King of Hollywood
Chapter 294 - Chapter 294 Chapter 21 Back to Washington

Chapter 294: Chapter 21: Back to Washington Chapter 294: Chapter 21: Back to Washington Immaculately dressed waiters moved back and forth in the hall, responding to the greetings of the guests, their perpetual smiles combined with their polite demeanor epitomized the restaurant’s elegant chic. Although there were crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the lighting was not too harsh, adding to the ambiance of the restaurant. The band above the dance floor frequented soothing old songs, and occasionally a singer would perform, creating a very sentimental atmosphere.

At a table against the east wall, a man and a woman sat facing each other, engaged in lively conversation, punctuated by genuine, low laughs. The woman had her hair up, with thick bangs at the front, and wore a high V-neck white dress. Her exposed neck added a touch of fragile beauty yet an incomparable elegance; her delicate face seemed as if it were crafted from porcelain. The man, clad in a formal suit, was quite handsome, always wearing a gentle smile. Yet, within that gentleness was a hint of indescribable rebelliousness. His voice was deep and magnetic, equally charming.

Some of the older waiters recognized the elegant, captivating woman–indeed, every Frenchman should recognize Sophie Marceau! However, they didn’t recognize the man sitting across from her, but seeing how joyfully they conversed, they must be close friends, perhaps even more… Of course, these thoughts would quickly vanish from the waiters’ minds. As staff at Paris’ famous Alan Ducasse Restaurant, they had undergone strict training on what should be remembered and what should be forgotten, what could be said and what couldn’t–reasons why Paris’ celebrities favored dining here.

“Alright, I admit it’s amusing, you must be satisfied now?” Sophie said with a resigned tone.

“It sounds like a warning, whether you’re satisfied or not, you have to be satisfied,” Adrian said with a laugh, and then took a big sip of water, “So, I’m very satisfied now.”

“What do you think I should say then? I’ve already admitted it’s fun or maybe…” Sophie’s eyes bent up, her previous resignation obviously feigned, but she didn’t finish her sentence, seeming to have thought of something else, and her smile became slightly stiff.

“Or maybe what?” Adrian asked smoothly, without showing any sign of his curiosity.

“Nothing, I just suddenly remembered that it’s not easy to book a seat at Ducasse’s, you have to do it at least a day in advance,” Sophie smiled, deftly changing the subject, “So… you planned this in advance, didn’t you?”

“Of course,” Adrian admitted readily, “I said before, if I were sitting across from you without ever asking you here, I would regret it for a long time. It turns out, Lady Luck is still on my side.”

“What if I had refused then?” Sophie asked intriguingly.

“Then I would have canceled it,” Adrian replied, slightly surprised, apparently not understanding why she would ask such a question.

Sophie then showed a sudden understanding, then chuckled and shook her head, a trace of melancholy crossing her face.

“You seem a bit unhappy, is something bothering you?” Adrian followed up.

“Is it that obvious?” Sophie didn’t deny.

“Not really, it’s not noticeable unless one looks closely,” Adrian shrugged, and Sophie just smiled without speaking.

“I don’t want to say anything about being happy, there are many beautiful things in life, and I believe many people have told you this. But I hope you will like what’s coming next,” he said.

“What is it?” Sophie’s curiosity was immediately piqued. Adrian just smiled, did not speak, but gestured to call a waiter and whispered a few words, then stood up, “Excuse me for a moment.”

He quickly moved towards the band above the dance floor and the pianist stood up to give way. Adrian walked forward, knocked on the microphone, and the sound that suddenly emerged drew the attention of most of the dining guests.

“I would like to dedicate the next song to my friend. I hope she can always be happy, just like in the beginning,” Adrian said with a smile, then bowed to everyone before sitting down at the piano and raising his hands to press the keys.

The gentle flow of music started, and sitting in her seat, Sophie immediately covered her mouth. The melody was so familiar, how could she not recognize it?

“Met you by surprise I didn’t realize, That my life would change forever…” Adrian began to sing. Perhaps it was not as soulful as Richard Sanderson or as skillful as a professional singer, but his magnetic voice gave the song a different flavor, especially with the piano accompaniment, making it harmoniously indescribable. “Reality” was the name of the song, and also the theme song of Sophie’s debut work “First Kiss.”

Though it had been over a decade, the song was still beautiful. Sophie watched Adrian, who was absorbed in singing, and listened to the song, momentarily lost in thought.

The car stopped outside the apartment, and neither of the two passengers spoke, just sitting in their seats. They had maintained this subtle atmosphere since leaving the restaurant.

“I didn’t know you could even play the piano, let alone play it so well, and sing quite nicely too,” Sophie finally spoke, her eyes looking outside the car window, a faint smile on her lips, as if reminiscing.

