Vol 2 Chapter 464: Duke's father

Leaving Dubai, Duke and Ivanka all the way north, looking at Mount Zion in Jerusalem, boating from the water city of Venice, visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, shouting at the Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, and tasting at a special coffee shop in Amsterdam. Arrived in Paris after Thanksgiving.
Because of the trip and missed the premiere of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", the first thing he came to Paris, Duke walked into the theater and watched the film.
After the success of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", except for the negotiations with Joanna Rowling, he basically no longer invested in this project, but completely handed over to Robin Grande. If not In special circumstances, the production manager will follow this series until the final chapter.
"It is imperative to change the director."
When I got out of the theater, Duke didn't call a car. After walking along the road not far, he reached the Seine River, took Ivanka and walked along the river, and discussed the film he had just watched while walking.
"It's really not the first one." Ivanka dragged Duke to the outdoor cafe by the river. "Anyway, in the eyes of a layman, the quality decline is quite obvious."
I found a table to sit down and ordered two more cups of hot coffee. Duke took a sip, and then said, "This is Chris Columbus △↑, the old problem."
"Huh?" Ivanka didn't quite understand.
Duke added a piece of candy to his coffee and explained, "Chris Columbus is one of the best family directors in Hollywood, but his problem is quite prominent. The sequels he produces are often better than the first. Down a lot..."
"So you and Warner want to replace him?" Ivanka gradually understood.
"This is only one aspect," Duke shook his head slowly, "on the other hand, he is not too suitable for the adult style later, and Columbus himself does not want to continue directing."
Ivanka nodded. Holding up the coffee cup, he said before drinking, "Is there a suitable new director?"
"Robin and Warner's people are being selected."
Duke drank the coffee in the cup, saw a trace of fatigue on Ivanka's face, stood up and suggested, "Let's go back and rest early."
"Yeah." Ivanka came over and took Duke's arm. "Let's go back to the hotel."
Just returning to the hotel suite, Ivanka’s assistant Rita knocked on the door and walked in. Although traveling around the world, Duke and Ivanka couldn’t completely throw away their jobs. This assistant temporarily served the two of them. Task.
Instead of looking for Ivanka, she walked directly to Duke and handed over a fax. "This is just faxed by the Duke's studio."
"Thank you."
Duke nodded to her, and the assistant disappeared faster than he had come.
"Something to be busy?"
Ivanka took off her coat. Sitting on the sofa, "Are you going to the study?"
"Nothing, just the North American box office statistics for the first two weekends." Duke sat next to Ivanka in the past, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."
Because I just watched the movie, and because of his poor senses, Ivanka asked, "Isn't the box office plummeting?"
"It's a decline, but it's not a big drop." Duke picked up the information. He watched it and said, "The first weekend is 88.35 million U.S. dollars. The next weekend is 45.22 million U.S. dollars. The show is currently in theaters for ten days, and North America has accumulated $158.66 million."
"Not bad."
In this regard, Ivanka and Duke have the same characteristics, and pay more attention to commercial performance.
"The box office can only be said to be okay." Duke laughed happily, "Mainly the surroundings. Since the release of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", only five English-speaking countries have sold nearly two One hundred million U.S. dollars."
Ivanka sighed suddenly, leaning over Duke, one arm resting on his leg. He raised his chin.
"What's wrong?" Duke gently kissed her forehead.
"My reason tells me that the film industry is a very risky industry, but what I see is that films are very profitable..." Ivanka sighed again, "I think I chose the wrong industry."
"My dear," Duke encouraged. "You choose the future."
No one can guarantee what the future will look like. All Duke can do is grasp the present.
Because of the frequent visits in the UK, Duke and Ivanka did not cross the English Channel, but went all the way north, intending to experience the ice and snow in Northern Europe. But when they came to Stockholm and just checked into the hotel, they received a very Special invitation-someone invited Duke and Ivanka to be a guest at a manor in the suburbs.
"My master said that I would know you naturally when I met."
The person who sent the invitation left the hotel with only one sentence.
"Do you have any acquaintances in Sweden?" Ivanka asked curiously.
"Uh..." Duke thought for a while, and shook his head. Many years have passed since the matter with the Swedish princess.
Is this an invitation from Princess Victoria?
Just thinking of the princess, Duke himself rejected it. No matter how you look at it, this was not an invitation from the Swedish royal family.
