241-245

*Chapter 241: Complaining to the Director*

"Luca, you seem a bit nervous?"

In the cinema lobby, Britney took off her hat and handed it to her assistant.

"Yeah, your fans are way too enthusiastic. I’m worried they might tear me apart."

"Only worried about the fans? Aren't you afraid Kate and Lima might beat you up?"

Britney burst into laughter.

Luca shook his head. He hadn’t hidden the incident of dislocating his finger from Britney.

After all, Britney was the girl in the rainbow dress.

He had to step in and talk to Britney on behalf of Kate and Lima, which led her to learn about the incident where he got hit.

"Britney, a lot of people are curious about who the girl in the rainbow dress is. Are you going to publicly admit it?"

Britney thought for a moment. "If I don’t admit it, that photo will remain full of possibilities. The girl could be anyone. If I reveal the truth, the picture would become boring."

"True, it's like the Mona Lisa’s smile. If we never admit anything, maybe one day, that photo will become a priceless piece of art."

The discussion about the photo had spread from Europe to the U.S. Many were guessing who the 'sun' was, and who was being embraced by that sun. Speculations swirled, but no one could find the answer, only fueling more curiosity.

"By the way, I’ve got a secret for you. I bought the original photo."

"You bought it?!"

Not long ago, the papers mentioned that a mysterious buyer had paid $100,000 for the original photo and the negatives.

At the time, Luca had scoffed, saying the buyer was being extravagant. He never expected the rich person to be right next to him.

Britney shrugged and smiled. "I love that photo—everything about that moment, that hug, that rainy night. It’s a memory worth keeping."

"Alright then!"

The two of them walked into the lobby together. Tonight was the premiere of Honey Dance Fever, and the theater’s walls were lined with large movie posters.

In the posters, Jessica Alba struck some provocative poses in her skimpy outfit, catching the eyes of many passing men.

In the top-left corner of the poster were two men: Luca and the male lead, Mechi.

Their images were small, serving as mere background.

"Luca, between Jessica and me, whose body is better?"

Britney stood beneath the poster, raising her chin.

"Of course, yours."

Luca didn’t hesitate. "Your figure is fuller. I like curvier girls."

"So, you’re saying I’m not as slim as her?"

Britney asked with dissatisfaction.

"Not at all. If you stood on stage and asked, 'Who in the world has the slimmest and hottest figure?' Nine out of ten would shout, 'Britney Spears, of course! She’s the sexiest, like an angel!' And the angels in paintings all have a little meat on them."

Luca imitated a high-pitched voice.

Britney laughed. "What about the tenth person? Why isn’t he shouting?"

"Because he's busy drooling!"

"Haha, that must be you!"

Britney pulled his arm over her shoulder, and they walked arm in arm into the screening hall.

The theater was lavishly decorated, with an IMAX screen that could seat over 800 people. Many films had held their premieres here.

When they entered, most of the seats were already filled with about 600 or 700 people, including the film’s crew, special guests, critics, and media.

"Britney, I’m so glad you could come!"

Billy, the director, warmly greeted them.

Many familiar faces came over to say hello, and soon Britney was surrounded by people.

"Felicia, Britney looks a bit off," Luca whispered to Britney’s chief assistant, Felicia, as he stepped back.

"Yeah," Felicia gazed at Britney in the crowd. "Her fourth album is about to release, but pre-sale numbers aren’t looking great. She’s probably feeling a little anxious."

"Is that so?"

Luca shook his head. There wasn’t much he could do about it. Besides buying more albums, he could only try to keep her company.

At 4:30 p.m., the movie officially started.

The first scene showed the female lead, Honey, working in a nightclub, with chaotic lighting everywhere.

"This music’s pretty good," Britney said, lounging against Luca’s shoulder as if they were at home, completely unconcerned that this was a premiere.

Luca wasn’t much of a music guy. He quietly said, "Billy, the director, is a music producer. Watch closely, I’m about to appear!"

"Really?"

Britney paused her nibbling and focused on the screen.

"Pfft—your look is terrible. You must have pissed off the makeup artist."

On-screen, Luca’s character Mike appeared with curly hair and big, thick glasses, severely downplaying his looks.

Luca shook his head. "I’m just a supporting character. I can’t be too eye-catching."

"But you’ll still stand out. At first glance, your look might be ugly, but the more people look at your face, your lips, your eyes, they’ll realize you’re quite handsome. It’s like, they can’t see it clearly at first, so they want a second, then a third look, until eventually, they can’t take their eyes off you."

Britney gripped his hand excitedly. "Honey, you’re irresistible."

"Am I really?"

Luca looked at his on-screen image, feeling a little embarrassed.

It was his first time acting, and his performance felt awkward, with stiff body movements.

"Luca, your face is very photogenic. The strong contours really grab attention. You’re a natural-born actor," Billy said softly beside him.

"Billy, it’s all thanks to your direction," Luca replied with a slight smile.

