321-325

*Chapter 321: The Party*

“Pete?”

Luca nodded.

This strategy would not only ruin Pete's reputation but also shift the media's attention, damage Aniston’s name, and help clean up the dirt on Pete. Three birds with one stone—what a high-level move!

"Kate, it’s not necessarily throwing dirt on them. What if Luca and Aniston really have something going on?" Miranda blinked and smiled.

"Stop it. Aniston and I are just friends. There’s nothing between us," Luca glared at her.

"Really?" Kate crossed her arms, her deep blue eyes full of suspicion.

Luca gave a bitter smile, "Kate, seriously, there's nothing!"

Kate looked at him, then smiled, "Alright, I believe you. But things are getting dangerous. You should clear your name quickly, or it could hurt your career."

Luca nodded in agreement. Actors need a good reputation. If your name stinks too much, no one will hire you. He had just become a B-list actor and couldn’t afford to lose that status over this.

With that in mind, he called Ed to discuss PR matters.

Ed said the company was already handling it, but the opposition was strong and aggressive. Clearing things up wouldn't happen overnight.

“Try to avoid meeting Aniston for now. If more rumors spread, you’ll be completely ruined,” Ed advised sincerely over the phone.

"I understand."

“And in a few days, the company will arrange a TV interview for you. You can clear things up by saying you spent most of the year in Brazil. It’ll be easy to explain.”

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”

After hanging up, Luca leaned back in his chair, feeling a headache. He hadn’t done anything wrong, yet he was being painted as a cheater—truly a disaster out of nowhere.

"Enough, stop worrying."

Kate ruffled his hair and smiled, "This whole thing could benefit you. Aniston, Pete, Jolie—they’re all big stars. Getting caught up in this with them will give you a lot of publicity."

Kate smiled with a playful curve to her lips.

Luca shook his head. "I don’t need that. I’m a serious actor. I let my work speak for itself. Publicity like that means nothing."

"Pfft!" Kate and Miranda rolled their eyes in unison.

Around four in the afternoon, the car slowly returned to Pear Tree Manor.

It was July, the height of summer, and the trees inside and outside the estate were lush and green.

On the emerald lawn, two brown tabby cats were chasing butterflies, while two white Angora cats lay by the pool, lazily pawing at the water.

After half a year at the manor, the four kittens had grown into half-sized cats, their fur even softer to the touch.

Back at the villa, Luca took off his clothes and swam a few laps in the pool. Then he lounged on a beach chair, staring up at the blue sky and white clouds. Before long, he dozed off.

The next day, feeling refreshed, he ran eight kilometers along the Pacific West Coast, worked up a good sweat, and felt even more energized.

"Smells great!"

Luca walked into the dining room, toweling off his hair.

Kate had her long hair tied up and was wearing an apron as she laid out breakfast on the table: vegetable salad, toast, and eggs. Luca’s plate also had a piece of fried pork chop.

"Eat first. Miranda likes to sleep in," Kate said, pouring two glasses of milk and sitting across from him.

"Didn’t she say last night that she was going to wake up early to exercise?"

Luca laughed as he set down his towel.

"That’s just wishful thinking."

"Yeah, but hasn’t she put on a little weight? Shouldn’t you be pushing her to lose some?"

"No need for that. She’s nice and soft to cuddle with when she’s a bit chubby, isn’t she?"

Luca laughed heartily, agreeing wholeheartedly. Lima was voluptuous, Britney was slightly plump, and sleeping with them was soft and cozy. Ambrosio, on the other hand, was a bit too thin, and sometimes her hip bones would poke into him.

"Do you have any plans today?" Kate asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, I’ll be starting a new project in a few days, so I need to prepare for that," Luca said while eating.

Kate nodded. "There’s a party at the book club this afternoon. Wanna join? Lots of socialites and beauties will be there."

"No thanks. I’m not interested in socialites and beauties," Luca shrugged.

"Why not?" Kate teased, using her slender fingers to lift his chin. "You used to drool at the mention of beautiful women. Now what, you’ve turned into some celibate heartthrob?"

