Tycoon Actor in Hollywood-Chapter 383: Back at New York and Reunion with old friends

Inside the private viewing room, the manager eagerly presented a selection of exquisite timepieces to Jennifer. Her eyes sparkled as she examined each watch, occasionally glancing at Lucas for his opinion.

Finally, she settled on a stunning rose gold piece with a mother-of-pearl dial. "This one," she said, her voice soft with admiration.

The manager beamed. "An excellent choice, Ms. Lawrence."

Jennifer turned to Lucas, a hint of hesitation in her eyes. "Are you sure about this? It’s quite expensive."

Lucas nodded, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Besides," he joked, "if I ever want my money back, that watch is an investment. It can be sold for double the price - after all, it was worn by Jennifer Lawrence."

Jennifer chuckled, playing along. "Oh, so you only see me as an investment for your watch?"

Lucas laughed softly, his eyes warm with affection. "Well, you know me. Always thinking about the bottom line."

Their laughter filled the room, causing the manager to smile, albeit with a touch of confusion. He was clearly not used to such casual banter during high-end purchases.

***

As Lucas and Jennifer exited the Rolex store, the flash of cameras in the distance caught their attention. Paparazzi, ever-vigilant, had managed to spot them.

"Oh great," Jennifer muttered, instinctively lowering her head.

Lucas, maintaining his composure, gently guided her towards their car. "It’s okay," he reassured her. "Let’s just get home."

They quickly slipped into the vehicle and drove off, leaving the paparazzi scrambling for more shots.

A few days later, social media exploded with photos and speculation about Lucas’s apparent shopping spree. Hashtags like #LuxuryLucas and #KnightOnTheTown started trending.

"Lucas Knight spotted at Rolex store with Jennifer Lawrence. What happened to our frugal philanthropist? 🤔 #LuxuryLucas"

"Has fame finally gotten to Lucas Knight’s head? What happened to his charitable focus? #Disappointed"

On Facebook, fan pages were buzzing with discussion:

"Did you see those pics? Lucas actually buying luxury items? Is the world ending?" one fan commented.

Another replied, "Maybe he’s finally learned to treat himself. About time!"

Some of the more outlandish theories even suggested Lucas had been replaced:

@ConspiracyGuy112 posted: "What if that’s not the real Lucas Knight? Clone? Impostor? #KnightClone"

"Lucas Knight goes missing for days, comes back splurging? Definitely a clone. #LucasKnightClone"

However, many fans came to Lucas’s defense:

"Y’all need to chill. It’s his money. He’s allowed to spend it on himself sometimes. #LetLucasLive"

A popular entertainment blog published an op-ed titled "Lucas Knight: Saint or Sinner? The Debate Over Celebrity Spending", which sparked further discussion about the expectations placed on public figures.

***

Lucas arrived in New York, eager to catch up with his friends. His first stop was Liza’s restaurant, which she had closed exclusively for his visit. As he stepped inside, Lucas was immediately struck by the transformation.

The once modest eatery now exuded luxury and sophistication. Sleek modern furniture had replaced the old tables and chairs, and ambient lighting cast a warm glow over the polished surfaces. The walls, adorned with tasteful artwork, gave the space a gallery-like feel.

Removing his hat and face mask, Lucas let out a low whistle. "What happened here? It’s a big change," he said, his eyes roaming over the stylish interior. Turning to Liza, he added, "It seems that your business and the investments you made in my companies are doing well."

Liza’s face lit up with a smile. "Yeah, things have been going great," she replied. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eye, she joked, "The restaurant just did an episode with Gordon’s Kitchen Nightmares, and he had the place changed up."

Lucas laughed softly, genuinely amused by Liza’s quip. He felt a warm sense of satisfaction seeing his friend’s success. It was moments like these that made his business ventures feel truly worthwhile.

"Well, Gordon or no Gordon, this place looks amazing," Lucas said, settling into a plush chair. "I’m glad things are going so well for you, Liza. You deserve it."

As they were having a chat, the door opened, revealing a familiar face.

Samantha walked in, her presence immediately catching Lucas’s attention. She had matured since he last saw her, growing into a strikingly beautiful young woman.

"Long time no see, Lucas," Samantha said, a warm smile gracing her features.

Liza, who had just returned from the kitchen, chimed in, "Samantha just performed on America’s Got Talent and was discovered. She’s now a music artist, dreaming of becoming a big star like you."

Lucas’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wow, that’s amazing," he said, genuinely impressed.