"You did a good job," Billy chuckled.

"This part’s bad," Britney leaned over and whispered sweetly into his ear, her voice carrying a faint scent of chips.

"What’s wrong with it?" Luca tilted his ear toward her.

"Your character is so handsome. If he’s talking to a girl in a nightclub, do you really think any girl would ignore him? That’s way too fake! If you showed up in a club, they’d be all over you."

"No way. Just the other day, I went to a model party with Kate and Lima, and all the models stayed far away from me."

"Haha, really?"

Britney covered her mouth, struggling to hold in her laughter.

"Yeah, because of all our rumors, I’ve now got several labels: jerk, demon, mooch. You really think I’m still attractive?"

"You blaming me?"

Britney raised an eyebrow.

"No, I’m getting what I deserve."

"Haha!"

Britney leaned against his shoulder, laughing uncontrollably.

Luca shot an apologetic glance at Billy.

Billy shook his head, smiling. "It’s great that she could come."

After laughing for a while, Britney straightened up and seriously watched the movie.

Luca started listening to the surrounding chatter.

Most of the comments were about how hot Jessica’s body was, how cool the street dancing scenes were, and how the kids did a great job.

But while there were positive remarks, the complaints outnumbered them. People said the plot was weak, the conflict too simple, and that Jessica’s dance moves were too stiff—she didn’t seem like someone who could choreograph.

They also criticized Luca's acting for being too forced.

Luca sighed inwardly, bracing for the criticism that would come tomorrow.

Slap!

Soon the scene came where Luca’s character got slapped.

On-screen, Jessica’s character shoved him away.

"Wow, Luca! If I were you, I would’ve taken her right on the pool table," Britney teased.

"This is a musical, not a crime movie."

Luca shook his head.

"So what? The plot of this movie makes no sense. You’re so handsome, and you haven’t done anything wrong. Why would Honey reject you? Isn’t she supposed to be ambitious? If I were the director, I’d have you go for it right here.

If you and Jessica had a steamy scene on the pool table, the box office would blow up."

Britney was excited.

Luca forced a smile. This wasn’t that kind of movie.

"Honey, how about we try the pool table tonight?" Britney suddenly leaned in seductively.

Luca shook his head. "Your knee’s not in the best shape."

"It’s fine, we’ll be careful. It’s settled."

Britney was thrilled.

Luca chuckled. Looks like he’d have to go along with it.

“Come back, Honey. They need you. And, well, I need you too,” Mike said on-screen, in a low and pitiful voice.

“Mike, you know what’s funny? The first time I met you, you were ten feet tall. But now, now you’re just... tiny.”

Mike’s face twisted with discomfort, but he forced a smile, his lips twitching awkwardly.

"Luca’s performance is pretty good!"

"Yeah, he’s really improved as an actor."

"Luca’s got talent."

People around were whispering.

"Hear that, Luca? They’re praising you!" Britney grinned.

Luca smirked.

Now he suddenly began to understand why some actors enjoy performing in art films. Art films are more challenging, allowing actors to feel their progress more keenly and providing a greater sense of accomplishment.

Unfortunately, when filming "Honey," Billy's standards weren't very high, so he didn't gain much experience from it.

Clap, clap, clap~

The movie soon ended, and the room erupted in lively applause.

Director Billy led the main cast and crew onto the stage to thank the audience.

Luca also stood up and applauded. Overall, it was a pretty good movie, a bit more refined than the original.

As for how the box office would do, Luca was curious, wondering if his involvement might make any difference.

"Come on, come on, tonight I’m the star!" Britney urged, tugging on his arm.

"Alright!"

Luca waved goodbye to a few people and quietly left with Britney.

Chapter 242: Are You Self-Deprecating?

Pant, pant~~

At night, in the villa, Luca lay on the pool table, staring up at the starry sky, drenched in sweat.

"How are you feeling?"

Britney was resting in the crook of his arm, her face flushed with a dreamy smile.

"Fantastic!"

Luca shifted his gaze from the stars to the beauty in his arms and gently kissed her hair.

"Yeah, it was great!"

Britney smiled, hugging his neck and snuggling closer to him.

Luca wrapped his arm around her shoulders, then lightly asked, "Britney, are you feeling down?"

"How did you know?"

"You were a bit wild just now!"

Luca pointed to his waist. "Almost broke it!"

Haha~

Britney burst into laughter, then sighed softly.

"Yeah, my album is about to be released, but the pre-sales aren't looking good.

In the past, two weeks before release, I’d have pre-sold three to four million copies. My second album reached six million, but now it's barely hit a million. But I'll get used to it."

Luca patted her on the shoulder.

Britney was trying to reinvent herself, aiming for a more mature and sexy image.

Unfortunately, her transformation wasn’t successful. Compared to Madonna’s sex appeal, she was still lacking.

With the current music scene being so competitive, many loyal fans had drifted away.

Britney was only 22, so feeling anxious about this transition was understandable.

