311-315

Chapter 311: The Scumbag is Exposed

That evening, the study was brightly lit.

At the computer desk, Luca was chatting with Chen Shijun in San Francisco.

Chen Shijun had some news for him.

Yesterday, representatives from Oaktree Capital, a well-known Wall Street investment firm, had approached him. They wanted to invest $10 million in YouTube, in exchange for an 18% stake.

Chen Shijun was asking for his opinion.

Luca firmly declined.

YouTube was founded in September last year, and in October, the first video was uploaded: a street dance performance by Luca in San Francisco’s Ocean Park Plaza.

In just six months, YouTube had grown to host over a million videos, with over 200,000 daily visitors and 50,000 people uploading videos. On average, over an hour of content was being uploaded to the site every minute.

Among short video platforms, none could currently rival YouTube, including newly founded competitors like MSN-Video and Google Video.

YouTube's growth was thriving.

Luca didn’t want to sell the site prematurely at a low price.

Chen Shijun and the others supported his decision, as they too saw the potential of short-video sharing websites. Allowing capital to control the platform too early could hinder its healthy growth.

However, running a video site was incredibly expensive, and without revenue, Luca had to continually inject funds to keep it afloat.

So far, he had invested over $5 million into the platform.

"I’m starting to feel the pinch," Luca sighed softly.

Most of the money he made last year and this year had gone into the site, and now both the company’s account and his personal funds were running dry. The pressure was building.

“What are you up to?”

Kate walked in, holding a glass of red wine.

“Watching videos.”

“Which one? Is Miranda’s video still number one?”

Kate leaned on his shoulder as she asked.

“Unfortunately, no. Britney uploaded a dance video two days ago, and it’s racked up 39 million views, bumping yours to second place,” Luca replied with a slight smile.

Last Wednesday, Miranda had uploaded a behind-the-scenes video of a fashion show, featuring 12 supermodels and over 40 top models. The video, titled “Supermodels Changing Backstage,” instantly drew viewers’ attention with its tantalizing title, driving millions of clicks in just three days.

However, Britney’s video was slightly more popular.

In her video, Britney wore a white tube top and baggy sweatpants, dancing a sexy and captivating routine to a Michael Jackson song in a rehearsal room.

At the end of the video, a familiar figure suddenly appeared next to her. Wearing a bowler hat and a yellow jacket, this person joined Britney in dancing.

The person only danced for 18 seconds before leaving, never revealing their face.

But everyone believed that person was Michael Jackson.

Because of this speculation, people watched the video repeatedly, and the views skyrocketed.

“Was that really Michael Jackson?” Kate asked after watching.

“Yes, they met at a charity event, and Britney invited him to shoot this video,” Luca explained.

“Britney’s expression is so funny; she seems like she’s judging Michael’s dancing,” Kate laughed heartily as she watched.

“Britney likes to joke around,” Luca chuckled.

“That’s cool! This site is cool too. When I told people you created it, they were all shocked,” Kate smiled, letting go of the mouse.

Luca shrugged, “Yeah, it’s cool, but running the site is expensive. Joseph just asked me for more money, but I’m out of cash. I’ll need to dip into your account this time.”

Joseph was the executive director Luca had appointed to run YouTube.

“No problem!”

Their finances were shared, and Kate didn’t care about money.

“By the way, I have some good news for you,” she said with a smile.

“What is it?”

“Remember the emoji series?” Kate asked. “Since last year, several tech companies have been trying to buy the rights to it, but their offers were too low. Martina suggested we hold off for a better deal.”

Martina was their financial manager.

“Well, she was right. Yesterday, Google approached her and offered $1.2 million for the emoji series.”

“$1.2 million?” Luca raised his eyebrows, surprised. “It’s worth that much?”

“Yes, and Martina thinks we can negotiate for more,” Kate said with a grin.

“Great! I’ll have some spending money soon,” Luca smiled.

“Okay, that’s all for now. I’m going to bed,” Kate stretched lazily.

“Wait, Kate, one more thing,” Luca said, opening a document on his computer. “I’ve written another novel recently. Want to read it?”

“Another erotic novel?” she teased.

“Of course not! It’s a serious romantic love story about a young girl taking care of a paralyzed guy and falling in love with him.”

