I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1135: Talk Show Response (2)]

Oprah leaned slightly, listening intently. After Eric finished speaking, she exclaimed, "Eric, hearing you talk about this, I can really feel you have a deep love for children."

Eric didn't embellish his words but simply nodded, "Yeah."

"Speaking of Emma," Oprah continued quickly, "doesn't she have a really long name?"

With a smile on his face, Eric replied, "Yeah, Emma Roberts Murdoch Barrymore Williams."

Yesterday, the news about the three kids had been wiped clear from the internet within just an hour. Many audience members hadn't seen any news at all, and hearing Eric say this prompted laughter from the crowd.

"Just listening to the name, one can tell she must be a spoiled little one. I'm a bit envious," Oprah chuckled and asked, "How did that name come about?"

"It started off as a joke, but then Drew really encouraged Julia to register that name for Emma. I thought it was a bit much at the time. But gradually everyone got used to it, and it seemed alright, and Emma really liked it."

After chatting about this for a bit, the atmosphere became more relaxed, allowing Oprah to broach a slightly more sensitive topic.

"So, about Kevin and Elia, Eric, I heard they were born on the same day?"

...

During the initial discussion phase, Eric hadn't wanted to reveal the names of the three kids. However, it would have made the whole interview awkward otherwise. After all, it wouldn't do to refer to the three little ones as A, B, or C. It would have come off as forced and distant.

The eventual decision was to mention Emma and Kevin's names because they were quite common; there were easily hundreds of thousands of people in America with the same names. Excluding Emma's middle name, one could find plenty of others with the same first and last names. As for Hawaii, that name was a bit more unique, so Eric decided to stick with the nickname Elia and not refer to the full name.

In yesterday's internet gossip, the fact that Kevin and Hawaii were born on the same day was a hot topic. Though it had quickly cooled down, if Eric avoided discussing it during today's interview, it would surely be brought up again in the future.

Listening to that question, both the studio audience and those watching at home mostly had one of two reactions. A small portion, who had caught the gossip news or were quick to react, knew that the two kids had different mothers. But most were confused, with some even thinking Kevin and Hawaii were twins.

...

On television, Eric nodded affirmatively, "Yeah, on the same day."

Oprah pressed for more, "Was that a coincidence?"

"I wouldn't really call it that," Eric shook his head, his expression a bit awkward, but he explained, "Vicky had a tough delivery with Kevin, laboring for almost ten hours, almost heading for surgery. Joanna was there too; it was her first pregnancy, so she was already nervous. Seeing Vicky's difficulties triggered her, and her water broke suddenly."

After Eric explained, the audience suddenly understood -- two kids, two mothers, and both pregnant at the same time.

However, even though some audience members began to critique Eric's chaotic private life, due to the relaxed atmosphere both he and Oprah had cultivated, most paid little mind and maintained their focus on Eric, waiting for him to continue.

...

In Cindy's apartment, although she harbored resentment towards Eric, upon hearing about Virginia's difficult delivery alongside the two women giving birth, Stephanie Seymour found herself concerned about the unfolding events, temporarily forgetting her urge to criticize Eric.

...

Then, Oprah displayed a concerned expression, "So, what happened next? Was everything alright?"

"The delivery of Elia was smooth; it lasted just a little over four hours. Kevin was also born naturally in the end," Eric said with a smile, adding, "Vicky had always been worried about this; she thought Kevin would be the older brother, but he turned out to be the younger one."

Everyone chuckled.

Oprah continued, "So, Eric, when Ms. Pacula and Ms. Madsen accidentally got pregnant at the same time, how did you feel then, and how did you handle the situation?"

"I was quite panicked initially. I was just in my early twenties, and I wasn't ready to be a father at all. Joanna was completely at a loss too. But Vicky, she was very strong-willed, even claiming she'd be a single mom regardless of what I did. But I think I matured faster than others; I accepted it quickly and realized I had responsibilities to shoulder. Then, I started making arrangements for them to quit their jobs and focus on their pregnancies. Vicky and Joanna even lived together for company, and their relationship improved; they stayed close after the kids were born, and they still are to this day."

"I wonder if everyone noticed," Oprah glanced at the audience, then turned back to Eric, "you always sound very affectionate when mentioning the two ladies' nicknames. What kind of relationship do you have now?"

"After all these years, we haven't separated. It feels more like family now. Although our relationship is unique, I sometimes feel that this kind of familial bond is actually stronger than any romantic love."

"That being said, Eric, even though you're still quite young," Oprah asked a more sensitive question, "have you thought about marriage?"

Eric shook his head, "Too many complications: Vicky, Joanna, the three kids, and Drew. Everyone knows about my relationship with that lady, so I probably won't be getting married. Besides, being unmarried isn't really an issue. I have my family, my partner, and three little ones. I feel like I have heirs, so I have no regrets."

Oprah nodded in understanding but seemed to catch something suddenly, "Heirs? Eric, do you mean Emma, Kevin, and Elia?"

"Of course, they are my kids, so they are naturally the heirs of the Williams family."

"Wow..."

In the studio, Eric's words sparked a noticeable stir among the audience.

...

It was common knowledge that Eric's fortune had surpassed four hundred billion dollars. Even if it never grew again, dividing four hundred billion dollars among three little ones could easily keep them on the Forbes Rich List.

Of course, whether in the studio or in front of their screens, more women were envious of Virginia and Joanna.

...

In an apartment on 75th Street, Cindy remained focused on the television screen while Stephanie Seymour was left speechless. She had also given birth to a child earlier for her husband Peter Brant, but after years of disputes and struggles, she had only managed to carve out some inheritance rights for herself and her child.