Her future controversial actions would largely be influenced by this change.

Just like him, no one liked being the supporting role.

Luca thought for a moment, wishing he could come up with a good plan to help her maintain her stardom.

Unfortunately, he couldn't.

Britney's rise was heavily influenced by societal trends, and her decline was tied to them as well. The internet age was coming, and a few classic songs couldn’t change that.

"Britney, I'll always support you!"

Luca held her face tenderly.

"Thank you, darling!"

Britney clung tightly to him.

"Honey" was released, earning $15 million in its opening weekend, second only to Richard Linklater's "School of Rock".

It placed second on the weekend box office chart, making it another dark horse hit of the year.

With a production cost of under $17 million, its $15 million opening was quite a success.

However, the movie received terrible reviews, with a 17% approval rating and a 6.5 on IMDB.

"Haha, Luca, look at these newspapers, they think exactly like I do."

In the villa, Britney pointed at the news, laughing.

"Yep, you sure called it!"

Luca shrugged and picked up a paper, which was full of negative reviews.

The Hollywood Reporter commented that the movie felt like an extended MTV video, with nothing noteworthy except for Jessica Alba and the dancing.

The Chicago Sun-Times criticized the film, saying that while the music and dance were cool, the story was clichéd, and the plot thin, comparing it to Mariah Carey’s flop "Glitter."

Renowned film critic Robert wrote a lengthy review in The Los Angeles Times, tearing the movie apart from script to direction, narrative structure, and performances.

He wrote: "Honey is a poorly made, formulaic inspirational film. The writer tried to make the story more compelling by manipulating the inspirational angle, but the result was meaningless.

The film follows an ambitious girl, Honey, who works hard to become a star, eventually achieving her goal.

We've seen this storyline many times before.

However, in this film, the plot is riddled with inconsistencies. We learn Honey is ambitious, but we also see her doing ridiculous things.

Director Michael gives her his business card to work together, but after one call, she gets dismissed by a receptionist, so she throws the card away. This makes no sense for a character so ambitious.

And then there's Luca Kelly, who plays director Michael. He’s a good-looking, talented young man.

I have no idea why Honey rejected him. It’s not the kind of choice an ambitious girl would make."

"Luca, look at these!"

In the afternoon, at Ford Modeling Agency, Ed placed a stack of newspapers on the table, highlighting certain passages in bright colors.

"What’s this?"

"Criticism of you!"

Ed picked up a cigarette, sniffed it, and put it back in the box.

Luca chuckled and flipped through the papers.

In addition to criticizing the movie, many reviews targeted the actors.

Most praised Jessica’s figure in a sycophantic tone.

As for the male lead, Mekhi Phifer, and the young actor Lil, the reviews acknowledged their talent, saying they brought some joy to the film.

But Luca was harshly criticized, with the reviews tearing him apart.

The Hollywood Reporter bluntly stated: "A disastrous screen debut!"

At the premiere, Britney and Luca Kelly’s first public hand-holding caused a stir, drawing attention to the movie.

But Kelly’s debut was terrible — no, beyond terrible.

Though his character was made to look ugly, in reality, he’s a handsome man. This might mislead the audience into thinking he’d transform into a handsome prince by the end.

But no, the frog didn’t turn into a prince, and he even got slapped by the heroine."

The San Francisco Chronicle was blunt: "A model obsessed with tabloid rumors will never be a good actor."

They criticized Luca’s stiff acting, noting a slight improvement towards the end, but overall found it underwhelming.

Reportedly, Luca wants to transition into acting, but he needs to focus on acting, not scandals.

Apollo News commented: "Luca was a terrible choice. He’s a model, skilled at showing off his looks and physique. Casting him as the villain was a poor decision."

"What do you think?"

Ed tapped the table.

"They’re right. The role wasn’t for me. I’m too handsome,"

Luca said, rubbing his chin with a grin.

"You don’t mind?"

Ed raised an eyebrow.

Luca frowned, then laughed. "I’m just a supporting character, yet all these reviews treat me like the lead. It means I’m worth writing about. If there were no reviews at all, that would be bad."

Luca said casually.

"I’m not as optimistic as you. You’re still auditioning, and these negative reviews could affect how producers see you."

Luca fell silent.

He’d recently auditioned for several roles: a minor part in "Constantine", a key supporting role in "Phone Booth", and a second male lead in "Fantastic Four".

He didn’t get the "Constantine" or "Fantastic Four" auditions.

He made it through two rounds for "Phone Booth", but wasn’t sure if he’d land the role.

Now, with all the negative reviews, it seemed unlikely any director would take a chance on him.

Ring, ring~

The phone on the desk rang.

Ed picked it up, listened for a moment, thanked the caller, and hung up, his face somber.

"What’s up?"

Luca asked.

"The casting assistant from "Phone Booth" called. You’re not moving on to the next round."

Ed spread his hands.

