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*Chapter 590: Strange Sounds from the Forest*

In the evening, everyone gathered on the beach for another barbecue party.

Music, beer, barbecue, string lights, beautiful women in summer outfits, and young men dancing in the center of the crowd — this was the life meant for young people.

Luca enjoyed his barbecue, a contented smile gracing his face.

“Brother Luca, I heard you’re a street dance master. Why don’t you come show us your moves?”

Lily Collins, wearing a trendy hat, danced energetically with a few boys in the center. Her cheeks were flushed, and sweat glistened on her face.

“You guys dance. I prefer being an audience member,” Luca replied with a smile. Despite being close in age to everyone there, he often felt like an elder among them, compelled to act more composed.

“Come on, Brother Luca!”

“Lily, don’t push him. Someone’s legs are probably too shaky to dance,” a voice teased from the shadows.

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

Luca’s face darkened. That voice had to belong to Natalie. Ever since he had teased her earlier that afternoon, she had been like a porcupine, taking jabs at him whenever possible.

“Fine, I’ll dance!”

Not wanting to be labeled as timid, Luca set down his drink and stepped into the center of the dance floor. A round of enthusiastic applause erupted immediately.

The music started, and as the intense rhythm kicked in, more than ten people began street dancing, showcasing styles like Locking, Popping, Breaking, Hip-Hop, and Reggaeton.

At first, everyone displayed their unique moves. But as time went on, some dropped out, either out of energy or faltering. In the center, however, Luca danced more fiercely, his movements growing as intense as a storm.

With his tall, muscular physique and seamless transitions between high-difficulty moves like windmills, Thomas flares, and floor sweeps, Luca exuded both rhythm and power.

He quickly became the focal point of the entire party.

The applause and cheers from the audience were relentless.

“This guy works in an office all day, but who knew he could dance like that?” Natalie murmured.

“Yeah, Luca’s physical fitness is incredible — almost superhuman,” Scarlett said, leaning on Natalie’s shoulder and teasingly licking her earlobe.

Natalie shivered. “Stop being ridiculous!”

“Haha, you’re still so sensitive,” Scarlett chuckled, draping an arm around Natalie’s shoulder. “Natalie, don’t you want to see something amazing?”

“See what?” Natalie asked.

“Luca’s... skills,” Scarlett replied slyly.

“How would I see that?” Natalie shook her head. “I’m not interested.”

“Really? I’ll let you in on a secret. Luca and I have plans for later... under the palm trees on the lounger...” Scarlett whispered mischievously into Natalie’s ear, causing her face to flush and her body to heat up.

“Enough!” Natalie interrupted, trying to regain her composure.

Scarlett smirked. “If you want to watch, you can hide nearby. I won’t tell Luca.”

“I’m not interested, and I won’t go!” Natalie declared.

“Suit yourself.” Scarlett stretched lazily, excitement flashing in her eyes as she turned to cheer for Luca with the others.

“Brother Luca, you’re amazing!”

As the music neared its end, Lily Collins dashed over like a gust of wind, embracing Luca like an adoring fan.

Luca crouched suddenly, placed his hands on her slender waist, and lifted her high above his shoulders in one swift motion.

“Wow! So cool!”

The crowd erupted into enthusiastic shouts and applause.

“Ahhh!”

Lily screamed in surprise, wobbling precariously on his shoulders before toppling forward.

“Careful!” someone shouted.

Before anyone could panic, Luca caught her smoothly, cradling her like a princess.

Applause and cheers resounded even louder from the crowd.

“Wow, Brother Luca, you’re incredible!” Lily gushed, throwing her arms around his neck and impulsively kissing him.

Luca froze. This was too much! They weren’t even in the same generation.

Quickly putting her down, he led her out of the crowd and handed her a glass of juice, urging her to calm down before things got out of hand.

“See? Lily can be so bold. Why can’t you?” Scarlett asked Natalie.

