*Chapter 382: The Woman Who Attacked at Night*

At the birthday party of his brother-in-law, in addition to David Ellison, Link also met several second and third-generation members from the Hearst and Bloomberg families.

There were Amanda Hearst’s brothers, Georgia Bloomberg’s brothers and nephews, as well as members of the Hilton family and direct members of the Mars family.

The young people from the Hearst family currently hold important positions in the Hearst Newspaper Group. The media under Hearst Group includes over fifty daily and weekly newspapers such as the New York News, the San Francisco Examiner, the American, and the Chicago Examiner. It also has over three hundred magazines, including Harper's Bazaar, GQ, Marie Claire, and ELLE, as well as cable TV and internet networks like A+E Networks, ESPN, and Netscape.

The Bloomberg family is both wealthy and influential in New York, with family assets in the billions of dollars. They also have significant political influence; for example, Georgia's father has served as the head of New York City Hall three times.

Several second and third-generation members of the Bloomberg family are currently working in politics and business.

In the past, at parties held by the Thompsons, these people were not very warm towards him, showing no interest in even greeting him.

This time, many people proactively approached him to greet and chat, leaving contact information and showing much more warmth, seemingly accepting him as part of high society.

Link knew that this was due to his rising status, and he didn’t mind. He wouldn’t act aloof as if saying, "You ignored me before, now you're trying to get close because I’m important."

As long as someone approached him, he would patiently chat for a few minutes, discussing politics and economics, as well as movies and music.

At these times, Ivanka would quietly stand by his side, with a graceful smile on her face.

They lingered at Edward’s party for over two hours and only left around evening.

“How was your chat with David Ellison?” Ivanka asked as she drove.

“Not bad. He likes movies and wants to make a mark in Hollywood. Seeing that I’m doing well in film investment, he expressed interest in establishing a partnership with Palm Beach Pictures. I agreed.”

Link leaned back in the passenger seat, feeling a bit tipsy after a few beers.

“And what about Megan Ellison? Did you hit it off with her? Are you interested in her?” Ivanka asked nonchalantly.

Megan Ellison is David’s sister, twenty-four years old, and also aiming to make a name in Hollywood.

Link recalled that she had been somewhat more successful in this field than David, with films she invested in like Zero Dark Thirty, The Grandmaster, and The Master all achieving good box office results and acclaim.

When Megan approached him to chat, he also gave her enough patience and enthusiasm, hoping for a chance to collaborate. However, Ivanka seemed to think that his enthusiasm meant he was interested in Megan.

“No such thoughts. Megan seems very neutral, with a strong personality. Right now, I only like sweet and simple types. I’m not interested in strong, independent women like you.”

Link said.

Ivanka curled the corner of her lips, “The two siblings seem very interested in you.”

“Yes, men admire my boxing skills, and women like my singing and looks. I’m popular with both genders.”

Link said proudly.

“Is that so?”

Ivanka asked淡淡地.

Link was about to confirm but suddenly felt a pang of frustration, realizing he hadn’t been able to win Ivanka over even after almost two years of knowing her.

He looked at Ivanka, who was wearing a light-colored skirt with a curvy figure, and asked if she had any pepper spray for self-defense.

Ivanka said he could try.

Link reached out but decided to wait for a more suitable opportunity to act.

During the drive, he brought up his conflict with Weinstein, mentioning that Weinstein might retaliate by setting traps on his new film project. To avoid any accidents, he planned to collaborate with David Ellison on the investment to share the risk.

Ivanka thought it was a good idea and added that Weinstein had deep roots in Hollywood and many connections in politics, so he should be cautious. She also reassured him not to worry too much, as she could handle things if anything happened, and the Thompson family also had some connections in the political sphere.

Hearing her calm and composed tone made Link feel like he was clinging to a strong support, which was quite satisfying and not embarrassing at all.

When they arrived at the Woolworth Building, he remembered that Jennifer Lawrence was still at the Yorkville home. Jennifer was here for a short work trip, only two or three days, and as his girlfriend, he should spend more time with her.