Luca frowned. "Do you think someone’s sabotaging me to make sure I lose this role?"

"It’s possible. But the bigger issue is you. You’re too close to Britney. These rumors give you exposure, but they also create a lot of backlash."

Ed released the newspaper and spoke slowly.

Luca nodded. "I get it. I’ll be more low-key in the future."

"You? Low-key?"

Ed shook his head. "I don’t believe it."

He opened a folder and said, "Fashion Week is coming up. Armani and CK have a few shows in Los Angeles and New York. If you’ve got time, you should attend."

"OK!"

*Chapter 243: I Want to Have a Talk with You on Behalf of My People*

In the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and the temperature was around 93°F. The city, baked by the heat all day, felt stifling, with the air filled with car exhaust, as if flames were dancing in the sky.

Luca had left the office, wearing a baseball cap, a white T-shirt, and jeans, aimlessly wandering along Santa Monica Boulevard.

After reading the reviews earlier, his mood wasn’t as carefree as he appeared. He wasn’t just going to shrug it off; he was feeling a little down.

While filming Honey, he had enjoyed the process and got along well with the director, actors, and crew members.

He felt like his performance was decent, at least no worse than the original version.

But he hadn’t expected to receive so much criticism—almost half of the negative reviews of the movie were aimed at him.

Luca shook his head. To think he was “honored” in that way.

*Ring, ring, ring!*

His phone rang.

"Hey, Luca, got time?"

It was Billy on the phone.

"What's up?"

"Got time? Come to Wilshire Boulevard, I’ll treat you to a drink!"

"Wilshire Boulevard?"

Luca glanced up at the street sign—he was already at the shopping plaza on Wilshire Boulevard.

"Alright, I’ll be right there!"

He hung up, flagged down a cab, and set off.

From Santa Monica Plaza to Wilshire Boulevard was about three blocks.

The streets were lined with cozy and romantic cafes, restaurants, bars, and well-known American brands like Forever 21, A&F, and Gap. Affordable prices made it a shopper’s paradise.

On the Third Street Promenade, many street performers were putting on shows, attracting locals and tourists alike for a casual stroll.

On the promenade was a bar called Zinque, located above a theater. It was owned by a Frenchman and famous for its 200 wines, French sandwiches, and quiches.

The bar had a classy vibe, perfect for chatting.

In the afternoon, the bar wasn’t too crowded. Gentle music played, and the air was filled with the fragrance of wine.

"Luca, over here!"

Billy waved from a booth.

"Billy, what are you doing at a place like this?"

Luca was surprised. Billy was a party guy who usually preferred rowdy bars.

Billy laughed and poured a glass of red wine. "This place is perfect for a chat, don’t you think?"

"Chat with me?"

Luca smiled. "Congrats, Billy. Second in the weekend box office—a real dark horse!"

"Don’t even mention it. The box office might be decent, but the reviews are terrible. I’m getting roasted alive!"

Billy sighed.

"You think that’s bad?"

Luca pointed at his own face, looking defeated.

Billy paused, then burst out laughing. "Thanks to your sacrifice, the movie got a lot more exposure!"

"You’re welcome."

Luca smirked and clinked his glass with Billy’s.

"Luca, you wandering around by yourself?"

Billy chuckled as he set down his glass.

"Yeah, just read the reviews and came out to clear my head."

Luca sipped his wine and smiled.

Billy shook his head. "Luca, you really don’t need to feel so down."

"Don’t need to?"

Luca disagreed. "Have you seen the papers? Every Honey review these past few days has taken shots at me.

Some say I have no talent, some say I’m not fit to be an actor, and some outright tell me to get out of the entertainment industry.

My reputation’s ruined. Shouldn’t I be upset?"

"Nope! Do you know why those reviews are so harsh on you?"

Billy grinned.

"Why?"

Luca asked, his face dark.

"Because they’re jealous!"

"Jealous?"

"Exactly!"

Billy nodded. "Luca, you’re Brazilian, only 21 years old, and you’re already making millions.

You not only have a supermodel girlfriend, but you’ve been linked with superstars like Britney, Aniston, and Jessica. Not too long ago, you even snatched Justin’s girlfriend.

You need to understand, these women are dream girls for many people.

But they all fell for some guy from the Brazilian countryside."

"I didn’t! I’m innocent with them."

Luca protested.

"You think anyone believes that?"

Billy shook his head, sighing. "Luca, Americans have had it out for you for a while. Now that your movie’s out, do you think anyone’s going to praise you?

No, no, they won’t!

Even if you gave an Oscar-worthy performance, you’d still get slammed, or worse, ignored.

Criticizing you is the norm. Would anyone buy a newspaper that praised you?"

"..."

Luca was silent for a moment, starting to understand why Americans felt this way. In the past, when a foreigner married a national celebrity, he would also join in with the mocking crowd.

Now, the tables had turned—he was the foreign actor being mocked.

"Seems like a pretty serious situation."

