186-190

Chapter 186: For Real?

Two days later, the incident of blood at Britney's door still made it to the newspapers.

Some reports claimed Britney was injured during her concert rehearsal, with severe wounds that might affect her tour. Others said she attempted suicide after a breakup and was rushed to the hospital by her assistant. There were also rumors of a robbery at her mansion—fake news was flying everywhere.

However, after a press conference from the Beverly Police Department, the rumors gradually died down.

But within the paparazzi circles, a widespread rumor remained: A paparazzo from New York entered Britney’s mansion and never came out again. It was said that the brave soul had been devoured by Britney’s dogs, leaving no trace of him behind.

"Luca, I saw a story yesterday saying Britney was hurt by some scumbag, got depressed, and tried to kill herself. Her assistant saved her just in time. Is that scumbag you?"

On set at the Art Academy, during a filming break, Lindsay Lohan came over and asked.

Luca put down his book and glanced at her indifferently.

"What do you think?"

"It’s you, isn’t it? Your public girlfriend is Lima, but you're also rumored to be Britney’s boyfriend. You’re playing both sides—total scumbag behavior. Am I wrong?"

Lindsay Lohan tilted her head and blinked, trying to read his expression.

Luca smirked slightly. He and Britney had been keeping their relationship so private that the paparazzi couldn’t catch anything. This led some media to speculate they had broken up—otherwise, how had he been in LA for so long without ever being seen with her in public?

Taking advantage of the bloody incident, some papers hinted that Britney had been hurt by him, leading to her slashing her wrists in a suicide attempt.

As a result, he suddenly gained a bunch of new haters.

"You know I’m a bad guy, yet you’re still getting this close. Want to know what a scumbag smells like?"

Luca tapped her forehead with his book.

"I don’t need to smell it to know."

"What do I smell like, then?"

"Like that tofu from the other day!"

Lindsay wrinkled her nose in mock disgust.

Luca chuckled softly and reopened his book.

"What are you reading?"

She grabbed the book and glanced at the cover. "Java Programming Basics? Why are you reading a computer science book?"

"To become a programmer. Lots of people who study programming these days are becoming billionaires. I want to learn from their path to success."

"Looks complicated. Can you even understand it?"

"Nope."

"Haha! Then what were you doing staring so intently at it? Pretending?"

Lindsay smirked, looking like she deserved a good smack.

Luca shrugged. "Don’t you think I look charming when I’m reading?"

"Charming?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes so hard she nearly gagged.

"So, your purpose for reading is to use this method to attract girls?"

Lindsay raised an eyebrow.

"Well… you see, it worked. You came over, didn’t you?"

"Ugh, no way!"

Lindsay turned and started walking away, but after a few steps, she said, "Amanda was right, you are a bad boy!"

Luca grinned, crossing his legs and going back to reading Java Programming Basics.

A while back, he had advised Lima to switch to game development. Then he thought of the old saying: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

If he found it difficult himself, how could he push Lima to do it?

After reflecting, he ordered a few textbooks on game design online and planned to study them thoroughly. Once he got the hang of it, he could involve Lima in the process.

But after reading the book, he realized he had oversimplified game programming. He could understand the words on the page—some parts he could even memorize—but truly grasping the concepts was incredibly difficult.

Scratching his head, he noticed two hairs falling onto the page. Alarmed, he wondered if this was the curse of programmers. Did becoming a programmer require the sacrifice of a full head of hair?

"Is the price too high?"

Luca touched his handsome face, silently wondering if the trade-off was worth it.

"Luca, the set is ready!"

Tony came over to remind him.

"Got it!"

Luca pulled at his hair, relieved when none came out.

"Luca, in this scene, you're supposed to perform some fancy soccer tricks, then do a bicycle kick to score, which catches Lindsay’s attention. Can you pull that off?"

Director Mark explained.

"No problem!"

Luca juggled the soccer ball a few times.

In the script, the male lead, Aaron, is portrayed as handsome and skilled in both soccer and football.

However, in the original movie, Aaron’s soccer scenes were pretty basic—just him fumbling around. There were no fancy moves or cool tricks like a bicycle kick.

Now that Luca was in the role, the director added these elements to the scene.

Luca was pleased. Without these scenes, Aaron’s character would have been just a pretty face, making the role flat and lacking depth. Adding these moments would flesh out the character and make him more memorable.

"Director Mark, how long is this scene supposed to be?"

"Thirty seconds."

Mark thought for a moment. "If you put on an even better show, maybe forty seconds."

"Okay, thanks, Mark!"

