336-340

Chapter 336: Which Position Feels the Most Comfortable

The next day, the sky was overcast as the crew set up the scene in the oat field next to the villa.

This oat field spanned over ten acres, and the wind created waves in the yellow-green sea of grain.

When the director was scouting locations, many villas were considered, but this one was chosen for its proximity to the field and the beautiful scenery.

“Luca, in upcoming scene, you'll chase Scarlett from villa to this spot. You'll walk on left, and Scarlett on right. Scarlett, you'll stop here, then there will be dialogue, a kiss, and you’ll both fall into the field.”

That morning, the crew was busy preparing for this key scene, with Director Allen guiding Luca and Scarlett along the small path outside the field, explaining the scene.

This scene extended from the villa shots, where Scarlett's character, Nora, had a conversation with second male lead and his parents. They discussed her acting career, with the mother advising her to give up, doubting Nora's chances of success.

Feeling hurt, Nora left villa while it`s raining, walking into the field.

Luca’s character, Chris, noticed from the window and chased after her, leading to an intimate scene in the rain-soaked oat field.

Around 1 p.m., the crew finished the chase sequence and began filming the field scene.

The crew called “Action!” and, after a few seconds, a gentle rain began to fall over the field.

Scarlett entered the scene first. Rain soaked through her shirt and jeans, making her shirt semi-transparent and cling to her body, her chest heavy with the weight of the rain.

She walked with her head down, a somber expression on her face.

“Nora!”

Luca, wearing a plaid shirt, ran after her. His hair was wet, styled messily, and his shirt was soaked, clinging tightly to his body, outlining his firm chest and toned abs.

“I’ve been looking for you. What are you doing out here?”

He caught up to Nora, walking beside her.

“I’m not feeling well. I want to be alone,” Nora said, her head still down.

“I don’t want to bother you. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Chris asked with concern.

“I need a drink.”

Nora continued walking through the rain.

“I like how confident and carefree you get after drinking,” Chris remarked.

“Do you? I’m not so sure it’s a good thing,” Scarlett paused.

Luca moved closer, and the two stood face to face, soaked and surrounded by a misty atmosphere. The mood shifted, becoming more sensual.

“Cut!”

The director called for a break. The next scene was a kiss, mostly close-ups, so crew needed to adjust cameras, and Luca and Scarlett had to touch up their makeup.

Makeup artists, costume designers, and assistants rushed over, offering towels, umbrellas, and touch-ups, working efficiently around the actors.

Five minutes later, everyone cleared the scene, leaving only the two of them standing face to face.

“Take 6, Scene 1, action!”

“You shouldn’t have followed me out here,” Scarlett said, breathless.

“Do you feel guilty?” Luca asked, staring at her lips, his breath heavy. Rain dripped from his chin in a bright stream.

“What about you?” Scarlett looked into his eyes, her golden hair clinging to her face, making her look even more seductive.

Luca reached out, cupped her cheek, and kissed her lips.

“We shouldn’t do this,” Scarlett pushed him away, panting. “If this gets out, it won’t be good for anyone.”

“I know!” Luca pulled her back, kissed her passionately, and they embraced tightly.

“Cut!” Director Allen frowned at the monitor.

“What’s wrong, director?” Luca wiped the rain from his face and asked.

The director hesitated. “I asked you to support Scarlett’s head, but the height difference between you two is too much. You’re bending too much, and it doesn’t look natural.”

“So, what should we do?” Luca shrugged.

Director Allen scratched his head. Luca was 6'2" (187 cm) and Scarlett 5'3" (160 cm), so the height difference was significant. If they kissed with Luca bending down, it wouldn’t look comfortable. Using a stool wouldn’t work either.

After studying them, the director asked, “If you two were really kissing, what position would feel the most comfortable?”

“Uh...” Luca scratched his head awkwardly. They hadn’t actually kissed before, so how would he know?

“Come on, Luca, with all your experience, you must know,” Scarlett teased.

“I don’t. I’m not good at kissing,” Luca replied.

Scarlett laughed, not believing him.

“Hurry up, Luca. The artificial rain isn’t easy to manage,” Director Allen urged.

“Alright, let’s give it a try!” Luca thought for a moment. When he kissed Lima, since they were about the same height, he just cupped her face. But with Britney, he had to bend down, which was uncomfortable. Sometimes he’d lift her or sit down, but lying down wasn’t an option yet.

They tried four different positions, and Director Allen finally decided on the third one.

“Take 6, Scene 2, action!”

The scene resumed.

“You shouldn’t have followed me out here,” Scarlett said breathlessly.

“Do you feel guilty?”

“What about you?”

Instead of answering, Luca wrapped his arm around Scarlett’s waist, lifting her slightly so she was on her tiptoes, and they kissed in the rain.

