201-205

Chapter 201: Don't Swim in Cold Water at Night

*"And Bel Air now, hot summer nights, mid-July…"*

It was a warm summer night in mid-July.

*"When you and I were forever wild…"*

You and I, young and wild, unafraid of the passing years.

*"The crazy days, city lights…"*

Reckless days, the city lights glowing.

At night, on the Pacific Coast Highway, a BMW with its high beams on pierced through the night, heading toward Malibu, Zone 17.

In the passenger seat, Fanny sat with her legs curled up, softly humming "Young and Beautiful" while holding a guitar. The guitar was a gift from the famous music producer, The Matrix, who saw great potential in her.

“Uncle Luca, this song is amazing! It’s perfect for the moment. It's mid-July, and we're wild and free. Did you just write it?” Fanny asked, her eyes sparkling.

Luca, the seasoned driver, shrugged. “Writing songs isn’t hard. When inspiration hits, a good song just flows.”

Fanny rolled her eyes. "A good song 'just flows'? Do you even hear yourself?"

Luca smiled slightly, “How’s your new song coming along?”

“Not great,” Fanny said, her mood sinking. “The Matrix says it's not mature enough yet. He wants me to write more and practice in his studio. He’s even offered to teach me.”

“That sounds like a great opportunity! Why the long face?”

Fanny glanced at him, frustrated. “But The Matrix’s studio is in Los Angeles, and my home is in New York.”

“What's the big deal? Whenever you come to L.A., you can stay at my place. You’re welcome to come during spring break or the summer holidays.”

“Really? I can?” Fanny’s eyes widened.

“Of course! You’re so tiny, and my house is huge—you’d fit in anywhere.”

“I am not tiny!” Fanny suddenly lifted her T-shirt in protest.

“Knock it off!” Luca waved her off. “Fanny, you’ve met some big names in the music industry. You don’t lack opportunities. What you need now is to build experience. So, there’s no need to stand out in the wrong ways. Places like nightclubs can be dangerous if you’re too exposed.”

“Uncle Luca, don’t worry. I’ll be careful,” Fanny promised earnestly.

“Alright, then,” Luca didn’t want to lecture her too much. Everyone makes their own choices, and as a friend, he had done what he could.

“Here, eat up!”

Once they returned to the villa, Luca heated up two glasses of milk and four slices of pizza, setting them on the table.

“Uncle Luca, I’m scared to sleep alone at night. Can I sleep with you?” Fanny asked, licking milk from her lips.

“You can cuddle your stuffed animals,” Luca said absently, watching TV.

“I’d rather cuddle you,” Fanny said, blinking her eyes.

“Heh, I’d love to cuddle Angelina Jolie,” Luca joked, his attention on the TV, where Jolie was in an interview, wearing a form-fitting dress, cradling a child. She looked stunning, and Luca thought women always looked better on camera.

Fanny rolled her eyes. “Uncle Luca, you're such a perv! You have Lima and Britney, and you’re still ogling Jolie. I’m totally telling Lima when we get back.”

Luca shook his head. “Enough talking. Eat your pizza and get to bed. You’ve got a flight to catch in the morning!”

After quickly finishing his own pizza, he grabbed his phone and headed upstairs to his bedroom.

“Stubborn old man,” Fanny muttered, nibbling on her pizza. As she watched Jolie talk about her divorce and children on TV, Fanny scoffed, switched the channel, and finished eating.

Upstairs, Luca lay in bed after a shower, dialing Lima’s number to update her.

“Hey, babe. You still awake?” he asked.

“No, I’m still gaming,” Lima replied, putting aside her design book and adjusting her position in her 43rd Street apartment in New York.

“Don’t play too long. Watch your eyes. Today, Fanny and I went to see Britney’s concert,” Luca said softly.

“And?” Lima’s suspicion was evident, as if bracing for some kind of confession.

Luca felt a little caught off guard—why was he being so careful in his words?

Britney had performed his song “Nobody” at the concert and revealed he had written it. Nothing else had happened, but why did it feel like he was treading carefully?

“I wasn’t being cautious, I just spoke a little slower. After the concert, I took Fanny to Britney’s afterparty, and something big happened there.”

“Oh? What was it?” Lima asked, curious.

“Justin tried to get back together with Britney.”

“Did you ruin it?” Lima asked calmly.

Luca’s brow furrowed—had Fanny told her already?

“How come you don’t ask if he succeeded?” Luca asked.

“Obviously, he didn’t. If he had, you wouldn’t sound so pleased with yourself.”