“A paralyzed guy?” Kate raised her eyebrows. “Is this about you? Are you writing a memoir?”

“Read it first!” Luca smiled mysteriously, making room for her at the desk.

“Me Before You,” Kate read aloud as she sat down and started reading.

The story follows Louisa, an ordinary girl from a small town who loses her job at a restaurant and ends up caring for Will, a quadriplegic man.

Will, a wealthy and handsome man, becomes cynical and withdrawn after a car accident leaves him paralyzed. Despite his initial bitterness, a beautiful love story unfolds between him and Louisa.

In the end, Will dies, and Louisa’s life changes forever.

This novel was both romantic and deeply emotional, eventually becoming a bestseller on platforms like Amazon, selling millions of copies. It was later adapted into the film Me Before You, with Emilia Clarke, known as Daenerys from Game of Thrones, starring as the lead.

Luca had recently remembered the movie and decided to try his hand at writing the story. Given his own experiences, writing about the male character came naturally. He planned to make this Kate’s second novel.

Suddenly, before she had even finished three chapters, Kate began to cry.

“What’s wrong?” Luca asked, taken aback.

“The male lead—he’s you, isn’t he? Did you ever think about ending it all, too?” Kate sobbed as she wiped away her tears.

Luca shook his head with a smile. “Kate, it’s just a novel.”

“I’m so sorry, darling. I shouldn’t have been so focused on my work back then, leaving you alone in the hospital,” Kate cried, hugging his waist.

Luca rubbed his forehead. This was a major misunderstanding.

But the truth was, back then, Luca did have suicidal thoughts. Once a shining star on the soccer field, he had been just a step away from joining a prestigious team. But after a car accident left him disabled, he was confined to a wheelchair. The memory of that dark time still haunted him.

“Kate, it’s all in the past,” Luca sighed, gently patting her on the shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, darling,” Kate cried softly in his arms.

“Luca, are you bullying Kate?” Lima walked in and asked.

“Would I dare?” Luca shrugged. “She’s crying over a novel.”

“Really? I want to read it too!” Lima hurried over to comfort Kate.

The two women sat together reading the novel, wiping their tears and fully immersing themselves, imagining Luca as the male lead.

When they finished, they both demanded to know: who was ‘Louisa’?

Luca insisted she was fictional.

Kate didn’t believe him and called Aunt Regina.

During his hospital stay, Aunt Regina had cared for him most of the time.

After thinking for a moment, Aunt Regina did remember someone—a nurse Luca had dated briefly while in the hospital.

They broke up after he was discharged.

Kate and Lima immediately concluded that Luca had dumped ‘Louisa’ after recovering.

“You scumbag, you can sleep alone tonight!” Kate declared.

Bang!

Lima slammed the door.

(O╥﹏╥)o

Luca touched his nose, deeply regretting his choice. There were two more manuscripts on his computer—why did he have to show this one first?

Talk about digging his own grave!

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 312: Playing Tennis with Scarlett*

Since there was nowhere else to sleep, Luca decided to crash on the couch for the night. The sofa was big, wide, and soft, and he slept soundly until morning. When he woke up, his back didn’t hurt, his legs felt fine, and he felt energized, as if he’d saved a million bucks.

After breakfast, he changed into his sports gear: a blue tennis T-shirt, white athletic shorts, and Nike sneakers. Grabbing his tennis racket, he left the apartment.

Today, he had an appointment with a 70-year-old man. Just thinking about it wasn’t exactly exciting.

That man was Woody Allen, a prolific master director.

The buzz around Woody wasn’t so much about his movies as it was about the controversy of him marrying his adopted daughter, a Korean woman 36 years younger than him. This news caused a media frenzy a few years back.

Their meeting spot was set by Woody: the Fort Greene Sports Center in Brooklyn, where they were going to play tennis and chat about Woody’s new movie.

Woody didn’t mention what the movie was, but Luca had a good guess. It was probably Match Point, the suspenseful romance film that made Scarlett Johansson famous.

The movie is about a tennis coach who arrives in London, meets people from the middle class through tennis, and eventually climbs into high society through marriage, murder, and manipulation.

The film explores themes like chance, luck, human nature, and ethics.

It was an intriguing movie and won several awards, but like most of Woody’s films, its box office performance was average—only $23 million in the U.S.