“Lemmy, give me a full-body shot of them,” Director Allen gestured.

“Got it!”

The cameraman zoomed out, capturing the two of them from the side.

“Perfect!” Director Allen praised.

On screen, rain poured down, creating a misty white fog. The oat field stretched out in pale yellow waves, with vertical streaks of rain falling from the sky, layer after layer, forming a stunning background.

In front of the oat field, Luca embraced Scarlett, kissing her passionately. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, their wet clothes outlining their curves.

“Fantastic!” Director Allen exclaimed, his graying hair becoming messier with excitement.

After filming the kiss scene, they took a half-hour break before moving on to the rolling-in-the-oat-field scene.

The two actors kissed, then tumbled into the field, crushing the stalks beneath them.

As they filmed, a crowd gathered to watch, but Director Allen got annoyed and ordered the production staff to clear the area, leaving only about 30 crew members.

“Matthew, why are you still here?” Emily asked, amused by the guy squatting nearby.

Matthew laughed awkwardly. “I’m here to learn.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “Sure you are.”

“And why are you here?” Matthew shot back.

“I’m... learning too,” Emily stammered.

Matthew chuckled, shaking his head.

The scene resumed. In the field, two figures kissed and moved passionately among the oat stalks.

Luca took off his shirt, revealing his wide, muscular back. His defined muscles flexed with each movement, making him look even more attractive.

Gulp.

Matthew suddenly heard someone swallow beside him. He glanced over at Emily, curious.

“What are you looking at?!” Emily glared at him, her face slightly flushed.

Matthew shrugged and turned back to the screen.

On camera, Luca lay back and slowly lifted Scarlett’s shirt, his actions becoming more bold.

Hearing others swallow around him, Matthew couldn’t help but gulp too, his eyes wide.

“The most crucial part is coming up,” someone whispered excitedly.

Everyone’s eyes were glued to the screen, eagerly watching their movements.

Suddenly, Luca froze on screen, as if the scene had paused.

Everyone was stunned. What happened? Did the monitor freeze? Impossible, this was the director’s monitor.

“Cut!” Director Allen shouted. “Luca, what’s going on? Why did you stop?”

For the first time, everyone, including Matthew, felt that Luca deserved to be scolded.

“Director, aren’t we supposed to stop at this point?” Luca frowned. In his memory, the scene ended here, with the next shot cutting to the male lead in the office.

“Who told you that? This is only halfway through. Who wants to watch a scene that’s half-finished?” Director Allen complained.

“There’s more?” Luca suddenly realized. Many imported films had censored versions, where key scenes were cut out. This must have been one of those scenes.

But the next part involved filming something R-rated, which made him nervous.

“Director, I’m a bit shy. Can we clear the set of unnecessary people?” Luca pointed at the group of onlookers.

Pfft! Scarlett stifled a laugh.

“You’re such hassle!” Director Allen grunted, but waved his hand.

“All unnecessary personnel, please clear the set! Don’t disturb the shoot!”

The crew quickly began ushering people out, including makeup, costume, and prop staff, until only about ten people remained.

“You’re ruthless, Luca!” Matthew and a few others glared at him as they reluctantly left the field.

“Everyone, get ready!”

“Take 8, Scene 2, action!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 337: There Are No Wrong Nicknames in the Entertainment Industry*

After filming for four or five days in the countryside estate, the crew returned to the city to continue shooting the second half of the movie.

In the first half, the protagonist Chris, through his girlfriend’s connections, entered an upper-class family and landed a good job. He also met the sexy Nora, and the two had an affair after a rainy day.

Chris wanted to keep his relationship with Nora, but when he saw that Nora and Tom, the second male lead, had a good relationship, he decided to give up on her and marry the second female lead, a rich and beautiful woman. He became a CEO and a successful man.

However, shortly after the wedding, he found out that Nora had broken up with Tom. Chris rekindled his relationship with Nora, and they ended up in bed together once more.

Nora became his mistress.

After returning to London, the Match Point crew started filming scenes of Chris and Nora fooling around in the bedroom. There were three intimate scenes in total, one shot per day. After each shoot, Luca felt utterly drained.

After filming the love scenes with Scarlett, he also had two scenes with the second female lead, Emily.

After a week of constant shooting, he was exhausted, both internally and externally, almost losing control of his hormones. He could barely walk straight. Fortunately, by mid-August, the rain on the British Isles picked up, giving the crew a break as filming couldn’t continue.

*Knock, knock, knock~*

That afternoon, with the rain pouring outside, Luca was curled up on the couch in his hotel room reading Charles Dickens' Great Expectations when he heard a knock at the door.

He put down the book, slipped into his slippers, and went to open the door. Scarlett was standing there, wearing a knit sweater with bare legs, her body exuding an alluring fragrance.

“Scarlett, come in!”

“Luca, what were you just doing?”