Forty seconds was more than enough. Sometimes, just one second of brilliance could leave a lasting impression.

As Mark went back to preparations, Luca began warming up, jogging two laps around the field and doing a few yoga stretches on the grass.

"Luca, Ed warned me to watch out for your back. Don’t push yourself with any high-risk moves," Tony said hesitantly.

"Don’t worry. My back’s fine now!"

Luca patted Tony on the shoulder and bounced on the spot.

"Mark, can I arrange the placement of the players for this scene?"

Luca hesitated when he saw how the extras were positioned on the field.

"They’re just extras; most don’t really know how to play soccer, so they might not be able to keep up with you," Mark replied with a frown.

"It’s fine. My request isn’t difficult."

"Alright then, how about you serve as the stunt coordinator for this scene?"

"Thanks for trusting me, director!"

Luca thanked him and stepped onto the field.

This wasn’t a standard soccer field—it was only half the size.

There were eight extras on the field, all wearing a mix of random athletic gear.

Clap, clap! Luca clapped his hands. "Hey everyone, I’m Luca Kelly, former lead striker for Brazil’s national youth soccer team. I’ll be taking over this game, so I’ll need your cooperation."

"Brazilian national striker? For real?"

One of the extras mumbled quietly.

"Of course. His name is Luca Kelly, and he was teammates with Kaká. They even showed one of his matches on TV recently."

"Yeah, I saw that too! His bicycle kick was insane. I can’t believe we get to play with him!"

"Wait, he’s that good? Why isn’t he still playing soccer and becoming a football star?"

"The news said he suffered a serious back injury and couldn’t play anymore."

"Yeah, he was even scouted by Real Madrid. He was just one step away from stardom. It’s a real shame."

"A shame? Who cares? He’s from Brazil, not the U.S. team. If he’s injured, it’s no big deal, right?"

"True!"

The extras murmured amongst themselves.

Luca ignored the chatter and positioned the extras where he wanted them.

"Alright, everyone, listen up. When the cameras roll, I’m going to dribble past you and take a shot at the goal. I need you all to give it your best and try to stop me."

"Are we supposed to really defend or just pretend?"

The extra who had dismissed Luca earlier asked with a smirk.

"Defend for real!"

There was no need to worry about offsides in a scene like this.

"Haha, all eight of us against just you?"

"That’s right. And if you manage to stop me, I’ll buy you all drinks. Deal?"

"Deal! You’re on!"

The extra laughed. He was part of the school’s soccer team and figured he was pretty good. Five of the other extras were his teammates.

Six of them couldn’t stop one guy, especially an injured one?

Ha! Taking down a former Brazilian national player would make for a great story, wouldn’t it?

"Deal!"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 187: She

"Come out quickly, Luca and the others are really going to play a match!"

Amanda rushed into the break room and shouted.

It was hot at noon, so Rachel and a few others stayed indoors enjoying the air conditioning after finishing their scenes. They would only go back out once filming resumed.

“What do you mean by ‘a real match’?” Rachel asked, putting down her script.

“Luca is playing a soccer game against a few of the school’s soccer team players—he’s taking on eight of them all by himself!”

Amanda excitedly gestured with her fingers.

“1 versus 8?” Lindsay Lohan curled her lip. “Pfft, what a showoff.”

“No, really! Luca made a bet with the team earlier. If he loses, he’ll buy them drinks! They even high-fived to seal the deal!”

Amanda was practically buzzing with excitement.

"Is that so? Let’s go check it out!" Rachel stood up.

“Wait, don’t go!” Lindsay extended her arms to block everyone.

“Haha, Lindsay, what are you doing?” Lacey, the fourth female lead, laughed.

“That whole ‘bet and buying drinks’ thing is fake! Luca’s just trying to show off. He’s probably already paid a few extras to stage a scene, all to get us girls’ attention. If we go watch, we’ll be falling for his act!”

Lindsay Lohan spoke with certainty.

“Why would Luca use that trick to get our attention?” Amanda asked, confused.

“Because he wants to date you, obviously. He’s trying to impress you, Amanda. You need to be careful—he’s a player!”

“Is that so? Now I definitely want to go see.” Amanda pushed past Lindsay and rushed outside. The others quickly followed to watch the match.

“Idiots!” Lindsay fumed, shaking her hand in frustration. “You’ve all fallen for it!”

“Lindsay, why do you suddenly have such a problem with Luca?” Rachel asked, smiling as she put on her sunhat.

“That jerk’s a total scumbag! He has a girlfriend, yet he’s still flirting with women on set. He pretends to read books during breaks, acting all sophisticated and charming, just to catch girls’ attention.”