Luca swatted her hand away. "I have to be. Between dealing with Lima and Britney, even a superhuman body couldn’t keep up."

“Haha, is it just Lima and Britney? What about Aniston and Theron? And that girl from the watermelon patch? You still haven’t explained that one. What are you hiding?”

Luca’s expression froze, then he laughed awkwardly. "Honey, isn’t this conversation a bit too heavy for breakfast?"

"Heavy?" Kate raised an eyebrow sharply. "Don’t tell me... it was a guy?"

Luca’s face darkened, his mouth twitching. "Kate, I’m a straight man. I’m not into guys."

"Who knows? Didn’t you want to star in Brokeback Mountain? You even did that thing with Jolie, and Lima said you like it when..."

"Stop!" Luca wiped his brow, laughing nervously. "Kate, we’re having breakfast. Can we not talk about this?"

"Fine. So who was the girl that night?"

"Rachel McAdams."

"Her? Why didn’t you just say so?"

"There’s nothing to hide. I just hadn’t had the chance. Do you want to hear the whole story while we eat? I can tell you if you want."

"Never mind. Listening to a sexy story during breakfast would ruin my appetite. Save it for later," Kate said, munching on some fruit.

"Alright then."

Luca let out a sigh of relief.

Kate glanced at him, her lips curving up slightly.

"Oh no! I gained another pound! What am I going to do?" Miranda’s voice rang out before she appeared.

(End of the Chapter)

*Chapter 322: Time to Give Him a Beating*

  “Ah~ No! I’ve gained another pound. What should I do?”

  Miranda screamed as she walked into the dining room, her long curly hair disheveled, wearing a messy nightgown, with a sweet fragrance lingering around her.

  “No worries, have breakfast first. You can diet after you're full,”

  Luca said while pouring a glass of skim milk.

  “Hmph!”

  Miranda glared at him. “It’s all your fault. I never used to eat meat, but now I eat it because of you.”

  “Is that really my fault? If you exercised regularly, eating a bit of meat wouldn’t be an issue.”

  “It is your fault. When you’re not here, Kate doesn’t cook meat, so I don’t have to be tempted. But as soon as you show up, there’s always meat on the table. The aroma is irresistible, and once I eat it, I gain weight. So you’re the root of all evil.”

  Miranda angrily bit into an egg.

  “OK, it’s my fault!”

  Luca chuckled lightly, cutting a slice of pork chop. “Miranda, want a bite?”

  Creak~

  Miranda gritted her pearly white teeth, glaring at him fiercely.

  “Come on, have a little. Just an extra half-hour of exercise, and it won’t make a difference,”

  Luca coaxed.

  “You...”

  Miranda suddenly shifted her gaze to Kate. “Darling, when was the last time you gave him a beating? He’s really asking for one right now.”

  Whoosh~

  Luca immediately wiped the smirk off his face and focused seriously on his meal.

  Kate glanced at him, smiling. “Let me think... it’s been over two months.”

  “Over two months? That’s way too long. It’s time for a beating,”

  Miranda said while cracking her knuckles.

  “Yeah, good point. When I have some time, I’ll give him a good one,”

  Kate said, pursing her lips.

  (╥﹏╥)

  Luca scratched his forehead. “Uh, Kate, I haven’t done anything wrong lately.”

  “Don’t speak. It’s not up to you to decide whether you’ve done anything wrong. It’s up to us,”

  Miranda wrinkled her nose. “Kate, next time you beat him, can I join? How about we tag-team him?”

  Kate looked at Miranda, then at Luca, and suddenly smiled. “Sure, next time we’ll do it together.”

  “Yay! Luca, just wait. I won’t let you off next time,”

  Miranda laughed smugly.

  Sigh Luca shook his head. Why can every woman bully me? Am I too soft?

  After breakfast, Kate and Miranda began their workout.

  Luca, carrying his racket, headed to the Malibu tennis court. In the movie Match Point, his character is a tennis coach, so not only does he need to play well, but he must also teach others how to play.

  Once at the court, he sat on the sidelines, observing the movements, gestures, and teaching styles of the other tennis coaches and assistants.