“Reading.”

“Really?”

Scarlett walked in, glanced around, and laughed. “No women here, right?”

“Other than you, of course not.”

Luca smiled and walked over to the bar, asking, “Scarlett, what would you like to drink? Tea, wine, coffee?”

“Coffee.”

Scarlett sat down on the sofa, picked up the book on the table, and smiled. “Are you trying to be a philosopher?”

“No, just passing the time.”

Luca brought over the coffee and sugar cubes. “It’s just black coffee, hope you don’t mind.”

“No problem.”

Scarlett accepted the coffee with a smile. “You seem like a nice guy. Why do people call you a jerk?”

“I’ve been framed,” Luca replied innocently.

Scarlett chuckled. “I once heard a saying: ‘There are no wrong nicknames in the entertainment industry.’ What do you think?”

“...Makes sense.”

“Haha~”

Scarlett burst out laughing.

Luca didn’t mind. After filming several steamy scenes together, they had become much more familiar and casual with each other.

“What were you doing earlier?”

“Soaking in a bath and watching a movie. Rainy days are boring.”

Scarlett brushed her blonde hair over her shoulder, filling the air with the scent of rosewater.

“Yes.”

Luca snuggled into the sofa, pulling a light blanket over himself. He pointed to a nearby bookshelf.

“Want to read? There are some classics, magazines, newspapers. We can watch a movie too.”

“Emm~ okay!”

Scarlett picked up a fashion magazine, sat down, and pulled the blanket over her bare legs.

“It’s getting chilly.”

Scarlett leaned against the other side of the sofa.

“Yes, everything in London is nice except for the weather. The moment I left the airport, I started missing the sunshine in Los Angeles and the beaches of Rio.”

Luca flipped through his book.

“Rio? I heard the beaches in Rio are very open, with lots of women sunbathing nude. Is that true?” Scarlett asked with a teasing smile.

“Yes, but it’s rare.”

“Have you seen it?”

“Emm~ once. I was walking along Copacabana Beach with a friend, and he suddenly pointed in the distance, shouting, ‘Look, a group of naked beauties!’ I looked over and saw a bunch of old men and women sunbathing naked. Their bodies were shriveled, covered in age spots. I nearly went blind.”

Scarlett burst into laughter, propping her feet up on his legs.

Luca felt a bit awkward but didn’t mind. He continued reading and chatting. However, Scarlett’s feet were mischievous. After a while, they ended up on his stomach.

Luca could no longer hold it together. After filming several intimate scenes, his pent-up emotions were on the verge of exploding, and this little touch was enough to push him over the edge.

“Luca, I heard you have a nickname, ‘Mr. Big,’ right?” Scarlett asked suddenly, with a curious expression.

“Uh, yes,” Luca admitted, pulling his legs back.

“Does that nickname have any special meaning?”

Scarlett smiled playfully.

“Not really.”

*Knock, knock, knock~*

Just as Luca was about to answer, there was another knock at the door.

Luca, hands in his pockets, got up and walked over.

*Pfft~*

Scarlett couldn’t help but laugh at his back. She quickly adjusted the blanket and her clothes, then sat across from him on the sofa, pretending to read the magazine.

A moment later, Luca returned with Matthew Goode and the director’s assistant, Ian.

“Oh~ Scarlett, you’re here too. Should we not have come?” Matthew joked.

“Yeah, seems like bad timing. We’ll leave,” Ian added with a smile.

“Stop joking. We were just chatting and reading.”

Luca poured more coffee.

“Haha, Luca, we weren’t suspicious of anything. Why are you so eager to explain? Look at Scarlett, she’s not nervous at all,” Matthew teased.

“Scarlett doesn’t have a bad reputation, so she doesn’t need to worry. I’m different; my reputation’s already in the gutter. If I don’t defend it, it’ll be ruined completely,” Luca said.

“Haha, so you do care about your reputation.”

“Of course!”

The three laughed, then sat down to play poker. They played Five Card Stud, with everyone putting in a small amount of cash. Whoever won would treat everyone to dinner.

By five in the afternoon, Luca had managed to lose $80. For some reason, he always had terrible luck at cards. Whether playing with Kate, Emma, or Britney, he never won.

In the end, Ian was the biggest winner and insisted on treating everyone to dinner. Luca declined. “Sorry, I’ve got to pick up a friend at the airport.”

“She? Oh, we get it,” Matthew smirked.

“Matthew, that grin of yours is begging for a punch,” Luca waved, heading for the elevator.

“Yawn, I’m tired. I’ll skip dinner too,” Scarlett stretched and headed back to her room.

“Ugh, now it’s just the two of us. This feels awful,” Ian lamented.

“No, it’s just you. I’ve got a date tonight too,” Matthew patted Ian on the shoulder and sprinted toward the elevator, shouting, “Luca, wait for me!”