“What does this have to do with being bold?” Natalie replied, shaking her head.

“It has everything to do with it. You’ve always asked me about Luca. Don’t tell me you’re not interested?”

“Of course not! He’s just a playboy. I only asked because I was curious about how someone like him could be so successful. That’s it!” Natalie said firmly.

“Fine, I won’t bother you anymore. I have a date with Luca. Join us if you want.” Scarlett stretched with a playful smirk and walked off, leaving Natalie biting her lip in frustration.

As the night deepened, more people began leaving the party. After bidding farewell to the last group of guests, Natalie found herself drawn to the shadowy palm grove in the distance.

The rustling leaves and strange sounds carried by the night breeze made her heart race. After hesitating for a moment, she finally stepped into the forest.

Under the faint moonlight, she spotted two figures on a lounger about six meters away. Natalie froze, her eyes wide as she stared in disbelief.

Suddenly, she heard a soft breath behind her. Whirling around, she saw a familiar face peeking out from behind a tree trunk.

“Lily? What are you doing here?” Natalie whispered in surprise.

But Lily seemed mesmerized, her gaze fixed on the distant figures, completely unresponsive.

“Lily?” Natalie waved a hand in front of her.

“Ah!” Lily yelped in surprise.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s Natalie! Don’t mind her; let’s continue,” a sultry, playful voice replied from the shadows.

“Fine!”

The strange sounds resumed.

“Shameless!” Natalie muttered before storming off, dragging a blushing Lily with her.

By the poolside, Natalie jumped into the water with a splash, followed closely by Lily, whose face was still flushed.

“Lily, stay here tonight. You shouldn’t go back. That guy’s trouble,” Natalie advised.

“But Brother Luca isn’t that bad...” Lily murmured softly.

Natalie sighed, shaking her head, unsure how to persuade her any further.

As they climbed out of the water, Natalie resolved to wait upstairs until things quieted down. But deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder what Scarlett had meant earlier.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 591: How Many "Dark Horses" Does Luca Have?*

After a day of relaxing outside, Luca returned to his normal routine the next day—working, going home, and spending time with his four little ones. He lived a seemingly ordinary family life.

By the end of March, Juno was set to premiere. Luca joined the crew for a few days of promotional events, which yielded impressive results.

On April 1st, Juno, backed by Brassiere Pictures, was released in 518 theaters across the United States as a limited release. As an indie art film, it needed to test the waters before potentially gaining broader resources.

The results were extraordinary. In its first three days, the film grossed $8.48 million, with a per-theater average of $15,000, shocking the distributors and media alike.

“What kind of monster has Luca unleashed this time?” some media outlets exclaimed.

Following this success, the distributors quickly expanded the film to 1,998 theaters, and the per-theater average remarkably held steady at over $10,000.

Weekend attendance surged by 200.7%, and by the end of the first week, Juno had grossed $20.68 million, ranking third at the box office.

The industry was astounded.

This small indie film, produced on a modest $15 million budget and centered around an unconventional pregnancy theme, had drawn a surprisingly large audience.

“Are Luca’s films really that irresistible? Wasn’t everyone supposed to boycott his films because of his reputation? Why are people sneaking into theaters instead?”

Even critics who went in with a negative bias came out with one thought: This is amazing.  

“The film tells the story of a young girl who unexpectedly becomes pregnant but bravely decides to keep the baby. Her father, stepmother, and friends support her through this challenging time. It’s a touching and heartwarming story that leaves you moved and uplifted. Three-and-a-half stars!”

— Los Angeles Times  

“Another quintessential Luca production. What defines his films?

1. Story-first: Aside from his first two youth-oriented films, Luca’s works have consistently delivered compelling plots, strong performances, and excellent production quality. It’s no exaggeration to say, ‘A Luca production is a quality guarantee,’ as evidenced by his frequent recognition at major film awards.

