316-320

Chapter 316: Luca in Prison

Beep, beep~

The sun was shining brightly that morning.

On Lagoa Street in Rio de Janeiro, the traffic was so heavy that it blocked half the street.

In the dense traffic, a yellow Chevrolet maneuvered skillfully, weaving through cars like a sparrow darting through the sky.

Around it, other cars tried to find gaps too, with the sound of horns, roaring engines, and frustrated shouting filling the street.

“Marcio, slow down! I’m not in a hurry!”

From the back seat, Luca opened his eyes and spoke.

“We can’t slow down! It’s rush hour and the streets are packed. If we don’t squeeze through, we won’t move at all,”

the experienced driver Marcio shouted, keeping his eyes on the narrow gaps between the cars.

“Just be careful!”

Luca shook his head, closed his eyes again, and tried to catch up on sleep. His flight the night before had been bumpy, and he hadn’t rested well.

“Luca, wake up! We’re home. I can’t believe you can sleep through all that!”

Luca was woken up after what felt like just a few minutes.

Opening his eyes, he saw they had arrived at the entrance of the estate. Next to him was Marcio’s impatient face.

“Is flying that tiring?”

Marcio asked, puzzled.

“No, I’m just adjusting to the time zone.”

“Time zone? Rio and New York are only two hours apart,”

Marcio muttered.

Luca ignored him, stretching as he stepped out of the car.

“Mr. Kelly, welcome home!”

The housekeeper, Ms. Barbara, greeted him with the other servants at the door.

“Thank you, Barbara,”

Luca nodded and walked into the estate.

Although it was winter in the Southern Hemisphere during May, Rio's subtropical climate kept the plants lush and green. Tall palm trees cast wide patches of shade.

Orchids, bougainvillea, and herbs were in full bloom, and the fragrance of flowers filled the garden. The orchard was heavy with ripe mangoes, pomegranates, bananas, and spreading grapevines.

Luca took off his towel and swam a few laps in the pool, washing away his fatigue.

When he got out, a basket of fresh fruit was waiting on the stone table in the gazebo. Two macaws hopped onto the table, pecking at a pomegranate, eating noisily. Meanwhile, a toucan stood motionless on a perch, as still as a statue.

Splash!

Just as Luca got out, Marcio jumped into the pool.

“Wow, having a big pool at home is amazing! When I become a superstar, I’m going to buy an estate and dig a huge pool too,”

Marcio said, splashing around in the water.

“Just a pool? You don’t want a few beautiful women too?”

Luca asked lazily, sunbathing on a lounge chair.

“No way! I’m a one-woman man. Caroline is all I need,”

Marcio said, splashing as he spoke.

Luca smirked. He didn’t expect Marcio to be such a romantic.

Ignoring Marcio, Luca picked up the script for Infernal Affairs. Filming was about to start, and some scenes had been revised, so he needed to go over them carefully.

“Luca, have you written any new scripts recently?”

After a while, Marcio, now out of the pool and dripping wet, asked.

“What’s up?”

“After Saving Ronaldo finished shooting, I’ve had nothing to do. Can you write a few scripts for me so I can become a superstar sooner?”

Marcio pleaded.

Luca shook his head. “Not right now. Let’s wait until Saving is released and see how the box office does. If it performs well, maybe we can shoot a few more movies like it. But if it flops, we’ll need to rethink things.”

“But I think this movie is great! It’s definitely going to make money,”

Marcio said confidently, lying down with a towel over his stomach.

“What you think doesn’t matter. It’s what the audience thinks that counts,”

Luca replied without looking up from his script.

“Fine, but the movie’s coming out this month. You’ll see—the box office won’t disappoint!”

“Let’s hope so,”

Luca sighed, a little skeptical.

Brazil is said to have the most developed film industry in South America, but its box office revenue doesn’t even compare to that of tiny Hong Kong.

The box office pie is already small, and Hollywood movies take a big slice. It’s tough for domestic films to make money.

“Mr. Kelly, Ms. Camila is here,”

Barbara announced, entering the room.

“I know. Please show Ms. Camila to the study.”

Camila was his agent in Brazil, handling his contracts and personal affairs.

Since he had won the Best Actor award at the Berlin Film Festival, his influence in Brazil had grown, and he was now a hot commodity.

Today, Camila brought a stack of folders filled with scripts, advertising contracts, TV show offers, charity gala invitations, and numerous media interview requests.

It took Luca two hours to go through everything.

He rejected all six Brazilian scripts. The pay wasn’t great, and shooting ten films here wouldn’t compare to making one big-budget Hollywood film. He didn’t have time to spend months on local productions.