“Ugh~” Ian sighed. “Can’t live like this.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 338: A Night of Explanations*

Around 6 PM, in the southern district of Hillingdon, London, at Heathrow Airport.

The sky was a dull gray, with raindrops falling gently and forming crisscrossing streaks on the car windows.

In the corner of the parking lot, a silver Buick sedan rocked slightly.

The car's windows were fogged up, obscuring the view inside.

Thud~  

A hand pressed against the glass and slowly slid down, leaving a few romantic streaks.

The car continued to shake, and soft murmurs of affection could be heard inside.

“Darling, did you miss me?”

Panting~ “Of course!”

“How much?”

“...”

There was no verbal response, but the car began to shake even more vigorously.

Half an hour later, the Buick gave a final tremble before the car settled into stillness.

“Britney, now do you know how much I missed you?” Luca asked, holding Britney close with a smile.

Britney smiled softly, tracing his chest with her fingers. “How long has it been since you last did that? You were like a starving beast.”

“Over a month. Lately, I've had to film some steamy scenes. It’s been too stimulating.”

“Haha, you could have used your hands.”

“I wouldn’t!”

“Haha~ I don't believe you!”

After some playful banter, Luca started the car and drove out of the parking lot.

As night fell, the rain grew heavier. The streets were slick, and cars sprayed water in all directions, speeding through the city like fish in a river.

“I know, Felicia. Don’t worry. I won’t be late tomorrow. Love you~” Britney hung up the phone from the passenger seat with a pout and a cheerful smile.

“Didn’t you tell Felicia before you got off the plane?” Luca asked.

“No. If I’d told her, she wouldn’t have let me come. So, I decided to inform her afterward. Clever, right?” Britney asked, smiling mischievously.

“Yes, you’re quite clever. But next time, Felicia will probably glare at me, maybe even to death. Just the thought of it is terrifying.”

Britney burst out laughing. “Very likely! Felicia always says she gets a headache every time she sees you. She keeps telling me to dump you early, but I won’t listen to her because she doesn’t know how much I love you!”

“I love you too!” Luca kissed the back of her hand.

The car moved smoothly through the rain, arriving at a hotel on Fulham Street.

“Is your crew staying here?” Britney asked as they entered the elevator.

“Yes. Want to visit the set?”

“Can I?”

“Of course, but you should probably disguise yourself. If your fans spot you, the set will be overrun.”

“Alright, I will.”

Britney adjusted her baseball cap and flashed a cool smile, curling up the right corner of her mouth.

Luca chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around her as they stepped out of the elevator.

Just as they reached their room door, the door next to it opened, and Scarlett stepped out in a nightgown, her chest full and heavy.

“Luca, you're back! Oh, Britney, you're in London too?” Scarlett asked with a bright smile.

“Hi, Scarlett. Are you staying here too?” Britney shook her hand.

“Yes. Luca’s the lead actor, and I’m the lead actress, so it's convenient for us to stay next to each other for scenes.”

Scarlett shrugged.

“Oh!” Britney gave Luca a sideways glance and walked into their room.

Sensing the shift in her mood, Luca sighed and followed her inside.

“Goodnight, Luca!” Scarlett smiled softly and closed her door.

Inside their room, Britney threw her hat at Luca’s chest, then took off her coat and tossed it on the couch. She sat down with her arms crossed, silent.

Luca cursed Woody Allen in his mind. It was all that old man’s fault for putting him in this mess. No matter what, there was no easy way to explain himself.

“Britney, Woody Allen assigned our rooms. Scarlett and I play a couple who are both lovers and enemies in the movie. Director Allen wants us to connect more, so our scenes don’t feel awkward. We've been staying here for about a month now. Besides a few intimate scenes, I haven’t touched her outside the set.”

“Yawn~” Britney suddenly yawned, standing up. “Where's the bathroom? I need a shower. I smell awful.”

Luca blinked in surprise, then pointed to the door next to the bedroom.

“Alright!” Britney grabbed a towel and headed in.

“Wait, Britney, I haven’t finished explaining!”

“Explain what?” Britney asked curiously.

“Weren't you just suspecting me of cheating?”

“Was I?” Britney blinked. “I was just tired and needed a rest on the couch. Then you sat beside me and rambled on about you and Scarlett.

“Huh~? Why did you explain so much? They say if you explain, you’re hiding something, and if you’re hiding something, it must be true. Did you sleep with Scarlett?”

“No, I didn’t! I explained because I didn’t want to see you upset.”

Luca gently held her shoulders. “When I’m on set, I never get romantically involved with my co-stars. It would make working impossible. My goal is to become a big star. I won’t let anything like that affect my work.”

“Look at you, explaining again! It must be true.” Britney muttered as she walked away. “Maybe I should call Lima. I wonder if she’d fly over and beat you up when she hears about this.”