She knew him too well.

“Okay, it wasn’t entirely me, but I had something to do with it,” Luca admitted and then went on to explain the whole situation.

While he left out the part about the passionate kiss, he did tell her everything else, framing himself as an innocent bystander caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Suddenly, he heard a loud splash from the balcony.

Luca rushed out to see Fanny swimming in the pool—completely naked.

"Fanny, what are you doing? Go back to bed!"

He yelled while covering the phone.

"It's too hot, I can't sleep!"

Fanny shouted back.

There’s air conditioning in the room, how could it be hot?

"The water will get cold later tonight!"

“…”

“If you don’t come up soon, I’m gonna drag you out!”

“…”

Luca sighed, feeling helpless. Raising a rebellious kid was tough. He hung up the phone, grabbed a blanket, and went downstairs.

"Come on up, don’t make me come down to fish you out!"

He said, standing by the pool.

"Alright, fine."

Fanny climbed out of the water.

"Achoo~"

"Serves you right!"

Luca smirked and wrapped her in the blanket, drying her hair for her.

"Uncle Luca, do you think I’m sexy?"

"You’re alright."

"Then why won’t you sleep with me?"

"… Do you want me to go to jail?"

"Hahaha~"

Fanny laughed and collapsed into his arms.

Luca shook his head, carried her back to her room, and then brought her some cold medicine and antibiotics.

"Get some sleep and stop messing around, or I’ll lock the door from outside."

"Okay, okay!"

Fanny pouted and burrowed under the covers, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the door.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

Luca slowly opened his eyes and suddenly felt something moving under the blanket.

"Brittany, when did you get here?"

“…”

He shifted a bit and realized something was off. He threw off the blanket in one quick motion.

"How did you get in here?!"

(End of the chapter)

Chapter 202: I Didn't Mean to Make the Headlines

"Fanny, we’ve arrived. Time to get out!"

It was morning, outside the New York airport. Luca pulled a yellow suitcase out of the trunk.

"I don’t want to go back to New York!"

Fanny frowned and lazily leaned against the car window.

"You’re still in school. What else are you going to do if you don’t go back?"

"I don’t want to study anymore."

"..."

Luca clenched his fists. "I’m giving you three seconds to get out, or I’ll kick your butt!"

Fanny rolled her eyes and reluctantly got out of the car.

"Take your guitar!"

Luca slung the guitar over her shoulder. She had brought a large guitar with her, and now she was leaving with a signed one. He also handed her the suitcase.

"You like pears, right? There’s a box of them in your suitcase. I picked them from a big pear tree... hey, don’t rush off! I’m not done talking."

"Blah blah blah, who wants to hear your nonsense?"

Fanny pulled her suitcase and started walking.

"How is it nonsense? There are eight or nine pears in there. Don’t eat them all by yourself. Share some with Lima and Kate. And be sure to focus on your studies at school. No fooling around, and try to avoid going to nightclubs. You’re not short of opportunities right now; what you lack is—"

"Experience and practice, right? You’ve said that hundreds of times."

Fanny rolled her eyes.

Luca shrugged. "Maybe I’m a bit naggy, but—"

"You’re just doing it for my own good, right?"

Fanny said with a smirk.

Luca was speechless.

"Fine, go on then. I’m done talking."

He waved her off.

Fanny snorted, dragging her suitcase as she walked away with her head down.

"If you need anything, call me. If you’re short on money, you can ask me for help. Come visit if you have time, as long as I’m—"

Before he could finish, Fanny suddenly turned around and rushed back, jumping into his arms.

"Uncle Luca, I don’t want to go back, can I stay?" she whimpered.

"You want a beating?"

"... Ugh."

"Stop pretending to be pitiful. Get lost already, I’ve got a movie to shoot soon!"

"You stubborn old man, Luca! You’re the worst!"

Fanny pushed him away, grumbling as she walked off angrily.

"Goodbye, Fanny! Remember to call when you arrive!"

"I won’t!"

Fanny gave him the middle finger.

Luca shook his head, watched her for a while, then turned back to get in his car.

After the concert, Fanny left. Britney stayed busy with her music, and Luca continued shooting movies and promoting his films.

"Everyone ready? Let’s start filming!"

At noon, on the school set, Ian, the assistant director, yelled, and the actors took their positions.

The scene was simple today: a "caught cheating" moment.

Katie, played by Lindsey, had discovered Gina’s secret. Every Tuesday, Gina would sneak off to the film room to get cozy with the football team's quarterback.

