531-535

*Chapter 531: Violence Solves Nothing*

“Luca, I contacted the media yesterday to try and control the situation. But your and Julie’s influence is too great. On top of that, some people are stirring the pot, and it’s blown up into a big scandal. There’s no controlling it now,” Ed said with a grim face as the car sped along.

“If it’s out of control, so be it. It’s just a misunderstanding. As long as we explain things clearly, it won’t get too big,” Luca replied.

“I’m not as optimistic as you. Your reputation was already in shambles from your past affairs. It only slightly improved after you became a big shot. Now you’re hitting women as a tycoon? It won’t be long before actors’ unions, women’s rights organizations, and even Kate stand up to criticize you. How will you recover from that?”

Luca chuckled. “Is it really that serious? I just accidentally kicked Julie—no way that one kick ruins my career, right?”

“You’re still laughing?” Ed sighed. “The kick isn’t the problem. The issue is you kicked her hard enough to draw blood. That’s a big deal. Julie’s baby isn’t even a year old. If she stands in front of the media holding her baby, do you think you’ll have any chance of salvaging this?”

Luca thought about it and realized Ed was right. A scandal about a playboy mogul bullying a mother with an infant would spark massive public outrage—especially when the woman was the country’s beloved sex symbol.

“Fine, it’s serious,” Luca admitted. Without Julie’s cooperation, he doubted he could weather this storm of bad press.

“Boss, Ed, you need to see this.”

Annie turned her laptop around to show them the screen. “More news just dropped online. One is Pitt’s latest statement. He’s furious and promises to make you pay. It’s gaining a lot of support and likes.

“Another is from The Departed crew members claiming you were rude and aggressive on set. There’s even a claim that during your first scene with Leon, you hit him, and you almost punched Matt Damon during a confrontation scene.

“Someone even edited clips from your movies, saying your violent temper isn’t just in your roles and that your previously gentle image was all fake.”

“Wow, they’re fast,” Ed said, his face darkening as he read further.

Luca rubbed his chin. “I remember that scene with Leon. He hit me first. How did it turn into me attacking him?”

“That doesn’t matter now,” Ed said with a sigh. “The key is Julie’s stance. If she refuses to reconcile, things will get ugly. The films you’re working on will be delayed, and the ones set for release will suffer. The financial losses will be massive.”

Luca massaged his temples. This was indeed a mess. If he’d known it would turn out like this, he’d never have agreed to play along with Julie’s antics.

When they reached downtown Los Angeles, three more people joined them in the car: Tony, a PR specialist, and an image consultant.

After discussing the escalating situation, the car arrived at the training facility.

The parking lot was packed with reporters and fans waving signs. The messages ranged from “Scumbag!” to “Stop the Violence!”

“They’re reacting too fast,” Ed said in amazement.

“No, you’re just too slow,” Luca replied with a smirk.

The moment their car stopped, the crowd surged forward. Reporters wielded cameras and microphones, shouting questions through the windows. Luca couldn’t make out a single word.

“Don’t stop here. Drive straight to the entrance,” he ordered.

With only two bodyguards in the car, they couldn’t afford any physical confrontations.

The car pushed through the crowd to the training facility’s entrance. When Luca got out, he was surrounded by bodyguards and security staff to prevent accidents.

Wiping the sweat off his brow, Luca muttered to himself, This is all Julie’s fault. Next time, we’ll do something even riskier.  

“Luca!”

A furious voice boomed as Pitt stormed over, fists clenched and flanked by two bodyguards and three assistants.

“Wow, it’s about to go down,” the reporters murmured excitedly.

“Mr. Kelly, I advise you to step back. A confrontation with Pitt now will hurt your image. Pitt is Julie’s boyfriend. If he hits you, the public will see him as a responsible man standing up for Julie, while you’ll just look bad,” the PR specialist whispered.

Bodyguards and security quickly stepped in to block Pitt’s path, but Luca motioned them aside. Retreating to the car would seem cowardly.

“Pitt, how dare you hurt Julie!” Pitt roared, his rage evident.