“Stop right there!” Luca shouted.

“What?”

“Hmph. Since you don’t believe my words, I’ll prove my innocence with actions.”

Luca swept Britney into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom, like a man of action who never relied on words to prove himself.

“Let me go! I want a shower. Don’t you smell how awful I am?” Britney pinched his nose.

“No problem. We’ll shower after I clear this up!”

Luca strode into the bedroom, shutting the door with a bang.

After a night of explaining, Luca finally proved his innocence. The next morning, he woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy.

“Now do you believe I’m innocent?” Luca asked at breakfast.

Britney gave him a look with her sparkling eyes. “Did I ever ask you to explain? That Scarlett tramp looked pretty drained. Clearly, she’s lacking a man. Besides, if you two had slept together, she wouldn’t have come out at that moment.”

“If you knew that, then why get mad and make me explain all night?” Luca asked, taking a sip of milk.

“Do you know why I got mad?” Britney playfully twirled her fork. “I was mad because you didn’t believe that I believed you.”

“...”

It took Luca a moment to understand what she meant. “Alright, sweetheart. Thank you for trusting me. I was just too anxious. I didn’t want you to be unhappy when you came to London. Seeing you upset would make me sad.”

“I get it.” Britney squeezed his hand.

Knock, knock, knock  

The door sounded with a series of knocks.

“It might be Felicia,” Britney guessed.

“Really?”

Luca suddenly felt nervous. He wiped his mouth, straightened his clothes, and even messed with his hair in front of the mirror.

“Why are you so nervous?” Britney teased.

“Of course, I’m nervous. She already has a bad impression of me. I can’t make it worse,” Luca muttered as he walked to the door. When he opened it, sure enough, Felicia stood there in a tailored suit, her face cold and unwelcoming.

“Good morning, Felicia. You’re looking great today. Something good must have happened?” Luca greeted her politely, smiling.

“Hmph!” Felicia glanced at him, striding into the dining room.

“Britney, are you ready? We were supposed to leave at 9:30, and now it’s almost 11,” Felicia grumbled.

“I’m sorry, Felicia. I woke up late this morning. It’s all Luca’s fault. If you’re mad, you can yell at him,” Britney said with a playful smile, pulling Felicia into a seat.

Felicia rolled her eyes. Seeing Britney’s flushed cheeks, bright eyes, and radiant expression, it was clear what these two had been up to last night.

“Tea, Felicia?” Luca offered, pouring a cup of black tea.

“Thanks!” Felicia replied curtly, her face icy once more.

After breakfast, Britney left with Felicia. She wasn’t just in the UK for a romantic trip—she had work to do as well.

Her latest album In the Zone and singles Young and Beautiful and Remember Me had all been very successful in the UK.

Especially Remember Me, which sold over two million copies and topped the weekly singles chart twice, staying in the top 20 for two months straight.

She was planning to hold two small concerts on the island to thank her fans.

Over the next few days, her schedule would be packed, making it difficult for Luca to even see her.

“Good morning, Luca. You’re looking sharp today,” assistant director Ian greeted him when Luca arrived on set at 10 AM.

“Yeah, the weather’s nice, and I’m in a good mood,” Luca replied with a small smile.

"Isn't it because Britney has arrived?"

Matthew Goode waved the newspaper in his hand.

"Oh, is that so?"

Luca took the newspaper and looked at it. Britney's influence on the island was equally massive. Not only was she a creator and holder of several music records, but in 2001, she was also knighted by the Queen and awarded a royal honor by Princess Alexandra.

She had just arrived in London, and the media were already dedicating large sections to covering her trip.

Luca flipped through the newspaper and, not seeing any rumors about the two of them, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Scarlett, you don't look so great today. Didn't sleep well last night?"

Ian, the assistant director, called out from behind.

"Hmph!"

Scarlett walked over, forcefully bumped into Luca, and pushed the door to the makeup room.

"Uh, what's going on? What happened? Why did Scarlett glare at you?"

Both Ian and Matthew were curious.

"I have no idea!"

Luca shrugged.

"Luca, please get ready. Filming starts at 10:30."

The stage manager called from a distance.

"OK!"

Luca also entered the makeup room.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 339: How Could You Be Pregnant?

"Scarlett, you almost killed me last night," Luca sighed softly in the dressing room.

Scarlett put down her magazine and turned to look at him. "How did I almost kill you? If you were dead, how would you be sitting here?"

"Alright, alright!" Seeing her in a bad mood, he shrugged and closed his mouth.

"Did you two have a fight last night?" Scarlett smirked and asked, staring at his face.

Luca nodded heavily.

"Hahaha~" Scarlett leaned back in her chair, laughing loudly.

"Are you happy that we fought?" Luca asked, displeased.