Luca wasn’t particularly ambitious about this movie. It would be great to get Woody’s approval, but if not, he wasn’t too concerned.

At 10 a.m., he arrived at the tennis courts of Fort Greene Sports Center.

There were 30 courts in total: 26 green clay courts for members and 4 hard courts for coaches.

It was Saturday, and the place was packed with people playing tennis.

As soon as Luca entered the sports center, he was greeted by a cacophony of sounds—balls being smashed, people shouting, and laughter filling the air.

Carrying his racket and drinks, he headed to court #6, the one Woody had booked.

Although he had arrived half an hour early, someone was already playing on the court.

On the left side of the court stood an old white man with graying hair and a thin frame.

On the right side was a young woman in a short-sleeved top and skirt, with a killer figure. Every time she swung her racket, her chest bounced, and her blonde ponytail whipped around.

The old man was none other than the famous director Woody Allen.

The young woman? Scarlett Johansson.

She was 21 years old, known for her resemblance to Marilyn Monroe, and had already starred in several films, including The Horse Whisperer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and Lost in Translation. Her acting skills were top-notch, and like Luca, she was considered a serious actor.

Scarlett was Woody’s favorite actress. They had collaborated on several films together, including Match Point, Scoop, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Woody had a knack for working with actresses.

In his films, Scarlett had transformed from a shy young woman into a full-blown sex symbol, reaching the peak of her beauty.

This was their first time working together.

What kind of chemistry would they create?

Smack!

As Luca walked onto the court, the two were deep in their game.

He didn’t interrupt, just stood on the left side, watching their movements.

Even though Woody was getting older, he was still in great shape. He moved quickly and had impressive skills, shouting and grunting with each shot.

Scarlett, on the other hand, wasn’t too shabby herself. She consistently hit the ball right back to Woody, all while bouncing around and showing off her stunning figure.

The two guys on the court next door gave up their own game to sit and watch.

Wham!

Maybe Luca’s presence was a distraction, but Scarlett missed a shot, sending the ball to his corner of the court instead of to Woody.

The light green tennis ball bounced and landed right in front of him.

“Nice shot!”

Luca grabbed the ball with a big smile. “Good morning, Mr. Allen. Am I late?”

“No, not at all. In fact, you’re early. If you’d come later, I could’ve played with Scarlett longer. Now that you’re here, Scarlett won’t want to play with me anymore,” Woody grumbled as he shook Luca’s hand.

Luca smirked. He was at a loss for words.

Yesterday, Woody had told him to come at 10:30, but it was only 10:00, and they were already playing.

There was no way Scarlett had shown up an hour early.

So, the truth was clear: Woody and Scarlett had agreed to meet before 10 a.m.

Why?

Could it be that this 70-year-old man had a thing for Scarlett?

Luca chuckled. “Sorry to interrupt your date, Mr. Allen. How about I run a few laps and come back at 10:30?”

“That sounds perfect. Eleven would be even better.”

Woody turned away with the ball in hand.

Luca laughed and turned to greet Scarlett. “Good morning, Scarlett!”

“Hi, Luca!”

Scarlett smiled at him, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“You play really well. How about we practice together later?”

“No problem!”

Scarlett laughed.

“Hey, Luca! It’s still my time. Can I get Scarlett back, please?” Woody called from behind, clearly annoyed.

“Alright, you two continue!”

Luca stepped back to the sidelines, focusing once more on watching the game.

In truth, tennis was most enjoyable when you were sitting on the sidelines, watching female players with their curvy figures in tight white skirts. It was a beautiful, sexy sight.

Smack! Smack!

After another ten minutes, Woody was panting, exhausted.

“I’m done! Need a break.”

Woody walked to the sidelines, where his assistant quickly handed him a towel and water.

“Luca, how’s your tennis game?” Woody asked as he wiped his sweat.

“Pretty good, though not quite pro level,” Luca replied confidently.

He hadn’t known how to play tennis before, but after buying his estate, he often played with a few women and Tom Hanks. Over time, his skills had improved, and he was now one of the best amateur players.

“Great! Play a match with Scarlett,” Woody suggested as he sat down.

“Alright!”

Luca looked at Scarlett, who smiled and nodded in agreement.

After she took a short break, they started playing again.