Many people knew this secret, except for the main character, Aaron, who was completely oblivious.

Katie wanted to expose Gina’s true colors, so she and her classmates set a trap, luring Aaron to the film room.

The first attempt was posting a notice outside the classroom, saying that the swim team’s practice was in the film room.

When Aaron arrived, all he found was the naked quarterback.

The first trap failed.

For the second attempt, Katie pretended her bag was stolen and led Aaron to the film room again, but this time, Gina had switched locations, and they ended up catching the basketball coach in an affair with a female student.

"Is everyone set?"

Director Mark asked after explaining the scene.

"All set!"

Luca, Lindsey, and Daniel, who played the masked robber, got into their positions.

"Scene 36, Shot 12, Take 1, action!"

Luca stood in the hallway outside the classroom, putting his book bag in the locker.

"Hey!"

Lindsey walked over.

"Hey, what’s up?"

Luca turned around, flashing a charming smile. At this point, even though Aaron was dating Gina, he still had a crush on the new girl in school.

"Cut!"

Director Mark scratched his chin. "Lindsey, why did you frown when Luca smiled?"

"Sorry, Director. His smile is too... mischievous."

Lindsey pouted.

Luca touched his mouth. "Is my smile that bad?"

"Definitely. You’re such a liar."

Lindsey pouted again.

"A liar?"

Luca was confused. "When did I lie to you?"

"Hmph! Let me ask you again—can you dance or not?"

Lindsey crossed her arms, asking seriously.

"..."

"You've been caught! You said you couldn’t dance, but Rachel told me you’re actually really good. Did you make me teach you just to get closer to me?"

"Lindsey, I was just joking!"

"Big liar!"

"Lindsey, Luca’s fine. Let’s go with this take!"

Director Mark said after reviewing the footage.

"Alright, alright!"

Lindsey waved her hand.

"Scene 36, Shot 12, Take 2, action!"

"Luca, congrats, you made the headlines again!"

Later in the afternoon, at the set’s dining table, Rachel McAdams handed him a newspaper, laughing.

"Really?"

Luca took the paper and glanced at it. The headline on the front page of the Los Angeles Times was about Britney’s concert.

The main image was of Britney crouching down, with huge letters reading, "Britney Proposing?"

Due to the angle, Britney was positioned right between Luca and Justin.

The report analyzed two possibilities: either Britney was proposing to Luca, because they had a good relationship, or the second possibility was Justin.

Justin’s sudden appearance at Britney’s concert suggested their relationship was improving.

Not only had Britney sung "Everytime" as an apology, but she also brought out a prop car on stage to clear up rumors, proving there was no scandal.

Because the second explanation had more evidence, the article leaned toward Justin.

Luca smiled slightly. This photo was likely carefully selected by the media.

A vague image like this stirred up more controversy, discussion, and ridiculous hype.

"Look, it’s not just the LA Times. A bunch of major papers made it the front page too."

Rachel pulled out a few more papers.

Luca shook his head. "It was just a small misunderstanding. I didn’t expect it to blow up this much."

"Hah! Someone’s enjoying all this attention but acting all innocent!"

Lindsey Lohan tossed down another newspaper with a teasing remark.

"Luca, was Britney proposing to you or to Justin?"

Amanda smiled.

"Do you even have to ask? Of course, it’s Justin!"

Lindsey Lohan said loudly. "Justin’s a huge star, so cool and talented. He’s perfect for Britney. But Luca? Ugh, a liar and a jerk. Britney would have to be out of her mind to choose him."

"Lindsey, am I that bad?"

Luca asked, displeased.

"Worse than I said!"

Rachel burst out laughing.

"Sorry, Luca. I accidentally let slip that you could dance. My bad. I didn’t realize you were using that to flirt with girls."

Rachel teased.

Luca shrugged. He was only joking.

"Luca, you can dance?"

Amanda looked at him. She had also taught him some moves that night.

"Amanda, now you know what kind of person he really is?"

Lindsey smirked.

"Yep!"

Amanda smiled. "A total playboy!"

"Hahaha!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 203: The Kiss Scene*

"Luca, Lindsay, get ready!"

In the afternoon, filming continued on set.

Today's scene was indoors.

Katie likes Aaron, but Aaron is Gina's boyfriend, the leader of their friend group.

Katie had planned to break them up by exposing Gina's cheating, but her two attempts at setting them up both failed.

This time, she pretended to be bad at math and invited Aaron over to tutor her, using the opportunity to steal a kiss from him.