"Did I say that? I’m laughing because I’m in a good mood and I want to laugh. Is that not allowed?"

"Fine, fine! Whatever you say!"

"Haha~" For some reason, Scarlett's mood suddenly lifted, and she laughed uncontrollably in the dressing room.

Luca shook his head. "Tony, give me a light makeup today, highlight the bags under my eyes. Chris has been really stressed lately."

"Got it!" Tony smiled and got to work.

At 10:30 AM, the filming of Match Point officially resumed. Today’s set was inside an apartment—Nora's apartment—the female lead, and the only actors appearing were Luca and Scarlett.

A while back, Chris and Nora had an affair. Their secret romance was full of passion and intimacy.

Then, Nora unexpectedly got pregnant.

Chris panicked. He had no idea how to handle this sudden development.

"How could you be pregnant?" Chris leaned against the door, furrowing his brows as he asked.

"Remember last month? I warned you to be careful. I wasn’t using protection, but you didn’t listen," Nora said, sitting on the couch.

"Oh, what rotten luck..." Chris sat on the armrest of the sofa, holding his head. "At home, no matter how hard I try, I can’t get my wife pregnant. But with you, just one slip-up, and it happens."

"Because you love me, not her," Nora said.

"Is that your explanation?" Chris turned his head, staring at her, a deep frown forming on his face.

"It's the natural result of our genetic attraction, not some random mistake," Nora said, becoming emotional.

"Alright, I’ll go with you to the hospital to terminate it," Chris stood up, adjusting his collar.

"No, I won’t do that again."

"Again?" Chris stared at her. "What does that mean?"

"It means this is the third time," Nora said, pacing the room and opening a bottle of wine. "The first time, I was young and foolish. The second time, I was with Tom. I didn’t want to do it, but he insisted."

"Oh, Nora, we must get rid of the baby. I can't think of any other solution," Chris said firmly.

"Why do we have to do that? Can’t we keep it?" Nora asked.

"And then what?"

"Raise it together."

"That’s clearly impossible," Chris said with a stern face.

"Why not? You don’t love your job, you don’t love your wife. This baby is a sign from the heavens, telling you to leave your current life and be with me," Nora cried, clutching his shirt.

"Nora, I have to go. I’ve already told six lies today just to make it here. I’ll come back and talk on Tuesday." Chris gently stroked Nora’s hair and turned to leave.

"Chris, I hope you make the right choice. This time, I’m not backing down!" Nora shouted at his retreating figure.

The monitor paused the scene for three seconds, and director Allen shouted "Cut!" before reviewing the footage.

"Luca and Scarlett are getting more and more in sync," Remy said beside him.

"Yes, by this point, they’ve really grasped their characters. The performances come much easier now," Director Allen agreed as he watched.

After the more intense scenes, the remaining parts were less challenging. Over the past month, Luca had improved significantly in his acting, growing more mature in his style. He no longer needed constant criticism or pressure. With just a few tips, he could deliver a great performance, which sped up the shooting process and made it more enjoyable.

After reviewing the footage twice, Director Allen discussed a few points with Remy and the editor, then called Luca and Scarlett over.

"Luca, Scarlett, pay attention to these areas for the next take. Luca, hold back your emotions here, but on this line, be more intense. And Scarlett..." Director Allen pointed out some key points, gave some suggestions, and the two actors discussed and agreed on the changes. Filming resumed.

For the next five days, the pace of filming picked up. Where they used to shoot one or two scenes a day, now they were doing four or five.

The story quickly reached its climax: Chris’s descent into darkness and the scene where he kills Nora.

After Nora’s pregnancy, she repeatedly pressured Chris to confess everything to his wife and divorce her to be with her. But Chris couldn’t bear to leave his gentle wife, his job, or his status. He kept stalling, hoping to delay the inevitable.

But Nora grew impatient. She stormed into his office, causing a scene, demanding to reveal everything to his wife. Chris barely managed to stop her in time and realized he couldn’t keep covering it up. He decided to silence her forever.

He secretly retrieved a double-barreled shotgun from his father-in-law’s estate and hid it in a tennis bag. He then made plans with his wife to go to the opera, creating an alibi.

With everything prepared, he headed to Nora’s apartment.

Knock knock knock~

Filming began. Luca, dressed in a suit, wearing leather gloves, and carrying a tennis bag, knocked on the door of Nora’s neighbor.

Creak~

The door opened.

A woman in her fifties answered cautiously through the crack, "Can I help you?"

"Hello, my name is Chris," he introduced himself. "I’m a friend of Nora’s, your neighbor. We’ve met before."

"Sorry, I don’t remember you. I don’t let strangers in," she said firmly.

"Wait, we’ve met! Remember when she asked you about the rat problem? You mentioned using peanut oil," Chris explained, his voice trembling with tension.