"Yep. And this criticism isn’t going away. It’ll follow you throughout your career, until your acting is recognized and you’re accepted.

Every foreign actor in Hollywood faces this struggle, especially since you’re a flashy Brazilian. Targeting you was inevitable."

Billy swirled his wine and smiled.

Luca shook his head. There wasn’t much he could do about it, except keep a lower profile and try not to make enemies.

"Thank you, Mr. Woodruff. Thanks to your advice, I feel even more depressed now."

Luca raised his glass, joking.

"Haha, you’re welcome. I’m just reminding you on behalf of the American people—remember, you’re a guest here. Best not to mess with the household treasures."

Billy grinned playfully.

"Understood!"

Luca clinked his glass and downed the wine. The Pinot Noir had a rich and delicate taste, like holding a milk-skinned beauty in his mouth.

"Billy, did you invite me here to threaten me on behalf of the American people?"

"Haha, of course not."

Billy laughed as he set his glass down. "Now that Honey is out, we should talk about our new film."

Luca nodded. "How about the B-plan I introduced you to last time?"

"Unfortunately, Ms. Aniston wasn’t interested in the project. She passed the script and investment plan on to the production department at B-plan, and they recently responded—they aren’t interested and won’t be investing."

Billy shrugged.

Luca smirked. That result wasn’t surprising. B-plan had invested over $100 million in the Troy project this year and didn’t have the bandwidth for anything else.

"So, what’s your plan now?"

"Well... we’re planning to fund it ourselves."

Billy hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Fund it yourselves?"

Luca looked at him in surprise. "You mean you’re going to invest in this project? Do you have that kind of money?"

"Not just me, you too. That’s why I invited you. Remember last time you said if the movie needed funding, I could come to you? No million dollars, but you could manage two or three hundred thousand. Does that still hold?"

Billy smiled.

Luca furrowed his brow, then relaxed, stroking his chin as he spoke slowly,

"Have you drawn up a budget for the film?"

"Yes, our budget is around $8 million."

Billy came prepared. He opened his bag and took out a thick stack of papers.

Luca didn’t have time to go through it all but remembered the movie’s investment was roughly $10 million. He flipped through a few pages and asked, "And the remaining funds?"

"Annie and I... Hey, Annie, over here!"

Billy waved to someone in the distance.

Luca looked up and saw a tall figure approaching. In her thirties, with long blonde hair and a warm smile, she was a woman full of charm.

It was Annie Fletcher. He’d met her at the premiere and chatted for a bit.

Annie Fletcher was 38 years old, a master of various dance styles, Hollywood’s top choreographer, and manager of EK Dance Studio. She had produced movies like The Wedding Planner, My Fair Lady, and Burlesque, and was also the original director of Step Up.

"Annie, good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon, Luca."

Annie shook his hand, set down her bag, and sat. "Luca, you don’t look so good."

"Yeah, Billy just threatened me on behalf of 300 million Americans. I’m shaken."

"Haha!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 244: New Members of the Family*

"Luca, what do you think?"

"I need to think about it!"

In the evening, the setting sun cast its light on the sea. The ocean, beach, and coconut trees were all bathed in a soft orange glow.

On the Pacific Coast Highway, a BMW was slowly heading north toward Malibu.

Luca was in the driver’s seat, frowning in deep thought.

He had just spent nearly four hours discussing with Billy and Annie the investment for the Step Up project.

The initial budget for the project was around 8 million.

Through some maneuvering, Billy had secured 2 million each from Summit Entertainment and Touchstone Pictures, making a total of 4 million.

Annie Fletcher liked the project and was willing to invest 1 million.

Billy himself planned to invest 800,000.

That left a gap of 2.2 million.

Last time in San Francisco, Luca had mentioned he could contribute 2 to 3 million, which is why Billy approached him.

The current plan was for the three of them to form a movie company together, with Luca investing 2.2 million, Annie 1 million, and Billy 800,000, specifically for this project.

Such collaborations are common in Hollywood.

Often, a film is produced by one or more temporary companies, which dissolve after the project ends.

The plan sounded good.

But Luca was still hesitant.

Hollywood was a dangerous place, where big fish eat the small ones, and smaller fish eat the shrimp. He was new, without money or connections, barely even shrimp. Investing recklessly would be too risky.

But this project seemed excellent; an investment of less than 10 million could lead to a North American box office return of 110 million, and global earnings nearing 150 million.

Plus, Billy and Annie were both excellent partners.

Billy was a well-known MTV director, highly connected in the music industry, and knew many famous music producers.

Annie Fletcher was a renowned choreographer and had worked on multiple films as a producer and choreographer, with nearly ten years of experience in Hollywood, familiar with all the best dancers and choreographers in the entertainment industry.

Billy understood music, and Annie was an expert in dance choreography, which were the two most important aspects of the Step Up project.

As for Luca, he was a seasoned screenwriter, making their collaboration feel like a perfect match.

"Three people?"