Samantha blushed slightly as she took a seat at Lucas’s table. "Not compared to you," she replied modestly.

Lucas shook his head, his expression sincere. "Don’t sell yourself short. Getting discovered on America’s Got Talent is a big deal. I’m really proud of you, Samantha."

Liza nodded in agreement. "She’s being too humble. The judges were blown away by her performance. Simon Cowell himself said she has star potential."

Samantha’s cheeks reddened further at the praise. "It’s still early days," she said. "I have a long way to go before I reach your level, Lucas."

Lucas was about to respond when the door opened once again. This time, Leonard walked in, looking surprisingly dapper and gentlemanly - a far cry from the Leonard that Lucas remembered.

Lucas’s eyes widened in surprise as Leonard approached their table with a confident stride.

"I thought you had already forgotten your roots, Lucas," Leonard said with a smile as he took a seat beside Lucas.

Lucas returned the smile warmly. "What happened to you? You’ve changed so much!"

Leonard chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice. "Hmph, you’re not the only one improving in life, Lucas. I’ve already owned several cafés here in the city. Also already have a girlfriend too."

Liza couldn’t resist a playful jab. "You’re really flaunting your small success to the tycoon actor?"

Samantha laughed, and Lucas smiled good-naturedly as a waiter approached to serve meals to the group.

As they settled in with their food, Lucas looked around at his old friends.

This reunion felt different from their previous meetings. They had all grown, each achieving success in their own ways.

As the reunion with his old friends came to an end, Lucas felt a profound sense of happiness washing over him.

Seeing Liza’s thriving business, hearing about Samantha’s budding music career, and witnessing Leonard’s transformation into a successful entrepreneur filled him with a warmth that rivaled any Hollywood accolade he’d received.

Before they parted ways, Lucas pulled Samantha aside. He offered to help boost her career in the industry, drawing on his extensive connections. At first, Samantha hesitated, mentioning that her aunt already had some connections. But Lucas gently insisted, and eventually, Samantha agreed, her eyes shining with gratitude.

Later that day, Lucas accompanied Liza to visit the children’s cancer ward they’d been supporting for years. As they walked through the hospital corridors, Lucas felt a mix of emotions.

His heart ached to see new young faces battling the cruel disease, their small bodies connected to machines, yet their spirits remaining unbroken.

However, amidst the sadness, there was also a slight joy. Many of the children Lucas had known from years ago were now teenagers or young adults, having successfully overcome their cancer. These survivors were now volunteering at the hospital, offering hope and support to the current patients.

The LK Charity had made it possible for these families to access the best equipment and services without financial burden. The gratitude in their eyes reminded Lucas of why he had started his philanthropic efforts in the first place.

***

Lucas extended his stay in New York for a few days, balancing personal connections with pressing business matters. He began by meeting with Paul, his longtime friend and fellow actor. Their catch-up session was warm and informal, focused on personal updates.

During their conversation, Paul excitedly brought up the recent surge in Bitcoin’s value. He knew of Lucas’s early investment in the cryptocurrency and was eager to discuss its implications.

After his enjoyable catch-up with Paul, Lucas shifted his focus to his business responsibilities, particularly those concerning Vine, the social media platform he owned.

The timing was critical, given recent developments in the social media world.

A few months prior, Mark Zuckerberg had approached Lucas with an offer to purchase Vine.

Lucas had dismissed the proposal without much consideration, confident in the platform’s potential and his vision for its future. However, recent moves by Facebook were now causing some concern in Vine’s executive circles.

Lucas convened a meeting with Vine’s appointed CEO and other top executives.

The focal point of their discussion was Facebook’s recent platform upgrade, which now included short-form videos strikingly similar to Vine’s core feature. This development posed a direct challenge to Vine’s unique selling proposition and market position.

During the meeting, Lucas shared his thoughts on the company’s future direction. He emphasized the critical need for innovation to maintain Vine’s competitive edge against Facebook’s encroachment. Lucas outlined potential strategies, including expanding beyond video content and possibly venturing into emerging technologies.

The executives listened intently as Lucas stressed the importance of leveraging Vine’s strength in fostering creativity. He urged the team to consider ways to transform Vine from merely a platform into an indispensable creative tool, offering features and opportunities that users couldn’t find elsewhere.

By the end of the session, Lucas and the executive team had sketched out a preliminary roadmap for Vine’s evolution.

This plan included ambitious targets for user engagement and retention, along with a timeline for rolling out innovative features designed to set Vine apart in the increasingly crowded social media landscape.