“Mr. Pitt, this is all a misunderstanding,” Luca said calmly.

“Misunderstanding? You hurt Julie, and you’ll pay for it!” Pitt shouted, advancing as cameras clicked away.

“Mr. Pitt, the training facility has security footage, and my assistant filmed everything yesterday. If this really is a misunderstanding, blowing it up will only make it worse,” Luca said smoothly.

Pitt hesitated, glaring daggers at Luca. “I know you despise me, but dragging Julie into this is disgusting.”

“I agree. Any man who hits a woman is despicable and condemned by God. That’s why I’d never lay a hand on a woman,” Luca replied with a faint smile.

“Hypocrite. You hurt Julie and still have the gall to say that?” Pitt spat, stepping closer.

The tension rose as the bodyguards prepared to intervene.

Luca waved them off and met Pitt halfway.

“This isn’t over, Brazilian. I’ll personally drive you out of Hollywood,” Pitt hissed.

“Great,” Luca replied with a smile.

They brushed past each other, heading in opposite directions.

The reporters groaned, disappointed at the lack of a physical altercation.

“Pitt, why did you come here? Was it to confront Luca?” a reporter asked.

“I brought Julie to training. She’s injured but insisted on coming. I wanted to make sure she was okay,” Pitt said as he walked away.

“Why didn’t you hit Luca?” another reporter asked.

“Violence solves nothing. I hope he apologizes of his own accord,” Pitt replied.

“Will you sue him for hurting Julie?”

“That’s a possibility,” Pitt said.

“Luca has a lot of money. Do you think you can win in court?”

“I believe in the law. Hollywood is a sanctuary for film artistry, not a hunting ground for the rich to trample on,” Pitt declared before slamming his car door shut and driving off.

“Luca, you heard him. Our legal team needs to get ready,” Ed said with a sigh.

“I heard him,” Luca replied, smiling. “He said, ‘Hollywood is a sanctuary for film artistry, not a hunting ground for the rich.’ That line was perfect.”

“Perfect? How?” Ed asked, baffled.

“We’d like to know too,” Tony and Annie chimed in.

Luca smirked. “Translated, it’s like saying, ‘So what if you have a lot of money?’ Seeing a big star desperate to teach me a lesson but unable to is so satisfying, don’t you think?”

“Luca, you sound like a villain,” Tony remarked.

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no villain as handsome as me,” Luca quipped.

“Oh, there are plenty. Some start off handsome and righteous but slowly turn evil—just like you, boss,” Annie muttered.

Luca gave her a sidelong glance. “You think your bonus is too big, huh?”

“My mistake. Boss, you’re always the most righteous and handsome,” Annie corrected with a serious tone.

“Smart,” Luca said with a grin as he adjusted his clothes and walked into the training facility to deal with the aftermath.

(End of Chapter)  

Chapter 532: Decent Shooting Skills

"Luca, you’re finally here. The production team has been waiting for you."

Director Timo called out from a distance. Though they hadn’t met all night, he looked like he’d lost a third of his hair, with noticeably puffier eye bags. It was almost scary.

Luca sighed inwardly at the toll of stress. Julie had really worn the man down.

"Director Timo, don’t worry too much. We’ll handle it," Luca reassured him.

"Let’s hope so," Timo sighed again. "Come on, the meeting room is this way."

"Alright."

Luca, along with his agent team, stepped into the production office.

Julie and her team were already inside.

Luca and Julie locked eyes for a second before taking seats opposite each other.

"Let’s begin," producer Jim Lemley said, looking at the two. "First, we need to confirm one thing. Julie, are you okay with Luca being your co-star?"

Julie sneered, "No problem."

"Are you sure?" Jim pressed.

"Positive. As long as he doesn’t harass me, I have no objection to working with him," Julie replied, narrowing her eyes and curling her red lips into a smile.

Her words brought a visible sense of relief to many in the room.

The crew, more informed than the public about what had happened the previous day, had assumed Julie would use this as leverage to make demands. To their surprise, she agreed without a fuss.