In this scene: Luca and Lindsay Lohan were the actors.

"You nervous, bad boy?"

Lindsay rested her chin on her hand, blinking as she stared at him.

"Nervous about what?"

Seeing how calm he was, Lindsay felt a little dissatisfied.

"About shooting a kiss scene with me—aren’t you nervous?"

"Why should I be?"

"Because I’ll bite you!"

Lindsay flashed her sparkling teeth, like a little tiger.

"Okay, now I’m nervous."

Luca laughed.

"Hmph!"

"Hey, you two, stop chatting."

Director Mark shook his head, put on his headphones, and waved his arm.

The clapperboard snapped in front of the camera, and the scene began:

"Scene 37, Shot 5, Take 2. Action!"

As the cameras rolled, Luca wore a blue long-sleeved T-shirt, holding a pencil and working on a math problem.

Next to him sat Lindsay Lohan, in a red sweater with her burgundy hair down. She bit her lower lip, deep in thought, looking quiet and sexy—a far cry from her off-screen self.

"What’s the answer to this problem?"

Lindsay pointed at the textbook, her eyes glued to his face with an intense, unfiltered gaze.

Luca glanced down, holding the pencil between his fingers and marking the problem. "This one? The first time I got zero, but when I checked it again, the answer was one."

Lindsay blinked and smiled, "I got one too."

"Yeah, I checked it again—it makes sense that two negatives make a positive."

Luca was seriously explaining the math problem, but when he first got the script, he had secretly thought to himself how lucky American high school students were; their 12th-grade math problems were easier than elementary school problems in China.

"Cut!"

Director Mark called out loudly. "Hey, Luca, your focus should be on Lindsay's face. Aaron’s not a nerd. With a hot girl sitting next to him, there's no way he'd be focused on a math problem!"

Luca nodded, "Got it, Director. I'll pay attention."

Filming continued.

This shot was a close-up.

In the frame, Lindsay smiled, her bright eyes blinking as she said, "I get it now, like how negative four times negative six gives a positive number, right?"

"Exactly!"

Luca flashed a charming smile.

"You're a great tutor!"

As they discussed the math problem, their eyes met, and the atmosphere turned intimate.

The lights fell on Lindsay's face, highlighting her flushed cheeks and rosy lips, her smile alluring.

Luca gazed at her cheek, still smiling handsomely.

Lindsay slowly leaned in.

Luca slightly lowered his head.

Their lips touched.

Two cameras filmed the scene—one capturing the front and the other the side.

“Hiss…”

As soon as they kissed, Luca drew in a sharp breath, holding his lower lip.

"Cut!"

"Lindsay, take it seriously!"

Director Mark had seen it all on camera.

While they were kissing, Lindsay had opened her mouth and bit Luca’s lower lip.

"Sorry, Director! My vision blurred for a second, and I mistook his lip for a strawberry," Lindsay said, pretending to be embarrassed.

Yeah, right!

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Lindsay, stop messing around."

Director Mark said seriously, "If you really want to bite Luca, wait until after the shoot and bite him all you want!"

"Hahaha!"

The crew, all twenty or so of them, burst into laughter.

This time, Lindsay actually blushed.

Luca shook his head—this girl was definitely faking it.

After the little incident, the two of them resumed filming the scene.

Their lips touched and stayed still, waiting for the close-up to finish. When the director called for interaction, they finally made slight movements.

"Perfect!"

On the monitor, the sunset streamed through the window, casting light on the two of them. Their noses touched, Luca kissing Lindsay's upper lip, and Lindsay kissing his lower lip. It was a pure, simple kiss.

Their profiles were both beautiful, and their lip shapes were lovely. The light made their lips look like two pieces of translucent red jade—a visually stunning moment.

Director Mark nodded slightly. This shot might even be a contender for a Best Kiss Scene award.

"Cut! That's a wrap for this scene!"

It was past 5 p.m. by the time they wrapped up.

Luca headed to the changing room to switch clothes.

Knock, knock.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Luca was pulling up his pants when he opened the door to find Lindsay Lohan, standing there in a spaghetti strap dress.

"Lindsay, what's up? Let me put on a shirt first."

Lindsay glanced at his muscles, paused for a moment, then squeezed her way in and closed the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Biting you!"

Lindsay suddenly pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and playfully biting him.

"Stop messing around!"

Luca leaned back against the door, holding her by the legs, resting his head against her, and sighed in exasperation. Girls these days had no sense of restraint.