“Thank you. Honestly, at first, I was worried that everyone might boo and drive me off the stage,” Adrian joked, knowing that after his performance, the applause in the restaurant had nearly overwhelmed him.

“This reminds me of the time when I first released my single, it received a good response, but the album that followed was a total flop,” Sophie said with a nostalgic smile, looking even more charming.

She then snapped back to reality, opened the car door, “Thank you for the ride home, Ed.”

“No need to thank me. It’s every gentleman’s duty to escort a lady home,” Adrian replied as he also got out and walked Sophie to the front of her apartment.

“That’s it then. It was a wonderful night,” Sophie said, standing by the door. Her hand fidgeted with the keychain, the metal clashing together subtly, yet continuously.

Adrian watched her without speaking, his body slightly leaning forward suddenly. Sophie obviously understood his intention, but she just looked at him with bright eyes, not avoiding him. Then, he cupped her beautiful face, leaned down and lightly touched her rosy lips with his, doing nothing more, a touch and go.

“You are right, Sophie. It was a wonderful night, one that I will always remember,” Adrian said, smiling at her, then stepped back and bowed politely, “Good night, sweet dreams.”

He finished speaking, got into his car without looking back, and drove away. Sophie watched the car disappear into the streets before she turned around, covered her slightly hot cheeks, and sighed softly. She touched her lips, seeming to savor the moment before she opened the door and entered her apartment.

Adrian, who had long since departed, also touched his lips. Though it was just a touch, the soft sensation was still endlessly lingering. If not for his considerable self-control, he might have already embraced Sophie and kissed her passionately.

Adrian believed if he persisted, entering Sophie’s room tonight wouldn’t be difficult–French women are much more romantic and emotional. However, if he truly pursued that, it would have meant their relationship could go no further, possibly even pushing her back to Poland, which was not the outcome he wanted.

If Adrian were to describe Sophie Marceau in one word, the first that would pop into his mind would undoubtedly be ‘charm’. In his previous life, even in her forties, Sophie still had her charm, let alone now, in the prime of her womanhood. Sensual, mature, elegant, with a hint of mystery and a touch of innocence remaining–how could she not attract a man’s gaze? But for old Adrian, securing her interest permanently was evidently better than a fleeting one-night stand.

This wasn’t such a difficult task–at least, that’s how it appeared to Adrian–as he had said earlier, what the media shows you is only what they want you to see. What goes on behind the camera, what occurrences transpire, outsiders will never know. And the paparazzi? Don’t make him laugh. Sure, they can follow celebrities 24/7, but could they do that 365 days a year? Also, their penchant for exaggeration meant that at best, it was only taken as gossip, making it hard to discern any real information.

Adrian’s probing had proven as much. Everything he discovered early this afternoon and evening was orchestrated by him, considering every step, even having “Reality” rearranged for piano while still in the United States. Although plans could unexpectedly change, luckily, everything had gone smoothly today, and he had left a profound impression on Sophie.

Although their time was brief, just half a day and an evening, Adrian had already touched on Sophie’s innermost self, just as he had anticipated from his preparations. Now was the perfect moment to intervene. Some traits aren’t unique due to individual differences–they’re merely a question of degree, especially among women in the entertainment industry. The women on the movie screens don’t represent who they are in real life; there’s always a desire, and where there is desire, there are exploitable weaknesses.

Monica, Julia, they stayed near Adrian not solely out of affection. Of course, there was affection; after all, Adrian was always gentle and considerate towards every woman, understanding their thoughts–how could there not be affection? But that wasn’t the sole factor. Beyond feelings, he could offer them much more, plainly speaking, benefits.

To put it bluntly, that meant Adrian offered them a tempting yet unequal contract–a contract of equality could only be established on the foundation of equal strength, and since they needed him, how could they expect equality? In any case, once they had signed this contract, albeit without any written terms, they were obliged to adhere to it.

Of course, this analysis was purely from a perspective of interest, and certain matters couldn’t be overtly discussed, being understood but not communicated verbally. People are complex beings after all; each woman by his side differed in details, which sometimes influenced the bigger picture. For Kate, Charlize, and Sarah, emotional attachment carried substantial weight.

So, in what manner would a beautiful and delightful woman like Sophie Marceau fall into his hands? The thought was quite exciting. Although that’s what Adrian thought, after returning to the hotel, he shelved the idea for the time being. There was plenty of time, no rush; after all, “Braveheart” would only start shooting a few months later.

