King of Hollywood
Chapter 451 - 173: Lost the Bet

Chapter 451: Chapter 173: Lost the Bet

The night had deepened, the streets twinkling with faint lights as a few small mosquitoes darted around as if performing a silent mime. There weren’t many pedestrians, but those present were couples walking arm in arm—the nightlife in Paris was just beginning.

"You’re a liar, a thief; you always use those sweet words to bewitch women and then steal away their hearts," Sophie staggered as she walked, speaking in a slurred manner, her disposition resembling that of someone intoxicated.

Of course, she wasn’t drunk; she was even able to leap onto the steps of a street garden, stretching out her arms for balance, giggling as she walked a good distance. Her cheeks were flushed, not from alcohol, but from intense passion evident in her eyes, a sultry, contented look as if she still reveled in immense satisfaction.

"So, have I stolen your heart yet, Sophie?" Adrian caught her hand as she jumped down, pulling her into his embrace.

"I...," Sophie lifted her head to meet his gaze, her smile fading as she stared intently at him for a moment.

"I don’t know..." she murmured, pouting with red lips that appeared slightly annoyed, but then Adrian’s lips silenced her pout.

There was a not too fierce, yet passionate smacking sound. Sophie slowly leaned backward as Adrian held her waist, keeping her from falling. No one gave them a second glance; such scenes were all too normal in the streets of Paris.

"How annoying!" Sophie suddenly pushed Adrian away, panting as she bounced back like a small rabbit, and with an accusing tone, she huffed, "Is there anything else you’re capable of doing? Oh, for goodness’ sake, doing that in such a place..."

Her girlishness mixed with mature charm, enough to stir desire in any man, Adrian quickly took two steps and grabbed her hand again, "Because you are so captivating, I can’t help myself."

"You always say things like that." Sophie continued to pout, pulling her hand away, "What else is there? If not, I should go home now, and I don’t want you to come along. I’ll leave you outside in the cold!"

She jabbed her finger forcefully into his chest a couple of times, lifted her chin with a triumphant look as if to say, "Let’s see what you can do now."

"Then, how about we watch a movie?" Adrian looked around and noticed something interesting. Turning back with a mischievous smile, he suggested.

"Oh, come on, I don’t want to watch that blockbuster you invested in, especially since it’s..." Sophie shrugged her shoulders without finishing her sentence, but the implication was clear.

"Don’t worry, it’s not that one, and I promise you’ll like it," said Adrian, without waiting for her response, pulling her towards a cinema around the corner of the street.

It was a small cinema, quite old judging from its decor, typically showing classic films. Sophie was led in by Adrian befuddled, but when she saw the name of the movie being screened, she gasped uncontrollably.

"Ed... Ed..." While Sophie stuttered, watching the title, Adrian returned with two tickets in hand.

"Let’s go, it started two minutes ago," he pulled her in, "Let me take another good look at what your first time was like."

His voice was somewhat loud enough that the few employees at the ticket counter looked over. Sophie shrank her neck and hurried inside, she barely disguised and it would be troublesome to be recognized.

Entering the theater, the movie had indeed just begun. In the large hall, which could seat over a hundred people, only five or six were scattered, giving it quite a calm atmosphere. Adrian and Sophie found seats at the back and started to enjoy the film.

This was a French movie from the ’80s about a young girl chasing after her feelings, culminating in giving her beloved boy her First Kiss. Yes, this was Sophie’s debut, "First Kiss!"

Sophie watched her younger self on the screen, emotions of nostalgia, regret, sorrow, and reflection crossing her face. Adrian, taking it all in from beside her, couldn’t help but smile slightly.

"What a pity," he whispered into her ear.

"Oh?" Sophie continued to look at the screen noncommittally.

"It would have been nice if I had met you back then," Adrian followed her gaze to the classic scene playing out—the boy putting headphones on the girl from behind, sharing his favorite music, and the girl smiling as she closed her eyes and listened, "I could have easily had you."

"Ed..." Sophie finally turned, looking at him with complex eyes while lightly biting her lip.

Adrian lifted her chin and kissed her lips. Sophie closed her eyes, listening to the familiar melody of the movie’s theme song that began to play, responding to his advances.

"Not bad, the area under the bridge is usually warmer in winter and cooler in summer," Adrian quickly caught up and then looked around. There weren’t many people on the riverbank below, only occasional vehicles passing above. "Are you sure we can do it here?"

This had already happened many times today. After returning to Sophie’s villa from the cinema last night, they had engaged in several intense bouts, hence they slept in until well past dawn the next day.

Afterward, they spent the whole afternoon whispering sweet nothings in the house, until the sun was about to set when they ventured out to explore Paris again. Unlike previous outings, Sophie wore nothing but a trench coat and high heels. They deliberately chose remote, historic corners to wander, and whenever the mood struck, they’d find a corner to engage in their most primal activities.

