast wooded hunting ground—an ideal place for rest and recreation. Nicole Kidman was still in the early stages of her pregnancy. According to Tom Cruise, she wouldn’t be taking on any acting roles for the next year and would mostly be resting here. Australia wasn’t an industrial country; its main economic pillars were livestock and resource exports. The air and environment here rivaled New Zealand’s definitely a good place to recuperate. The car followed a road along a small river heading east. Along the way were large fields of harvested pasture. When they finally arrived at a large brick-and-stone house, the vehicle came to a stop. Tom Cruise got out first. Duke also jumped down from the SUV and saw Nicole Kidman standing in the small plaza in front of the house. He walked over with big strides. "Hi, Nicole. Congratulations." "Thank you." Nicole Kidman was in a great mood. She glanced toward the car and asked, "Weren’t you bringing your girlfriend along? Where is she?" "Captain America" needed to reshoot some scenes," Duke said as he followed the couple into the house. "Scarlett went to Louisiana for the reshoots." "Not only did you save Marvel Comics," Tom Cruise said, "you also brought them brilliance in the film industry." Duke shook his head as they walked into the living room. "Only Iron Man succeeded, that’s all." Tom Cruise invited Duke to sit down casually, then said, "Thinking back, I really should’ve gone all out to fight for that Iron Man role a few years ago." "Losing that role might not have been a bad thing." "That’s true." Tom Cruise clearly understood the implication and proposed, "Let’s not talk about this anymore—let’s talk about the hunting trip tomorrow."