Lindsay was visibly annoyed.

Earlier, she had seen that jerk sitting quietly in a corner reading, and she couldn't help but notice an indescribable allure in him. It was sexy, almost like her seventh-grade English teacher—handsome, intellectual, the school’s heartthrob. She was drawn to the scholarly vibe she saw in Luca, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She finally gave in and went to mess with him, only to realize he was just putting on a show. Damn it, she was furious—she almost wanted to gouge her eyes out.

“Damn scumbag!” she cursed.

Rachel smirked. “Lindsay, how do you know he’s pretending? How can you be so sure he’s doing it to get attention?”

“He admitted it himself!” Lindsay huffed.

“He told you he was up to something?” Rachel laughed and kept walking.

Lindsay stood there for a moment, stunned. That did seem odd. Why would he admit to faking it? Could it be that he’s just an honest jerk?

She furrowed her brows, quickly following Rachel.

“Rachel, even if the reading was real, the soccer game has to be fake! One guy versus eight? And he made a bet? It’s all staged, way too obvious!”

“Why couldn’t it be real? Luca used to be on Brazil’s national soccer team. Playing against a few college players is nothing for him. Soccer is about skill, not numbers.”

“Luca was on Brazil’s national team? No way!”

“You didn’t know? Maybe you should ask your agent about him sometime,” Rachel smiled as she adjusted her hat.

By the time they reached the field, filming had already started.

On the field, Luca was dressed in a bright red jersey, dribbling the ball swiftly through a crowd. Eight players from the opposing team were weaving around, trying to block him.

As he charged forward, the eight players quickly surrounded him.

But with a swift move, he slipped past three defenders in the blink of an eye, moving like a flash of red lightning on the green turf.

“Go, Luca!” Amanda shouted from the sidelines. Others cheered for the school team, though they were quickly hushed by the crew—after all, this was a film set, and random shouting would ruin the scene.

“Look, he’s about to lose the ball!” someone exclaimed.

Tension filled the air as three more players lunged toward Luca, all aiming to tackle the ball at once.

Just then, Luca deftly flicked the ball with the tip of his foot, pinching it between the heel of his left foot and the instep of his right. He lifted it with precision and, in one swift motion, launched himself into the air, carrying the ball with him.

“Whoa!”

Luca flew over the heads of the defenders, leaving them staring in shock at the turf beneath his feet.

The audience was stunned.

“Was that a rainbow flick?”

“Yes! Last year, in the Japan-Korea World Cup, Turkish player İlhan used that same move to get past Brazil's defender Roberto Carlos. İlhan became famous overnight!”

“I remember that match! That move was so cool, and now Luca’s doing it too!”

“Luca used to be on the Brazil team. If he hadn’t been injured, he might have been able to compete with İlhan.”

“Yeah, what a shame.”

The film crew members who understood soccer were abuzz with excitement.

“Rachel, is Luca really that good?” Lindsay asked, her eyes glued to the field in awe.

“Can’t you judge for yourself?” Rachel smiled, blinking.

After dodging six players, only two defenders and the goalkeeper remained.

The two defenders rushed forward aggressively, arms wide, ready to foul if necessary.

Luca didn’t flinch. He smoothly executed a body feint, sending one defender crashing to the ground.

The school team’s captain charged at Luca, attempting to grab him.

“Dirty move!”

At that moment, Luca lowered his body and feinted left. With a powerful flick of his right foot, he unleashed a strike with the force of a whip.

“Look, Luca’s going to shoot!” someone shouted excitedly.

From eight meters away, Luca fired a shot. The ball rocketed through the air with incredible force, spinning toward the goal.

“Whoa, the angle’s perfect! It’s going in!”

“Yes, that curve is unstoppable! No way the goalkeeper can block it.”

“Luca’s amazing!”

Everyone’s eyes were glued to the ball, waiting for that final moment when it would hit the back of the net.

Boom!

To everyone’s surprise, the ball slammed against the crossbar and bounced high into the air.

“What a shame!”

“How did that not go in?”

“Wait, what’s he doing?!”

Just then, Luca sprinted toward the falling ball. As it dropped, he executed a perfect bicycle kick, his foot connecting with the ball in mid-air.

With a sharp swoosh, the ball whizzed past the goalkeeper’s fingertips and slammed into the top right corner of the net, spinning furiously as it hit the back of the goal.

The entire crowd froze for two seconds.

“Gooooooal!” someone screamed at the top of their lungs.

“Whoa, it went in!”