"I'm going to bite you! You tricked me into thinking you couldn't dance, just to take advantage of me. Now I'm going to take advantage of you, or else I'll report you for harassment!"

Lindsay huffed, blushing as she bit him again.

Luca, irritated now, suddenly turned and pinned her against the wall with a thud.

"Ah~"

Lindsay let out a pained cry, opening her small mouth.

Luca forcefully and aggressively leaned in.

Knock knock~

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Luca, are you still in there?"

It was Ian, the director's assistant.

Luca suddenly snapped back to reality and let go of Lindsay, whose strap was halfway down her shoulder.

"Ignore him!"

Lindsay wrapped her arms around his neck, panting as she spoke.

Luca took a deep breath and looked at the girl in front of him, feeling a growing sense of guilt. This girl was about the same age as Fanny.

"I need to step out for a minute," he whispered into her ear.

"Hurry back!"

Lindsay whispered softly.

Luca put on his clothes and opened the door.

"Ian, what’s up?"

"Luca, the scenes at the campus are almost done. The rest of the shooting will take place in Toronto, did you know that?"

Luca nodded; he had been informed in advance.

The script called for scenes set in fall and winter, so shooting in Canada was a better fit. Plus, the scenery there is beautiful.

Beyond that, the main reason was that things are cheaper in Canada, helping them cut costs and take advantage of tax breaks and other incentives.

"The crew is booking tickets together, but since you’re using a Brazilian passport, you’ll need to sort out the border paperwork in advance," Ian explained.

"Oh, I see. I’ll have my agent take care of it and send you the receipts later."

"Alright!"

Ian said goodbye and left.

Luca stood at the door and called Ed. He glanced back at the room. Should he go back inside? That girl’s going to be a media sensation one day; she turns everything into a headline. It might be smart to keep his distance for now.

Inside, Lindsay waited for a while. When no one came back in, she pulled up her strap and walked to the door. After asking around, she found out that Luca had already left.

"Jerk!!!"

"Fanny, I’m back!"

At Big Pear Tree Manor, Luca parked his car and habitually called out to the villa. No one answered, and he remembered that girl had already gone back to New York.

Now the huge estate was empty, leaving him all alone.

Feeling lonely and cold, he thought, maybe I should’ve brought someone home?

Hmm, better not. The temptation of Mr. Big is too much; there are wolves all around. Better to stay reserved and not let those wild girls take advantage.

He quickly threw together some grilled meat, poured himself a glass of red wine, and lay down on the balcony, gazing at the distant ocean sunset and the nearby trees with birds returning to their nests. He suddenly noticed that the lawn and greenery in the yard had gotten pretty wild, swaying in the wind.

For some reason, this made him feel restless, though he couldn’t figure out why or how to shake it.

After two glasses of wine, he grabbed a half-new lawnmower from the garage and started pushing it across the lawn.

Normally, the lawn and greenery were handled by a housekeeping service.

But lately, he’d been so busy that he forgot to schedule them.

Mowing the lawn isn’t exactly rocket science, though. With enough patience and a bit of obsessive-compulsiveness, anyone can be a good gardener.

Vroom vroom vroom!

The lawnmower roared to life. It ran on diesel, stronger than an electric trimmer and more efficient, though it was pretty loud and spat out a puff of black smoke that nearly choked him.

Luckily, Luca wasn’t the type to fuss over such things. With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, he pushed the lawnmower forward.

In the sunset, a disheveled man in denim overalls, his muscular torso bare, mowed the lawn fiercely, cutting down countless blades of grass. His body became streaked with a few green splashes. If Theodore and the other little guys saw him, they’d probably scream, "Chainsaw man!" and run away.

After an hour of work, Luca had trimmed about half the lawn. Feeling somewhat accomplished, he glanced back. That feeling vanished instantly.

The lawn he’d trimmed looked like a dog’s chewed-up head—uneven, with some parts shaved bald and others still waving in the evening breeze.

"Ugh..."

He squatted down, took a drag from his cigarette, and squinted at the mutilated lawn. He hesitated, wondering whether to continue the destruction or go back and even it out.

Would a second pass make it any better?

Honk honk~

Just as he was debating, two horn beeps came from the front gate.

Luca slowly got up and walked over to the villa’s entrance.

A bright yellow taxi had pulled up in front of the gate.

Click~

The car door opened, and a long, toned leg stepped onto the ground. The honey-colored skin and fit calves were unmistakable.

"Darling, what brings you here?"

Luca happily walked toward her.

Sure enough, it was Lima. She was wearing sunglasses and a simple silk dress as she got out of the car.