He also turned down over a dozen brand endorsements. Right now, he was in his rising phase, and the endorsement fees weren’t high enough. When he reached the level of a superstar like Britney or Aniston, one big contract would be worth ten of these smaller ones.

He only accepted a few formal events, galas, and media interviews, leaving the details for Camila to handle.

Now that he was back in Brazil, and investing in domestic films, there were some things he couldn’t avoid.

“Camila, that’s all. You can arrange it as needed.”

“Understood, Mr. Kelly.”

After Camila left, the administrative assistant from Toucan Films arrived to give an update on two movie projects and new investments.

It wasn’t until after 5 p.m. that he finished his work.

The next morning, he headed to Rio Film Studios to attend the Infernal Affairs cast meeting.

The main cast included over a dozen actors, all present.

Supporting actors like Rodrigo Santoro, Alice Braga, Wagner Moura, and José Dumont were there too. While they weren’t famous internationally, they were at least B-list celebrities in Brazil, and their acting skills were solid.

For example, Alice Braga, who played the second female lead, was the star of City of God and would later work with Will Smith in I Am Legend.

Three days after the cast meeting, the Infernal Affairs crew began filming at São Paulo Prison.

Since São Paulo is a bustling city, many of the scenes would be shot there, while the grittier shots would be filmed in Rio.

This approach also ensured the safety of the cast and crew.

“Scene 1, Take 1, Action!”

On the morning of May 13th, inside São Paulo’s Central Prison, Luca, with his short hair and wearing a blue vest, crouched in a corner of the cell, hugging his head, looking utterly dejected.

He played a character named Simon, a man born in the favelas. Simon had worked hard to get into police academy, dreaming of escaping the slums and changing his fate.

He graduated at the top of his class, but shortly after becoming a cop, he was jailed for assaulting a city councilman’s son in a moment of rage. His future now looked bleak.

Clang, clang, clang!

While lost in thought, the sound of a baton hitting the steel bars echoed through the cell.

“5231, you have a visitor!”

Luca slowly lifted his head, his half-open eyes glancing towards the door. His melancholic gaze stood out in the dim cell.

Clang, clang, clang!

“Move it!”

The guard barked harshly.

Luca slowly stood up and shuffled toward the cell door.

“Cut!”

“Luca, slow down the movement a bit,”

Director José shouted from behind the monitor.

“Got it.”

Luca reset, crouching back down in the corner.

“Scene 1, Take 2, Action!”

(End of chapter)

Chapter 317: Disappointing Box Office Performance

 "Cut!"

 "Scene 12, Take 8, Shot 4, done!"

 On the afternoon of June 4th, after nearly twenty days of filming, Luca had completed a little over half of his scenes.

 **Infernal Affairs** is a commercial blockbuster, so during filming, the actors' performances weren't held to very high standards. The director's team focused more on the actors' lines, looks, and actions than their acting skills.

 Luca, being an experienced actor with a solid background, didn't face any major difficulties during the filming process. 

"Mr. Kelly, there are two action scenes scheduled for tomorrow. Please be prepared in advance," the production assistant reminded him.

 "I understand!" Luca nodded. The action scenes involved two types of combat: hand-to-hand fighting and gunfights. 

 The crew had hired a Brazilian martial arts expert to train Luca and the other lead actors, while the gunfight choreography was done by action directors from Hong Kong. 

 He had practiced the fight scenes for two weeks, and there were no significant issues. 

 "Luca, are you ready to leave?"  

The director, Jose, came out while munching on a burger. He had been too busy to have lunch that day.

 "Let’s go!"

 Luca drove away from the set, heading to a theater on Atlantic Street to watch the newly released movie, **Saving Ronaldo**. 

 Luca hadn't had a chance to watch **Saving** after it was finished, so he invited Jose to come along.

 Once inside the theater, the two of them sat in the back row.

 The main auditorium of the Atlantic Street Theater was quite large, with seating for about 800 people. When they arrived, the movie was about to begin, and the auditorium was around 60% full.

 "The attendance isn’t bad!" Jose commented as he looked around.

 "Not bad at all," Luca replied. In Brazil, where movie-watching wasn’t all that popular, filling even half of the seats was considered decent.

 The movie started.

 The first thing to appear was the logos of the production companies: Marcel's VOD Film Company, Luca’s Toco Toucan Pictures, and Baragua Pictures. 

 Toco Toucan had invested $400,000, so their logo came second.