  When a beautiful woman invited him to play, he took to the court, showcasing his skills. Seeing how good he was, the women naturally wouldn’t miss the opportunity to ask for pointers.

  Luca loved teaching and patiently gave them advice while practicing his acting skills on the side.

  That afternoon, back home, Kate and Miranda went off to attend a club party. Luca had a sandwich and made a call to Lima, who was far away in El Salvador.

  Lima’s grandmother had passed away two weeks ago, and she had returned home for the funeral. Luca had also spent three days in El Salvador. Now that the funeral was over, Lima was about to return.

  But thinking about what Miranda said that morning, if Lima also came back, would it be three against one?

  Ouch~

  The mere thought of it made Luca’s muscles ache.

  Luckily, Lima mentioned she needed two more days, as there were some things she had to take care of at the orphanage.

  Earlier this year, she had founded an orphanage in El Salvador, and Luca had donated a few thousand dollars to help. The orphanage was small, housing only about a dozen children, but it came with plenty of issues.

  After chatting for a while, Luca hung up the phone, grabbed the Match Point script, and headed to his study to work on the character profile of Chris, the male lead. He had written around 30,000 words so far.

  From a professional perspective, a script is like a condensed story, where some parts are cut or omitted to create a more streamlined effect.

  He needed to break down the protagonist’s scenes for deeper analysis and enhancement.

  For instance, in the script, there’s a scene where Chris first meets the female lead, Nola.

  The script only mentions that Chris hears the sound of ping-pong being played as he walks down a hallway. Without seeing her, he hears a woman’s passionate voice calling out, “Who’s next to face defeat?”

  Chris walks over and sees a beautiful, sexy, and captivating woman standing at the other end of the ping-pong table. She’s wearing a long white shirt, standing with her back to the bright window, glowing with allure.

  Chris is immediately drawn to her.

  This description is detailed but doesn’t specify every facial expression.

  If the script included that level of detail, it would feel redundant and would also limit the actor’s performance. Though the script doesn’t spell it all out, Luca knew he had to bring this scene to life vividly in his performance.

  What should Chris’s reaction be when he first sees Nola?

  Should he act starstruck, like a lovesick fool, or maintain a cold, god-like demeanor? Or should he play it like a smooth playboy, sending flirty signals?

  This is connected to the character’s development. Chris is smart and ambitious, so in front of a beautiful woman, he’d definitely be polite yet subtly predatory. Luca easily grasped this nuance.

  Once he figured out the right expression, all that remained was to perform it.

  Luca had acted in several films and regularly wrote scripts, so he didn’t have any trouble interpreting the material. The challenge lay in the execution. Woody Allen is a strict director, and Luca knew that to meet his high standards, he had to work hard.

  After finishing the character profile, Luca went to the mirror, practicing his lines, movements, and stage blocking, rehearsing again and again.

  To an outsider, it might look like a handsome lunatic was performing intensely.

  Ding ding ding~

  As dusk fell, his phone rang from the table.

  “Luca, are you back in Los Angeles?”

  It was Jennifer Aniston on the other line.

  “Yes, Jen. How did you know?”

  “I saw it in the papers. But your face looked really dark!”

  Aniston teased.

  “News?”

  Luca understood. The news of his return to Los Angeles had been published yesterday in The Hollywood Reporter, The Los Angeles Times, and Variety.

  Sadly, it wasn’t a triumphant return, but more of a “scumbag returns” headline. Some papers speculated that his return was a move to take advantage of a bad situation.

  The news even included a photo of him, where indeed his complexion seemed quite dark.

  “Jen, how are you doing?”

  “I’m alright. I’m sorry you got dragged into this. Brad’s actions have been so disappointing.”

  Aniston sighed softly.

  “It’s no big deal, Jen. I don’t care what the papers say. You’re my idol, Ms. Aniston. Getting caught up in rumors with you is actually pretty cool.”

  “Really? Maybe next time a reporter asks me about it, I should say all the rumors are true. How about that?”

  “Uh, um... I’m afraid that might get me killed.”

  “Hahaha~ Coward!”