2. Bad-boy charm: Once again, Luca portrays a flawed character—a soft-spoken man afraid of his wife. His performance is hilarious and seemingly autobiographical (just my opinion). Want to see how Luca acts at home? Check it out!

3. Small budget, big returns: With a production budget of $15 million, Juno grossed $42.1 million by its second weekend, with its weekly revenue growing—a rarity in the film market.

This further proves the film’s high quality. According to box office analysts, Juno is expected to gross $80 million in North America and $140 million globally.

These numbers evoke memories of films like Step Up and Little Miss Sunshine, both of which turned $10 million budgets into over $100 million in earnings. Coupled with the $340 million success of The Proposal, industry insiders are now wondering: How many dark horses do Luca and Brassiere Pictures have up their sleeves?”

— Entertainment Online  

“A heartwarming film reflecting cold, harsh realities. While Juno’s story ends with redemption, countless underage mothers in real life continue to struggle in the shadows. The story is too idealistic, like a fairy tale. Half a star.”

— Cinema Market  

---

Luca put down the newspaper with a smile.

“What’s up? Did someone criticize you again?” Ed asked.

“No, it’s just... are there no reviews about the other actors?” Luca asked while flipping through the paper.

“There are,” Ed replied, pulling out some newspapers. “Here—lots of praise for your acting, looks, and charm. I didn’t show you earlier because I thought you might not like it. But if you want, take a look.”

“That’s not what I’m after. I want to see how the media is reviewing the other actors—Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner, Mr. Simmons. They all did a fantastic job.”

Luca skimmed through the reviews and sighed at how some shallow critics focused solely on his appearance, lavishing him with superficial praise.

“Most reviews about Ellen Page are positive,” Ed said. “They say she brought the character to life. Thanks to this film, she’s gone from a D-list to a B-list actress and is gaining popularity fast. She even thanked you on a talk show yesterday.”

Luca shook his head. “That’s not ideal; it could lead to misunderstandings.”

“Doesn’t matter. Even if she didn’t thank you, people would still speculate. Speaking of which—look at this.”

Ed handed over another paper.

“There’s a report saying you got along well with Jennifer Garner on set. It then pivots to claim that Jennifer and Ben Affleck are experiencing marital issues. They didn’t outright accuse you of being a homewrecker, but the implication is there.”

“Ridiculous! I was nothing but professional on set and avoided private interactions with female co-stars. How can they write this nonsense?”

Ed laughed. “Once a ‘bad boy,’ always a ‘bad boy.’ As long as you’re in this industry, you can’t escape these rumors. But hey, a man with scandals is more intriguing. You already have so many; a few more won’t hurt.”

Luca shook his head. “These media outlets won’t rest until they ruin my name. Still, I feel more at ease seeing negative rumors. Too much positivity gives me anxiety.”

Ed chuckled and handed over a folder. “Look at this—your latest offers. Four projects, two of which are offering $25 million. You’re solidly in the A+ tier now. If you keep it up, S-tier isn’t far off.”

“$25 million?”

Luca glanced at the offers. Paramount’s G.I. Joe and Clash of the Titans each offered $25 million. Tempting, but...

“They’re decent, but I don’t have time. My schedule is packed this year,” Luca said.

“So, you’re passing on them?”

Ed pointed to the folder. “That’s $25 million we’re talking about. If you want, I can make adjustments to fit them in.”

Luca shook his head. “Not interested. These films lack awards potential and significant impact.”

“What about the superhero buzz? There’s talk about remakes of Captain America, Spider-Man, Thor, and a few others. Maybe aim for one of those?”

“Captain America’s a no-go for me, but characters like Thor, Deadpool, or Aquaman might be worth considering,” Luca replied.

“Got it. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thanks. You’re the boss.”

Ed left the office with a smirk.

Luca smiled, checked his phone, and saw a message from Anne Hathaway inviting him over for dinner after finishing her latest film.

“Dinner?”

Luca thought for a moment and decided to accept.

(End of Chapter)