 *Click! Click!*

 An animated toucan appeared on the screen, snapping its beak twice as the company’s name appeared—a simple opening animation.

 *Clatter, clatter.* 

After the production company logos faded, the scene opened in the noisy backdrop of a casino in a Rio de Janeiro slum.

 The camera panned over hundreds of people: some were singing and dancing, others were drinking or using substances, and a few scantily clad women were gyrating wildly on a platform.

 The most chaotic scene was at the center table, where a group of gamblers were shouting excitedly. The gambler in the middle was a sweaty, middle-aged man, clutching some crumpled banknotes with bloodshot eyes, staring at the table with a crazed expression. This man was none other than Ronaldo’s gambling-addicted father.

 Unsurprisingly, he lost all the money he had borrowed, and in a desperate move, he stole some cash and tried to flee.

 This led to a chase scene, with the gambler running through the dark, narrow streets of the slum, while a mob chased him. The background music was fast-paced, like drumbeats—*da-da-da-da*—while production credits for the producer, director, screenwriter, and lead actors rolled on the screen.

 "Not a bad start, it’s very engaging!" Jose commented.

 Luca nodded in agreement. For this opening scene, he had drawn inspiration from an old Hollywood movie, using dark tones, heavy breathing, and rapid drumbeats to set the movie’s rhythm.

 Suddenly, the gambler screamed as he collided with his pursuers, causing laughter to erupt in the theater. 

Unfortunately for the gambler, he was caught, and the mob threatened to take his organs to settle his debts. Terrified, the gambler claimed that his son was a brilliant soccer player, and once his son became a star, he would surely repay the money.

 The scene transitioned to the third act, where Ronaldo was shown playing in a soccer match on the field, and the atmosphere in the theater became more lively.

 "Luca, is this Ronaldo related to the famous Ronaldo?" Jose asked.

 "Nope!" Luca naturally denied any attempt to piggyback on the famous Ronaldo’s name.

 "But the similarities are striking. In the movie, this Ronaldo grew up in the slums of Rio, with a gambling-addicted father, and incredible soccer talent. The real Ronaldo also came from a slum, had an alcoholic father, and both are dark-skinned. Are you sure there’s no connection?"

 Luca chuckled and shook his head. "In Brazil, there are over a dozen soccer stars named Ronaldo—Ronaldo Rodrigues, Ronaldo Guairo, Ronaldo Suarez… Want me to keep going?"

 The name Ronaldo is so common in Brazil that it’s said that when the legendary Ronaldo was born, both the doctor and the driver who brought his mother to the hospital were named Ronaldo. His father thought it was fate and gave him the name. 

Jose laughed. "I saw in the news that Ronaldo really admires Lima, but also called you a playboy who’s not worthy of her. Are you mad at him? Is this movie your revenge?" 

"Not at all. I’m not that petty." Luca had already heard about this from Lima. She and Ronaldo were actually distant relatives.

 Lima’s full name was Adriana Lima.

 Ronaldo’s full name was Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima.

 They shared the same last name, and about a hundred years ago, their families were related.

 "Whether or not you're petty, you better watch out for Ronaldo suing you for defamation."

 Jose warned.

 "Sue me? That might not be so bad. It would give us some free publicity!"

 "Haha!"

 The theater burst into laughter again as the protagonist outwitted a group of thugs in another scene.

 "I thought this was a crime film. I was hoping to get some ideas, but it’s more of a comedy," Jose remarked, rubbing his chin.

 "It’s not strictly a comedy. It’s more of a blend of gangster, comedy, sports, and romance."

 Jose nodded and continued watching the movie.

 Just as Luca said, the film had moments of laughter, but also brutal gang fights. In later scenes, two gangs went to war over Ronaldo, leading to heavy casualties and some very emotional moments.

 In the final scene, Macio, who played ‘Parrot,’ and other gang members were lying in a hospital, watching Ronaldo dominate on the soccer field on TV. They cheered and cried with joy, only to wince in pain from their injuries.

 The movie ended with a burst of laughter in the theater.

 "What did you think?" Luca asked.

 "It was good, but the shifting tones might keep it from doing well at the box office," Jose said thoughtfully.

 "Let’s hope we at least break even," Luca sighed. If the movie flopped, he might give up on Brazilian cinema altogether.

 Unfortunately, Jose was right. After **Saving** was released, it earned less than 2 million reais on its first day and only 8.05 million reais in its opening week. It lost out to Hollywood films like **The Day After Tomorrow**, **The Stepford Wives**, **Fahrenheit 9/11**, and **Mean Girls**, coming in fifth place.