Sophie seemed to have completely let go, not caring about anything, even when people were chatting loudly around the corner, they would intensify their activities even more vigorously. A few times, they were discovered because of the noise they made, but Sophie yelled at the onlookers so loudly and furiously that it left Adrian witnessing her potty mouth for the first time, completely contrary to her usual appearance.

So, relatively speaking, making out on the deserted bank under the bridge was child’s play. Of course, Adrian was very cautious, sticking to well-policed neighborhoods and carrying a tracking device. Should it be triggered, his bodyguards would arrive at his location within five minutes. So long as no unexpected accidents occurred, there were no safety concerns, which allowed him to enjoy this thrilling journey with peace of mind.

"Hey, what are you thinking?" Adrian, lying in bed, teased Sophie’s high nose bridge and asked curiously. Since lying down, she had been staring at him with her beautiful eyes without blinking.

They hadn’t been doing anything in bed. They had left their passionate marks in the streets and alleys of Paris over the past few hours, and even someone with Adrian’s exceptional stamina would be tired, let alone Sophie. But she watched him without blinking, as if trying to see right through him.

"I lost," she suddenly said, sighing and closing her eyes before wrapping her arms around Adrian. But a second later, she opened them and glared at him fiercely, "I lost to God, not to you!"

"Oh?" Adrian raised his eyebrows in confusion.

Sophie sighed again, "After all that, from start to finish, no one recognized me."

"Ha, I suppose I should be relieved that I wasn’t surrounded by a horde of journalists when emerging from an alley or corner," laughed Adrian.

"I would have liked to see that scene and hear what you’d have to say," Sophie huffed lightly before burying her head in his chest, "I made a bet with God, but I lost, so..."

Without finishing her sentence, it was clear what the bet was about. Adrian shook his head gently and hugged her tighter, "You’re such a fool, Sophie."

"I certainly am, otherwise I wouldn’t have been tricked by you like this," Sophie retorted, then sighed softly, her voice much quieter, "Please don’t break my heart, Ed, except for... that thing."

"No, I won’t," Adrian soothed her hair. "I promise you, Sophie, if one day you feel unhappy with me, if you feel I can’t protect you anymore, you can leave, and I won’t stop you."

Sophie hummed softly but kissed his chest.

A slight smile crossed Adrian’s lips, and he suddenly flipped Sophie over, "Looks like I need to make the most of my time, or else I won’t be able to make you cry anymore, right?"

"What?" Sophie asked, puzzled, but as Adrian moved, she quickly grasped what was happening and started to panic, "Wait, Ed, what do you think you’re doing... stop... stop it! Stop right now!"

But how could Adrian stop? It had taken a lot of effort the night before to finally conquer the uncharted territory amid coincidences, leaving her face splattered after the climax. Now was the time to seize the fleeting opportunity to pluck the untouched daisy. There was no way Sophie could resist, willing or not.

As a result, Sophie ended up sobbing for a while. If not for the sharp pain, she might have jumped up to chase after Adrian. However, after getting used to it, her cries were incredibly sensual.

"I really should record your voice to let you hear how different it is from usual," Adrian once teased her, earning himself a series of annoyed pinches.

The next day, Sophie was too sore to get out of bed to see him off to the airport. Adrian didn’t mind and advised her to rest well at home, to prepare for her upcoming "Anna Karenina." After reminding her that she was welcome to visit the UK sometime, he took off on his flight.

The trip to Paris had been very fruitful, even though all the excitement made him forget something. But that wasn’t urgent, and for Sophie, it was more fitting to finish her current work first. The original 1997 version of "Anna Karenina" was not particularly impressive, and with several film versions already existing, Sophie’s resemblance to a Russian woman had its differences, and the director’s grip on the script was also lacking, resulting in both critical and box office mediocrity.

Now, under the recommendation of Miramax, which had dealt with many independent films, the director’s chair was given to Angelica Vika, an independent film director with a distinct style. He was good at conveying emotions through the camera, and Adrian’s request to Sophie was to make herself as similar to Anna Karenina as possible. Doing well would not only circumvent issues with her image but also showcase her acting. Vika’s distinctive touch could help supplement that, making him the ultimate choice.

Vika had her flaws, particularly in pacing control, but Adrian was confident that, as a co-producer overseeing the project, there wouldn’t be any significant issues.

Sophie would surely do beautifully in the film. Adrian thought to himself as he disembarked, recalling the entanglements with her over the past two days and couldn’t help but smile. However, the smile quickly faded as, making sure there were no reporters nearby, he drove to the studio. He was supposed to return the day before, with shooting scheduled for early today, and now it was almost 11 am. He needed to hurry back and appease those who were undoubtedly feeling upset. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote and leave your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)