Kensington is a famously affluent district in London, and the most well-known building is undoubtedly Kensington Palace, the former residence of Princess Diana. However, it's only the beginning of summer in 1989, and this palace, representing royal majesty, remains off-limits to most people unless invited.
Just a street away from Kensington Palace was a small villa where Ryan and Nicole lived. In the villa's living room, two women and one man sat around a small white table, talking about something.
"What? You want to be my agent?" Ryan asked, looking at a woman in her thirties. She was a sharp, capable-looking white woman.
The woman studied the boy across from her carefully. He looked about ten years old. His deep blue formal suit fit him well but made him appear a bit thin. His soft light brown hair shimmered with a golden hue, and his sky-blue eyes sparkled like stars, occasionally flashing with cunning and maturity.
Ryan looked a little confused and turned to the person beside him. Sitting close to him was the tall and sensual Nicole Kidman. Her gaze was full of indulgence and affection as she looked into his eyes.
She tidied her slightly messy golden-red curls before speaking. "Ryan, this is Ms. Pat Kingsley, the agent I signed with recently. Pat, this is Ryan Jenkins."
"Nicole…"
Ryan hesitated, his small hand quietly clasping the woman's hand. A strange look flashed across his face—subtle enough that no one noticed. Whether intentional or not, he asked the female agent a few questions, and confidence gradually filled his heart.
Alright, if he could be reborn, and some deity had sent Nicole Kidman to his side to become his guardian, then it was perfectly reasonable for Nicole to meet her future agent ahead of schedule, right?
That's right. Ryan was fairly certain that the woman in front of him—Pat Kingsley—was the same agent who, in his previous life, represented both Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. He remembered she didn't sign with them until 1990, yet here she was in London?
Indeed, the flap of this butterfly's wings had already skewed some people's trajectories.
"You're spacing out again," Nicole gently pinched Ryan's ear. After living together for nearly three years, his frequent daydreaming was the thing that troubled her the most.
Ryan gave a shy smile. Having lived in London for two years and received strict etiquette training, his every move now reflected refinement and upbringing.
"Ryan, the truth is, I came to London with Nicole because of you!" Kingsley's words made the boy gradually understand. He had more or less figured it out but still asked on purpose, "Me? Why?"
Kingsley didn't answer directly. Instead, she took her handbag, pulled out three books—Jurassic Park, The Ryan Story Collection, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
These were the three books Ryan had already published!
If Ryan didn't understand that the agent had discovered he was the author, he'd be a fool. His first reaction was to look at Nicole, but the Australian woman shook her head, indicating the leak didn't come from her.
Ryan could only sigh and began piecing things together. He quickly figured out most of the situation.
Clearly, this woman had her own sources and influence. Somehow, she had found out he was the author of those three books. Knowing it wouldn't be easy to deal directly with a child, she used a more indirect approach—starting with the person closest to him, Nicole Kidman—earning her trust and becoming her exclusive agent before coming all the way to London.
In his previous life, she had made a name for herself in Hollywood and even managed to make Tom Cruise look bad in the end. She clearly had good instincts and solid skills—able to spot a worthy investment before others even noticed.
Ryan wasn't surprised that Kingsley came to him. From what he knew about the talent agency business in his previous life, many agents would take the initiative when they found someone worth investing in. That he had caught her attention was perfectly normal.
Besides, just look at the three books on the table.
Jurassic Park had already become the #1 bestseller in America in 1987 and held that position for over thirty weeks. It sold millions of copies in the US and UK alone and was considered a top pick among children's books.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone might not have been a massive hit yet, but any keen observer could tell it was just the beginning of a much larger series. Since its release last year, its sales had quietly surpassed 100,000 copies.
As for The Ryan Story Collection, it compiled Ryan's previously published short and mid-length stories. Despite only being released a few months ago, it had already climbed onto America's bestseller list.
Most importantly, anyone with knowledge of the film industry would see how well-suited his stories were for movie adaptations, with potentially enormous returns. And he was only nine years old! Who knew—he might become the next Stephen King or Michael Crichton.