  Aniston laughed. “Hey kid, are you free tomorrow? We’re having a Troy celebration party at my place. You want to come?”

  “Me? Would that be appropriate?”

  Luca asked, puzzled.

  “Of course. You’re my friend, why wouldn’t it be?”

  Aniston assured him.

  “Alright, I’ll definitely be there!”

  (End of Chapter)

Chapter 323: What to Do When Your Brother is Flirting with a Rich Woman

“Luca, who are you calling ‘sister’?”

In the training room, Luca had just put his phone away when he heard Kate’s voice.

Kate had just gotten off work. She walked over holding a glass of red wine, her lips slightly curled with a charming yet dangerous smile.

Luca cursed his luck. He had just been joking with Aniston and had been forced to call her “Sister Jenny” a few times. Unfortunately, his real sister, Kate, had overheard it.

“Nobody... Okay, it was Aniston,” Luca said with a forced laugh as he shrugged.

“Aniston? Does that mean you two really have something going on?” Kate asked as she entered the room.

“No, no! Aniston said she envied you for having such a handsome and charming brother. She made me call her Sister Jenny. I couldn’t refuse,” Luca quickly explained.

Kate laughed, twisting his ear. “But I think you were flirting with her, and she didn’t seem to mind. Ugh~ what should I do when I see my brother flirting with a rich woman?” she said, wrapping her arm around his neck. “To stop you from sinking any deeper, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands again.”

“Ah! I wasn’t flirting with a rich woman! Mercy!” Luca cried.

“No mercy!”

A series of loud smacks echoed through the room, followed by Luca’s pained but oddly satisfying cries.

After getting a beating, Luca woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, except for a small injury at the corner of his mouth. Drinking potato soup for breakfast stung his cheeks.

“Does it hurt?” Kate asked, suppressing a smile from across the table.

“No, not at all!” Luca shook his head rapidly, burying his face in the soup like a pig.

Kate smirked, touching his cheek. “Dear, will you still dare flirt with rich women?”

“No, I won’t!” he answered quickly.

“Good!” Kate nodded with satisfaction. “From now on, I’ll double your monthly allowance.”

“Really?!”

Luca’s face lit up with joy. Even though he had taken a beating, the prospect of more pocket money made it seem worthwhile.

After breakfast, he resumed his workout and acting practice. In the afternoon, he drove to Aniston’s mansion, where the celebration party for Troy was being held.

In May, Troy was released globally under Plan B’s leadership. After two months, it had grossed over $400 million worldwide, with great reviews. Plan B received widespread acclaim, and Brad Pitt was on his way to becoming Hollywood’s biggest star.

Thinking about it, Luca hesitated to get out of the car. Today was Brad Pitt’s celebration party; why was he even here?

Just then, a black Porsche pulled up next to him.

Luca glanced over as the car door opened, revealing a slicked-back hairstyle. The man stepped out and looked his way. Their eyes met.

“Luca?!”

Leonardo blinked in surprise, then smiled. “Why are you here?”

“Leon, is it weird for me to be here?” Luca asked, straightening his suit as he stepped out of his car with a smile.

“Isn’t it?” Leonardo smirked, adjusting his jacket. “You used to say I was too much of a player and wouldn’t let me date Kate. But now look at you! While dating Lima, you cheated with Britney, Jessica, and even got involved in Aniston and Pitt’s marriage. Compared to you, I’m practically a saint!”

Luca scoffed. “It’s all just rumors. I never cheated or ruined anyone’s relationship.”

“Sure,” Leonardo said, puffing on a cigarette. “We’re all in the industry. What’s real and what’s fake? A lot of things can’t be hidden from people in the know. Luca, you know, every time I see you, it’s like seeing my younger self—ambitious, vain, reckless, lustful, and shameless, willing to do anything for fame.”

“Stop!” Luca protested. “Leon, criticize yourself all you want, but don’t drag me into it. I’m not as shameless as you.”

“Ha! I may have been a player in my youth, but at least I never destroyed someone else’s marriage. And I certainly didn’t parade around at the victim’s house afterward. Compared to you, I’m practically a saint, aren’t I?” Leonardo laughed.