 "Haha, Luca! You invested 6 million, and the first week brought in 8.05 million! You hit the jackpot!" Macio exclaimed excitedly, holding a newspaper.

 "Jackpot my foot!" Luca sighed. "52% of that 8.05 million goes to the theaters, 16% goes to the distributors, and the producers only get 32%. Of that 32%, I get just 12%, which is 966,000. But I invested over 1.8 million reais, plus the script. You tell me, did I make money or lose it?"

 "Lost money?" Macio blinked, suddenly worried. If Luca stopped investing in films, Macio would lose his chance at stardom.

 "Don’t worry, Luca. The box office will pick up in the coming weeks. You won’t lose everything."

 "Not likely," Luca said. Most films made the bulk of their money in the first week, and with rampant piracy in Brazil, the box office would probably plummet. The film was headed for a flop.

 "Maybe there’ll be a miracle?"

 "Just go back to your extra work," Luca waved him off, heading back to the set to continue filming.

 "Okay…" Macio walked away, dejected. 

The next day at noon, he bought a newspaper on his way to the set, eager to check the movie reviews and box office numbers. Suddenly, a headline on the entertainment page caught his eye: 

**"Ronaldo’s Management Team Files Complaint: **Saving** Damages Ronaldo’s Reputation; Demands Apology and End to Film’s Screening"**

 "What?!" 

 Macio’s face went pale as he read further.

 "Luca, bad news!" Macio burst onto the set, holding the newspaper.

 (End of Chapter)

Chapter 318: A Flurry of Actions, but Minimal Gains

After the release of the movie Saving Ronaldo, some media outlets reported that the main character's background, circumstances, and appearance closely resembled those of the real Ronaldo, suggesting that the film was trying to ride on his fame.

In the movie, the character of Ronaldo frequently swears, appears lustful, sleazy, and shameless, which seemed to hint at the real Ronaldo's womanizing past — including multiple divorces and frequent changes of girlfriends.

Given that the scriptwriter, Luca, had a personal conflict with Ronaldo, many in the media speculated that this film was Luca's way of seeking revenge.

Reporters interviewed both Ronaldo and Luca to hear their thoughts.

Ronaldo said, "Yeah, that kid can’t play soccer, but he's a master at riding coattails. This time, he's really ticked me off, and I’m going to teach him a lesson."

Luca responded, "I didn't do that. Do I, Luca Kelly, need to ride someone else's fame? That's completely ridiculous. Plus, Ronaldo is a national treasure of Brazil—why would I intentionally damage his reputation?"

When asked why the character in the movie resembled Ronaldo so closely, Luca replied, "It's simple. There are many football players from the favelas, and 'Ronaldo' is just a common name. This type of character is representative of many, and their stories are inspirational. To sum up, I wasn't mocking Ronaldo for being sleazy. If you don’t believe me, just go watch the movie—it’s really entertaining, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

Ronaldo's management company felt the movie damaged his image and demanded an apology and compensation from the production team. They also called for Saving Ronaldo to be taken down early, threatening to file a lawsuit in Rio's court if their demands weren't met.

The film company behind Saving Ronaldo defended their decision, stating that using the name "Ronaldo" was a tribute to all footballers with that name and denied any harm to Ronaldo's reputation. They also welcomed any legitimate legal action from Ronaldo's team.

Ronaldo’s management team retorted, "Not apologizing? Just you wait. We’ll sue you into bankruptcy."

The film company responded, "Alright, we're waiting!"

With both sides trading verbal jabs, the situation quickly turned into a heated public spat. The involvement of such big names, Ronaldo and Luca, immediately turned this into a major national news story, even making international headlines.

Seizing the momentum, Luca and the movie company used the publicity to promote Saving Ronaldo.

By the second week, Saving Ronaldo’s box office surged rather than declined, bringing in an additional 15.42 million reais, catapulting it to second place for the week, just 3 million short of The Day After Tomorrow.

“Hahaha, Luca! With 15.42 million this week, plus the first week’s earnings, that’s over 23 million! We should be making a profit now, right?”

Masio, ecstatic, started doing a samba dance on the lawn.

Luca shook his head. “You’re oversimplifying it. You think all this media hype is free? We’ve spent over 5 million so far, and we’ll need to spend millions more, possibly over 10 million.”

“Over 10 million? Why so much?” Masio was shocked.

“Ha, you’ll understand in a few days.”

On the 16th day of the movie's release, the Rio de Janeiro court ruled on the Saving Ronaldo defamation case.

