King of Hollywood
Chapter 454 - 175: It’s Our Turn Now

Chapter 454: Chapter 175: It’s Our Turn Now

"...because in my Heaven’s garden, the little birds can sing forever, and in my golden castle, the Happy Prince can freely praise me—oh, honestly, dear, do you really think this fairy tale is suitable for children?" Adrian said as he lay on the couch, his head resting on the girl’s thigh, putting down the book he was holding.

"Because Wilde’s writings are meant for adults, also I don’t really like being called... that word," Rachel sighed lightly, sitting upright on the couch and also reading a book.

"Is there a problem?" Adrian suddenly sat up and looked at her with a grin.

"It’s just... I’m not used to it." Rachel, as if pardoned, shifted slightly beside him, but a strong force from his waist pulled her into Adrian’s arms.

"You’re always like this, but I like you this way," Adrian chuckled, kneading her waist a few times. Rachel briefly struggled but quickly complied with no difference from before, "Alright, let’s go out for dinner, I have reserved a nice spot at the Strauss Restaurant."

The Strauss Restaurant was located on Ward Street in the Mayfair District. Despite its name, the restaurant had no connection to the two famous musicians and was not a German restaurant either. The décor inside was not opulent but was exquisite, encompassing various elegant ornaments. The restaurant wasn’t particularly large, and the seat Adrian had booked was by a wall near the entrance.

Despite the UK’s entertainment media being captivated by the public romance between Jennifer and Dennis during this period, Adrian remained cautious. The seat wasn’t bad either, from which he could observe the entire restaurant and it was relatively quieter, so even if voices were raised, no one would overhear. Oh, don’t get the wrong idea—Adrian wasn’t planning to do anything inappropriate here, even though he was always audacious.

"...so whether Wilde was homosexual or not doesn’t matter, as long as it tainted his reputation, that’s enough. For these people, everything can have a price tag," Adrian continued the earlier discussion about Oscar Wilde at Rachel’s house while cutting the beautifully prepared food.

"What do you think?" Rachel asked nonchalantly while chewing her food.

"Oh?" Adrian raised an eyebrow.

"Do you believe that everything has a price?" she asked, seeming casual yet possibly intentional.

Adrian chuckled lightly, raising his glass to sip some red wine, "Theoretically, yes."

"So, you mean anything and anyone can be bought?" Rachel continued, looking downwards.

"Theoretically, yes," Adrian answered without hesitation.

"So, what kind of price would make you betray your best friend, Claude?" Rachel lifted her head, took a deep breath, and bravely met his eyes, her tone carrying a hint of mockery, as if she had found an opening.

"Who knows? First, the person would have to offer the right price, and second, they would need to display the capability to carry through with the deal before I consider it," Adrian stated mildly, looking at her with an amused gaze.

"Display the capability to carry through with the deal," Rachel slightly furrowed her brows, showing a puzzled expression.

"Of course, like if I want to rule the world and live forever, then the person must prove they can help me rule the world and achieve immortality before I even consider it, right?" Adrian gave a light smile.

"I’m sorry, I don’t understand," Rachel set her knife and fork down, seemingly unable to comprehend what he was saying.

"It’s quite simple. When I speak of a price, I’m not referring to money but to various desires or wishes. For instance, if someone had told Winston Churchill sixty years ago that he could ensure the Great British Empire ruled the world for at least another hundred years, but he had to personally kill all the members of the Royal Family, do you think Churchill would have agreed?" Adrian spoke slowly and deliberately.

Rachel’s mouth fell open.

"Here’s another example. If someone told a fervent idealist, who longed for eternal world peace, that he could achieve his wish but the cost would be murdering his own wife, parents, and children, do you think he would agree?" Adrian continued, smiling slyly.

"That’s impossible, no one could do such a thing." Rachel, startled, raised her voice after a few seconds.

"That’s why proof is needed," Adrian quickly added. "Now suppose he proved he could achieve it, like with a wave of his hand the German army disappears; or with a wave, a war-torn country suddenly experiences peace. What do you think? Would they agree or not?" Adrian leisurely sipped his red wine, "Remember, we’re talking about logic here."

"This... this is the realm of God and the devil," Rachel breathed rapidly.

"No, you simply don’t believe because no one has managed to achieve something that defies common sense," Adrian continued, not waiting for her response. "It’s not that they don’t want to betray, but the price isn’t high enough. There are some prices even the wealthiest cannot pay, which is why we sometimes praise the better side of humanity. But in truth? If someone could truly grant your deepest wish, and the only cost was betraying your best friend without any conditions like your soul belonging to them after death, he has proved this, then 99% of people would agree—I say not 100% because I wouldn’t want to make an absolute statement, just like the kind of person I described doesn’t absolutely exist in this world."