He apologized to Ivanka and said he would go back to Yorkville to stay for the night.

Ivanka declined his suggestion and asked for Jennifer’s number, inviting her to stay at the Woolworth Building instead, since there were plenty of empty rooms in the apartment.

Link was a bit confused. His official girlfriend was inviting his rumored girlfriend to stay over? That didn’t seem like a good idea. Plus, Jennifer was a strong-willed girl who probably wouldn’t accept such a ridiculous invitation.

But to his surprise, Ivanka made a call, and after a brief conversation, she turned back and told him that Jennifer Lawrence had agreed. She had already arranged for an assistant to pick her up, and she would be arriving soon.

As they went upstairs, Ivanka also ordered a seafood dinner from a hotel downstairs for that evening.

Link called Jennifer to confirm if she genuinely wanted to come over. He said if she didn’t want to, she shouldn’t force herself. Jennifer said as long as Ivanka didn’t mind her presence, she wouldn’t either.

Link asked Ivanka what she said to Jennifer that made her agree.

Ivanka said women understand better what other women need.

Link asked what that was.

Ivanka replied, “Men.”

Ding!

The elevator doors opened. As they entered the apartment and walked into the living room, Link heard the sound of a piano and a sad, melancholic female voice singing “Dancing With Your Ghost.”

*Lyrics:*

Yelling at the sky

Screaming at the world

Baby, why'd you go away?

I’m still your girl

I stay up all night

Tell myself I'm alright

Baby, you're just harder to see than most

The voice was hauntingly beautiful, ethereal, and melancholic, like a ghost singing in a desolate Versailles Palace. It was incredibly stunning.

Link listened to it once, finding it a bit better than his own rendition, and more moving than the original version.

Entering the third living room, a woman with long, flowing curly hair was playing and singing at the Steinway piano.

Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, only revealing her delicate, fair shoulders. She wore a cool outfit—white strapless top and silk shorts, with a figure that matched Ivanka’s in terms of bust and hips.

“When did Lana arrive?” Link asked Ivanka.

“She came at noon. She was sleeping in the bedroom when you arrived,” Ivanka said as she took off her shoes.

“Her singing is too melancholic, almost depressive. You’re her close friend and boss. Didn’t you consider helping her out?”

“This kind of thing can only be helped by men. Why don’t you give it a try?” Ivanka encouraged.

Link shook his head. He had heard some about Lana’s situation.

When Lana was around eighteen or nineteen, she had a boyfriend who was a street racer. During a race, he had a fatal accident where his head was crushed by the car wheels, leading her to a year of psychological counseling.

At twenty-two, she had finally gotten over her previous emotional turmoil and found a like-minded singer boyfriend. But within a year, the second boyfriend also died in a car accident, which she witnessed firsthand, deepening her psychological trauma. She became sensitive and even fearful of words related to boyfriends and cars.

The successive blows led to her emotional depression, and her songs and compositions became funeral dirges.

In her second album Born To Die, out of fourteen songs, twelve were self-composed, and each one was more sorrowful than the last.

Including this song “Dancing With Your Ghost,” her album could play from start to finish at a funeral without changing songs.

“Hey, Lana, can you play a song request?” Link called out.

Lana looked back at him, her long lashes fluttering, and smiled, “What song do you want to hear?”

“How about ‘Here With You’?”

This song was one of the main tracks from his third album. Its cheerful tune and positive lyrics were considered a lively version of “Young and Beautiful,” with many similarities.

Link hoped this song might uplift Lana’s mood.

“OK!”

Lana adjusted and started playing and singing.

*Lyrics:*

To all my friends

The night is young

The music's loud

They’re playing our song

Nowhere else that I belong

Link listened once and couldn’t help but frown. A cheerful song, when sung by Lana, still had a melancholic atmosphere.

Ivanka smiled slightly and reminded him that Jennifer Lawrence had arrived.

Link and Ivanka met Jennifer at the elevator.

When the two women met, Ivanka took the initiative to greet Jennifer, who responded politely with a smile, her eyes briefly meeting Link’s.