The court found that the character "Ronaldo" in the movie was entirely fictional and bore no factual connection to the real Ronaldo, thus ruling that the film had not violated Ronaldo's rights.

After the verdict, media headlines declared, "Ronaldo Loses."

A reporter caught up with Ronaldo and asked how he felt. With a grim face, Ronaldo replied, “I haven’t lost yet. We’re going to keep appealing until we win.”

The reporter, thrilled by the prospect of ongoing drama, knew this story could continue, meaning more bonuses that month.

But the next developments left them stunned.

The very next day, Saving Ronaldo's producers and distributors announced that they would be donating 20% of the movie's box office earnings to improve sports facilities in underprivileged areas and sponsor young athletes from the favelas. The initiative was aptly named “Saving Ronaldo’s Football Dream.”

This caused a media frenzy.

With Saving Ronaldo’s current box office earnings, 20% equaled over 4 million reais—a significant sum.

“Luca, why are you donating the money? Have you gone crazy?!” Masio was dumbfounded after seeing the news.

“This is marketing. What do you know?” Luca said, setting aside his script.

“Marketing? That’s over 4 million! Won’t we lose money by donating it?”

“Relax. Sometimes, taking a loss is the best way to win.”

Soon, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Sports praised the filmmakers for their public-spirited efforts, calling it a responsible and conscientious act.

The public also responded positively, flocking to theaters to support the film, with daily ticket sales breaking 500,000 for the first time, and the box office surging by 3.28 million reais.

Before the media buzz could die down, the next day, Brazil’s Observer newspaper reported a jaw-dropping story—Ronaldo and Luca had gone to see Saving Ronaldo together.

According to the reporter, he was at the cinema when he spotted the two stars, Luca and Ronaldo, walking and laughing together like good friends.

After the news broke, Ronaldo was asked about the situation. He explained that he had known Luca from their time together on the national football team. He said, "Luca was a promising young player. I wanted to take him on as an apprentice, but unfortunately, he got injured, which was a real shame!"

Luca: (_)

Ronaldo also praised Saving Ronaldo, calling it “a great film—full of passion and humor. Every Brazilian who loves football should see it.”

Thanks to Ronaldo’s endorsement, Saving Ronaldo’s box office didn’t just remain steady in its third week—it shot past 20 million, grossing 21.22 million and overtaking The Day After Tomorrow for the top spot.

With a cumulative box office of 44.3 million reais, the film was now a massive hit.

In 2003, the box office record for Brazilian films was held by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with 65 million, and the highest-grossing domestic film was The Man Who Copied with 38 million.

After just three weeks, Saving Ronaldo had already grossed over 40 million, with a strong chance of becoming the top-grossing domestic film of 2004, and possibly even challenging for the overall box office crown.

For a movie that had only cost 6 million reais to make, grossing 44 million in three weeks made it a clear "dark horse."

Saving Ronaldo was now officially a box office sensation.

Media outlets were already calling it a "box office miracle."

In its fourth week, Saving Ronaldo pulled in another 11.5 million.

"Only 11.5 million?" Luca was puzzled when he received the latest box office figures on Monday. "With all the press coverage, how is the box office dropping so quickly?"

"Piracy!" his administrative assistant pointed out. "Mr. Kelly, according to our research, nine out of ten viewers who’ve seen Saving Ronaldo watched a pirated version. The longer it's in theaters, the more piracy spreads. Expect an even bigger drop next week."

The assistant was right. In its fifth week, the box office dropped to just 4.6 million, barely crossing the 60 million mark.

After five weeks, the movie’s run was essentially over, and Saving Ronaldo was pulled from theaters with a total box office of 60.85 million.

Luca did some quick calculations—he’d personally take home about $1.2 million from this project.

He had invested $400,000, plus the script, marketing efforts, time, energy, and reputation, only to make a profit of $800,000.

In reality, the deal had been a loss.

“All that effort, only to make two cents on the dollar,” Luca thought, on the verge of tears after all the work he had put in.

Now he was starting to worry about the box office prospects for Infernal Affairs.

After nearly two months of shooting, his scenes were finally wrapped.

During filming, everything had gone well—the footage was of high quality and not inferior to the original. He had been hopeful that this film would break domestic box office records.

But after seeing the box office trends for Saving Ronaldo, his ambitions weren’t quite so high anymore.

"Mr. Kelly, we’ve arrived at Flamengo Pier," the driver reminded him as the car came to a stop.

“Alright.”

The movie had been a huge hit, and multiple companies had made a lot of money. A celebration party was inevitable. The company had rented the Royal Leo yacht and invited industry insiders to join in.