Both of them were young, so they played in sync. A single rally often lasted more than ten hits.

Luca had a slight edge in both stamina and skill. He went easy on Scarlett when returning her shots, and their game was full of excitement.

When Woody returned to the court, they switched to a practice mode, with both Luca and Scarlett as his partners.

The three of them played from just after 10:00 until 11:30.

By midday, the sun was blazing, and the group moved to a quiet wine bar.

They spent the afternoon chatting about life, work, filming, sports—just small talk between old and young.

Their meeting wrapped up around 2:00 p.m.

As he got into his car, Luca was puzzled. During the entire conversation, Woody hadn’t mentioned anything about the movie.

This left Luca wondering—was the meeting about the movie, or just a casual chat? Or maybe Woody was annoyed that Luca had interrupted his date with Scarlett, and now didn’t want to work with him?

Luca wasn’t sure, but he didn’t mind. If he got to work with Woody, great. If not, no big deal.

To his surprise, just three days later, Woody sent over a script for Match Point and asked Luca’s agent to sign a contract with DreamWorks.

“Did I just pass the audition?”

Luca was amazed as he held the script.

He’d put in so much effort trying to land a role in Pride and Prejudice, only to fail. Yet after one tennis match, he’d earned the approval of a famous director.

He chuckled. How interesting!

*Chapter 313: I Really Don't Know How to Flatter*

"Some say luck is more important than skill—they must have truly figured out life."

"There are moments in a match when the ball hits the net, and that moment can decide the outcome. If you're lucky, the tennis ball will bounce over, and you'll succeed. If not, you'll lose everything."

"If time flies by and you gain nothing, how long can you hold on before you try a new path?"

After receiving the script, Luca read it several times carefully and found it very insightful.

Woody Allen certainly lived up to his reputation as a master screenwriter, and as a 70-year-old veteran of life. His script not only showcased his talent but also reflected his deep thoughts on life. Many dialogues were filled with philosophy, metaphors, and satire, leaving a lasting impression.

In addition to the beautiful language, the structure of the script was brilliant.

The main character of Match Point, Chris Wilton, comes from a humble background. He meets a wealthy woman through tennis, marries her, and successfully enters high society. At the same time, he falls in love with the girlfriend of the woman's brother, played by Scarlett, and their affair heats up, eventually resulting in her pregnancy.

When the affair is about to be exposed, the main character reveals his dark side. He takes a shotgun and murders them both, including the woman carrying his child.

The murder scene was particularly well designed by Woody Allen. In a typical movie plot, if a character kills innocent people, especially his mistress and unborn child, he'd be portrayed as a monstrous villain. However, in Woody Allen's script, after Chris kills them, there is no graphic imagery. Instead, we see Chris, overwhelmed and in tears, feeling helpless and heartbroken.

This approach doesn’t make the audience hate him. Instead, it evokes sympathy and pity.

That’s the brilliance of a master screenwriter.

Luca felt that he was still a second-rate writer with a lot of room for improvement.

After finishing the script, Luca called Woody Allen to discuss the film and ask for some advice. The old man agreed and invited him over.

Woody Allen lived in a stylish two-story villa in the Brooklyn area, not far from Fort Greene Stadium. In the afternoon, Luca arrived with a bottle of Bordeaux as a gift and was greeted by Allen’s wife, an ordinary-looking Asian woman.

"Good afternoon, ma'am!"

Luca politely greeted her and handed over the wine.

"Mr. Kelly, please come in," she replied with a gentle smile. She had a calm and polite demeanor, a common trait among East Asian women.

"Finished reading the script?" the old man asked, coming out with his hands behind his back.

"Yes, Mr. Allen, but there are a few parts I don’t quite understand, so I came to ask for guidance!"

Luca followed him outside to the lawn.

"You didn’t understand it?" Woody Allen glanced at him sideways. "Aren’t you a famous screenwriter? Didn't you write Buried? I’ve seen your work, The Blind Side. I even borrowed a little from it. Did you notice?"

Luca was stunned. Why mention The Blind Side, and how did he "borrow" from it?

He thought about it carefully. There were some similarities, but it wasn’t exactly borrowing.

In The Blind Side, the opening scene is an intense football game that introduces the film’s theme. Similarly, Match Point starts with a tennis match, using the game as a metaphor to bring in the storyline—this is Woody Allen’s style.