“Hmph!” Luca ignored him and strode into the villa.

This villa had been purchased by Aniston and Pitt after their marriage in Beverly Hills for $28 million. It was spacious, luxurious, and grand.

Today’s party was being held in the villa’s outdoor garden. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, white clouds floated by, and the garden was filled with flowers, trees, music, a pool, fine wine, and beautiful people. Celebrities mingled, and there wasn’t a single unimportant person in sight.

Familiar faces like Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Leonardo, Matt Damon, Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger, and many more were scattered throughout the garden and villa.

Prominent directors like David Fincher, Wolfgang Petersen, Guy Ritchie, and Doug Liman were also present.

Hollywood executives, including Warner Bros. Vice President Brett Ratner, Universal Pictures' chief producer, and Lionsgate’s President Frank Giustra, were among the crowd.

At the center of it all stood today’s star, Brad Pitt. With a glass of wine in hand, his face glowing with excitement, he chatted enthusiastically with those around him, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter.

Beside him, Aniston wore a retro-style Prada dress. Her slender figure exuded a delicate beauty tinged with melancholy.

Luca sighed to himself. In the past, Pitt had been merely a supporting player next to Aniston. But now, with Friends over and Pitt’s movies becoming major hits, their roles had reversed.

As he was observing the scene, Aniston noticed him and smiled faintly. She excused herself from Pitt’s side and walked over, weaving through the crowd.

When Aniston left, Pitt glanced in Luca’s direction, his face briefly turning cold before returning to its usual calm as he continued chatting.

“Hi, Luca!” Aniston greeted, giving him a once-over. “You look very handsome today!”

“Just today?” Luca shrugged. “I thought I was always handsome.”

Aniston chuckled softly. “Yes, you are. But... what happened to your mouth?”

“Uh...” Luca hesitated. He had carefully covered the bruise with makeup, and even Leonardo hadn’t noticed it earlier. How had Aniston spotted it?

“It’s nothing, Jenny. I accidentally bumped into a table corner this morning,” he said evasively.

“Really? I remember at the Helmut Lang fashion party, you also had an injury on your face. You told me you bumped into a table. And now you're saying the same thing. Do you bump into tables often?” she asked skeptically.

“It’s not like that,” Luca said, wiping his forehead. “Okay, I got beaten up.”

“What? Who hit you? Did you report it? Was it someone getting revenge?” Aniston’s expression turned serious.

“No, no! It was Kate,” Luca admitted.

“Kate? Kate hit you?” Aniston burst out laughing.

“Stop laughing, stop laughing!” Luca was mortified as people glanced their way. He whispered to Aniston, “It’s partially your fault.”

“Me?” Aniston’s laughter halted, and she looked surprised.

“Yes. Yesterday, you asked me to call you ‘Sister,’ and Kate overheard. She thought I was flirting with you and beat me up to ‘keep me in line,’” Luca explained, touching his injured lip with a look of grievance.

Aniston stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter again.

Hmph~

Not far away, Brad Pitt noticed the interaction, a flash of coldness passing through his eyes.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 324: The Party in the Night*

"Darling, what are you laughing about? Can you share it with me?"

Pete approached with a glass of wine.

"Nothing."

Aniston stopped laughing, brushed her golden hair behind her ear, and said.

"Really?"

Pete's face darkened as he glanced coldly at her, then suddenly smiled. "Luca, thank you for chatting with my wife. She seems much happier. I hope you can come by more often if you have time; I think Jenny would enjoy that, right, dear?"

He stared into Jenny's eyes as he asked.

Aniston smirked slightly. "Yes, chatting with Luca makes me very happy. Luca, are you free this weekend? You're welcome to visit us."

"..."

Luca glanced between the two, feeling a chill in the air. "Sorry, Jenny, I'm heading to London in a couple of days for a movie shoot. You know, Match Point."

"Oh, that's right, Woody Allen's new movie. Congratulations!"

Aniston said with a sincere smile.