The idea of three partners sounded promising.

Luca slightly smiled.

Honk honk!

A sports car sped up from behind.

"Hey, buddy! Taking a stroll on the highway?" a young man shouted loudly.

"Yep, care to join?"

The driver flipped him the finger and zoomed off.

Luca chuckled, shifted gears, and sped back to his estate.

With Kate and Lima gone, he was alone in the villa. He began to think Miranda’s suggestion made sense—he should get a few pets to keep him company.

He just didn’t want to become a slave to cleaning up after them. He was trying to figure out what kind of pet would be suitable, preferably something that didn’t leave a mess.

After a ham sandwich, he stripped down and swam twenty laps in the pool.

When he was exhausted, he crawled out and lay on a lounge chair, dialing Kate’s number.

This time, Kate was collaborating with Gucci for the launch of the "SUN" fashion line in Paris.

Kate was the creative director, and Lima was the deputy director and spokesperson for the SUN series. Both were extremely busy.

"Kate, are you busy?"

It was noon in Paris.

"Yes, we’re on the Champs-Élysées, casting models. I’ll call you back later!"

Kate hung up after a brief response.

Half an hour passed, and just as the sun was about to set, Kate called back.

"Luca, now I can talk," Kate said, sipping some water.

"Okay, since you’re busy, I’ll keep it brief."

Luca summarized the movie project investment and the collaboration with Billy and Annie.

"Since it’s your screenplay, go ahead and invest. It’s only a little over two million. Do you know how much we’ve made this year from royalties and commissions?"

"How much?"

"We’ve earned over 9 million so far, and with the second book about to be released, we’ll make even more. That’s more than enough for us.

"The rest of the money should be used for things we want to do. If you want to invest in a film, then go for it. No need to hesitate."

Kate spoke decisively.

"Alright."

Luca smirked. That was what he had in mind too. Every venture carries risk, and if this one failed, he would just treat it as a learning experience.

After chatting for a bit, he called his real estate agent and lawyer to inquire about property loans.

He didn’t plan on using the money in their joint account for this investment. That money was already invested in stocks like Amazon, and the stock market was earning more.

The U.S. housing market was booming, and due to inflation, home prices had risen by about 6% in the past six months since he bought the house.

With his property and good credit, he could easily get a loan of 3 to 4 million. If the investment failed and he couldn’t repay on time, he could hand over the house to the bank.

In two years, when the housing market crashed and the subprime mortgage crisis hit, he could buy the house back at a lower price, minimizing the losses.

"What are you up to?"

Miranda had just come home from work, wearing shorts and a white tank top. She was voluptuous and sexy, like a marshmallow.

She was holding a fluffy white kitten.

Except for a creamy patch on its face and tail, the kitten was entirely white with large ears and big eyes—probably an Angora cat.

"Where did this cat come from?"

Luca put down his papers and asked.

"Haha, I bought it. How about I give it to you as a gift?" Miranda smiled sweetly, placing the kitten in his lap as she picked up his papers and glanced at them.

"Are you making a movie?"

She asked in surprise.

"Yes, there’s a project I think is worth investing in."

Luca picked up the kitten from his lap. It was about a foot long, with soft pink paws, and had just grown in its adult teeth, around five or six months old.

"Meow~"

The little one stuck out its pink tongue and meowed sweetly, with light blue eyes, looking adorable and easy to care for.

But the thought of becoming a slave to cleaning up after it made him a little distressed. Should he hire someone just for that?

"Isn’t it cute?"

Miranda bent down, gently stroking the kitten's ears.

The kitten’s ears twitched, and it meowed again, sweet and soft.

"It’s adorable, but who’s going to take care of it? Who’s going to feed it and clean the litter?"

"Of course, you! You love staying at home, sitting around for hours. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few cats keeping you company?"

Miranda smiled sweetly.

"A few?"

Luca was taken aback.

"Haha, one cat would be lonely, so I bought three more to keep it company. If you can accept one, then you should be able to accept the other three, right?"

Miranda turned toward the door.

Three more little kittens strutted gracefully toward them.

Thud!

One kitten tumbled down the steps, followed by the other two, rolling into a pile. They were adorably clumsy.

"Haha, they’re so silly, just like you!"

Miranda scooped up the three kittens and placed them in his arms. "Luca, what do you think? Four kittens, one for each of us."

Luca looked at the four little furballs: two black-and-brown tabby cats and two white Angoras with yellow patches. They were adorable, and maybe keeping them wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

"Alright, I hope the four little ones will like it here."

Luca stroked the kittens’ backs. They were soft and warm, quite comforting. Uh-oh, he was getting addicted.

"Haha, Luca, Kate was right. It’s not that you don’t like pets; you just didn’t know what to choose."

Seeing how attached he had become, Miranda couldn’t help but laugh.

Luca shrugged. "No, I’ve actually decided. Next time we go to Brazil, I’m going to buy two macaws. There are a lot of parrots in Brazil."