In fact, The Blind Side had likely borrowed from Match Point, except that The Blind Side happened to come out earlier.

Luca awkwardly smiled and replied, “Mr. Allen, I’ve often watched your films while writing scripts. I learned a lot about narrative and structure from you.”

"Hmm!"

The old man nodded in satisfaction. No way could someone claim that Woody Allen borrowed from anyone else. He had been writing scripts for decades, each one a classic. It was others who borrowed from him.

"What part of the script don’t you understand? Tell me," he asked.

“There are three main parts, the introduction of Chris, the reunion of the male and female leads, and the murder scene.”

The two of them sat down under a tree, one old and one young, discussing slowly.

Luca asked three key questions: the introduction of the characters, their reunion after a long absence, and the design of the murder. These were particularly well-written parts, showcasing a high level of skill. While Luca could understand them, he wanted to learn more about Woody Allen's masterful techniques.

As expected, once Woody heard these points, he became excited. He sat down, explaining his design choices, his original thoughts, and alternate approaches. He spoke passionately, gesturing animatedly.

Luca nodded constantly, absorbing a wealth of knowledge.

Before this, he had been self-taught as a screenwriter, relying on basic materials. But after receiving guidance from a master, many things that had once confused him became clear.

“Luca, do you understand now?” Woody asked, holding a teacup.

Luca nodded. “This design is indeed more brilliant; it elevates the story. Your control over the plot, Mr. Allen, is truly remarkable. If I had written it, it probably would have ended poorly.”

"Haha, don’t feel bad. You’re young, and you’ve already learned so much from my script."

Woody patted him on the shoulder, giving him an encouraging look.

Luca quickly expressed his desire to visit often for more guidance.

The old man readily agreed.

“You’re pretty smart, hardworking, and you know how to flatter.”

"Um..."

Why did the conversation suddenly shift to flattery?

Luca felt a bit awkward. “Mr. Allen, I wasn’t flattering you.”

The old man chuckled and looked him up and down. “Kid, do you know why I gave you this role?”

“Why?”

Luca had been curious about the reason for days and had planned to ask.

“One reason is your eyes.”

The old man pointed at his eyes. “The eyes are the windows to the soul, and yours are full of ambition and desire—just like Chris Wilton.”

Luca blinked. Ambition and desire? Was that a compliment?

“Mr. Allen, there are countless young people in the entertainment industry with ambition and desire. I’m nothing special.”

"Yes, young people should be ambitious, but your eyes have a special quality, a certain intensity. My film needs that. The second reason..."

The old man paused, smiling at him. "I watched some of your earlier films. You were terrible in Honey and Mean Girls."

"Uh..."

So direct?

"But you were decent in The Notebook, and excellent in Buried. From your performances, I can see that you’re highly adaptable. Like a piece of raw metal, with the right blacksmith, you could be forged into something sharp. With a bad blacksmith, you’d just be scrap. I think I’m a pretty good blacksmith, so I chose to work with you!"

Luca nodded. So that’s how it was.

“And the third reason!”

“What?”

“I just like the look of you. That’s the most important reason.”

Woody Allen laughed, patting his shoulder.

“Like the look of me?”

Luca muttered to himself, "I thought you’d be jealous of my good looks ruining your dates."

"What was that?!"

“Uh, nothing!”

Luca had accidentally spoken his thoughts out loud.

“Hmph! You don’t know how to charm women yet. Back in my day…”

“What happened back then, Mr. Allen? Please continue!”

Luca asked eagerly.

“Hmph, like I’m going to tell you!”

The old man gave him a sideways glance and walked off with his hands behind his back.

Luca chuckled and followed after him.

It's said that Woody Allen used to be quite a ladies’ man. If Luca could learn a few tricks from him, today’s trip would be a huge win.

But Woody was tight-lipped, only talking about films and scripts, and nothing more about women.

Around four in the afternoon, Luca finally left, reluctantly, after getting a meal at the old man’s house.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 314: Desire Overcame Reason*

"How did your meeting with Director Allen go?"

Ed called to ask.

"It went alright, but I ended up freeloading a meal from him, and the old man seemed a bit upset," Luca replied, driving.