Pete's face grew even colder as he listened. From last year to this year, he had done everything he could to sabotage Luca's auditions—Fantastic Four, Cellular, Pride and Prejudice, Match Point, and so on.

He had successfully blocked Luca from most of those roles, but unfortunately, Woody Allen was too stubborn to replace him for Match Point, giving this Brazilian country bumpkin a chance.

Pete felt a pang of frustration in his heart—he had been so close to blacklisting him completely.

"Pete? What are you thinking about?"

Aniston asked, frowning.

Pete snapped out of his thoughts, realizing Luca had already disappeared. He chuckled coldly, "Did you not leave with that bumpkin?"

"What did you just say?"

Aniston stopped in her tracks and asked.

"I said, Mrs. Pitt, can you please be more mindful of your status? You're my wife. Can you show a bit of restraint when you're with other men?"

Pete said with a stern face.

"Restraint? Luca and I were just having a chat. How does that offend you?"

Aniston frowned slightly.

"But the two of you looked more like you were... flirting."

Pete gritted his teeth.

Aniston let out a cold laugh. "Do you know how disgusting you look right now? Luca and I were just chatting, and you're making wild assumptions. What about you and Jolie and all those other women? What does that make you?"

Pete muttered quietly, "Darling, Jolie and I are just colleagues. Please believe me!"

"Sorry, I can't."

Aniston shook her head and sighed. "I invited Luca over today and openly talked and laughed with him in front of you and everyone else, just to show you that we are simply friends. Do you believe that?"

"...I believe it."

"Good, then can you please stop throwing dirt at us? As a man and a husband, you not only refuse to admit your mistakes but also shift the blame onto your wife. Don't you find that disgusting?"

Aniston asked tearfully.

Pete glanced around and sighed softly, "Jenny, can we talk about this later? Everyone is here, and this isn't the right time."

Aniston sneered, "Mr. Pitt, I don't care how many backup plans you have. If you keep targeting me, don't blame me for exposing your secrets. Do you want to see how many cards I have up my sleeve?"

"You!"

Pete squinted his eyes and let out a cold snort before heading back to the lively crowd.

"Heh."

Aniston let out a bitter laugh and downed a glass of red wine in one gulp.

"Hey, Luca, what did you do to get them arguing again?"

Leonardo approached with a glass of wine, teasing with a smile.

Luca looked back, annoyed, and shot him a glance. "What does their argument have to do with me?"

"Heh."

Leonardo gave him a once-over and said, "I'm really curious. Compared to Pete, you're way behind in both status and charm. Why would Aniston choose you? I really don't get it. Can you tell me?"

Luca frowned. "I've already told you it's just a rumor... Okay, want to know the reason?"

"What?"

"Humph, you could ask Bundchen. If you think all rumors are true, then she must know what's so good about me."

"Bundchen?"

Leonardo paused, then suddenly realized what Luca meant.

"Are you provoking me?"

He scowled and was about to respond harshly but noticed Luca had already made his escape.

"That jerk!!"

Leonardo's eyes gleamed, and he snorted as he walked back into the crowd.

Luca couldn't care less about how angry Leonardo was. He came to enjoy the party, with its wine and beautiful women—why waste time bickering with another man? It wasn't worth it.

He entered the party hall, holding a glass of champagne, greeting people left and right. Whether he knew them well or not, he tried to chat or at least listen in on their conversations—Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Diane Kruger, David Fincher, Guy Ritchie.

These were big directors, producers, and stars. Engaging in their conversations could open up many opportunities.

By around 7 p.m., the sky had darkened, and the party moved from the garden into the villa's grand living room. The lights were dazzling, and the air was thick with the scents of alcohol, perfume, and marijuana.

The party atmosphere began to shift into the night.

Luca put down his glass, ready to leave. He was a proper man who didn’t enjoy the vibe of this scene. He searched for Aniston among the crowd but couldn’t find her.

He took out his phone and sent her a message, letting her know he was about to leave.

Ding!  

Just as he stepped out of the hall, his phone buzzed with a message.

After reading it, Luca hesitated for a moment and then walked up the dimly lit stairs to the top floor.