"Parrots?"

Miranda thought for a moment about the colorful birds. "That sounds nice. Then let’s get four—one for each of us!"

"Four is too many. With eight pets, the house would turn into a zoo."

"Haha, a zoo wouldn’t be bad!"

Luca shook his head. It was too hot, and holding the kittens was making him sweat, so he decided to put them down.

"Wait, let me take a picture to send to Kate and Lima!"

Miranda pulled out her phone and snapped a couple of photos.

By the pool, Luca sat on a white lounge chair, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, with four kittens lined up in his lap. It was an adorable scene.

"Okay!"

Miranda smiled as she sent the photos to the two in Paris.

Soon after, Kate and Lima called back, and the four of them had a lovely conversation. They also handed over the responsibility of taking care of the four little "lords" to Luca.

Luca could only "reluctantly" accept his new role as chief caretaker.

Luca could only "reluctantly" accept the role of head caretaker.

With four new adorable pets at home, it also meant added responsibility.

The next day, Luca spent time registering them, getting checkups, setting up insurance, and getting vaccines, all while helping Miranda pick out cat houses, litter, and food. The busy schedule lasted two full days.

"Luca, the Armani fashion show is set at the Hammer Museum. Come over for rehearsal at noon," Ed called that morning.

"Got it!"

Luca thought for a moment. "Ed, are there any other brand invitations? I’m running short on cash lately!"

"You? Short on cash?" Ed asked, confused.

"Yeah, I’m even thinking about selling my house to fund a movie. How could I not be short on cash?"

"Haha, okay, let me check with my assistant."

After a moment, Ed’s voice returned.

"Luca, you’re a top model now. Any show you walk in becomes news. There are plenty of brands reaching out.

Two top-tier brands, eight first-tier, and even more second and third-tier brands. However, I don’t recommend taking on second or third-tier ones, as it could hurt your reputation."

"That’s fine, I’ll leave that decision up to you."

Luca hung up the phone and walked out of the gym.

The gym in the villa had just been renovated, located on the second floor, facing the ocean, and equipped with more workout equipment than the one in his New York apartment—complete with a multi-functional workout machine, pommel horse, ab roller, punching bag, and more.

He went downstairs, took a quick shower, and changed into some loose clothes. "Miranda, I’m heading to the city for rehearsal. I won’t be back until the afternoon. If you’re hungry, make yourself some food, and don’t forget to feed the cats!"

Huff, huff~

Miranda was skipping rope on an open patch of lawn, working on her runway walk’s explosiveness, while the four kittens circled around her playfully.

"Where’s the rehearsal?" Miranda paused and took a deep breath.

"The Hammer Museum Garden."

"Wait, I’m coming with you!"

Miranda wiped the sweat off her face and headed upstairs.

"What are you going for?"

"I have a runway show too, okay?"

"Alright!"

Luca petted one of the cats and turned toward the garage.

(End of chapter)++

*Chapter 245: Behind the Scenes*

Beep beep~

On a sunny morning, a sleek graphite BMW slowly made its way along the coastal highway toward Santa Monica.

"Miranda, what event are you attending?"

The driver, Luca, glanced over at the passenger seat as he asked.

Miranda was applying lip gloss in front of a compact mirror. The pink Estée Lauder shade glistened on her full lips, as soft and velvety as peach blossoms.

"The Carine Gilson lingerie show!"

"Carine Gilson? You've got some pretty good gigs."

CG is a top lingerie brand, on par with Victoria's Secret.

"Of course, I'm a supermodel now!"

Miranda pursed her lips with a slight "pop" sound.

"Do they look good?"

She pointed to her lips, dimples forming as she smiled sweetly.

"Yes, they look great."

"Want to kiss them?"

"Nope!"

Luca shook his head.

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid of crashing."

Miranda chuckled softly, then kicked open the glove compartment with her toe. She pulled out a pack of ladies' cigarettes, lit one, and leaned against the window, blowing out a gentle puff of smoke that carried a faint lemony scent.

"Do you plan on being a full-time model in the future?"

"Why do you ask?"

Luca was curious.

"The papers criticize you for not being focused on modeling, saying you're also not fully committed to acting, that you're rushing your transition and bound to fail. Now you're doing runway shows again. Are you following their advice?"

"Of course not! What do those critics know? Just a bunch of bandwagoners. Why would I listen to them?"

Luca shook his head. "Acting is my real job. Not only do I want to act, but I want to be the best actor—a world-class actor."

Miranda glanced at his profile and smiled faintly.

"Luca, you know, you’re particularly charming when you're like this. Very attractive."

"Only at times like this?"

Luca joked.

"Oh, and also when you're sprawled on the couch getting beat up. That's when you're at your most attractive."

Miranda leaned back in her seat, covering her mouth as she laughed heartily.

Luca smiled bitterly. Several times when he was bullied by Kate and Lima, Miranda would sneak over to kick him a few times herself, then quickly hide behind Kate, pretending to feel sorry for him.