Luca, being the star behind the movie’s success, was naturally expected to attend.

“Luca! Hurry up! We've been waiting for half an hour!” Masio waved from the pier.

Today, Maceo also came.

Recently, "Rescue" has been a big hit, and both the lead and supporting actors have gained fame. Maceo did well in the movie, showing some standout moments.

With Luca's support, Maceo has gained some modest popularity, becoming somewhat of a fourth-tier actor.

Maceo was accompanied by his girlfriend, Caroline.

The two of them walked hand-in-hand—he was in a suit and tie, and she was in an evening gown. They looked like a good match.

"Why wait for me? You guys can go ahead."

Luca greeted Caroline and said.

Maceo chuckled, "Come on, we're all in this together. We’ll wait and go up with you!"

Heh.

Luca didn’t believe it. Originally, Maceo had said they'd arrive together, but then he came early to join in the fun. Now he's saying they should go up together—was he just trying to ride the wave?

Luca glanced at Caroline. This was probably her idea.

Luca didn’t mind though. Maceo wasn’t the sharpest, so having a clever woman around wasn’t a bad thing.

The three of them reached the dock and boarded the Royal Leo cruise ship together.

Tonight's party was being held there.

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 319: Luca's Warning*

"Luca has arrived!"

"Mr. Kelly is here!"

"Hello, Mr. Kelly, I’m Morena Baccarin. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

When Luca and his two companions stepped onto the deck, the party guests gathered around them. There were several film producers, directors, heads of distribution companies, general managers of cinema chains, and various celebrities from the entertainment industry.

Everyone warmly welcomed his arrival.

At this point, Luca was not only the most famous actor and screenwriter in the industry, but also the owner of Bigmouth Bird Pictures. The huge success of Rescue had brought Bigmouth Bird Pictures into the spotlight and into public view.

More importantly, the success of Rescue was inseparable from Luca’s planning.

People from film companies wanted to collaborate with him and make money together.

Celebrities in the industry also wanted to get on his boat—if they caught his eye, they might even go to Hollywood and earn U.S. dollars. After all, Luca was a B-list Hollywood actor, which was a rare achievement in Brazil, or even all of South America.

Luca understood everyone’s thoughts but didn’t reject them. He held his wine glass and greeted people one by one.

"Look at Luca, surrounded by stars—that’s what you call a big star!"

Not far away, Caroline gazed enviously at Luca in the crowd.

Maceo shrugged. "Yes, he’s a Hollywood star. Everyone wants to make it big with him in Hollywood."

"Don’t you want to go?"

"I used to, but not anymore."

"Why?"

"Because of you, of course!" Maceo laughed, putting his arm around her shoulders.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Didn’t you want to be a big star earlier? Now’s your chance—you should stick by Luca’s side and get to know some of the industry’s big names. It would be very helpful for you."

Maceo’s eyes brightened as he looked toward Luca, but then he shook his head. "Nah, I’m just a small-time actor. I wouldn’t even get a word in with them."

"But you’re Luca’s cousin! If you’re by his side, he’s sure to introduce you."

"No need, no need. Everyone already knows about my relationship with Luca. There’s no point in trying too hard."

"You’re so lazy!" Caroline shook her head, pulling him forward.

When the two walked over, Luca was talking with Marcel and two other film company representatives.

"Rescue's box office numbers are a bit inflated. Given the current state of the domestic market, without the hype, the film would have barely made $30 million at the box office. So, while we made money this time, we might not be so lucky next time," Luca said, holding his wine glass.

"We can just hype the next one again," the chairman of Paragua Pictures said.

"It’s not that simple," Luca shook his head. "This time, we found a good angle to break through and stir up a buzz. Can we guarantee we’ll find something just as good next time? Movies ultimately rely on quality."

"True!" The people around him nodded in agreement.

"Luca, did you plan to use 'Ronaldo' for promotion when you were writing the script?" Marcel asked with a smile.

"Of course not. When I was writing the script, I didn’t think that far ahead. I just thought the name Ronaldo would sound like someone great at soccer."

"Hahaha!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

"So the lawsuit with Ronaldo was just a publicity stunt? I thought it was real!" Caroline whispered behind them.

"It was real at first, but Luca seized the opportunity to hype it up and turned it into a hot topic," Maceo said, smirking.

"How did Luca get Ronaldo to agree to help with the promotion?" Caroline asked, puzzled.

"Of course, he was compensated," Maceo gestured.

"That much?!" Caroline gasped, covering her mouth.

"Haha, well, it’s Ronaldo," Maceo laughed.