"Pay the fare!"

She shot him a look and walked straight into the house, her beautiful figure quickly disappearing inside.

Luca stared after her, momentarily stunned. Was she here to catch him in the act?

"Hey, Mr. Kelly, are you the one paying the fare?"

The Black driver leaned on the car window, grinning teasingly.

Luca forced a smile, reached into his pocket, and handed over a bill.

"Keep the change."

"Thanks!"

The driver chuckled. "Mr. Kelly, is Britney at your estate right now?"

"Are you a paparazzo?"

Luca asked, annoyed.

"Haha, sometimes we drivers moonlight as paparazzi. If Britney is in your villa, I could break a huge story today!"

The driver flashed his gleaming white teeth as he laughed.

"Sorry to disappoint you!"

Luca replied with a dark expression as he pulled out Lima’s suitcase.

"Haha, no worries, Mr. Kelly. I have to say, you're a lucky guy. Good luck!"

The driver waved with a gleeful smile as he drove away.

---

(Chapter ends)

Chapter 204: Lima's Wrath

"Lima, where are you?"

In the villa's living room, Luca had just set down his suitcase and was looking for Lima in the dining and living rooms, feeling a little nervous. Why did Lima suddenly show up today? Could it be because of the news?

Yes!

It had to be the news!

How should he explain it now?

Should he say the news was fake?

But what if the concert video gets released in the future? Would he have to keep lying?

The media definitely has the video; they're just waiting to release it at the right moment, slowly drawing in the audience.

"Fuck!"

If he'd known this would happen, he never would’ve gone to that concert. Seriously, who attends concerts anyway?

What should he do now?

"Honey, where are you?"

There was no sign of her downstairs, so he started heading up the stairs.

Suddenly, Lima came charging down, full of fury, her heels clacking against the tiles, sparks flying. It was intimidating.

"Honey, what are you looking for?" Luca asked, trying to keep his cool.

Lima stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at him. Then, she smiled suddenly.

"Oh, nothing. I just felt like playing baseball. Too bad you don't have a bat here, so we'll just have to play golf!"

With that, she pulled out a long, slender golf club from behind her.

Luca’s knees went cold on instinct. Without another word, he dropped his luggage and bolted outside.

"You bastard, why are you running? I’m just here to play!"

Lima quickly followed after him.

"I know, I’m just warming up. I'll play with you once I’m done running," Luca shouted as he ran.

"Stop running! Stand still!" Lima, having ditched her shoes, transformed into an Amazonian warrior, sprinting across the lawn, matching his speed.

Luca could feel the chill on the back of his head and didn’t dare stop. He dashed in circles on the grass, knowing it would be unfair if Lima had to run anywhere else barefoot.

"Honey, let's talk this through. No need for violence, okay?"

"Fine! Just stop running first!"

"How about we count to three and stop together?"

"Sure! Go ahead and count!"

"One, two, three, stop!"

Luca came to a halt, but immediately felt something approaching fast. Turning his head, he saw the golf club swinging right at him.

"Lima, you lied to me!" Luca screamed and took off running again.

"You bastard! You told me you and that tramp were just friends, but now you’re practically getting engaged behind my back! Today, I'm going to beat you to death!"

Lima shouted furiously.

"Honey, it’s just a misunderstanding! There's no engagement. If anyone's proposing, it’s Justin proposing, not me!"

"Bastard! Still trying to lie to me?!"

Suddenly, Lima stopped running.

Luca looked back and saw her crying, which made him panic.

"Are you going to keep lying to me?" Lima asked through her tears.

Luca sighed and slowly approached her.

"Lima, I never meant to lie to you. I had no idea about that whole proposal thing beforehand."

"But you two are really close, right? So close that Britney’s ready to marry you, isn’t she?" Lima choked out.

Luca tried to wipe her tears away, but before he could, she swatted his hand away.

Helpless, he raised his hands in surrender. "Lima, Britney and I are just friends. Nothing more. I could never be Britney’s boyfriend, let alone marry her, because the one I love is you."

"Liar! She’s a superstar! If she proposed to you, would you really say no?"

Lima asked angrily.

Luca shrugged. "Honey, you know what kind of person I am. I don’t care much about fame or money. What I care about most are my loved ones—you and Kate. So Britney being a superstar doesn’t really tempt me.

"You also know my personality. I’m petty and fussy, always demanding more from the people around me. You’ve changed so much and sacrificed so much for me. Would Britney do that?

