[Chapter 483: The Beauty Code]
For the next two or three days, media attention zeroed in squarely on Linton Anderson and his impressive lineup of girlfriends. Outside the Anderson Estate, paparazzi camped out around the clock, hoping to capture even more explosive headlines.
But Linton didn't mind at all. He decided to take a solid break, relaxing at the estate for a few days. Besides, under the intense media pressure, many girlfriends -- including Cristiana, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, and Noriko Sakai -- had left the estate.
Inside the estate, however, Madonna, Shania Twain, Izumi Sakai, Akina Nakamori, Vivian Chow, Michelle Reis, and Heidi Klum remained. The paparazzi'spresence didn't affect Linton's daily extravagant parties and staged performances one bit.
Still, media opinions were deeply divided. Mainstream outlets mostly criticized Linton, and even many tabloid sources, though chasing ratings, leaned toward disapproval. Yet online forums--including Yahoo! -- were filled with praise and envy. After all, the internet was still in its infancy, and the majority of forum participants were young people.
On Yahoo's message boards, six out of the top ten hottest threads were related to Linton, three focused on Victoria's Secret Angels, and one revolved around Independence Day's three Golden Raspberry Awards and same number of Oscar awards.
The hottest topic asked, "How powerful is Linton's charm? Just how many girlfriends does he have?" The thread swelled to over 2,000 responses.
The women's liberation movement in North America had already shaped a surreal social context. Despite consistent media criticism of Linton, coverage of the female stars was remarkably tolerant. Except for a few outlets maligning those associated with Linton, most gleefully spun imaginative tales about their relationships with him -- stories that did no real harm but instead boosted their popularity.
Several media outlets even compiled a list of "Anderson Girls" -- female stars who had worked directly with Linton or appeared in films produced by his company. Another, livelier list featured those rumored to have had affairs with him. Besides most of Linton's inner circle, several names were conspicuously omitted by North American media: Vivian Chow, Michelle Reis, Izumi Sakai, and Akina Nakamori, along with Winnie, who was not an insider in Hollywood.
More actresses, eager for publicity, quietly slipped their names onto the list. This included stars who had collaborated with Linton like Halle Berry and Tyra Banks, those who had intimate conversations with him like Sharon Stone and Julia Roberts, and even names with no real connection whatsoever: Vera Farmiga, Sofia Vergara, Uma Thurman, Elizabeth Banks, and Gretchen Mol.
The most astonishing part was how smoothly these rumored stories were crafted -- so vivid and emotionally charged that they captivated audiences and drove web traffic.
Curiously, none of the five Victoria's Secret Angels participated in the gossip frenzy.
Within three days, the rumor list had swelled to over fifty women, leaving Linton both amused and bemused.
---
After the media storm raged for three days, the frenzy finally began to taper off. Linton picked up his phone and called Sharon Layman, saying, "The plan can start now."
On the fourth day, the influential and widely circulated Hollywood Gossip Daily published a bombshell report titled, "Breaking News: How to Identify Linton Anderson's Official Girlfriends."
The article listed twenty women by name: Madonna, Shania Twain, Cristiana Reali, Monica Bellucci, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Cameron Diaz, Shania Twain, Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, Heidi Klum, Noriko Sakai, Izumi Sakai, Akina Nakamori, Vivian Chow, Michelle Reis, and Winnie Gesso.
They shared two remarkable traits.
First, each was exceptionally beautiful, with skin as smooth and supple as porcelain. More astonishingly, they all seemed frozen in their prime between ages eighteen and twenty. Madonna, at 38, Monica at 32, Cristiana at 31, Shania Twain at 30, and Nicole Kidman at 29 -- they all looked distinctly younger than they had three years prior. Photos from the past showed them less radiant, while current images revealed a glowing renewal of youth and beauty.
Second, no matter the event or setting, every one of these women wore an identical quartz pendant around her neck. While the carved pattern on each pendant was unique, the design was unmistakably the same across all twenty.
This consistent accessory appeared in every frame of every Linton film featuring these actresses, at countless parties and commercial events, on magazine covers, and even along the red carpet at the recent Oscars. The same pendant was visible during Madonna, Shania Twain, and Noriko Sakai's performances, music award red carpets, fashion shows, and press shoots. Heidi Klum displayed it throughout all her modeling gigs and publicity appearances.
Winnie Gesso, though not part of the entertainment world, was just as inseparable from her pendant after her appearance on a UPN financial interview show.
Most striking, none of these twenty women had ever signed jewelry endorsements involving necklaces -- even Madonna, Cristiana, Sophie, Monica Bellucci, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Winona Ryder, or Cameron Diaz had deliberately excluded necklaces from their high-profile global jewelry deals.
At the article's conclusion, two startling theories emerged.
First, Linton must possess some secret ability -- or what the article dubbed "The Beauty Code" -- that makes women's skin glow with radiance, enhances their features, and seemingly reverses time itself. This was the only explanation for why these twenty incredible women were so utterly devoted to him, utterly unable to let go of their deep bond, flouting all social conventions.