“A bicycle kick! Luca scored with a bicycle kick! That was amazing!”

“I can’t believe he pulled that off!”

The audience erupted into applause and cheers.

“Wow, wow, wow! Luca actually did it! He nailed it in one take—he’s incredible!” The director, Mark, pumped his fists in excitement, shouting.

“Calm down, Mark. We’re filming a movie, not watching a real soccer match,” screenwriter Tina Fey adjusted her glasses but secretly unclenched her own excited fists.

“Haha, Tina, Luca was fantastic, wasn’t he? A great game and a great performance. He’s not just a talented soccer player but an amazing actor too,” Mark laughed.

“Yes, indeed,” Tina crossed her arms, gazing at Luca. “Maybe he’ll make this character even more special.”

“He already has,” Mark grinned, calling for a cut.

“Wow, was that really Luca who scored? He seems like an old man, how could he pull off such a cool move? Incredible!” Lindsay Lohan finally snapped out of her daze, blinking in disbelief.

“An old man?” Rachel laughed. “Why would you think he’s an old man?”

“He acts like one! He talks so slow and moves at a snail’s pace. He’s not lively at all. But on the field, he’s full of energy, so cool, so sexy—totally not like him at all!”

Lindsay furrowed her brow.

“Hmm, I can’t believe I agree with you!” Rachel chuckled.

“Oh no!” Lindsay’s eyes widened as she saw Amanda rush onto the field and excitedly hug Luca. Luca lifted her up and spun her around.

“See? He’s not just an old man, but a creepy old man too!” Rachel giggled. “Come on, let’s go congratulate Luca!”

“Hmph, I’m not going!” Lindsay turned her head, acting haughty.

“Haha, let’s go!”

“No, no, don’t pull me!”

Lindsey reluctantly walked onto the field and saw Luca hugging Rachel. She curled her lips slightly, thinking, "What an old pervert, haha," and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey, Lindsey, want a victory hug?" Luca asked with a grin, spreading his arms wide.

"Nope, stay away from me, you old perv, haha!" Lindsey teased with a laugh.

"Old perv?" Luca raised an eyebrow. "I’m only five years older than you, how does that make me old?"

"You just are!" Lindsey insisted with a smirk.

"Okay!" Luca chuckled, taking the water Tony handed him and drinking it in one go.

"Luca, how did you just play like that? You were amazing! Even better than those big stars on TV!" Amanda exclaimed in awe.

Luca smiled slightly. "It’s no big deal. The opponents were weak, their defense was off. It’s easy to pull off in a casual game. In an official match, it wouldn’t be that simple."

"But you’re still amazing!" Amanda said, her eyes wide with admiration.

"Thanks!"

"Amanda, you're in trouble. He’s totally got you hooked!" Lindsey joked.

"No, he hasn’t!" Amanda blushed a little.

"All departments ready, actors in place!"

"Scene 17, Take 6, Action!"

After a short break, the crew started filming again.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 188: Night at the Bar*

“How’s the filming going these days?”

“Not bad.”

That afternoon, Ed arrived at the set, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt. In the sunlight, his skin looked darker, and his teeth appeared even whiter against it when he smiled.

Luca chuckled lightly, “Did you finalize the promotional stuff?”

“Yes, I’m here to inform you about that, as well as the upcoming promotion schedule.”

Ed opened his work bag, taking out a contract and a stack of documents. “You have about seven events lined up, mainly in Los Angeles, New York, and the surrounding areas. Each one pays about $20,000, similar to runway fees.”

“About $20,000?”

Luca raised an eyebrow, a bit curious.

“Yes, you’re an extra and were added last minute. These events include TV interviews, radio promotions, newspaper interviews, roadshows, and so on. Different events have different fees.”

Ed briefly explained the movie’s promotional plan.

During the audition, Luca wasn’t very well-known, so the producers had only offered him a supporting role contract, which didn’t include any promotional obligations. Now, this had been added on last minute.

If he had signed a leading role contract, there wouldn’t have been all this fuss since such contracts usually require actors to participate in promotions without extra pay.

Luca nodded and took two bottles of chilled cranberry juice from Tony, handing one to Ed. The juice was provided by the sponsor, and they could drink it freely.

Ed took a sip and immediately frowned.

“Why is it so sweet?”

“It’s a drink for women. Girls like sweet stuff. They say drinking this often can improve skin and treat some women’s health issues,” Luca joked with a light laugh.

“Do you like this stuff?” Ed asked, his face puzzled.

“Oh, of course not. It’s tasty because it’s free.”

