[Chapter 124: I Swear Hits Big]
After the first round of their passionate encounter, Catherine lay curled up on Linton like a little kitten.
"Honey, being with you is just amazing."
"Baby, you're such a charming devil," Linton replied with a grin.
Just then, their stomachs rumbled in unison — a clear sign their fiery passion had drained their energy.
"How about we eat first?" Linton suggested, picking up the phone to order room service.
After a quick freshen-up, dinner arrived: juicy sirloin steak, rich foie gras, roasted lamb chops, creamy mushroom soup, Caesar salad, and a bottle of '82 Lafite.
The hotel's five-star kitchen lived up to its reputation, but most of the food ended up in Linton's stomach. Catherine mostly nibbled at the salad and soup, just sampling the rest.
As they sipped the red wine, Linton reminded Catherine that the film crew had arranged a coach bus and a trainer for her. She'd be moving into the crew's hotel the next day to begin her physical prep.
He also advised hiring an acting coach to help her analyze the script and refine her performance.
Filming was set to begin in late December — less than 50 days away — a tight schedule.
Catherine nodded earnestly. "Honey, you know this movie means everything to me. I want it to succeed more than anyone else. Don't worry, I'll give it everything I've got."
"Good. Let's work hard together and make a blockbuster. I believe next summer will mark your rise as a Hollywood star."
During their time together, Linton reaffirmed that Catherine was still an up-and-comer — not yet as popular as Cameron, but already on par with Jennifer.
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On November 3, Daniel personally invited Linton to Universal Records.
When the I Swear music video was played internally, it wowed everyone. Cristiana's stunning beauty, paired with Linton's youthful charm, made a striking on-screen couple.
Universal estimated the MV would boost single sales by at least 20%.
The poster, featuring Linton embracing Cristiana, had a perfect visual balance — a beautiful woman and a handsome man — sure to attract fans of all kinds.
Every track on the single was written and composed by Linton, earning praise as a true musical prodigy.
The Step Up soundtrack had already flown off shelves worldwide, and now they were following up with an even stronger track: I Swear.
Five million discs were distributed across North America, ensuring prime placement on store shelves by the evening of November 5.
By then, every city was plastered with carefully designed posters promoting the single.
...
On November 4, the I Swear MV debuted on MTV and various local TV stations. The response was electric.
Fans fell in love with the Linton-Cristiana pairing, and buzz grew fast.
...
For two straight days, Linton was swamped with interviews arranged by Universal — across TV, print, and radio — likely over a hundred media appearances.
By November 5, reporters were asking more about Cristiana than anyone expected, a testament to the MV's success and the on-screen chemistry between the two stars.
...
On November 6, Linton's new single I Swear officially dropped — his first major release as a superstar.
Universal gave it an internal S-level rating, the highest tier.
The initial 10 million units were still being pressed and shipped around the globe.
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That same day, Linton hit the road to promote the single, joined by Duke, assistant Meena, Bella, manager Ellie, and bodyguard Danny.
They spent the next week touring second-tier cities across America. Every stop took at least a full day, with late-night flights and rushed meals on the go.
Radio DJs praised Linton's talent, often referencing the huge success of his previous album Grow Up, which had sold over 34 million copies worldwide.
At each stop, fan meetings were held in shopping malls or public parks. Late at night, they visited small local radio stations to connect with fans and drive promotion.
Thanks to the success of Step Up, Linton's fame had exploded. Even at odd hours, fans crowded airports to greet him.
At fan events, the turnout was so massive that local police had to step in to control the crowds.
Seeing the MV's popularity, some distributors requested to stock it as a physical release.
Universal responded to the demand by pressing a test batch of 100,000 copies for nationwide trial sales.
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By the time the group returned to Los Angeles on November 13, Linton was still full of energy — while the rest of the team was completely worn out.
The promotional blitz had paid off: over 3 million copies of I Swear were sold in North America in the first week, with another 2.5 million internationally.
Hearing the numbers, Linton urged Daniel to ramp up production. Ten million might not be enough.
Thanks to his prompt, Universal quickly began a seventh production batch to keep up with demand.
The single would go on to dominate the Billboard charts for 11 consecutive weeks in 1994.
With Linton's skyrocketing fame and Universal's distribution power, sales were expected to surpass 20 million copies.
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With casting finalized, Robert quickly locked in salaries and signed contracts, all within budget.
Before coordinating with the LAPD, the production arranged for Linton, Jeff, and Joe to experience real police life to better prepare for their roles.
Jeff trained with the bomb squad, Joe studied command center operations, and Linton — having scheduled this weeks ago — shadowed special police units to prepare for his part.
*****
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