Some even willingly gave birth to his children out of wedlock: Madonna, Sophie, Cristiana, and Monica among them.
Second, the quartz pendant must be a token of commitment from Linton. So precious it was worn continuously, never leaving their necks -- not even for high-paying necklace endorsements.
---
The report went viral immediately, captivating audiences with its fresh perspective and detailed insights. It was hailed as a top-notch piece of celebrity gossip by readers everywhere.
Yet among the industry's elite -- including aging starlets, Hollywood's glitterati, and powerful magnates like the oil tycoon David Rockefeller, who had undergone multiple heart transplants -- the piece prompted a different reaction: incredulous fascination.
Orders came down swiftly: "Investigate this fully. Follow the article's clues."
Many news organizations received similar directives, digging deeply into the backgrounds of Madonna and the other nineteen women.
---
The result was jaw-dropping. Aside from the two speculative conclusions, every single detail in the report was impeccable -- completely accurate down to the smallest fact.
An earth-shattering revelation.
Media outlets faced two choices: jump on the story to capitalize on traffic, or send their own reporters to interview the twenty women mentioned.
That very afternoon, the Hollywood Gossip Daily received countless licensing requests to republish the article -- for a substantial fee.
Thanks to these deals, the publication netted nearly $10 million from syndication rights alone.
By evening, nearly every North American newspaper had reprinted "How to Identify Linton Anderson's Official Girlfriends," each adding its own exclusive content -- side-by-side photo comparisons from three years ago and today, public event shots -- further bolstering the report's conclusions.
Starting at 5 p.m., the twenty women's agents began receiving countless interview requests. Winnie, lacking an agent due to her non-entertainment status but a notable investment star, was contacted directly through Linton's charity foundation office. Her assistant was equally inundated with media inquiries.
Importantly, these were paid interviews. Media companies paid the women, not the other way around.
Interview fees were substantial:
Television outlets offered the highest rates. Even Noriko Sakai, relatively less famous, commanded $200,000 for an appearance.
Print media, while less timely and influential, still paid handsomely -- $50,000 even for Noriko.
Yahoo News, emerging as a major internet portal, also jumped into the fray with competitive offers matching top print rates.
...
Naturally, the first wave of exclusive interviews went to UPN TV and MCA Television.
Both networks' presidents were alerted by Linton in the morning and prepared accordingly. They booked interviews that afternoon with the six hottest stars, each agreeing on a flat $500,000 fee per celebrity.
UPN's lineup featured Madonna, Naomi Watts, and Monica Bellucci.
MCA Television took Sophie, Cristiana, and Nicole Kidman.
From 3 p.m., all six appeared separately in studios, each granting an hour-long interview. The content was later trimmed to thirty-minute features. Both networks agreed to air their shows simultaneously at 7:30 p.m.
To maximize viewership, both channels started teasing the programs across their schedules from 5 p.m. onward.
They titled the shorts identically: "Inside Linton Anderson's Official Girlfriends -- Madonna, Naomi, Monica (Sophie, Cristiana, Nicole) Reveal the Secrets of the Beauty Code and the Quartz Pendant."
...
The biggest surprise came from the ad sales department.
Originally, the networks intended the broadcasts solely to boost ratings and influence, not to generate extra revenue. But once the promos aired, their phone lines lit up with calls. Advertisers flooded in. Within a single hour, both networks closed advertising deals worth over ten million dollars each.
Sponsors with ready-made campaign materials secured spots, as last-minute shoots were impossible. At 6 p.m., all ad sales closed to allow production time.
...
Meanwhile, the other fourteen women, including Winnie, sealed their first round of TV interview deals around 6 p.m., scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Some networks planned live broadcasts to keep up with the breaking news, but even these would air later than UPN and MCA.
It was going to be a long night for all the women.
After the TV shows, each star planned at least three print media interviews, plus sessions with Yahoo News.
---
At 7:30 p.m., both UPN and MCA's highly anticipated programs aired on schedule.
Madonna opened the UPN show, looking radiant.
The host was financial columnist Stephanie Egger, who had enjoyed several unforgettable one-night encounters with Linton, each leaving her craving more.
Having seen the morning headlines, Stephanie was skeptical but intrigued. After network executives verified the facts directly with Linton and assigned her to the interview, her emotions were complex. She was delighted to have been wise enough to cross paths with Linton but also overwhelmed with the realization she'd never truly reached Linton's inner circle -- and doubted she ever would.
She silently vowed to step up her game.
On the program, Madonna spoke candidly, openly admitting she was born in 1958 and was now 38 years old.
Her youthful, blossoming appearance, as fresh as an eighteen-year-old's, electrified viewers at home.
Watching her radiant beauty and hearing her age, the audience erupted in astonished applause.
*****
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