“You’re such a cheapskate,” Ed grinned, his white teeth stained with red juice, looking like blood.

Luca chuckled, then handed him a bottle of water. “When do my promotions start? I hope it won’t interfere with the filming.”

“Oh, it won’t. You have two events in L.A., two in New York, one in San Francisco, and two others elsewhere. The first one is tomorrow afternoon: an interview on TNT. I checked your shooting schedule, and you’re free tomorrow at noon. I’ll try to avoid clashes with the other ones.”

Luca flipped through the promotional materials. “What kind of topics will be discussed during the interview? Is there a script?”

“It’s all here!” Ed flipped to a page. “Since you’re a supporting actor, there are only three questions. I’ve prepared some reference answers for you. Just remember not to go off-script. The media has no integrity, and if you say something exaggerated, they’ll latch onto it and paint you as dishonest in front of the audience.”

Luca glanced at the questions.

The first was about his career shift: Why did he go from being a supermodel to acting in movies?

The second was about why, in his first film, he chose to play a villain.

The third was about his thoughts on the new movie.

The questions were straightforward.

“The interview starts at 2 p.m. tomorrow, so it’s best to get there early to rehearse with the team. Also, you’ll need to take care of makeup and wardrobe.”

“I got it. I’ll contact Billy and Jessica in advance to set a time.”

“Great!”

After chatting for another ten minutes, Ed took his leave.

Luca dusted off his pants and headed to the set.

The crew was filming a scene with the four female leads. Katie had officially joined Gina’s “Bad Girl” gang, forming a small clique.

Luca only had one scene in this part. Aaron, his character, walked down the hallway with his arms around Katie and Gina’s shoulders.

Suddenly, Lindsay Lohan tripped and fell into a trash can headfirst, her legs sticking out. She was wearing a skirt, so her legs, resembling two pale, chubby radishes, were exposed, wiggling around, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

“Cut!”

After the director called the cut, Luca and Rachel went over to help Lindsay out of the trash can.

“Lindsay, you could’ve used a stunt double,” Rachel teased.

“No need. This shot isn’t that hard!” Lindsay said, tugging at her skirt.

“Nice, you’re a dedicated actress!” Luca complimented.

“Don’t need you to tell me that!” Lindsay said with her chin held high, a little smug.

“Any plans for tonight?”

“None.”

“How about we all go dancing at a bar?”

“Sounds good!”

That night, at the Honeycut Bar on Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, the music blared, and the lights flashed wildly. On the dance floor, a crowd of energetic men and women swayed passionately to the beat.

“Luca, why aren’t you dancing?” Rachel asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead as she squeezed out of the crowd.

“Too many girls!” Luca handed her a beer.

“What’s wrong with that?” Rachel asked, puzzled.

“I’m afraid someone might take advantage of me,” Luca said, shrugging.

Rachel burst into laughter, covering her mouth.

Luca shrugged and handed her a napkin. “What about you? Why aren’t you dancing?”

“It’s late. I promised Ryan I’d be home by 8 p.m.,” Rachel said after taking a sip of beer.

“When does Ryan’s new movie start shooting?”

“September. He’s losing weight for it right now.”

“Nice!”

Recently, Ryan landed a role in a movie called Stay, about a psychologist, Sam, and his girlfriend, Lila, trying to prevent a gifted student, Henry, from committing suicide, only to find their own sanity challenged.

Ryan plays Sam, the lead. It’s an indie film, likely with limited impact.

But before shooting, the director had personally approached Ryan with the script and invited him to play the lead—a deal anyone would envy.

“Luca, I’m heading home now. When the others are done, let them know I’ve left.”

Luca looked toward the dance floor, where Lindsay, Amanda, and the others were still dancing.

“Got it!”

He saw her off to a taxi and then returned to the bar.

“Hey~ Billy, over here! You’re late!”

After sitting at the booth for a while, director Billy finally arrived.

Luca had contacted Billy when he first arrived in L.A., but Billy wasn’t in town. After finishing his movie, Billy had gone back to directing music videos, staying busy on set.

Luca reached out to him again that afternoon to meet for drinks and discuss the promotion plans. Billy said he’d be there soon, but ended up half an hour late.

“Haha, Luca! Long time no see!”

Billy rushed over and gave him a bear hug.

Luca patted him on the back and invited him to sit.

“Luca, sorry about the delay. Just as I was heading out, I got a call from a friend. Funny thing is, it’s related to you.”

“Related to me? Do I know them?”

Luca ordered a whiskey and pushed it over to Billy.