"Luca, can you accept Julie as your co-star?" Jim asked.

Luca chuckled. The phrasing of the question sounded oddly like a wedding vow.

"No problem, as long as Ms. Julie doesn’t start randomly coughing up blood to scare people," he quipped, tilting his head to look at Julie.

Julie looked back at him with a faint smirk.

Zap! Their gazes seemed to spark with tension.

"Good. Since neither of you objects, we have the foundation for collaboration. Yesterday’s incident was purely a misunderstanding. Do you both agree?" Jim asked.

"I don’t!"

Before Luca or Julie could respond, Ed and Julie’s agent simultaneously raised their hands.

"Alright, please explain your reasoning," Jim said, removing his glasses to massage his temples.

"I hope the production team will minimize dangerous stunts during training and filming, prioritizing actor safety," Julie’s agent, Gael Korsinsky, stated. "Also, during yesterday’s training, Mr. Kelly caused Julie physical harm, intentionally or not. We need an apology from him."

"I object!" Ed stood up. "I demand a thorough investigation into the incident. Let’s review the surveillance footage, gather staff testimonies, and examine Julie’s injury report to identify who’s responsible.

"If it’s our fault, we’ll take full responsibility. If not, we’ll pursue the matter to the end.

"Moreover, before the truth is clarified, certain individuals have spread misinformation in the news, claiming to know the truth. This has severely damaged Mr. Kelly’s reputation. We demand an investigation to identify the leak, and a public correction to clear his name. Otherwise, we cannot cooperate with the production’s arrangements."

The meeting room grew tense again.

Director Timo ruffled his hair, clearly overwhelmed.

Jim, arms crossed, regarded the two representatives.

"Gentlemen, please take your seats. I understand your concerns, but let me remind you of one thing.

"Julie and Luca have already agreed to set aside their differences and collaborate.

"Therefore, I urge you to frame your discussions in a way that fosters cooperation, rather than escalating conflict.

"Also, the current media landscape is extremely volatile. The situation is deteriorating quickly. We need to resolve any harmful narratives at the source before they spiral out of control.

"If we fail to manage this negativity, the project could face delays, recasting, or even prolonged legal battles—outcomes none of us want. Do you agree?"

Gael glanced at Julie, then nodded. "Agreed."

"Agreed. But we also want a press conference as soon as possible to clear up the misunderstanding and stop the defamatory attacks on my client, Mr. Kelly," Ed added.

"Good. That’s what we’re aiming for," Jim said.

With consensus reached, the production team, Luca’s team, and Julie’s team began hammering out damage control strategies behind closed doors.

Later, Luca, Julie, and some others headed to the training ground to resume practice.

"Julie, look what you’ve done. My reputation was bad enough, but now I’m officially a scumbag. Thanks to this, the ‘Luca hits Julie and makes her cough blood’ headline will haunt me forever," Luca muttered lightly once they were alone.

"But you are a scumbag, aren’t you?" Julie retorted, picking up a pistol and aiming at the target.

"At most, I was a flirt. Now I’m the woman-beating scumbag. Great. This might just become the biggest stain on my life," Luca said as he checked his gun.

"Haha, isn’t that great? It’s like I’ve branded you. You can’t ever get rid of me now," Julie teased.

"Yeah, but the ‘woman-beater’ tag isn’t one I can live with," Luca said, shaking his head. He raised his gun and fired a few rounds, enjoying the kick of the blank cartridges.

"Your aim sucks," Julie remarked, peering at his target through a telescope. She smirked, then raised her gun, firing seven consecutive shots. At fifty meters, her worst hit landed in the 7-ring, the rest clustering in the 8, 9, and 10-rings.

"Not bad," Luca admitted.

"Of course. I’ve trained for this," Julie said coolly, holding the gun with practiced ease.

Luca smiled faintly, carefully aiming before firing. Bang! His shot hit the 10-ring.

"Wow, nice shot," Julie said, looking at him in surprise. She blinked playfully. "No wonder Aniston got pregnant."

Bang!  