"Oh, right. That’s true," she said, opening the door.

"Cut!" Director Allen paused to fix a minor issue, and the crew resumed filming the murder scene.

Chris entered the room, pretending to check the TV signal. While the neighbor was in the next room taking her medication, he hurriedly pulled the shotgun from his bag and clumsily assembled it.

Luca had never handled this type of gun before, and Director Allen had forbidden him from practicing beforehand. He insisted that Luca must assemble the gun in under ten seconds. It took six takes to get it right.

"You said your name was Harris?" the neighbor shouted from the other room, as if she suddenly remembered something.

Luca, holding the shotgun, walked into the next room and fired a shot.

The camera followed him, capturing only his actions of holding and firing the gun.

After the shot, Luca leaned against the wall and slowly slid down, clutching the gun and panting heavily, his forehead drenched in sweat.

"Cut!"

"Luca, you need to make the emotions more intense, to show your inner pain and conflict. The audience needs to feel like you’re not really a bad guy, just someone pushed into a corner!"

Hahaha~

After Director Allen finished speaking, the crew burst into laughter.

Luca shook his head, crouching in the corner to gather his emotions. He replayed the scene over and over in his mind, adjusting his facial expressions and body language, rehearsing it several times until he found the best approach.

"Director, I’m ready," Luca said quietly.

"Alright, everyone get ready. Scene 8, Take 2—Action!"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 340: Luca Killed the Old Lady

"Cut!"

"Luca, that was great!"

After ten takes, Director Allen finally called it and, for the first time, publicly praised him.

Everyone was surprised.

Luca smirked, rubbed his hair, and slumped onto the couch on set, drenched in sweat. His hair, soaked and sticking to his forehead, was messily ruffled as he ran his fingers through it.

"Luca, want a cigarette?"

Scarlett came over and asked.

"Oh, no thanks!"

Luca waved her off. Smoking at this moment could easily become a habit.

Scarlett shrugged and sat down, saying, "You really went all out."

"Yeah, it’s my first time playing such a complex character. No experience, so I had to give it everything I had."

Luca sighed, holding his head in his hands.

Scarlett looked at him, her gaze somewhat complicated. She pressed her lips together, "Is Britney really busy lately? There’s been so much news about her on TV and in the papers."

"Yeah, she’s been busy with concerts, TV shows, and even attended a royal banquet. I haven’t seen her in two days."

Luca spread his hands. Britney was a knight, personally knighted by the Queen, and incredibly popular in the UK.

"Wow, impressive."

Scarlett smirked. "So, what’s the deal with you two? Are you boyfriend and girlfriend? Lovers? Or is she just keeping you as her boy toy, and you’re fine with that?"

"You—"

Luca stared at her, his eyes intense.

Scarlett stared right back, not backing down.

Luca shook his head. "Whatever, think what you want. Britney and I are friends, lovers, partners. I don’t care about labels."

"Heh, whatever your relationship is, it’s not official. Are you okay with keeping it like that forever? Have you thought about the future? You don’t plan to get married, or she doesn’t? What happens after marriage? Will you keep this up?"

Scarlett pressed him.

Luca frowned, "Do you always have to be so aggressive?"

"I’m just a natural-born fighter."

She laughed out loud after saying that, realizing that was a line from their script, but their roles had swapped.

Luca smirked. "You’ve been pretty interested in my personal life lately, huh? Scarlett, don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me?"

"Ha! As if! It’s not like there’s a shortage of men in the world. Why would I like you, you jerk?"

Scarlett flipped her hair and bit her lip.

"Okay, I used to be just a jerk. Now I’ve leveled up to a major jerk with you."

Luca said helplessly.

Scarlett raised an eyebrow, nudging his shoulder. "Don’t change the subject. You still haven’t told me how you’re going to handle your relationship. Are you going to marry Britney? If not, what’s your plan?"

"I don’t know! I haven’t thought about it."

Luca shook his head.

"I know your plan. You don’t have one. You’re just avoiding it. You’re like Chris, only interested in enjoying the pleasures of life without paying the price. When it’s time to make a decision, you’ll dodge and delay until you can’t anymore, and then you’ll resort to something extreme, like murder.

Ah, now I see why Director Allen chose you to play Chris. You are Chris."

Scarlett looked at him like he was a monster.

"Can you not let your imagination run wild?"

Luca replied, speechless.

"Can’t!"

Scarlett stood up and shouted to the director, "Director Allen, your casting is spot on. No one else could play Chris better than Luca!"

"Uh, why do you say that?"

Director Allen, caught off guard by the compliment, lifted his head from behind the camera, a bit surprised.

"Luca is the perfect Chris, isn’t he?"

Scarlett smiled.

Director Allen laughed. "Scarlett, you’re amazing too. You’re the perfect Nora."