In their household, he had the lowest status—even the four little cats outranked him.

"Don't feel bad."

Miranda took the half-burned cigarette and put it in his mouth, smiling. "Guys like you are rare these days."

"Like me how?"

Luca asked, puffing on the cigarette.

"Cold but warm, gentle yet strong, brave but timid, flirty yet shameless, perverted but silly."

"Enough."

Luca waved his hand. "Just stop after the first few. No need to mention the rest. I'm not great at handling criticism."

"Alright then!"

Miranda chuckled lightly and returned to perfecting her makeup in the mirror.

By a little after 11, the car arrived at Venice Beach.

Venice Beach is right next to Santa Monica Beach, at the mouth of the Marina Del Rey. It’s surrounded by boutique shops, an ocean park, and art venues, making it a popular spot, often used for fashion shows.

Today, the CG lingerie show was being held at the Marina Del Rey Aquarium.

"Luca, our show starts at 6 PM. Interested in coming by?"

"Alright! I'll give you a call beforehand."

"OK!"

Miranda smiled and got out of the car.

After dropping her off, Luca headed straight to the Hammer Museum.

The museum, located on Wilshire Boulevard in West Hollywood, is an art museum with white marble walls carved with reliefs. It’s flanked by gardens and has a refined air. It’s also close to Beverly Hills, attracting plenty of celebrities for events.

As preparations for the fashion show ramped up, the museum was bustling with activity. People were moving in and out, some setting up at the front desk, others working backstage, including models—both male and female.

"Luca, over here!"

Tony waved at him from a distance.

"Is Ed here yet?"

"Yeah, he's backstage, talking to Mr. Morton about you opening the show."

"Really?"

Luca followed him into the chaotic backstage area.

The backstage was set up in a storage room behind the exhibition hall. The space was small, doubling as both a dressing and makeup area, filled with clothes racks and couches. Plaster sculptures were stacked everywhere, and with over a hundred people crammed in, it felt like a marketplace.

"Luca, long time no see!"

Eric Rutherford, the notorious bad boy, was lounging on a couch getting his makeup done.

"Long time no see, Eric!"

"Luca, I thought you'd left the fashion world for good. You're a big movie star now."

Eric teased, shaking his leg.

"Psh~ Where else would I go if I left the fashion world?"

"Haha, word is, someone couldn’t make it in Hollywood and came crawling back."

"Luca, welcome back to the fashion scene!"

Clap clap clap~

Someone hiding behind a sculpture led a sarcastic round of applause.

Laughter echoed through the room, sharp and mocking.

"Hey, what are you all saying?"

Eric stood up, awkwardly trying to smooth things over. "Luca, I was just joking. I didn’t mean it like that."

"Eric, it’s no big deal."

Luca patted him on the shoulder and walked over to the makeup area.

"Luca, don't let it get to you. They're just being nasty because you're having a tough time. It's common in this industry. You don't need to pay them any mind—you’re a supermodel!"

Tony reassured him.

"I get it."

Luca smiled faintly, understanding the others' mentality.

The fashion world’s pie is small, and the pie for male models is even smaller. He’d risen fast this year, taking a big slice, so naturally, other models weren’t happy about it. Seeing his career take a hit, some couldn’t help but gloat.

What he hadn’t expected was just how unpopular he was in the circle.

"Good afternoon, Luca!"

Jamie Dornan walked over, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I’m really sorry about last time. Keira can be a bit headstrong. She doesn't actually have anything against you."

"Last time?"

Luca thought for a moment. Last time at Focus Features, when he mentioned auditioning for Brokeback Mountain, Keira Knightley had pulled Jamie Dornan away, as if he were about to catch something just by being near him.

"It’s no big deal, Jamie. No need to apologize."

"Thanks."

Jamie smiled. "I heard you're opening the show—congratulations."

"Thanks!"

Luca waved his hand, smiling. "Got any free time this afternoon? Want to check out a lingerie show?"

"A lingerie show?"

Jamie’s interest was piqued.

"Carine Gilson, at the Marina Del Rey Aquarium. I heard there’ll be plenty of celebrity guests. Should be a fun time."

"Really? Thanks for the invite!"

Jamie happily accepted.

At 1 PM, Armani’s rehearsal officially began.

The show was set in the central hall, and the runway was only 92 steps. Luca strode confidently toward the stage, dressed in black-and-white striped casual wear, sporting glasses. His calm demeanor complemented the museum's refined atmosphere.

"Luca’s got great potential as a model. He can easily pull off various styles," the stage director praised.

Ed nodded. Compared to six months ago, Luca had made obvious progress—his steps were stronger, his performance more mature and fluid, likely thanks to Kate and Lima’s influence.

"Switch to the third track. Let’s pick up the pace a bit!"

*All my people in the crowd

Grab a partner, take it down

It’s me against the music...*

(End of Chapter)