"But... but..." Rachel tried to say something more but couldn’t.

"I know what you want to say, dear Rachel, that we still have feelings, right? But in most cases, it is reason that dominates. Although emotions are intense, coming quickly and fading fast, even the most intense emotional surges eventually calm, and when they do, we analyze pros and cons," Adrian put down his wine glass and spread his hands.

Despite her education at Cambridge, Rachel, biting her lower lip slightly, eventually bowed her head in vexation, realizing she wasn’t adept in this area. Being an inherently emotional woman, which is why she pursued acting, even if she could provide a multitude of examples, it would prove nothing and would only make him ridicule her more.

At this moment, Adrian grinned slyly: "Actually, it’s not difficult to refute."

Rachel suddenly looked up, eyes wide, staring unblinkingly at him.

"As I mentioned before, one cannot make absolute statements because, in this world, nothing is absolute except death. There is always that special case, an exception that transcends everything," Adrian maintained his smile, but in Rachel’s eyes, he appeared dreadfully loathsome.

"Now, do you understand?" Adrian impertinently lifted her chin, his finger tracing provocatively along her neck.

After holding out for several seconds, her eyes finally displayed a look of submission. This wasn’t the first or second time she had been in such a situation; Rachel seemed to derive a certain pleasure from having her illusions shattered by him, a psychological pattern of a intensely masochistic woman.

Each time, in the throes of passion, passion burst forth massively, and this time was no exception. After dinner and a few hours of wandering, on the way back in the car, she initiated Adrian’s desire. The two then found a secluded spot in an underground parking lot for a desperately passionate encounter, and amid her painful moans, Rachel reached her climax.

Thus, Adrian let things proceed as she wished; having such a woman by his side was quite intriguing, wasn’t it? Besides, he quite enjoyed this tune as well.

If it were another woman, it would be different, such as the girl from Wales.

"How does it feel?" Zetajones sat at the end of the long table, her hands crossed in front of her, wearing an excited expression as she looked eagerly at Adrian, seemingly impatient to hear his praise.

"Smooth yet not greasy, fresh and delicious, it’s great." Adrian tasted the food and nodded appreciatively, then raised an eyebrow, "This is way too unfair, Kate, to only bring out such great cooking skills now."

"It’s not that I didn’t want to, I’ve just learned all this. I spent months experimenting and perfecting it to reach today’s standards. I don’t want to serve you anything subpar." Zetajones’s eyes curved, her joy at her lover’s praise unmistakable, as if the transaction between her and Adrian didn’t exist.

"Alright, now for the last dish." She said as she stood up and joyfully went into the kitchen, returning with a silver platter.

"This is..." Seeing the food inside, Adrian’s gaze became playful. The dish was arranged in a circle of scallop shells, their edible parts already mixed with the seasoning, emitting a rich aroma.

"Of course, it’s oysters." Zetajones’s smile turn sultry, subtly tinged with a hint of flirtation, "Why don’t you give them a try?"

"Alright, but..." Adrian glanced at her, and Zetajones, understanding his intention, picked up one and brought it to his lips.

There was a slight fishy taste, but it was not pronounced, yet the freshness far surpassed the earlier sea cucumber. Given that tonight’s main course was seafood with added pine nuts, Zetajones’s intention to keep him for dinner was obvious.

This woman certainly had courage. Although she had agreed to his deal and had been fulfilling her role well, showing aspirations to conquer Adrian, she had maintained certain reservations until before "The Mask of Zorro" was released. After all, the name of Miracle Director was prominent and accomplishments well rumored, but actual interest held greater importance.

With "The Mask of Zorro" breaking a hundred million in North America, one-fifth of Adrian’s original promise was fulfilled, dispelling any bigger doubts. Moreover, the post-production of "L.A. Confidential" was nearing its end, with its release confirmed for the year-end. The initial promotions had begun, and Adrian had previously declared that this film would earn her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Combined with his youth and wealth, everything convinced Zetajones further of her goal to conquer Adrian. Although aware he was a playboy, she saw the possibility of success through determination. This drive transformed her from an ordinary middle-class girl from Wales into a renowned actress in Europe, leading to the current scene.

Clearly, Zetajones understood the true essence of winning a man’s heart, first through his stomach, having diligently learned cooking. Although the dinner was at home and although her skills were still not on par with restaurant chefs, for a woman, she had already done quite splendidly.

However, to think this was all she could do would be a huge mistake. After dinner, the two flirted briefly. Zetajones then played classical music, Mozart or Bach, Adrian momentarily unable to distinguish, but he didn’t forget to invite her for a few romantic dances.