Luca fired again, this time missing the 10-ring and hitting the 8-ring, his hand shaking slightly from her words.

"You need to work on your mental fortitude," Julie said, suppressing a laugh before firing off a few more rounds.

"Luca, about yesterday… That was my mistake. I only meant to make a small statement to Pitt but ended up overdoing it. I’m sorry," Julie suddenly said seriously.

Luca looked at her, surprised, then smiled. "Do we even need apologies between us?"

"Apologies are important," Julie said with a faint smile. "Besides, I’ve prepared a very sincere gift to make up for it."

"What kind of gift?" Luca asked, intrigued.

"Next time, you can use any crazy moves you want on me. How about that?" Julie said, fluttering her long lashes.

"Very sincere indeed. I’m almost looking forward to it," Luca replied, smirking as he fired off several rounds at the target.

Bang! Bang! Bang!  

"Pervert," Julie muttered, glaring at him before raising her own gun. Bang! Bang! Bang!  

Chapter 533: Punch for Punch 

Three hours later, the three-party meeting concluded, and Luca’s management team and Julie’s management team reached a consensus regarding the “blood-spitting incident.” Both parties agreed to set aside their differences and work together to resolve the matter, ensuring the film could commence production as scheduled. 

The following morning, under the production team's arrangement, the Assassin's League crew held a press conference at Universal Studios.  

Attendees included Luca, Julie, director Timo, Morgan Freeman, and over ten other crew members.  

The press conference had two purposes: to quell the disputes and ensure a harmonious atmosphere for filming and to promote Assassin's League, creating buzz for the new movie.  

Numerous reporters flooded the scene, making the event lively and crowded.  

“Mr. Kelly, according to multiple media outlets, you and Ms. Julie had a heated confrontation during the crew's training, with reports even claiming you deliberately injured Ms. Julie. How do you respond to these allegations?”  

A reporter asked pointedly.  

“This is fake news,” Luca replied. “Ms. Julie is a senior in the industry, someone I deeply respect. I've watched nearly all her films and could even call myself a fan. It’s an honor to collaborate with her. As for injuring her, that claim is entirely unfounded.”  

He paused briefly before continuing, “However, I do owe Ms. Julie an apology. Assassin's League is an action movie packed with intense fight scenes. During training, our coach insisted on realism—punch-for-punch sparring. Unfortunately, mistakes were inevitable. I did accidentally strike Ms. Julie during training, and for that, I sincerely apologize.”  

“It’s alright,” Julie said with a faint smile. “During training, I also accidentally struck you. It’s all for the sake of delivering better performances, and we share the same goal.”  

“Exactly,” director Timo interjected, grabbing the microphone. “During training, I required the lead actors to hit hard. I didn’t want any superficial, decorative moves. Both Luca and Julie were incredibly dedicated. In just three days of training, Luca already sustained at least six injuries. Luca, could you show everyone your injuries?”  

“Well…” Luca hesitated for a fraction of a second before pulling off his shirt, revealing his muscular chest. His torso bore several noticeable red marks and even bruises along his chest, abs, and ribs.  

These injuries were authentic, souvenirs from sparring sessions with the crew’s stunt team.  

His muscular and toned physique added an aura of rugged masculinity and allure.  

Click, click, click!  

Photographers eagerly captured the moment, their cameras whirring non-stop.  

But the news reporters weren’t as thrilled.  

"Wasn’t this supposed to be a press conference about exposing a scumbag? How did it turn into a showcase for Luca’s physique, his dedication to training, and the intense action scenes in the film? Why are we even here?"  

“Ms. Julie, insiders report that during training, due to Mr. Kelly's mistake, you were kicked in the abdomen and spat blood on the spot. How are you feeling now?”  

Unwilling to let the matter rest, another reporter probed.  

“I’m not injured,” Julie replied with a slight smile as she lifted her athletic T-shirt to reveal her toned, sculpted abs.  

Click, click, click!  

The photographers couldn’t contain their excitement, nearly cheering aloud.  

Initially, they thought they’d only be here for filler shots, but witnessing two stunning stars offering such "fan service" was a pleasant surprise.  