Along the way, he saw couples entangled with each other, heard suggestive sounds coming from the guest rooms, and even saw people directly on the couches, lost in their passion. The air was filled with the scent of desire and addiction.

Luca rubbed his nose and walked to the dressing room outside a bedroom. Gently pushing the door open, he saw Aniston.

In the dim light, she was huddled in a corner, hugging her knees. Her shoulders were trembling slightly as if she were crying.

"Jenny?"

Luca called softly.

Aniston looked up with red-rimmed eyes, her golden hair stuck to her cheeks in a messy way. Her light-colored dress had wine stains all over it, leaving her looking disheveled.

It seemed she had come to change her clothes, but her straps were still hanging off her shoulders, and her dress was only half off.

"Luca, you're here."

Aniston wiped her eyes and gave a stubborn smile.

"Jenny, are you okay?"

Luca crouched down and asked.

Aniston stared at him, then suddenly laughed, though her voice was choked with emotion. "I'm fine!"

Luca shook his head, unsure how to comfort her. Getting involved with a jerk ruins a woman’s life, but he himself was a jerk, too.

He sat down cross-legged, intending to sit across from her, but Aniston pulled him closer.

She leaned her head on his shoulder and began to pour out all the sadness she’d been holding in: the box office failures, the heartbreak, her career falling apart. She said it felt like her luck ran out after Friends ended.

Luca shook his head and said, "To meet you, I must have used up all my luck in life. How could your luck be gone?"

Aniston chuckled softly, laughing so hard she almost bent over.

"Meeting you was my good luck, too."

Aniston smiled seriously.

Luca scratched his head and gave a shy smile.

"You’re too easy to fall for."

Aniston touched his cheek, then suddenly pounced on him, pinning him to the ground and passionately kissing him.

"..."

Luca lay on the ground, his mind blank. What just happened?

(End of the chapter)

Chapter 325: Don't Worry, I Won't Get Pregnant

"Pitt, Jenny just warned me. Do we still need to use those rumors as a shield?"

In the evening, in a corner of the villa's living room, Pitt’s agent, Wilson, whispered.

"Forget it."

After trailing them for more than half a year, they still hadn't captured any evidence of infidelity between the two, making it difficult to stir up rumors. After two weeks of trying, the public's attention was still focused on him and Jolie.

Pitt was a bit disappointed. Thinking about what Jenny said earlier, he decided to abandon the previous approach.

"Where's Luca?"

He scanned the crowd but didn’t see the annoying figure.

"Mr. Kelly seems to have left," Wilson replied.

"Hmph!"

Pitt's face darkened. It should have been a pleasant party, but after seeing that hillbilly, his mood took a turn for the worse, and he could no longer enjoy himself.

"That damn hillbilly!"

With a cold expression, Pitt said, "Wilson, continue to blacklist Luca. I don't want to see him again."

"Pitt, Luca’s movies have been huge hits this year, and he even won the Silver Bear award. This proves his value, and blacklisting him would be difficult. It’ll cost a lot," Wilson hesitated before saying.

"I don’t care how much it costs. That Brazilian hillbilly is just too disgusting," Pitt growled like a lion.

"Alright, I’ll keep an eye on him. We’ll notify you as soon as he makes any moves," Wilson responded.

Pitt nodded slightly and drained his glass in one go. Looking upstairs, he frowned, "Hasn’t Jennifer come down yet?"

"No!"

Wilson paused, "Do you want me to go look for her?"

"No need. Jenny’s behavior today was too disappointing."

Pitt squinted. He originally planned to use this party to convey to his partners that the couple’s relationship was stable.

But at the event, Aniston was uncooperative. Other than chatting with a few friends, she seemed so melancholic that it raised questions.

Pitt was unhappy. Even after a few arguments, it didn’t help. He angrily knocked over his wine glass, spilling red wine on her gown.

After Aniston left, he actually felt a bit relieved.

"Hey, Pitt!"

Leonardo came over, and Pitt put on a pleasant face, chatting warmly. The two discussed their new movie—an adaptation of Infernal Affairs.