"You also know my plan—once I’ve made enough money, I’m heading back to the countryside in Brazil to buy a ranch, make wine, ride horses, and grow cocoa, with you and Kate by my side. Britney and I are on completely different paths."

"What if she’s willing to change and follow you to Brazil?"

"Even if she was, I wouldn’t dare. If I dragged her to the Brazilian countryside, her fans would kill me!"

Luca said, pretending to be scared.

"You think I’ll believe you?" Lima snorted and turned to leave.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going back to New York. We're done!" Lima shook off his hand and kept walking.

"Please don’t go! We can talk this over!"

"You liar! I’ll never believe you again!" Lima continued walking.

"Stop right there!"

Luca blocked her path. "This is my turf. You think you can just leave?"

"What do you want?" Lima frowned.

"You can't leave without leaving something behind."

"What thing?"

"You!"

Luca grabbed her and hoisted her over his shoulder, carrying her back toward the house.

"Bastard! You brute! Let me go!" Lima shouted, hitting his shoulder.

Luca ignored her and strode back into the villa.

"Let me go! If you don’t, I’ll bite you!" Lima yelled.

Suddenly, Luca felt a sharp pain in his ear.

"Are you a puppy?" he asked angrily, giving her a light smack on the butt.

"You dare hit me?!"

Lima was furious, grabbing his hair, pinching, biting, kicking, and punching.

"Stop hitting me!" Fearing for his head, Luca had no choice but to put her down.

"Bastard! You’re cheating on me, and you dare hit me?! Today, I’m going to kill you!" Lima swung her fists, hitting him hard while cursing.

Luca, feeling guilty, didn’t fight back. He focused on protecting himself, even though he was getting hit. Oddly, he felt relieved—fighting meant she still cared. Maybe this storm would pass after all.

But then he felt pathetic. Was he really just going to let her beat him up?

Why couldn’t he act like a man for once?

Determined, he got up off the carpet, flipped Lima over, and gave her a couple of firm smacks on the butt.

"What are you doing?" Lima asked, blushing as she lay on the ground.

"What do you think I’m doing? Every Brazilian man has two or three women outside the house. I’m just friends with Britney, but you still had the nerve to hit me. Today, you’re going to learn a lesson about your man!"

Luca snapped, ripping her dress.

Lima was stunned for a moment, then became furious. This bastard was cheating on her and still had the audacity to justify it? Even if what he said was true, she wouldn’t tolerate this behavior.

"Bastard! I’ll fight you to the end!"

On the carpet, Lima swung her fists, and they began a fierce struggle. It wasn’t just a fight between her and Luca; it was a battle between male and female power.

"Ah! Don’t hit my face! I have a shoot tomorrow! Why do you always hit my face?"

"You deserve it!"

Slap, slap!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 205: Kate Is in Love?

“Haha, darling, how's the situation?”

In the bedroom at night, Luca received a call from Kate. He glanced at the sleeping Lima, rolled over, and went to the balcony to take the call.

"Kate, my dear sister, you knew Lima was coming. Why didn't you give me a heads-up?"

He said helplessly.

"Why should I inform you? Lima and I are good friends. I can't betray a friend."

Kate laughed heartily.

"But I'm your brother, your own brother!"

Luca complained.

"Haha, alright, alright, this time you were wronged, but I trust in your abilities. You should have settled things with Lima by now, right?"

Luca rubbed his sore spot and said grimly, "A Pyrrhic victory!"

"Haha~"

Kate laughed so hard she couldn't catch her breath over the phone.

"Stop laughing. You don't know how dangerous it was today. If I hadn't used forceful measures, Lima almost kicked me out!"

Luca wanted to convey the seriousness of the situation to her, as this couldn't happen again.

"Kicked you out?"

Kate chuckled, "Lima isn't that foolish."

"What?"

Luca frowned.

"Why would Lima kick you out? To make way for you and Britney? Lima isn't as foolish as you. As long as she's still your girlfriend, Britney will always be the third party. Isn't it cool to have a superstar as the third wheel?"

Kate said casually.

Luca shook his head, "Just because of that? I don't believe it!"

"Then why else? You think it's because she loves you and can't bear to leave you?

Yes, Lima loves you because you are indeed an ideal partner.

But, my silly brother, you need to understand one thing. For a woman, love isn't everything. She has her career, honor, family, and ideals.

Do you think Lima tolerates your mistakes just because she loves you?

No!

You are simply her best option at the moment.

Do you think Britney's proposal gesture at the concert was because she loves you?

You're mistaken.