One revealed his chiseled upper body, while the other flaunted her sexy midriff.  

This trip was more than worthwhile.  

“I’ve also heard the jokes about Julie spitting blood,” director Timo added with a laugh. “Let’s clear things up by watching a short video.”  

With a remote in hand, he started a projector behind him.  

On the screen, two strikingly attractive figures appeared: Luca Kelly in a tank top and Julie in a black leather outfit that accentuated her stunning physique.  

Julie launched relentless attacks, swinging her long legs at Luca, who defended himself while occasionally countering. As Luca described earlier, their moves were realistic, with punches and kicks hitting home.  

Suddenly, Julie, in high heels, struck Luca’s chest, leaving a bloody footprint as he gasped in pain.  

The fight continued with Julie landing more blows, leaving Luca battered and bruised. However, Luca managed to land a counter-kick on Julie’s abdomen.  

“Ugh!” Julie spat out a mouthful of blood.  

“Cut!”  

The screen froze as Timo paused the video.  

The audience reluctantly peeled their eyes away from the dramatic scene, which was as sizzling and intense as it was brutal.  

“This is the real story behind Julie spitting blood,” Timo said with a grin.  

The clip was a freshly-shot scene the crew had rushed to produce, and the audience's response was overwhelmingly positive.  

Timo couldn’t help but feel that the prior controversy had worked in their favor. Even before filming officially began, the film had already garnered significant publicity for free.  

“So, the crew's infighting was fake?” 

“So, Julie spitting blood was staged?” 

“So, all this was just promotional hype?” 

“So, we were all played by the crew?”  

The reporters were exasperated. The lengths to which movie productions went for marketing these days were astonishing. Did the film even need this level of pre-release drama?  

“Mr. Kelly, it’s reported that Mr. Pitt visited the set and argued with you over this incident. How do you explain that?”  

Unyielding, another reporter inquired.  

“That was just a misunderstanding. Mr. Pitt and I didn’t argue. We simply chatted about our experiences with action scenes, and he even shared some valuable tips.”  

Meanwhile, in a villa far away, Pitt hurled an ashtray at the television, shattering the screen and silencing Luca's handsome face and voice.  

“That damned bastard! How dare he use me for publicity!”  

Pitt grabbed his phone, ready to expose Luca. But after a few keystrokes, he stopped. Exposing Luca’s faults would only seem petty and ineffective against someone with Luca’s reputation.  

Frustrated, Pitt clenched his fists, his face brimming with anger.  

Julie entered the villa, her high heels clicking on the floor.  

“Pitt, what’s wrong? Did you break the TV again?” she asked.  

“Why did you agree to reconcile with him? Why attend the press conference? If you hadn’t shown up, I could’ve ruined that Brazilian punk’s reputation completely!”  

“Pitt, you’re hurting me,” Julie said, pulling away as Pitt shook her shoulders.  

“It was the crew’s decision. I signed a contract. If I refused to cooperate, they could’ve replaced me,” Julie explained with a sigh.  

“So what? It’s just a lead role. Sacrificing it to ruin that bastard would’ve been worth it!” Pitt replied, disappointed.  

Julie smirked faintly. “You’re oversimplifying things, Pitt. Firstly, this role is mine. Why would I give it up? I won’t sacrifice my interests over your grudge against Luca. And even if I wanted to, my agency wouldn’t agree. They fought hard for this part too.”  

“It’s only a $10 million role. I could find you something better,” Pitt said.  

“Roles you find and ones I earn are not the same. I’ve never relied on you for my career,” Julie retorted.  

“Secondly, this mess is your fault. Your impulsiveness escalated things, provoking Luca into a strong counterattack. He’s worth billions, has countless industry connections, and the crew supports him. How do we stand a chance against that? Do you really think you can fight a billionaire head-on?”  

Pitt’s face darkened. “Are you saying I’m inferior to him?”  

“I’m saying I’m tired. I’m going to rest now,” Julie said, walking upstairs barefoot, heels in hand.  