The adaptation rights were held by Plan B, and they were planning to collaborate.

"Pitt, I heard Luca made a Brazilian version," Leonardo joked.

"Huh!"

Pitt sneered.

Around eight o'clock, the night deepened, and the guests began to leave.

Pitt saw off a friend and was displeased to find that Aniston still hadn’t come downstairs. He gave an instruction and then headed up to the master bedroom.

The door to the master bedroom was tightly shut.

He pressed down on the handle but couldn’t open it.

Knock, knock.

He knocked on the door and waited a minute, but it still wasn’t opened.

"Jenny!"

He angrily pounded the door twice.

Creak~

Just as he was about to kick the door, it opened.

Aniston glanced at him and, wrapped in a towel, walked into the bathroom.

"Jenny, the party’s not over yet. How can you just stay upstairs?"

Pitt looked around the bedroom and walked to the bathroom door, questioning her.

"This is your party. They’re all your friends. What does it have to do with me?"

Aniston, lying in the large bathtub, lazily replied with her eyes closed.

Pitt’s eye twitched, "Don’t be so unreasonable!"

"..."

Aniston kept her eyes closed, as if she had fallen asleep.

Pitt stared at Aniston in the tub: her wet blonde hair, fair skin, rosy cheeks, and plump lips. For some reason, his mood grew worse.

"Fine, do whatever you want!"

He angrily slammed the door and left the bedroom.

After a while, Aniston slowly opened her eyes. She stared at the white wall, lost in thought for a moment.

Sigh  

She shook her head and reached for her phone.

Beep, beep~

The night was bright with a full moon.

In the car, Luca quietly looked ahead at the night scene, flashing images of chaos in his mind—a small, elegant dressing room with dim lighting reflecting off the wardrobe, purse cabinet, carpet, and full-length mirror.

A layer of mist condensed on the large mirror.

Through the fog, two blurry figures could be seen reflected in the mirror, lying on the carpet, passionately intertwined, breathing heavily, hoarse and excited.

They ascended through sighs, fell through sobs, and merged into one in the dim light, completely lost in each other, unaware of exhaustion.

Luca shook his head, trying to shake off the image, feeling a bit conflicted.

He had always regarded Aniston as a friend, a role model, a senior. But what had just happened was wrong.

After this, how could he confidently face media scrutiny? How could he face Kate, Lima, and Aniston?

"Sigh, I should’ve resisted more,"

Luca touched his forehead. Did he drink too much?

Ring, ring~

His phone rang. After a moment’s hesitation, he answered.

"Yes, Jenny, I’m in the car, and no one saw me,"

Luca slowly said.

Aniston seemed to chuckle but then fell silent again.

"Luca... I drank too much earlier and was feeling down. I acted impulsively, and my actions were rough. You’re not mad at me, are you?"

Luca blushed. It felt strange hearing such words from a woman.

"Jenny, I’m not mad."

"Really? You’re not going to report me for assaulting you, right?"

"Jenny, stop joking, okay?"

Luca wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

Aniston chuckled softly, "Alright, as long as you’re not mad. I actually really like you, kid. You’re handsome, sincere, funny, gentle, and caring. I wasn’t just after your body."

Luca covered his face, unsure how to respond.

"Jenny, be serious, please. I’m driving. Do you want me to crash?"

"Haha, alright. Drive safely, and thanks for your comfort. I feel much better now, really."

Aniston sighed.

Luca smiled, feeling that although he had lost a little, it was worth it because Aniston’s mood had improved.

"Jenny, I wasn’t wearing protection earlier... you should be careful,"

Luca reminded her.

There was a brief silence on the other end, "Don't worry, I won’t get pregnant."

Click~

The call ended.

Luca frowned, suddenly remembering that Aniston never had children. She and Pitt had been together for four or five years without a child, yet Jolie became pregnant within a year of dating Pitt. So the issue must lie with Aniston.

Could it be that she was infertile?

Luca sighed, feeling a little pity for her. He thought he should spend more time with her in the future.

But Lima was coming back the next day, so he had to stay home to avoid getting in trouble.

(End of Chapter)