A fat sheep served up on a platter? Ryan rubbed his chin, calculating silently.
"Ryan, do you want to go back to Los Angeles?" Nicole Kidman asked suddenly.
"Back to the U.S.?" Ryan frowned. Even though he had lived in LA for seven years, it was still a foreign city to him.
"Well, I have a movie audition coming up in Los Angeles. Why don't we go together?"
Nicole explained, and Ryan gradually understood. With the release of Dead Calm, she must have attracted a lot of attention.
"What movie?" Ryan repeated over and over in his head—Please not that one, please not that one...
"Days of Thunder. If the audition goes well, I'll get to work with Tom Cruise!"
That sentence hit Ryan like a thunderclap. Nicole was one of his favorite actresses in his past life. He knew all too well what would happen if she joined Days of Thunder.
She'd fall in love with Tom Cruise, marry him after the film released, later face irreconcilable issues, and ultimately suffer deeply. During the divorce, she'd be humiliated into signing a settlement under pressure from a notorious Italian investigator hired by Cruise.
Was fate's inertia really that strong? After just two years, it was trying to drag Nicole back onto her original path? That was absolutely not what he wanted. After over two years of living together, the bond between them had grown very deep. He would never allow someone he liked and loved to be hurt—not even a little.
"You don't want to go back to LA?" Nicole looked puzzled. It was, after all, his hometown.
"Oh, no. I just suddenly remembered something else." Ryan smoothly changed the topic, turning to the female agent and asking directly, "Pat, are you Mr. Cruise's agent?"
"Of course not."
Though a little surprised, Kingsley didn't hesitate. "Actually, Nicole is my only client."
Ryan let out a breath of relief. He knew how much Nicole longed for Hollywood. Since that was the case, then returning to LA was fine. After years of preparation, the plan… would begin!
He didn't believe for a second that if he strongly opposed it, the emotional bond he had built with Nicole wouldn't be stronger than some pretty-boy heartthrob.
Besides, with preparation on his side, he would make sure Tom Cruise hit a wall.
To break into that world of fame and fortune, a skilled agent was essential. Ryan quickly reached a verbal agreement with Kingsley. As for the formal contract, it would wait until they returned to LA and had it reviewed by his personal attorney, Mr. Wilson.
Since they were leaving London, a series of matters had to be handled. Ryan personally visited all the tutors who had taught him, especially the masters from the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Though they were hired by Nicole at great expense, their patient guidance had given him solid musical foundations. He could now compose moderately complex pieces and played piano and guitar at a professional level.
After handling the school withdrawal with Nicole, all that remained was packing.
He didn't have many belongings. His instruments were of average brands and could be replaced in LA. His most valuable possessions were a suitcase full of manuscripts. If any of his old friends from his past life saw them, their jaws would drop. Just look at the titles—Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Sixth Sense, Titanic, and so on.
Ryan thought for a moment and took out the Sixth Sense script and Chamber of Secrets novel. These were things he could use immediately upon returning.
Of course, they were copies. He wouldn't give away originals lightly—what if someone sold them?
"Ryan, do you need any help?" Pat Kingsley knocked and entered, only to be stunned by the suitcase full of manuscripts. She felt a little dizzy.
"Pat, this is the second Harry Potter book. Send it to Alien Publishing when we get back. This is The Sixth Sense, a movie script. You can read it first. If it looks good, make a few copies and send them to the major studios." He handed the manuscripts over. Since breaking into Hollywood was tough for newcomers, why not bombard it with scripts? Now that he had an agent, all the legwork could go to her.
"Script…?" Kingsley was a little shocked. She quickly flipped through it, and the more she read, the brighter her eyes became. She slowly realized she might have struck gold. "Leave it to me. I actually have a few connections at major film studios."
So fate hadn't abandoned him after all! Ryan smirked. Having connections was much better than blindly sending scripts. Pat Kingsley was not to be underestimated.
As she left, Kingsley glanced at the suitcase again. Her lips twitched involuntarily. Could all those manuscripts really be of this level?