Such a film depicting Medieval Europe, with grand war scenes, required extensive preliminary preparations. Just costume and prop making could take a long time, not to mention most of the scenes would be shot in the United Kingdom, requiring rented filming locations and setups under expert guidance. These details had to be flawless, and though perfection wasn’t feasible, it at least couldn’t be ignorant of historical accuracy as Adrian recollected some films had been.

Naturally, this wasn’t a significant issue, as the lead roles had already been decided. Initially, he had wanted to invite Kevin Costner for the male lead and even considered letting him direct, but the man was preoccupied with his doomed project “Waterworld,” so that plan was scrapped. Consequently, Adrian decided to direct the film personally, quickly finding a suitable candidate for the male lead.

He would leave these tasks to the professionals; he only needed to check in intermittently and provide his input–for now, he had another ongoing film production to complete. Thus, the following day, Adrian took a private plane out of Paris and flew directly to Washington, readjusted for jet lag, and by June 9th arrived at the “Forrest Gump” film crew.

This movie had only the Washington external scenes left, including anti-war demonstrations, Forrest’s reunion with Jenny, after receiving medals meeting with Lieutenant Dan, and about a dozen other shots. That’s why he had felt at ease going to London and then taking a roundabout route back from Prague and Paris, though it still took about ten days.

“I’ve never encountered a director like you, abandoning an unfinished film to vacation alone in Europe. It’s utterly ludicrous,” joked Tom Hanks, though he was mostly jesting.

Adrian knew it too, so he immediately joked in response, “Alright, I apologize. So, Tommy, how do you think I should make it up to you? How about giving you guys another week off?”

After he finished speaking, both of them burst into laughter.

“Attention everyone, get ready to start shooting!” Although it only took half a day to adjust, when Adrian picked up the microphone and started shouting to the crowd, his energy immediately returned.

About 1,500 extras, under his direction and dressed in 60s and 70s attire, crowded along the sides of the Reflecting Pool and in front of the constructed speaking platform. A dense crowd of people as far as the eye could see — it was somewhat startling and attracted many tourists, thankfully there were police officers around to help keep order.

With just over a thousand people, the crowd already looked impressive. During post-production, they would add about ten times more, one could imagine how massive the anti-war protests were back then. But it didn’t mean Forrest Gump was to take a definitive stand on the Vietnam War in the movie, although the script did include some lines for this speech: “Sometimes going to Vietnam, some people will lose their legs, some won’t come home, it’s terrible, that’s all I want to say.”

In the movie, however, a police officer would disrupt halfway through by unplugging the microphone, and the people around would only hear the initial phrase “Sometimes going to Vietnam.” When the protest organizer chased the officer away and reconnected the microphone, the people would only hear the last phrase, “That’s all I want to say.”

Clever arrangement, wasn’t it? Even into the 21st century, not everyone in mainstream society thought the Vietnam War was bad. So, skillfully pleasing both sides was quite necessary. Besides, Forrest Gump, being an active serviceman known to have a simple mind and unaware of what the protest was truly about, giving an anti-war speech in public was inappropriate; thus, this arrangement also avoided potential trouble to some extent.

Such plots that managed to please both sides were all over the movie, intricately woven and no wonder some said it was a film that epitomized American values.

Let’s return to the shooting scene, where, following this setup, there was a bit of a lull in action as the protesters expected to hear some harsh criticism of the government but ended up hearing nothing. Though the host next to Forrest Gump heard and thought he spoke well, helping to adjust the atmosphere, the disappointment among the people was still inevitable.

Next came Jenny’s scene, jumping into the Reflecting Pool, wading through the water towards the stage. Then, excitedly, Forrest Gump also leapt from the platform into the pool, and the two embraced tightly in the water — a soldier returning from the Vietnam Battlefield and his anti-war girlfriend meeting — which instantly drew enthusiastic applause from the protest crowd.

During the shooting, not only the extras applauded, some tourists who had sneaked in clapped as well. There was no helping it; the space from the Washington Monument to the Reflecting Pool was too vast, and though staff and police managed the order, they couldn’t keep everyone out, thankfully they didn’t cause any disturbances.

Although this scene was popular, it took almost two days to get it right, constantly adjusting and shooting from various perspectives, which wore the actors out a bit.

“Luckily, we’re done with that scene, Charli. What’s left?” Adrian, after checking the monitors, turned to the woman beside him.

“Meeting with Lieutenant Dan.” Charlize quickly responded.

“Can you call Ray over for me?” Adrian, having just asked, smiled at her as if remembering something, “Never mind, I’ll go over myself, you should rest.”

Charlize glared at him, but still suppressed her emotions, sitting in her place moodily without moving. (To be continued; for more details, please visit www.NovelFire.net. More chapters are available, support the author, support genuine reading!)