Ed laughed heartily. "You’re not exactly starving, so why mooch off someone else's meal?"

"Well, Mrs. Allen insisted I stay for dinner. I couldn't just refuse her kindness."

"This time, you made a mistake. East Asians often invite you to dinner out of politeness. You should never take it seriously!"

"Really? I’ll remember that," Luca chuckled.

"How did the contract negotiations go?"

Ed had gone to DreamWorks to discuss Luca's acting contract for Match Point, which was being produced by the studio.

"Not bad. After several rounds of negotiations, your salary has been set at $1.2 million."

"$1.2 million? Are you sure?"

"Yes, $1.2 million!"

"That's amazing!"

By Hollywood standards, C-list actors generally earn between $200,000 and $1 million, while B-list actors make between $1 million and $10 million.

"So, does this mean I’m officially a B-list actor now?" Luca asked excitedly.

"Yes," Ed replied, even more thrilled than Luca. "You’ve had a great year so far. Although you’ve only starred in one film, the box office results of the movies you've been in have been excellent. Even Step Up turned a huge profit. Just like the papers say, you’re a valuable actor. So overall, you’ve been upgraded to B-list."

"That's fantastic news!"

Even though $1.2 million was just the entry-level salary for B-list actors, it was still a significant milestone.

In Hollywood, there are countless C- and D-list actors, but far fewer B-list ones. To be a B-list actor meant you were part of the industry’s upper-middle class, and only around 400-500 actors maintain this status.

For Luca, a Brazilian actor, breaking into the B-list was no small feat.

He celebrated inwardly for a moment before calming down.

"But being a B-list actor isn’t the end goal."

There was still a long road to reach the top, where A-list and S-list actors reigned with salaries ranging from $1.2 million to $10 million or more.

Now composed, he shifted the conversation back to the specifics of his upcoming film.

The film had a budget of about $15 million and would be shot in London from July to August.

Luca thought about his schedule. Step Up was about to wrap up, and then he would head to Brazil to shoot Infernal Affairs, which would take one or two months, finishing just in time for Match Point in July.

After that, he would film The Break-Up with Jennifer Aniston, as well as work on Mr. Ross’s stage play and the movie The Man from Earth. It was going to be a busy year.

Arriving in Manhattan, Luca stopped by Walmart to buy fresh ingredients—seafood, fruits, vegetables.

Today was a day to celebrate, and he planned to cook up a feast.

Back home, he donned a pink apron and transformed into a master chef, preparing an array of classic dishes: Australian beef fillet, vinegar-pepper turkey, pan-fried T-bone steak in red wine, egg and bell pepper salad, fruit compote, kumquat-ginger almond salad, and chocolate fondue. The table was filled with a mouth-watering assortment of food from different cuisines.

"Wow, it smells amazing!" Miranda exclaimed as she came home, following the aroma to the dining table. She couldn’t resist reaching out for the food.

Smack! Luca lightly slapped her hand with his chopsticks.

"Did you wash your hands?"

He asked, feigning disgust.

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Luca, did you mess up again? Is that why you’re making all this food to apologize?"

Luca’s face darkened. Last time, due to the "Luisa" incident, he was almost banished by Kate and Lima. It took several home-cooked meals to win back their favor. Miranda had also enjoyed some of those meals, so seeing him cooking again, she naturally assumed he had made another mistake.

"My cooking has nothing to do with messing up. I have good news to announce, so I made all this to celebrate," Luca explained, not wanting to bicker with the young woman. He handed her a piece of pastry stuffed with hidden beef.

"What good news?" Miranda asked while munching, her eyes widening in surprise as she tasted the beef. "There’s meat! You’re so sneaky!"

"If you don’t want it, spit it out."

"No way! It’s delicious. I’ll just work out a little extra tomorrow."

Desire overcame reason, and Miranda happily continued eating.

Luca smiled. This girl was a foodie, and a bit lazy too. She had gained some weight recently, and if not for Nina keeping her in check, she’d have turned into a little chub by now.

"Luca, you still haven’t said what the good news is."

"Hold on, I’ll wait for Kate and Lima to get back first."

As he spoke, Kate and Lima walked into the dining room.

"Wow, Luca, why did you cook all this amazing food again?" Kate asked.