However, Peter Brant had still bequeathed most of his wealth to his ex-wife's children in a pre-arranged will, meaning Stephanie and her child might only receive under fifty million dollars.

At this moment, hearing Eric was just too incredible to bear.

The inheritors of four hundred billion dollars -- these three kids couldn't even be compared to the typical phrase of having been born with a silver spoon.

More importantly, Virginia and Joanna, as the mothers of Eric's biological children, had leverage. If they wanted, they could easily become some of the most influential women in the world without doing anything.

...

Oprah also bore an astonished expression, "Eric, I heard you built a private airport on Long Island so you could see the kids easier, and it seems the little ones are living quite well. Considering they're raised in such affluent surroundings, do you worry about any negative effects it might have on them?"

"Not at all," Eric shook his head, smiling a bit. "Truthfully, I'm quite a doting father, the kind that lacks principles entirely; I give in to their every request. But Vicky and Joanna are quite strict with the kids. They don't allow them to sleep in; they started nurturing their good habits very early. When it comes to education, they are far more dedicated than I am as a dad."

"So," Oprah laughed, "you, as a dad, are the one who spoils the kids. The education stuff? That's all handed off to Ms. Pacula and Ms. Madsen?"

"That's right."

"That means the kids are probably closer to you?"

"Absolutely. Whenever I'm home, Kevin likes to stick by me."

"Oh, why is that?"

"Vicky has the highest expectations for Kevin; she's even tougher than Joanna. Not only does she personally wake Kevin up every morning, but she also hires a bunch of tutors for him. Then, I show up and send all the tutors away, taking him to play however he wants."

Oprah joked, "Sounds like a good cop-bad cop story with Dad playing the good cop."

Eric laughed, "I'm usually pretty busy. I want to bond with the kids more, so I put in some extra effort."

In the studio, laughter erupted again, with many viewers sharing knowing smiles. Although many mothers might not quite agree with Eric's 'no limits' approach to spoiling the kids, they oddly found a new fondness for him.

After the laughter, Oprah asked, "What about Emma and Elia?"

"Emma has one of those personalities that everyone loves; she's naturally close to me. Elia is a bit different."

"Different?"

"Yeah, Elia is incredibly smart -- or rather, too smart."

Oprah complimented, "Just like you, huh?"

"No, I've never considered myself to be that bright," Eric shook his head with a smile, "I remember Steve -- oh, that's Steve Mitnick, the Chief Technology Officer of Yahoo -- he wrote that code in Charlie's Angels that had so many people analyzing it. He's a genius. He used to say he never thought of me as an alien from Pandora, but he really thinks my daughter might be."

"Pandora alien? I know! You guest-starred in Men in Black; that's funny," Oprah nodded and asked curiously, "But why do you say that?"

Eric wasn't trying to brag about his precious daughter; he simply said, "It's because Elia is really smart."

Oprah didn't linger on the topic and quickly shifted gears, "Speaking of which, everyone must be really curious about the kids. Ms. Pacula kindly sent us some pictures. Eric, can you show them to everyone?"

"Sure."

This was, of course, all pre-arranged. During their conversation, they felt that purely verbal dialogues had limited persuasive power. Eric eventually agreed to show a few pictures of Kevin and Hawaii before they turned three, feeling it wouldn't impact the kids negatively now.

After they finished talking, they both turned to the large screen behind them, with Oprah signaling to the audience.

The first image that appeared was a sketch, showing Joanna during her pregnancy, quietly seated on a park bench by the estate path.

Though it was just a charcoal drawing, Eric's great artistic skills and Joanna's beauty and grace, combined with the special maternal aura of pregnancy, made the sketch serene and beautiful. Countless viewers, both present and at home, could feel the woman's happiness and contentment during her pregnancy.

"That's just beautiful," Oprah exclaimed first, "Eric, did you draw this?"

"Yeah, Joanna said she wanted the little one to see what their mom looked like when she carried them, so she asked me to draw it."

"Oh, and what about Ms. Madsen?"

Eric shook his head and laughed, "She was a bit chubby back then and didn't want me to draw her."

Everyone chuckled again.

The screen quickly cut to the next image, showing Eric in a sterile gown, carefully cradling a newborn who was wrapped in blankets and crying.

"This is a picture of Kevin just after he was born," Eric explained. "The little guy really caused his mom a lot of trouble."

The scene switched again, this time to a green grassy lawn where Eric, Joanna, and Virginia sat together on a large picnic blanket, each mother holding one of the little ones, smiling as they snuggled up to Eric.

Eric continued, "This was when they were three months old."

Then there was another image, showing Eric lying on a beach with the two little ones on a small blanket next to him, all three peacefully sleeping while sunlight bathed them in a soft halo of happiness.

"This must have been a candid shot," Eric laughed, "that was during that summer."

The pictures continued to switch, showcasing daily life, festive occasions, and birthday parties for the little ones, eventually with Emma joining in. Although this little family was quite unique, everyone could feel the warmth of love infused in the pictures. Some who still had mixed feelings about Eric having two women pregnant at the same time were gradually shifting their attitudes, becoming more understanding.

After all, from Eric's narratives and those photographs, everyone could sense that as a father and a lover, Eric might just be perfect. Many housewives were even feeling a hint of 'that other family's man' vibe.

After showcasing over ten images, with countless viewers captivated as Eric narrated the stories behind each photo, the screen suddenly stopped changing.

"Okay, let's stop here," Eric said after explaining the last photo with a smile. "It's not convenient to show more."

Although everyone felt a bit unsatisfied, the live audience showed understanding expressions.

Oprah also returned her gaze, offering a few compliments before diving into a more sensitive topic. "Eric, about what happened online yesterday, many media outlets are criticizing you, claiming that some of your strong statements have interfered with press freedom. What do you think about that?"

*****

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