"Shh, listen, they’re talking about a new project," Caroline reminded him.

Maceo, interested in the new project, focused on their conversation.

"A new project? As you all know, I’m still working on a project with Rio Pictures, and I don’t plan to start anything new in the near future," Luca said, shrugging.

"Mr. Kelly, could you at least write a few scripts for us? We’re willing to pay top dollar for your work," Marcel offered.

"Yes, Mr. Kelly, your scripts are always great. I heard you wrote Goal and Soccer Babe, which just premiered. You’re amazing!"

"Wait, Soccer Babe was written by Mr. Kelly too? Wow, I heard it came second in the U.S. box office!"

"Mr. Kelly is so talented!"

Since Buried became a hit, Luca’s screenwriting talent had spread throughout the industry.

Recently, Goal and Soccer Babe had also achieved decent success.

Now, whenever the news reported on Luca, they’d call him a famous screenwriter, praising his talent. He was often referred to as the brother of the famous writer Kate Kelly.

Luca smiled lightly, not caring much about these flattering titles.

"I do have a few new scripts, but they’re more artistic and likely to win awards rather than make money. Are you still interested?" Luca asked.

"Uh..." The others hesitated. Their goal in making films was to make money, not win awards—although winning awards would be nice too.

"Mr. Kelly, do you have any scripts similar to Rescue? I’m willing to pay Hollywood prices for them," Marcel said seriously.

"Hollywood prices?" Luca raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I’m considered a famous screenwriter now. My scripts in Hollywood go for between $200,000 and $500,000. Are you sure you want to buy one of mine?"

Marcel frowned. Are Hollywood scripts really that expensive?

"Marcel, I understand what you’re saying. Rescue was a hit, so making a few more films in the same vein could definitely be profitable. But the budgets for these follow-up productions should be kept under $500,000. Using one of my scripts isn’t cost-effective. However, if you insist, I can write a few," Luca said slowly.

Writing scripts was mentally exhausting, and it didn’t make much money. He wasn’t very interested in copying scripts anymore.

Moreover, during the production of Rescue, Marcel and his team often acted unscrupulously, attracting police attention more than once.

Luca didn’t want to continue working with them and risk getting into trouble.

After hearing this, Marcel quickly backed off, saying they’d work together again if the opportunity arose. The others chatted for a bit before dispersing.

"Luca, are you done writing scripts?" Maceo asked, stepping forward.

Luca glanced at him. "What’s your rush? When I have a project, there will definitely be a role for you. Also, I’m heading back to the U.S. soon, and before I leave, let me give you a piece of advice: Don’t get too close to Marcel and his crew. It won’t do you any good."

Maceo nodded. "I understand."

After chatting for a bit on the deck, more people approached Luca for business, and he had to step into the main cabin to continue navigating through the crowd.

Three days later, after finishing his business in Brazil, Luca boarded a United Airlines flight.

He had originally planned to stay in Brazil for a few more days, but things changed. Jolie’s involvement in Pitt and Aniston’s relationship had just been exposed, and the couple was in a crisis.

Unfortunately, a newspaper dug up his old rumors with Aniston, blaming him for being the key figure in the Pitt-Aniston crisis.

As a result, he had to return early.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 320: To Go or Not to Go?*

"Yes, Kate, I've landed and will be out soon."

On the afternoon of July 5th, Luca walked through the exit channel of Los Angeles International Airport, pulling his luggage and talking on the phone.

"I'm at the fourth exit. What? You're still more than ten minutes away? You know what, don’t bother coming. I'll just take a taxi."

As he spoke, a sudden commotion erupted ahead.

"Luca is out!"

As soon as he reached the exit, dozens of reporters swarmed him.

"Mr. Kelly, may we have an interview?"

"Luca, rumors say you're getting close with Aniston. Is that true?"

"Mr. Kelly, some claim that your involvement caused a marriage crisis between Pitt and Aniston. Do you admit to this?"

The reporters bombarded him with questions, their cameras firing off rapidly.

"Getting close? Marriage crisis? What the hell is all this?"

Luca was completely baffled.

"Luca, what’s happening?" Kate asked on the phone.

"There are reporters trying to interview me. I'll talk to you later."

Luca hung up the phone.

"Mr. Kelly, hello, I’m Bimos from The Hollywood Reporter. What’s your take on the recent rumors about Pitt's marriage?"

A greasy-looking reporter asked loudly.

"Marriage rumors? Sorry, I just got back from Brazil, and I don’t know anything about that."

Luca shrugged.