Pitt snorted angrily and stormed out of the villa, slamming the door behind him.  

(Chapter End) 

 Chapter 534: You’re Satisfied, Yet You Blame Me

After the press conference was reported, the rumors about infighting within the Assassin Alliance crew were naturally dispelled.

At the same time, thanks to strong publicity and the particularly cool fight choreography between the leads, the film was already generating significant buzz before shooting even began.

However, some sharp-eyed individuals noticed peculiarities.

For example, the crew’s response to the rumors seemed unusually fast. If the rumors were false, there would have been no need to clarify so urgently; they could have waited for the news to spread further, then leveraged it to promote the film for greater impact. The rushed response made the crew seem a bit defensive.

Then there were the promotional photos of Roca and Julie.

Although the two stood side by side, their smiles appeared stiff, almost forced, as if they were merely pretending to get along.

Speculation online suggested their relationship wasn’t as harmonious as portrayed and that the press conference was merely orchestrated by the production team against their wishes.

Some even claimed that Roca paid a hefty compensation to earn Julie’s forgiveness.

Opinions varied.

---

“Haha! You little rascal, look at these news articles. When we were taking those photos, I told you to remember to fake a smile, but you refused. Now you understand, don’t you?” Julie teased, brushing her calf against his thigh with a grin.

“Mm-hmm~”

Roca lay flat on the bed, completely motionless.

Julie leaned over him, laughing. “Tired already? I’m not tired, so how are you?”

“Hmph, you weren’t doing anything. Of course you’re not tired.”

Roca barely moved his lips, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

“Haha, it was your idea to play those kinky games. I went along with everything, and now you’re complaining after having your fun? You little devil!” Julie tickled him.

“Don’t move. I need to sleep for a while,” Roca murmured, placing her hand on his chest.

“Alright, I’m tired too. Let’s turn off the lights and sleep.”

Julie smiled softly, turned off the lights, and curled up beside him.

“Stop it!”

“This time, you don’t need to move!”

“Ahh~”

---

After the press conference, Roca and Julie returned to their training. They rarely spoke and maintained a lukewarm dynamic, with occasional minor clashes.

For example, during fight scene rehearsals, their sparring sometimes got too real, with punches landing harder than intended. It wasn’t until their assistants pulled them apart that they stopped.

In private conversations, Julie often referred to Roca as “that Brazilian guy,” “the playboy riding on scandals,” or “that womanizer.” When she bought drinks and pizza for the crew, Roca’s share was often conspicuously missing.

Similarly, Roca kept a distant and indifferent attitude toward Julie, treating her like a stranger.

This dynamic lasted for over ten days until filming began.

---

The first scenes filmed focused on Roca’s character, Wesley Gibson, who was the movie’s true protagonist.

Wesley was a nondescript account manager, a failed office worker living a pitiful life.

At work, his obese boss, weighing over 300 pounds and resembling a human bowling ball, took pleasure in tormenting him, verbally abusing him almost hourly.

At home, his girlfriend ignored him completely while openly having an affair with his best friend.

Wesley’s life was a mess. He felt like his existence was meaningless—a monotonous wait for death.

“Almighty God! Are you on vacation in the office? Why haven’t I received that report yet? Why am I even paying you?” his boss yelled.

“Janice, I’ll finish it as soon as possible,” Wesley replied weakly.

“Oh, as if I haven’t heard that before: ‘I’ll finish it right away, I’ll finish it right away!’” she mocked, snapping her stapler next to his ear.

Overwhelmed with anxiety, Wesley turned red, his forehead drenched in sweat, as his boss’s voice distorted into a monstrous roar.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” the boss demanded.

“I’m very sorry!” Wesley stammered.

“Oh, look at you, you useless loser. I should be the one apologizing—for hiring an idiot like you!”

After hurling a few more insults, the boss walked away.

Wesley immediately opened his desk drawer, grabbed a small bottle of anxiety medication, and popped a pill before slumping back into his chair.

“Cut!”

Director Tim checked the footage. “Roca, you need to exaggerate the anxiety a bit more.”