It's just a woman's little trick. She wants to kick Lima aside and have you all to herself.

This is a woman's war.

Do you understand?

My silly brother.

You need to know that no woman in this world will completely love, tolerate, or be entirely devoted to you...except for me!"

Luca fell silent. He gazed at the tranquil pool below the balcony, ". I love you too, with everything I have!"

" ."

Neither of them spoke, just holding their phones in the crackling static, only each other's breathing, like angels reciting Satan's verses.

" ."

Suddenly, a muffled voice came through the phone.

"Darling, you go to sleep first. I'll be there soon!"

Kate shouted.

Luca's heart skipped a beat, "Who are you talking to?"

Kate didn't respond. After a while, she slowly said, "Luca, I'm in love too."

Luca gripped the phone tightly. He had thought about this day but didn't expect it to come so soon.

"Is it true?"

"Luca, I haven't dated in almost a year...this time, will you give me your blessing?"

" ."

Luca didn't know how to respond. He covered the phone's microphone and took a deep breath before whispering, "Of course. Who is he? Is he taller than me? More handsome than me...?"

"We're doing well. Next month, we'll come over together."

Kate said softly.

". Alright!"

Luca hung up the phone and stared blankly into the distant night. His mind was empty, yet full. He took a deep breath, patted his face, and picked up his phone to send a message to Kate.

"Goodnight!"

He felt it was too plain and added another line.

"As long as you're happy, no matter what, I'll support you. I'll always love you. Goodnight!"

After sending the message, he waited for a while. Then, he flung the phone towards the sky, but it missed the crescent moon and shattered the moon's reflection on the water's surface.

He sighed softly, standing on the balcony, closing his eyes, and fell backward.

Splash!

The pool water shattered into fragments.

He swam in the water for countless laps until he was exhausted. Then he climbed ashore, drenched, walked to the garage, and drove out of the gate. Suddenly, he wanted to return to New York.

He drove that battered pickup truck, racing along the Pacific Coast Highway, reaching the highest speed. Time and space disappeared, leaving only the sea breeze howling in his ears.

Screech!

He didn't know how long he had been driving. Almost reaching Zuma Beach, he suddenly stopped the car. Gazing at the ocean below the highway, he turned the car around and drove back to the villa.

Lima had gotten up and was about to leave in the BMW.

"Where are you going?"

Luca asked curiously.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? Where did you go in the car last night?"

Lima got out of the car and asked.

"Nothing much."

Luca scratched his hair. The speed was too fast, and his hair had dried. But the wind was too cold, leaving his face numb. He rubbed his face and got out of the car.

"Where's your phone? Kate tried calling you, but it couldn't go through."

"It fell into the pool. I was going to drive to buy a phone, but I forgot my wallet."

"Silly, where can you find a phone store open in the middle of the night?"

Lima shook her head.

"Alright, we'll buy one tomorrow!"

Luca wrapped his arm around her waist and said.

"Your hands are so cold!"

Lima touched his hand.

"Yeah, I was driving at three hundred miles per hour on the road."

"Three hundred miles? That junk car can go three hundred miles?"

". Well, it was pretty fast anyway!"

Luca shrugged.

Lima smiled gently, "Don't race cars anymore. Don't forget how your career ended."

"I know. I'll be careful."

Luca pulled up the corners of his mouth and smiled.

"Kate, Luca's back. He said his phone fell into the water and was going to drive out to buy a new one."

Lima called Kate.

Luca walked into the kitchen, grabbed a few slices of pizza, stuffed them into his mouth, then picked up a milk jug and chugged it.

"Are you very hungry?"

Lima looked at him in surprise.

Luca shrugged, "Not hungry, just thirsty!"

He picked Lima up and walked out.

"What are you doing? Stop it!"

"Darling, how about some overtime?"

"Are you up for it?"

" ."

An hour later, he answered the question perfectly with his actions.

"Darling, you seem a bit off. Did something happen?"

Lima leaned against his chest and asked.

"Am I stronger now?"

Luca stroked her hair and smiled.

"Yes, Mr. Beast!"

Lima angrily pinched his chest muscles.

Luca grinned, ". Darling, Kate said she has a boyfriend now. Have you met him?"

"Kate's boyfriend?"

Lima raised an eyebrow and suddenly laughed, "Yes, I've met him. He's alright, and you know him too."

"I know him too? Who is he?"

"Not telling you for now. You'll see him next time they visit."

Lima blinked.

"Tell me now!"

"Nope, nope, haha~"

"Then I won't be polite!"

(End of this chapter)