"And Miranda, you’re sneaking bites? Aren’t you afraid Nina will give you a death glare?"

"I’ll just work out an extra half hour tomorrow!" Miranda proudly declared.

"You said it, I’ll be watching," Kate teased before turning to Luca. "So, what’s the good news?"

"My new movie contract is signed. Guess how much my salary is this time?"

The three women exchanged glances.

"I’m guessing $500,000," Miranda ventured first.

"I don’t think it’s that high," Lima analyzed. "Luca’s a Brazilian actor who’s only starred in one movie so far. His overall influence is still modest, so I’d say around $200,000."

"Even $200,000 sounds like a lot," Kate chimed in. "The director is Woody Allen, a big name. Thousands of actors would jump at the chance to work with him, even for free. I’d guess around $50,000."

"That makes sense. I think $50,000 is fair."

"$50,000 still sounds high. Luca hasn’t had any roles recently. He’s been struggling to get cast, so maybe he got overly excited and agreed to a lowball offer. I bet $1 would seal the deal."

"Yeah, $1 sounds right."

The three of them turned to Luca with a grin.

"Luca, is your salary $1?"

"..."

Luca stared at them, feeling both amused and exasperated. "Am I that cheap?"

"Then how much are you worth?"

"Spit it out!"

"Or we’ll make you!"

The three women weren’t holding back.

Sigh... Luca shook his head, feeling a little defeated.

"Fine. My salary is... $1.2 million!"

"$1.2 million?!"

The room went silent.

"Wow, darling, that’s incredible!" The three women exclaimed in unison, rushing to hug him.

"Of course!" Luca grinned smugly.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 315: Surprise on the Plane*

After confirming the details for his new movie, Luca returned to the crew, busy with filming. The movie was nearing its end, with only a few final scenes to shoot.

"Luca, do you want to do a cameo?"

Director Annie approached him with the question.

In the final scene, the male and female leads are competing in a dance contest on stage, and there are a few entertainment agents in the audience, only appearing on screen for two seconds.

"No problem!"

Luca agreed. It was a simple scene where he just had to sit in the audience, watch the performance, and nod appreciatively when the camera panned to him—nothing too difficult.

"Cut!"

On May 8, the final scene wrapped, and Director Annie shouted into a megaphone,

"I declare that Step Up is officially a wrap!"

"Wow!"

"Awesome!"

"Finally, it's over!"

After two months of shooting, Step Up was finished. Despite the many ups and downs during production, the crew persevered, thanks to some divine luck.

The entire team cheered in celebration.

A few bottles of champagne were popped open, spraying across the set.

Some of the dancers broke into street dance routines, even pulling director Anne Fletcher into the fun.

The leads, Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, embraced, laughing and chatting.

The two had met on set and, after spending time together, had fallen into a passionate romance.

"It's finally over!"

Billy, watching the lively crowd, sighed.

Luca glanced at him, a smirk forming on his lips. "Billy, how do you feel about this moment?"

"No big feelings."

Billy wiped the sweat and oil from his face, grabbing a beer and chugging it down.

"Really, nothing?"

Luca picked up a beer of his own and clinked it against Billy's.

"Okay, fine. Maybe a bit."

Billy looked toward Anne, who was surrounded by people, and sighed. "If I had stuck it out, I would have been the happiest person here today. But I gave up."

"Sounds like you’ve done some reflecting!"

Luca teased. "But Billy, don't be too hard on yourself. We all get it. You’re a seasoned director with your own style and principles. If this movie clashed with that, no one blames you for stepping away."

"No, no. It was still my mistake. I always wanted to push myself, to become a legitimate film director. Step Up was a great opportunity, but I let it slip away. I gave up too easily."

Billy took another swig of beer and burped. "You were right when you said that opportunities change lives. I gave up on this one, so I guess I’m destined to be just an MV director for the rest of my life."

Luca shook his head. "Billy, opportunities don’t come just once. I heard Universal is gearing up to shoot Honey 2. Isn’t that your shot?"

Last year, Honey had been labeled a flop, but after several months, it made a surprising comeback in the DVD market, prompting Universal to greenlight a sequel.

As the director of the first film, Billy had a good chance.

Billy blinked his small eyes. What Luca said made sense—there was still hope.

"And if this movie does well, we’ll keep making more in this genre. You can try again. So don’t get discouraged; there will be plenty of opportunities."