“Got it, I’ll try again!”

After reviewing the shot himself, Roca nodded and adjusted his performance. It took three takes to get it right.

The crew then moved on to the next sequence, which continued Wesley’s workplace woes.

At first, Wesley was a miserable pushover. But after meeting Fox, a female assassin who helped him uncover his latent abilities, he transformed into a confident killer who took control of his life.

One standout scene involved Wesley confronting his boss after his transformation.

“Oh my God! Where’s the report? And why are you wasting time online? Let me remind you, your performance review is next week, and I can’t wait to dock your pay! Your attitude? Terrible! Efficiency? Pathetic! And interpersonal skills? Ha! A complete joke!”

The boss snapped her stapler furiously as she ranted.

Wesley’s anxiety flared, his face flushed.

The boss glanced at his computer screen and sneered at a news article about Wesley’s father. “What’s this garbage? Some loser getting shot on a rooftop?”

“Shut your filthy mouth!” Wesley roared.

The entire office fell silent in shock.

Wesley stood up, walking confidently toward her. “You’re a pathetic little tyrant who thinks you’re untouchable. Well, guess what? Everyone here laughs at you behind your back. You hoard jelly donuts at your desk, thinking no one notices. If you weren’t so unbearable, maybe someone would feel sorry for you. But considering your behavior, I speak for everyone here when I say—go to hell!”

“Cut!”

“Great work, Roca. Take a break; we’ll move on to the next scene,” Tim said.

---

The next sequence was simpler: Wesley quit his job and smashed his cheating friend over the head with a keyboard, leaving the office with style.

The crew spent five days filming in the office location, finishing all related scenes before moving on to action sequences, including gunfights, car chases, and combat.

---

“Roca, My Blueberry Nights is about to premiere. There are a few promotional events coming up. Can you make it?”

“Got it, Ross. I’ll coordinate with Ed and try to attend.”

“Perfect!”

The following weeks were a blur of shooting and promotions. By late April, after months of buildup, My Blueberry Nights finally hit theaters.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 535: Natalie’s Smile

On April 23, Blueberry Nights had a limited release in eight theaters across the United States. Over the first three days, it grossed $186,000, averaging close to $7,000 per theater per day—a performance slightly above average.

After the limited release, distributor Touchstone expanded its reach, screening the film in 480 theaters nationwide.

Since the movie was a niche art film, the release strategy followed a gradual rollout. If the box office and audience reception were positive, the distributor planned to increase the number of theaters. Conversely, if the performance faltered, they would scale back.

Ten days after its release, Blueberry Nights had grossed $1.2 million. For a film with a production budget exceeding $3 million, this result was undoubtedly disappointing.

Media analysts predicted that the movie’s total box office would not exceed $5 million, making it a rare misstep for legendary producer Roca Kelly.

"Since 2004, Roca Kelly has made waves in the film industry. His $2 million-budget film Buried grossed nearly $30 million worldwide.

In the first half of 2005, he produced the sci-fi movie The Man from Earth, which became a sensation in the home video market. Over three years, the movie raked in $350 million in video sales, despite its modest $500,000 budget. Reportedly, Roca earned $80 million in royalties from this single project.

During the summer of 2005, his $10 million indie film Step Up grossed $120 million, outperforming three big-budget films released simultaneously.

In 2006, he struck gold with Little Miss Sunshine, a screenplay few had faith in. The $8 million film grossed $112 million worldwide.

In total, these four low-budget films, with a combined investment of under $25 million, generated nearly $600 million in box office revenue—a truly astonishing achievement. Roca Kelly is undeniably the most profitable producer in the film industry."

Recently, Roca Kelly's latest production, Blueberry Nights, was released.

The $3 million film, directed by acclaimed art-house filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai, featured a star-studded cast, including jazz legend Norah Jones, Natalie Portman, and Rachel Weisz.

Everyone assumed the movie would continue Roca’s streak of successes and become a dark horse in the 2007 film scene.

However, the unexpected happened. After ten days, the film had grossed just $1.2 million, signaling a financial loss and marking the end of Roca’s golden streak.