Billy shook his head. “No, you don’t know her. Her name’s Anne Fletcher. She got the highest certifications in jazz, tap, and ballet by age 12, and opened her own dance studio at 13. Now she’s Hollywood’s top choreographer.”

“Anne Fletcher?” Luca was surprised. This was the actual director of Step Up.

“She reached out to you because of Step Up?”

“How’d you know?”

Billy blinked in surprise, then burst into laughter. “You guessed right! I worked with her a lot when I was shooting music videos.

When I got the script, I knew the movie involved a lot of dancing, so choreography was key. She was the first person I thought of, so I sent her the script.

She just called to say she liked it and wants to work together.”

Luca raised an eyebrow. “That’s a great idea.”

“Haha, yeah, Anne’s amazing!”

The two clinked glasses and started discussing the movie promotion.

“Hey, Luca, you invited us out to dance, but you’re just sitting here drinking. Not cool, man!” Lindsay Lohan came over, drenched in sweat. Her pink T-shirt was soaked, and a bit see-through.

Luca handed her a napkin and a cold beer, smiling. “I’m talking work with a friend. I’ll join in later.”

“Tch~ Typical old man,” Lindsay teased before taking the beer and chugging it.

“Luca, don’t worry about the promotion. Just follow their plan. You’re at a bar—relax! Let’s go dance!”

Billy, eyeing the lively dance floor, could barely contain himself. He waved and joined the crowd.

“Look at that! A man in his forties or fifties is more lively than you. Aren’t you embarrassed?” Lindsay smirked at Luca.

Luca smiled wryly. “I don’t dance because I’m bad at it. Can you teach me?”

“No problem, leave it to me! Haha, I never thought a Brazilian couldn’t dance.”

“...”

That sounded pretty reasonable.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 189: Interview Scene*

"Mr. Kelly, according to the MDC website survey, you're consistently ranked among the top three male models this year. You've had a very successful career. What made you want to become an actor?"

"Because I enjoy it. Making movies is cool—way cooler than playing a league match. I love the feeling."

---

The next afternoon, at the TNT TV show recording.

In a brightly lit, high-tech recording studio, Luca, dressed in a black suit, sat casually on a sofa, talking confidently.

TNT stands for Turner Network Television, a Los Angeles-based cable channel that broadcasts sports events and movie programs around the clock.

During their movie segments, they also include interviews about upcoming films. This episode's interview was about Sweetheart Dance, with six key members of the production team, including Billy, Luca, Jessica, Mekhi Phifer, and two younger actors.

"Mr. Kelly, this was your first movie. Why did you choose to play a villain?"

The host asked, following the usual format.

"Villain? Strictly speaking, Michael isn’t a villain. He’s a talented young director who helps people by giving them opportunities. But he’s also inexperienced, which is why he comes across as arrogant. Though in the film he plays a headstrong boss, the character feels real. Before facing setbacks, haven't we all been a bit reckless in our youth and made mistakes? This character resonates with us."

"Mr. Kelly, you're only 21, yet you seem so mature," the host said with a smile.

"Maybe it’s because I’m wearing a Helmut Lang suit," Luca replied, adjusting his black tie.

"Luca, are you doing product placement?" Billy teased.

Jessica giggled softly.

"Why not? You can always cut it out."

It was a pre-recorded show, so the conversation was relaxed and informal.

The host smiled gently before asking, "Mr. Kelly, it's been reported that Britney visited the set during filming. Are you and Britney close?"

Luca raised an eyebrow. This was an off-script question. The media just couldn’t resist chasing hot topics, like a dog with an unshakable habit.

"Are you referring to the time Britney visited the set? Yes, Britney came by. She’s a friend of mine. She had just finished shooting a music video in Los Angeles and decided to stop by. I assume she came to see me since I was the only one she knew there."

"Hey, Luca, did you forget about me? When Britney and I worked together, you were still playing soccer in Brazil!" Billy said, mock-offended.

"Alright, alright. Britney came to see you," Luca said, shrugging, as if to say he wasn’t competing for friends.

The audience chuckled lightly.

Backstage, Ed cracked a small smile, thinking the response was appropriate. But the next question made him frown.

"Mr. Kelly, will you invite Britney to the premiere of your new movie?"

*Damn!*

Ed cursed silently. This was a trap.

If Luca said "yes," people would speculate it was a PR stunt. If he said "no," it could fuel rumors about their breakup, confirming recent gossip about their split.

The show's producers had changed the questions without consulting them, a major lack of respect.

Just as Ed was about to interrupt the recording, Luca smiled and said, "Billy, can I invite Britney?"