"Luca, there are reports saying that your involvement with Jolie caused Pitt and Aniston's marriage crisis. How do you explain that?"

Another reporter, wearing a Hollywood Star Weekly badge, shouted.

"Nonsense. I have a girlfriend, and I have my own life. I’ve never interfered in anyone’s relationship," Luca responded with a dark expression.

"Mr. Kelly, are you denying that you interfered in Britney and Justin’s relationship?"

"Yes, and after filming Honey last year, did Jessica Alba break up with her boyfriend because of you?"

A few reporters, clearly with bad intentions, continued to shout.

"None of that has anything to do with me. If you insist on blaming me, I have the right to sue for defamation."

Luca coldly stated.

He could tell these people were trying to smear him on purpose, so he ignored them and kept walking.

But the reporters didn’t want to let him go, continuing to follow him.

"Mr. Kelly, we have a picture of you and Aniston. Were you on a date?"

One of the reporters opened a newspaper, showing a front-page photo of Luca and Aniston having coffee together. The sunset reflected on the window, casting a romantic glow over their conversation, making it look intimate.

Luca glanced at it. "Ms. Aniston and I were only discussing a new movie. We were not on a date. I don’t see what the issue is."

"What new movie?" a reporter quickly asked.

"No comment!"

Luca spotted Jenna approaching with her team and quickly broke through the circle of reporters, getting into the Mercedes van.

Inside, Kate and Miranda were sitting, smiling at him.

"Welcome back, emotional wrecking ball!" Miranda Kerr teased with a playful laugh.

"Emotional wrecking ball? What is that supposed to mean?" Luca asked, frowning.

"Haha, look at this! The news says you're responsible for several couples’ relationship problems. First, it was Britney and Justin, then Gisele and Leonardo, and now you're about to ruin Pitt and Aniston. Wow, Luca, you're really something!" Miranda waved the newspaper, laughing.

"That’s nonsense!" Luca grabbed the paper and skimmed it.

It really did say that. The article used phrases like "according to reports," "speculation," and "allegedly" to blur the facts without violating any legal boundaries. Even with the vague wording, it was clear who they were talking about.

"This is a total smear job!" Luca angrily tossed the newspaper aside.

"Yeah, the recent news has been weird. It seems like someone’s targeting you," Kate handed him a few more newspapers.

Luca skimmed through them. In over 60% of the entertainment sections, the same story was being reported: "Jolie interferes, Aniston and Pitt's marriage in crisis."

At the beginning of the year, rumors had surfaced about Pitt and Jolie's close relationship, even suggesting secret dates, though both denied it. In an interview, Pitt clarified: "Jen and I are the real deal. Jolie and I are just work colleagues. There's nothing more."

Last month, at the Cannes Film Festival, Pitt and Aniston attended the global premiere of Troy, walking the red carpet hand in hand, seemingly in love, dispelling the divorce rumors to some extent.

But shortly after, a tabloid published a photo.

A paparazzi caught Jolie and Pitt on a date with a child, which shocked the world, and rumors of a marriage crisis between Aniston and Pitt spread like wildfire.

The story was heating up, with media outlets around the world competing to report on it. Some criticized Pitt, calling him irresponsible, while others labeled Jolie as a homewrecker, and many sympathized with Aniston.

All three were huge stars, and the media frenzy was intense.

"This was two weeks ago. Check out the more recent papers," Kate handed him a few more.

"What’s the problem?" Luca asked as he read.

"The problem is huge. Two weeks ago, the media focus was on those three. Pitt and Jolie were criticized, and Aniston got sympathy.

But last week, the papers started mentioning you, claiming that you caused Pitt and Aniston to fight, leading to Pitt dating Jolie.

Some outlets even dredged up your old rumors with Britney and Gisele, saying you’re the 'emotional wrecking ball' responsible for Aniston and Pitt’s marriage breaking down."

Luca flipped through the recent papers. Kate was right; earlier stories had mostly attacked Pitt and Jolie, but now he was being dragged into it.

Some papers brought up his rumored fling with Aniston, while others implied a secret affair between the two, painting Pitt as the victim.

Other reports accused him of ruining the relationships of pop and movie icons, branding him as some sort of emotional saboteur.

"This is all nonsense! I’ve spent most of this year in Brazil. How could I be involved in their marriage problems?"

Luca said, clearly frustrated.

He’d intentionally stayed in Brazil to avoid any trouble, but no matter how careful he’d been, he still ended up taking the blame.

"Dragging you into this benefits Pitt the most. This probably has something to do with him," Kate said, thoughtfully rubbing her chin.

"Pitt?"