In its May issue, Variety dedicated four full pages to the flop, detailing Roca Kelly's remarkable past achievements before analyzing why Blueberry Nights failed so spectacularly.

The article cited three main reasons:

1. *Roca Kelly’s Work Ethic*:

   The writer criticized Roca for being distracted. Since his debut in the film industry in 2004, Roca had been plagued by a string of scandals. According to the article, he seemed more interested in chasing women than focusing on filmmaking. If he had devoted more energy to his productions, this failure might have been avoided.

2. *Roca’s Reputation*:

   As a world-renowned playboy, Roca was notorious for his romantic escapades with celebrities like Britney Spears, Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron, Gisele Bündchen, Scarlett Johansson, and Jessica Alba. The article argued that his tarnished image alienated audiences, negatively affecting the movie’s box office performance.

3. *Wrong Collaborations and Projects*:

   While Wong Kar-Wai is an art-house master, his films have limited appeal outside Asia due to linguistic, cultural, and emotional barriers. In the U.S., his works are too niche to compete with mainstream Hollywood productions.

The article concluded:

"Ultimately, Blueberry Nights failed because of Roca Kelly himself—his attitude, his reputation, and his choices. If he addresses these issues, there’s no reason he can’t achieve greatness again. We look forward to his next project."

“That’s so true,” Roca said with a faint smile, putting the magazine down.

“What is it?” Natalie Portman, seated across from him, asked, setting aside her newspaper.

“The media is celebrating my failure, tearing me apart. Reading this, I finally realize just how bad my reputation is.”

“Didn’t you know that already?” Natalie teased, smiling.

“No. I always thought all the women in the audience secretly loved me, and all the men were just jealous of me.”

“Haha! Roca, I never knew someone could be so delusional. You’ve shattered my perception of humanity,” Natalie said, covering her mouth as she laughed, her eyes forming crescent moons.

“It’s an honor,” Roca replied, chuckling as he picked up another newspaper.

“Is this the magazine you were just reading?” Natalie asked, holding up Variety.

“Yes. It’s full of harsh criticism—saying I’m indulgent and scandal-prone, that I spend all year chasing gossip. But they don’t realize most of those rumors are fake. For example, if someone photographed us right now, tomorrow’s headline would probably scream something like, ‘Roca and Natalie Spark Romance on Set!’ or ‘Roca Strikes Again: Another Star in His Sights!’”

“Roca, don’t play the victim. I know you well enough to say that at least half of those rumors are true. Also, just so you know, Scarlett and I are good friends,” Natalie quipped, her lips curling into a sly smile.

Roca shrugged. “Fine. I won’t argue. Don’t want you thinking I have ulterior motives.”

Natalie chuckled as she flipped through the magazine. “Hey, is this what you call criticism? It says you turned a $25 million investment into nearly $600 million in revenue, making you the most profitable producer in the business. It calls you a generous hero, a film genius, a business tycoon, an internet wizard, and a golden screenwriter. You call that criticism?”

Staring at him, she added, “It sounds like they’re just praising you the whole time.”

“No, it’s backhanded,” Roca replied.

Natalie smiled faintly. “Honestly, you are pretty remarkable. You’re younger than me, and yet… Never mind, saying it out loud just makes me depressed.” Resting her chin in her hands, she sighed dramatically.

“I’ve just been lucky,” Roca said, grinning.

“Stop. That’s way too modest,” Natalie retorted, waving her hand in mock annoyance.

Roca chuckled and returned to his newspaper, which contained not only subtle jabs but also blunt criticism and shameless flattery.

Critics lambasted the film for its slow pacing, calling it sleep-inducing. Some noted Norah Jones’s stiff performance, although they were forgiving given it was her debut. Others accused Roca of being overly showy, with too many close-ups and excessively polished visuals, likening the movie to a personal vanity project.

Reading such comments, Roca grew indignant. “It’s not my fault I’m handsome. And if the director likes close-ups, why blame me?”

Outrageous.

(End of Chapter)