"Of course. Britney and I are friends, so I’d invite her even if you didn’t ask. But she’s quite busy, so hopefully, she’ll be free."

Billy said earnestly.

Ed breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the director, who was behind the scenes.

"Mr. Henry, you should focus more on the director and lead actors," Ed said with a stern expression.

"Relax, Mr. Manager. Luca has more media buzz, which helps promote the movie better, don’t you think?" The director, who was also Black, grinned, showing his pearly white teeth.

"You’re not wrong, but Luca is just a supporting actor. He’s not responsible for the film’s box office performance," Ed replied seriously.

"Got it!"

The director picked up the walkie-talkie and said a few words. Soon after, the host shifted the conversation toward the director, Billy, Jessica, and Mekhi Phifer.

An hour later, the interview ended.

---

"Thanks for helping out earlier, Billy," Luca said as they sat in a café across from Turner Broadcasting on Berryman Street.

"No problem. We’re a team, aren’t we?"

"Indeed!"

Luca smiled and bumped fists with him.

"Luca, why didn’t you want to talk about Britney on the show? Are you worried people will misunderstand your relationship?" Jessica asked, smiling slyly.

Luca shrugged, "Everyone pretty much knows about me and Britney by now. There’s nothing to worry about."

"So, what’s the reason?"

"It’s simple. The appearance fee was too low. If they paid me more, I wouldn’t mind chatting about Britney on air."

Luca said shamelessly.

"Just because of the money?" Billy asked curiously.

"Yeah, you know, I just bought a house and still owe a lot on the mortgage. I’ve got to budget carefully."

"Paying off a mortgage?" Billy burst out laughing.

"Luca, you bought property in L.A.?"

Jessica asked, surprised.

"Yeah, just last week, in Malibu’s 17th district."

"The 17th district?" Jessica paused. "Malibu’s property values have skyrocketed in recent years, especially in the 17th district, where many celebrities and wealthy people live. That’s impressive."

"Yeah, the prices are high. The down payment alone wiped out my savings."

Luca sighed, sipping his coffee. "Billy, you’re covering the bill, right?"

"Me? You live in a mansion and can’t afford a coffee? You’re so cheap!" Billy exclaimed, caught off guard.

"Ha ha~"

Jessica covered her mouth, laughing so hard she could barely sit up straight.

---

(Chapter ends)

*Chapter 190: Trees Have Dignity Too*

"Hey, Luca, guess where I am?"

"Fanny, are you in Los Angeles? Where are you? I'll pick you up."

On the West Coast Highway in Santa Monica, Luca received a call, immediately turned his car around, and headed to Los Angeles Airport in the Westchester district.

The sun was setting, but the highway outside the airport remained as busy as ever.

Outside the P2B parking lot, a short girl sat on a yellow suitcase. She wore a blue-and-white striped dress, her silver hair draped over her shoulders, and she held a guitar, softly singing as she played by the roadside.

Ting-tang, ting-tang~

Pedestrians hurried by, but she sat there like a lonely musician.

Luca pulled up beside her, slowing the car to a stop.

"Hey, Fanny, stop waiting—no one's giving you any money," Luca teased, leaning out of the window.

"Luca, you’re here!" Fanny jumped off her suitcase when she saw him.

"Miss Fanny, welcome to Los Angeles. I’m your tour guide, Luca Kelly. Please, get in the car!" Luca stepped out and extended his hand.

"Thank you for picking me up!" Fanny said, hugging her guitar and giving him a quick hug.

Once in the car, the BMW headed northwest, gently following the Pacific Coast Highway toward Malibu.

"Fanny, is there a special reason for this trip to L.A.?" Luca asked as he drove.

Glancing around the car's interior, Fanny nodded. "I’m here to attend Britney’s concert."

"Flying out just to see a concert? You must be a superfan."

"No, my only idol is you. Learning from you is the key to success."

"Ha! Don’t say that yet. You can say you learned from me after you're successful. Then I'll be happy. For now, stay humble," Luca joked.

"Alright!" Fanny smiled. "Are you going to Britney’s concert too?"

"Yes, did you get tickets? I bought three for myself, Kate, and Lima. Unfortunately, they can’t come, so I have two extras. Do you want one?"

"Sure! Wait, you were going to take Lima to Britney’s concert?" Fanny asked with a strange look on her face.

"Why? What’s the problem?"

"The problem is huge! Imagine if Lima had a celebrity boyfriend, and she took you to his concert. How would you feel about that?" Fanny asked, arms crossed, smirking.