"You’re truly enchanting, Kate." Adrian exclaimed admiringly, and if he was still somewhat in the mood of watching a show, what followed truly opened his eyes.

"Are you ready?" Zetajones replied with a light laugh and pushed him into the next room.

Adrian didn’t wait long, the music in the sound system suddenly changed from light and melodic classical to a vibrant dance tune. Zetajones then emerged, previously dressed in a simple long dress, but now in a white shirt, tight pants, and boots with the slight transparency of the shirt and its deeply unbuttoned neckline revealing the black lace bra underneath, exceptionally sexy and enticing.

Then, she began to dance to the rhythm of the music, her moves hot and unrestrained, her face carrying allure yet concealing desire. When her dark long hair moved with her head, it added an extra seduction. Meanwhile, her clothes came off gradually, especially when only the lace bra and panties were left, the curves justified the description of a voluptous figure, and although there was no pole, it was enough to stir anyone’s desire.

Later on, there’s no need to say more.

These were the other two women Adrian had in London: Rachel was the one whom he had caught. She had always been hiding from him, heading to Los Angeles whenever he arrived in London and vice versa. However, Rachel knew this was futile; it was all too easy for Adrian to corner her. Therefore, when he showed up, she didn’t say anything, nor did she reject him at the door as she had done before.

Zetajones was there to visit the set, of course, with Adrian’s permission. Not many people in the crew knew; Adrian didn’t let her appear but still took her for a stroll in front of Gwyneth and Blanchett.

If Rachel was like a beetle tied with a string, seemingly striving to fly away but stopping after a while, flying seemed more like a routine exercise—just fasten the string properly. Zetajones, on the other hand, was like a cuckoo’s chick dropped in another bird’s nest, desperate to dominate it completely. Even in moments of passion, she knew how to tease him with the technique of feigned surrender, swallowing her words whenever she sensed a shift in his mood, preferring to digest them internally rather than to spit them out.

Sadly, Adrian was no fool—those naive birds that blindly feed cuckoo’s chicks. Such small tricks really counted for nothing. Just wait and see.

What surprised him was that, whether he was on a date with Rachel or walking Zetajones around the hotel, Gwyneth and Blanchett still maintained their indifferent demeanor without showing any emotion. Adrian was baffled, wondering what went wrong? This was not like their usual reaction.

Unable to find the reason, and it being inappropriate to ask Charlize about such matters, Adrian just had to suppress it and respond to the unchanging with unyielding patience. This standoff lasted until October, when he left London and returned to Los Angeles, where there were still many things to be handled.

"I think everyone should understand that CG production will fully enter the film industry. The success of ’Titanic’ has proved this point—no one doubts this, right?" Adrian asked at the head of the conference room.

Of course not. Everyone knew the film still hung in the North American charts, though it had fallen beyond the top ten, it remained within the top fifteen. It was nearly five months since the movie’s release, and North America’s box office had just surpassed 500 million dollars. Executives from various film companies still envied, jealously and bitterly, when they mentioned this film.

"So, the promise I made can also be moved ahead in our agenda. Just think about it—when our superheroes save the world on more exquisite and realistic screens, fully and thoroughly displaying their superpowers, how many viewers will be amazed?! DC has dominated the superhero movie market for too long, and they have finally shown signs of decline. This summer’s release of ’Batman and Robin’ is the best proof; it’s time for our Marvel heroes to take the stage!" Adrian declared confidently.

The senior executives of Marvel were not too excited, as they had discussed this matter shortly after the release of ’Titanic’ and had already agreed on the potential of CG in substantially improving the superhero movie genre when Adrian had informed them that they could start adapting Marvel’s superheroes.

"So, Mr. Adrian, which superhero should we bring to the film screen first?" One of the senior Marvel executives then asked.

Adrian smiled lightly, then looked towards Stan Lee, the elderly man: "Stan, tell me, of all the comic characters you’ve created, which one is your favorite?"

As the original creator of several famous comic figures and one of the directors, Stan Lee was naturally qualified to indulge in this memory recall. The old man, squinting as if dozing off, immediately opened his eyes upon hearing the question, showing no signs of lethargy anymore, "My favorite?"

"Yes, your favorite." Adrian nodded, "Or should I say..."

"Peter Parker!" Before he could further prompt, Stan Lee had already exclaimed, "I can’t think of anyone more lovable than this young man."

"Exactly, Peter Parker, the standard American youth who embodies the strengths and weaknesses of ordinary people, Spider-Man," Adrian said, clapping his hands lightly.

(Mist: The cuckoo turned into a magpie...)(To be continued. If you like this work, please feel welcome to visit qidian.com to cast your recommendation vote or monthly ticket, your support is my greatest motivation.)