The atmosphere between them wasn’t awkward.

What was awkward was Link. As the two women walked ahead, he didn’t know where to position himself—whether in front or behind seemed out of place. Walking between them, holding one hand each, might work, but it felt like going upstairs without steps—rushing up could lead to a bump on the head.

When they reached the

 living room, Lana was also surprised to see Jennifer and looked at Link with a mischievous smile.

Link realized that inviting Jennifer here might not have been a good idea.

After Jennifer arrived, the ordered seafood dinner was delivered to the dining table by the staff.

The four of them sat down for the meal.

Link took the main seat, with Ivanka, Jennifer, and Lana on either side. During the meal, the three women chatted about movies, music, and fashion, giving Link no chance to speak. Once, when he tried to join the conversation about movies, the three women fell silent and just listened to him.

Not having been in a position of authority before, Link found it a bit difficult to adjust to the role.

To avoid awkwardness, he stopped talking and quietly ate seafood, thinking that with Jennifer and Ivanka present, something might happen later, so he ate extra oysters, abalones, and geoduck.

But when it came time to sleep, everything was different from what he had imagined. Ivanka and Lana would not be sharing a bed with him, and Jennifer didn’t intend to either, so he would be sleeping alone.

This situation reminded him of an old saying: “One monk carries water to drink, two monks carry water to drink, and three monks have no water to drink.”

Link was like the monk without water. Seeing the three women each going to their own rooms, he could only suppress the growing fire within him and go to sleep alone.

However, in the middle of the night, he dreamed that his legs were sinking into a cold, damp swamp.

He kept lifting his legs but sank deeper and deeper.

He gradually woke up, only to find a woman in his arms.

With thick, curly hair and a cold, ethereal fragrance.

Her figure was curvaceous.

Slightly less impressive than Ivanka’s but more mature and fuller than Jennifer’s.

He was stunned.

Just as he was about to speak, she kissed him.

Whispering in his ear, she said, “I’m sorry, I really like you.”

With a shy sob.

Link withdrew his hand, completely sinking into the bottomless swamp of the dream.

But when he woke up the next morning, the bed was empty, and he was alone.

The swamp seemed to have only existed in his dream.

The next day, he went about his usual routine of running, training, and filming. After Jennifer finished her work, she returned to Los Angeles to continue filming X-Men 4.

The only change was that Link was more cautious while driving.

On his way to the set, a black man suddenly appeared from an alley, startling him. While he was braking to avoid him, he was hit by a car from behind. The front of his car collided with a fire hydrant, and he and his car were sprayed with water.

During the collision, he couldn’t help but recall the rainy, swampy place from his dream and felt that the woman from the night before was a bit mysterious.

“Link, look here. We’re starting filming. Get your act together.”

Director Joe Johnston called out on the Captain America set.

“OK!”

Link rubbed his face and said.

“Scene 14, Take 2, Action!”

Filming continued for Captain America. With the help of Dr. Erskine, Steve Rogers finally joined the military and participated in the ongoing Super Soldier Program.

After using the “Super Soldier Formula,” his body underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming tall, strong, and with top-notch physical ability, speed, reflexes, and intelligence.

“Steve, how do you feel?” Dr. Erskine asked in the lab.

Link, lying in the experimental chamber, smiled and said, “I feel pretty good.”

“This is penicillin!”

Dr. Erskine patted his shoulder, and the staff announced the start of the experiment.

Link looked at Agent Carter’s back, a determined look in his blue eyes.

“Five, four, three, two, one! Start!”

The staff began injecting, and the injector in the experimental chamber moved forward simultaneously. Link widened his eyes, gritted his teeth, and let out muffled groans as the lights in the lab began to flicker.

“Cut!”

“Keep this take, and let’s do another one!”

“Link, you’re about to transform. Put more effort into it. I believe you can do better.”

Director Joe Johnston shouted.

“OK!”

Link lay on the bed, took a deep breath, and continued his performance with renewed energy.

(End of Chapter)