[Chapter 425: Daily Life with Pregnant Girlfriends]
Link kept his word.
From that day on, for the next three days, he no longer caused any trouble in the office. His work was efficiently completed thanks to his resolve.
...
Four days after the Golden Globe Awards, the nominees for the 69th Academy Awards were announced.
This year, the Oscars featured 24 categories, each with 3 to 5 nominated films; a total of 45 films received nominations.
Among them, The English Patient led with 12 nominations, becoming the film with the most nods this year, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Dead Man Walking received 4 nominations: Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Original Song.
The Net got 3 nominations: Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound.
Toy Story received 2 nominations: Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score.
A Foreign Language Film nomination went to Kolya.
Additionally, Guess Pictures' The Fifth Element earned a nomination for Best Sound Editing;
Jerry Maguire got 5 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and more;
The Mask of Zorro earned 2 nominations: Best Sound and Best Sound Editing.
Link's directed film Batman Forever received five nominations, including two for Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound Editing.
After the Oscar nominations were announced, the media began debating winners. The English Patient was the favorite for Best Picture and Best Director, and Link's chance at winning Best Director increased.
Guess Pictures' PR department worked hard to garner nominations not just to win but to boost the film's exposure and maximize box office revenue.
...
"Honey, are you confident you'll win Best Director this time?"
On the lawn of their Seattle villa, Monica leaned against him holding a magazine. She wore loose maternity clothes, her belly slightly rounded, and her cheeks fuller than last year but still beautiful and sexy. Her soft figure felt warm and comforting in his arms.
The sunlight bathed her warmly, making her lazily charming, like a sleek cat.
"I am not confident. The Oscar voters are all industry insiders, and my reputation among them isn't great. They probably won't vote for me willingly."
Link gently stroked her long hair; its fragrance was intoxicating.
"Why not threaten them? Tell them if they don't vote for you, you'll make fifty movies next year, all huge hits, and their films will lose money."
Monica raised her fist mock-threateningly.
"That's a good idea. I'll cast you in all fifty. Pregnant and acting -- great publicity. The movies will be blockbusters worldwide."
"Hmph! You think I can't do it? I'm beautiful, talented. If I weren't pregnant and unable to film, I could carry blockbusters worth hundreds of millions like Michelle Pfeiffer or Sandra Bullock."
"That's right, you're amazing. If you weren't so lazy, you'd be a global superstar by now."
"You're the lazy one! I'm just not eager at work. I'm great at everything else."
Monica playfully punched his shoulder.
Link laughed, kissed her rosy lips. Monica wrapped her arms around his neck affectionately, pressing close with tender warmth.
...
"Hey, can you guys keep it down?"
Diana came walking across the soft grass with four heavily pregnant women: Lily, Michelle Pfeiffer, Julianne Moore, and Sandra Bullock.
They had just gotten up, their long hair loose -- some black, some blonde, some auburn -- and wore flowing dresses that fluttered gently, revealing their fair calves.
Tall, beautiful, their faces serene and gentle, the bright sunlight haloed them like figures from the frescoes of Florence, as if they had stepped out of a painting.
"Link, are you teasing Monica in broad daylight? Watch out, the baby might kick you from inside her belly," Michelle joked.
"Yeah, Link's too mean, all he does is tease us," Monica added, sitting up and holding hands with Diana and the others.
Link kissed Lily and the rest lightly. Because of his heavier build and their pregnancies, he rarely slept in their beds to avoid pressing on their bellies.
After sitting down, Link chatted with the women.
"Link, I heard a few days ago Sofia and Nicole Kidman had a fight at home. Have you handled that?" Michelle Pfeiffer asked with a smile.
"Not a fight, just a few harsh words."
...
A few nights ago, they clashed over the order of going to bed. Sofia, being hot-tempered and spoiled, couldn't stand being insulted and tried to hit Nicole. But Sofia was shorter and couldn't reach Nicole, who almost knocked her over. Sofia, furious, went to the kitchen for something to fight back with.
At that moment, Brooke Shields and Cindy Crawford stepped in and separated them, preventing a full-blown fight.
Afterward, Sofia complained that Nicole was disrupting the villa's atmosphere and asked if he was going to do anything.
Nicole retorted that last time she had a gathering with Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Lopez, but Sofia was busy and didn't invite her. Sofia was upset and had been stirring trouble since, leaving Nicole helpless.
From what Brooke Shields and Renee Zellweger said, the two had had tensions for a long time. They never exchanged gifts during holidays or birthdays, and never rested in the main bedroom together. Their relationship was tense.
To address their issues, under Renee's encouragement, he called them to sleep in the main bedroom together as bed partners and allies.
Their relationship improved slightly, but still had distance -- not the closeness the other girlfriends shared. He planned to try again a few more times, hoping frequent contact would heal the rift.
...
"Do you know why they act like this?" Lily gently rubbed her abdomen and smiled.
"Because I am not around. If I were home, none of this would happen."
"Haha, wrong. It's because you spoil them too much, treat them like treasures, never scold or discipline them. That's why they act so unruly. If you were tougher, set stricter rules, they'd behave."
Lily smiled.
Monica and Michelle nodded in agreement and urged him to be tougher at home, managing the family as he did his company -- implementing attendance and performance rewards.
Manage girlfriends like employees?
Link shook his head. It was hard. He dated to fulfill physical and emotional needs, not to manage a workforce and create trouble.
Besides, he believed he was already tough on them.
Every time he plays, he will push the difficulty to the highest level; they often got hurt and sometimes needed a month's rest.
If he were harsher, he might cause serious harm.
"Or just be bossy in attitude. Hit or scold when necessary, like on TV shows. Can't you be a tyrant?" Monica poked his chest, half exasperated.
Michelle Pfeiffer chuckled, "No use saying that. Link's too busy with work to handle household stuff, and it's just not in his nature. He couldn't even if he wanted to."
Link shrugged. "True, I'm busy and have no time for household matters. I wanted Jodie, Renee, and Sofia to manage things, but Jodie is busy prepping a new movie, Renee also filming, and Sofia's conflict with Nicole makes it inappropriate for them to handle it. I have no good solutions. Any suggestions?"
Lily smiled, rubbing her belly. "How about Fairy takes the lead? Sofia and Nicole handle the details as housekeepers. Fairy mediates to ease conflicts. That might reduce issues."
By Fairy, she meant Jennifer Connelly -- beautiful, calm, indifferent to anything but acting, like a fairy detached from worldly concerns.
"Good idea. Nicole likes managing things. Sofia must take the role if she wants to avoid being bossed around by Nicole. They can balance each other while Jennifer coordinates. If you pitch in more, household problems won't arise."
Monica smiled.
Link considered it and agreed.
He decided to let Lily and Monica arrange the household matters, fitting the traditional roles of men working outside and women managing the home.
They accepted responsibility without hesitation.
While he discussed chores with Lily and others, Diana listened quietly, later commenting, 'So interesting.'
Link asked if she wanted to move to Los Angeles to help manage the household.
Diana knew that place was full of drama and refused.
She was busy with the Charity Foundation's expansion -- recruiting staff and partnering with international organizations to increase its influence.
She had no time for other matters.
"I'll come after Monica and the others have their babies. With them around, I won't worry about being treated badly," Diana said with a bright smile.
"Being treated badly? Sofia and Jennifer are all your biggest fans," Link said.
He didn't pressure her because Diana was innocent and kind. Though she lived in the palace over a decade, her personality remained unchanged without the cunning of palace intrigue. Moving to LA might only bring her trouble.
*****
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