Suddenly, Duke thought of who this person might be.
"Shall we go?"
Hearing Ivanka's question, Duke nodded solemnly, "Let's go."
After a rest in the hotel for an afternoon, Duke asked for a car from the hotel and reported the address on the invitation. The driver took them less than half an hour and sent them to a suburban manor.
This is a typical Nordic-style building. Judging from the architectural style, it is obviously not built in the last ten years. It should be some years old.
The car was guided to the villa. Just after it stopped, a person with the appearance of a housekeeper had already walked over and opened the door for them, waited for Duke and Ivanka to get out of the car and made a please gesture.
"Mr. is waiting for you in the restaurant."
The housekeeper led the way, and Duke didn’t say much. He just followed him forward, through a long corridor, and turned into a huge restaurant. The restaurant’s layout is quite elegant or chic, with a wall on one side. Western oil paintings are hung, and the other side of the wall is a shelf with all porcelain.
Through the fancy and shape of the porcelain, it is not difficult for Duke to tell that this is not a high-end porcelain from Britain, the Netherlands or Japan, but from the East, which may be a rumored antique.
He didn't understand this, and he was not interested. He just glanced casually and looked at the center of the restaurant.
It was a long oak dining table. At the front end of the dining table sat a middle-aged man with brown hair and some golden hair. He was well maintained, and he looked like he was in his forties, with tough lines. The face profile of Duke is somewhat similar to Duke.
Although Duke disappeared when he was just a kid, his experience was extraordinary after all. Even if the other person's appearance changed a little, he recognized it at a glance.
"Are you surprised, Duke?"
The other person’s smile was full of charm, and he made a please gesture to Ivanka, "Just sit down, Miss Trump."
Duke nodded to Ivanka, walked over and sat on the left hand of the middle-aged man, "It was a bit accidental, I thought you had forgotten me..."
"Actually, I have been paying attention to you," the other party always maintained an elegant smile, "It's just that you don't know it."
"Do you need me to say thank you?" Duke smiled faintly, "Mr. Rand?"
The other party shook his head, "You are welcome."
Ivanka also realized who Duke called Mr. Rand, and wisely chose to remain silent.
The dishes were served one by one. After a few unsavory words, Duke stopped talking, but slowly tasted the dishes with Nordic style. The middle-aged man maintained an elegant smile and pie. Not many words.
"How is your mother?" he asked.
Duke raised his head and said with certainty, "Very good."
He no longer cared about Duke, but looked at Ivanka, "Sorry, Miss Trump, it was rude just now. Introduce myself, I'm Nissen Rand, Duke's father."
"Hello, Mr. Rand." Ivanka returned with a polite smile.
Nissen Landt looked at Duke again, "You did a great job."
"Thank you." Duke said politely, deliberately turning his head to look at the art in the restaurant, "Your oil business looks good, too."
"It's just a small business." Nissen Rand is always the same. "It's incomparable with you, one of the top 100 rich men in Forbes."
"The value of stocks is all imaginary." Duke lowered his head and used a knife and fork to deal with the salmon on the plate, "How can it compare with oil and cash."
Once the stock market was turbulent, there were many people who lost half their wealth.
Most of the time, both parties are relatively silent. Even if there is a blood relationship, they have not seen it for so many years. It must be false to say that there is a relationship. The father I met only saw the Swedish paparazzi taking pictures of him out of the airport from the Internet, and suddenly wanted to see him on a whim.
To put it bluntly, this is just an irresponsible father, and suddenly seeing his famous son, he has a little curiosity and interest.
"The people from Winfrey Oprah have approached me."
When the dinner was about to end, Nissen Landt said again, "But don't worry, I have rejected her."
"Thank you." Duke kept a polite distance.
He never thought that Winfrey Oprah could impress each other. He neither lacked money nor liked high-profile behavior. Instead, his biggest hobby was the weakness of the black woman. How could he go to "Oprah Talk Show".
After dinner, Duke didn't want to stay, and the other party didn't mean to stay, but when he walked out of the villa, Nissen Rand lightly patted his arm.
"Duke, keep going and let me see how far you can do it."
Nodded to Nissen Lan, Duke turned and pulled the car door, waited for Ivanka to get in the car first, then bent down and got in, and the car drove quickly toward the gate of the manor.
Duke looked back, then turned back to the front, knowing that the two sides will meet very rarely in the future. (To be continued...)
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