"Really? That sounds great."

After the wrap, the crew threw a reception party at a hotel that night. Over a hundred people attended, drinking, chatting, and dancing in high spirits.

"Luca, when are you heading back to Brazil?"

By the floor-to-ceiling windows, Luca and Mr. Ross stood with wine glasses in hand, gazing out at the harbor, the night especially enchanting.

"Tomorrow!"

The crew of Infernal Affairs had been preparing for over two months, and the pre-production work was almost complete.

The filming was about to begin, and director Jose had been calling him nonstop, urging him to return.

"I wanted to introduce you to some of the crew members, but since you’re short on time, we’ll do it next time."

Mr. Ross said.

"Sounds good."

The crew Ross was referring to was for a Broadway stage play.

This time, Mr. Ross was collaborating with someone on a new production of Rabbit Hole.

Luca was cast as the second male lead, a young driver responsible for the death of the protagonist’s child. The role didn’t have many scenes, but stage plays were always challenging.

"Take the time to study the script and really get into the character. In a few months, we’ll be performing live. If you mess it up, don’t expect any special treatment just because you’re a big star."

"I’ll nail it!"

Luca raised his glass with a smile.

"Cheers!"

Mr. Ross, being older, didn’t enjoy such lively events. After a few drinks, he left the party early.

"Hey, Luca!"

After Ross departed, Anne approached with her own glass.

No one was more excited at the party than she was.

Step Up was her first directorial effort, and now that it was successfully completed, she had set aside her usual tough exterior, mingling with everyone, thanking them for their help, and even apologizing to those she had scolded. She also bid farewell to those who were leaving soon.

"Anne, how does it feel to direct your first film?"

Luca asked with a light laugh.

"Not much."

Anne paused, glancing sideways at Billy, who was walking over. She then loudly said, "Before I became a director, I thought it was really hard. But after directing this movie, I realized it’s pretty simple—anyone could have done it."

"Hmph!"

Billy, standing nearby, froze, his chubby face darkening.

"Did I say something wrong, Billy? The most important thing for a director is to direct the script. If you have a good script and still can’t shoot it well, what kind of director are you?"

"..."

Billy’s face turned red and white. He sighed softly and walked away.

Anne couldn’t help but laugh after driving Billy away.

"Luca, thank you."

"Thank me?"

"Yes, thank you for always supporting me and giving me advice during the shoot."

Anne said sincerely.

During his time with the crew, Luca had been incredibly hardworking, like a model worker.

He not only handled the screenwriting but also took on roles as a producer, assistant director, choreographer, and even took care of logistics and funding.

Without his help, Anne wasn’t sure she would have made it through.

"Anne, we’re partners. It’s what I should be doing."

Luca smiled lightly.

"Still, I want to thank you. It was a pleasure working with you."

"Same here!"

Luca raised his glass.

Ding!

The movie was wrapped, and the crew left Baltimore, returning to Los Angeles for post-production.

But that didn’t concern Luca; his work was done, and now his focus shifted to Brazil.

The next afternoon, he boarded a flight to Rio de Janeiro.

"Hey, Luca!"

In the business class section, Ambrosio sat with her long legs crossed, wearing a Bohemian-style chiffon dress, her golden hair flowing loosely, exuding a sensual vibe.

Seeing him walk in, she waved lightly.

"Is this a surprise?"

Luca took off his hat, a bit surprised.

A few days ago, he had called Ambrosio, asking if she wanted to fly back together, but she had said she’d return a few days later. He didn’t expect to see her today.

"Yes, how do you like it?"

Ambrosio looked at him with a flirtatious smile.

"It’s a great surprise!"

Luca sat down across from her. "Jamie didn’t come with you?"

Ambrosio’s face darkened with annoyance. "He cheated again, so I came back early."

"Really? Well, that’s good news!"

"Good news?! You’re terrible!"

Ambrosio shot him a glance, her foot brushing against his leg.

The business class cabin was mostly empty, and no one noticed their little interaction.

Rumble

The plane took off, soaring over the Atlantic Ocean. The sky gradually darkened, and passengers started falling asleep.

Ambrosio got up and walked to the restroom.

Luca looked around, then got up to follow her.

*End of Chapter*