"Yeah, but I’m about to die, killed by a jerk."

Scarlett sighed.

"Don’t worry. In real life, you’ll never run into jerks."

"Thanks. I hope I’m that lucky!"

Scarlett flipped someone off playfully.

Luca covered his face, not wanting to deal with her.

After a short break, the crew resumed filming. Luca killed the old lady, trashed her house, knocked over bookshelves, grabbed her jewelry box, and stuffed the jewels into his pocket. He also took the old lady’s medication and removed her watch and diamond ring.

His goal was simple: kill the old lady downstairs and stage it as a robbery. Then, when Nora came home, he’d kill her too, making it look like a double murder.

Once they wrapped up the robbery scene, the crew took a two-hour break for lunch, setting up for the next scene.

Before shooting, Luca paced the stairs, practicing his steps. He would rush down, hide behind the door, and ambush Scarlett when she came up the stairs.

This part required perfect timing, breathing, and attention to detail, so he rehearsed meticulously.

At 2:30 in the afternoon, the crew started filming the most intense scene: the male lead killing the female lead.

Luca and Scarlett took their positions, while the crew buzzed around them.

Beep beep—

Outside the set, Tony watched Luca’s performance. Suddenly, the phone in his backpack rang. It was Luca’s phone. He answered, said a few words, and left the set.

A moment later, he returned with a girl wearing a baseball cap, a long knit sweater, and blue jeans. She pulled her cap low, chewing gum.

"Please, have a seat!"

Tony fetched a plastic chair.

"Thanks, Tony!"

The girl sat down, crossed her legs, and swung her feet casually.

"Tony, what’s Luca acting in? His expression is so scary. Wait, did he just shoot Scarlett?"

The girl asked as she watched the scene.

"Ahem, Luca and Scarlett are playing a couple. Not publicly though—Luca’s character has a wife, and Scarlett’s his mistress."

Tony explained with a straight face.

"I see. Go on."

The girl asked, intrigued.

"Now Scarlett’s pregnant, and she’s pressuring Luca to divorce and marry her. Luca doesn’t want to, so he kills her."

"He kills his pregnant lover? This scriptwriter’s insane! And why is Luca in this kind of role, acting so terrifyingly well?"

The girl couldn’t stop complaining.

Tony chuckled, not responding.

"Britney? Are you Britney?"

People on set had been sneaking glances at the girl since she arrived. Finally, someone stood up, excited.

"I’m Britney!"

The girl tilted her cap up, revealing a delicate face and a cool smile.

"Ah, it’s really Britney!"

The crew erupted. They couldn’t contain their excitement, dropping what they were doing to ask for autographs and pictures with Britney Spears.

"Britney, I’m a huge fan. Can I get your autograph?"

One of the crew members asked, holding a slate board.

"Britney, can we take a picture?"

A camera assistant asked eagerly.

"Britney, I’ve loved you since I was a kid!"

In no time, the whole crew had gathered around her.

"Wait, don’t crowd!"

Tony hurried to intervene.

Behind the monitor, Director Allen was focused on the scene when the camera suddenly shook, and the frame became chaotic.

"What’s going on? Why is the camera shaking?!"

Director Allen looked up, annoyed. "Where is everyone?"

Most of the crew had disappeared, leaving only the equipment behind, while a large group gathered in a corner, shouting Britney’s name.

"What are you all doing?!"

Director Allen shouted angrily.

"Director, Britney’s here, and everyone’s getting autographs."

Assistant director Ian said, holding a signed notebook.

"Hmph! This is ridiculous. We’re a professional set, and they’re acting like this? Completely unprofessional."

Director Allen huffed, glaring at the crowd.

"Director, should I get them back to work?"

Ian asked.

"Hmph. Take a 30-minute break. If anyone slacks off after that, their pay gets docked."

Director Allen threw down his hat and scratched his head.

"Got it, I’ll let everyone know."

Ian ran off with his autograph book.

On set, Luca watched Britney amidst the crowd and chuckled helplessly.

"Britney really is a big deal."

Scarlett remarked.

"Yep, she’s Britney."

Luca replied with a smile.

Scarlett scoffed. "Do you think you’ll ever reach her level?"

"...Nope!"

Luca thought about it and decided it wasn’t likely. Britney’s success was due to a combination of factors, many of which couldn’t be replicated, just like Michael.

"You won’t?"

Scarlett leaned in and whispered, "Then you’ll always be her little man."

...

Luca glanced at her. This girl was getting more and more brazen with her words.

“What, am I wrong?” Scarlett asked with a smile, her lips curling.

“You’re right, but I’m doing it willingly!” Luca raised an eyebrow, striding toward Britney.

“What a shameless guy!” Scarlett bit her lower lip, then suddenly let out a giggle. “But he’s quite amusing!”

(End of the chapter)