Luca paused, then realized. "Got it. That would’ve been a terrible idea."

"Exactly! Women on stage shine like stars, and those watching can’t compare. Taking Lima to Britney’s concert—are you trying to show her how amazing Britney is?"

"I messed up!" Luca shook his head, realizing he had been careless. Thankfully, Lima didn’t come, and he hadn’t told her, or else he would’ve made a big mistake.

"Luca, how can you be so careless and still cheat? Aren’t you afraid of being caught?" Fanny teased with a wink.

"Fanny, I didn’t cheat! Britney and I are just friends. Don’t be misled by the media," Luca said, scratching his face awkwardly.

Fanny stared at him for a moment, then smiled. "Uncle Luca, I believe you!"

"Why?" Luca was puzzled and a bit embarrassed, feeling like he had let his friend down.

Fanny laughed, "It’s simple—you’re a conservative. Even if you did sleep with Britney, it definitely wasn’t your idea. So technically, it’s not your fault."

Luca shook his head. "That’s not right. When it comes to cheating, the man is always at fault."

"Oh?" Fanny was curious.

Luca shrugged. "A man cheats first in his mind before it becomes a physical act. No one can force a man to cheat if he doesn’t want to."

"That makes sense. What about women?"

"No idea. I haven’t finished reading that women’s magazine yet."

"Haha, so this is all from a magazine?"

"Yup!"

"I want to read it too!"

They continued chatting until the car finally arrived at Malibu's 17th villa district, the Kelly family’s Big Pear Tree Estate, just as the sun set.

"Wow~ What a lovely estate! That pear tree is huge. Does it have pears?" Fanny asked as she stepped out of the car.

Standing in front of the garage, she looked up at the massive pear tree. The red sun hung in the branches, and in the dense leaves, a few fist-sized green pears were faintly visible.

"Luca, I see some pears. Can I have one?" Fanny asked excitedly.

"Of course, but they’re too high up. The tree trunk is thick, and you’ll need professional tools to get them. Maybe someday we’ll pick some when we have the time; they seem almost ripe," Luca replied, glancing at the tree.

This pear tree was very old, with a plaque showing its planting year as 1991.

Back then, Malibu wasn’t even a city, just a small town. The second owner of the property had planted it. Later, when the house was sold, they wrote a clause in the contract: the property could be owned, but the tree could not be cut down until it died of natural causes.

Every owner who bought the property had to sign this agreement.

Americans take contracts seriously, so the tradition had been carried on. Over the years, the land had passed through four owners, and the house had become more luxurious, but the pear tree remained.

The landowner could maintain the tree but not cut it down, and if the tree fell ill, they had to hire experts to treat it until it naturally died.

It was an interesting arrangement, so Luca had no issue signing the contract.

"No tools needed; the tree is big and easy to climb," Fanny said, gesturing toward it.

"Stop messing around. Let’s go!" Luca grabbed her suitcase and guitar.

"I’m not messing around! I can really climb trees! My mom always said I was like a boy growing up," Fanny said, following him while glancing back at the tree.

"But you’re still a girl. The contract states that girls aren’t allowed to climb the pear tree."

"Really?"

"Yes, the tree is male, and if a woman climbs it, it’ll lose face. How will it stand tall in the plant world after that? If it gets upset, it might even commit suicide. Could you live with that on your conscience?"

"Haha~ Luca, are you being sexist? The papers say Kate’s a feminist. I’m going to tell her about this!"

Fanny laughed.

"Fine, I was kidding. But seriously, no climbing the tree. Got it?"

"Okay, Uncle Luca, you’re so serious. It’s kinda scary," Fanny waved her hand as she walked upstairs.

In front of the villa were lawns, trees, and a driveway. Behind the house, there was a view of the ocean, beach, and a sparkling blue pool, which immediately caught Fanny’s eye.

"Luca, can I swim?" Fanny shouted, suddenly excited.

"Sure, after dinner, I’ll find you a swimsuit," Luca replied.

"No need," Fanny said. Before he could react, she was on the balcony, taking off her dress.

"Don’t jump!" he yelled.

SPLASH

Fanny had already leapt into the pool.

Luca slapped his forehead. Everything about this villa was great, except for the poorly designed pool. It was placed right under the balcony, with a sliding door—practically inviting people to jump.

"Fanny, the water’s a bit cold. Swim a couple of laps, then come inside. I’ll get dinner started."

"Got it, Uncle Luca!"

Well, clearly she thought he was nagging.

Luca decided to leave her be and got busy with his own tasks.

(End of the Chapter)