King of Hollywood
Chapter 482 - 203 This Reason Is Enough

Chapter 482: Chapter 203 This Reason Is Enough

Naomi’s reaction took Adrian by surprise; he had thought it would take more time. It seemed that their conversation that night had yielded more results than he had anticipated. This made Adrian even more pleased and excited, and he swallowed some words that were on the tip of his tongue, thinking they might have a better effect next time. If things went smoothly, he thought of the plot in "Mulholland Drive," certain matters could possibly be accelerated.

Frankly, he had really wanted to agree to Naomi’s request if it weren’t for the party that evening. The party was hosted by Gwyneth at the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. As for why that’s no question—in the month leading up to the award ceremony, such parties were commonplace.

"I’m so glad you could come, dear ’Godfather.’" Gwyneth said with a smile as she hugged Spielberg, "You look really spirited."

"You too, Gwyneth, though I’ve said it many times already, I still want to congratulate you on your Best Actress nomination," Spielberg said with a smile. His gaze shifted to Adrian beside her and then jumped to Blanchett, who was talking to others not far away. Though his look was brief and he withdrew it immediately, it wasn’t concealed from them.

Blanchett appearing at Gwyneth’s party was shocking to many; after all, both carried the title of ’Miracle Girl.’ The implications were clear, but their public presence together, especially with Adrian there, and their sisterly closeness, were bound to astound onlookers.

Last year in London, Adrian had produced two movies featuring them both as lead actresses, but standing together like best friends seemed a bit too exaggerated, right? Especially considering their comportment, it seemed their relationship with Adrian wasn’t just a one-night affair, which was even more incredible.

But however unbelievable, it couldn’t override the reality before their eyes, so many could only secretly admire Adrian’s skills in managing several relationships so steadily and some even maliciously guessed if Adrian was perhaps enjoying threesomes with them daily. It must be noted that their guesses weren’t far off—though not daily, it was indeed the case whenever they were together.

"It’s a pity you didn’t get any nominations this year, I heard Warner had originally planned to push for a nomination for ’Eyes Wide Shut,’" Spielberg started a conversation with Adrian after greeting the young woman.

"I turned it down, as you know, the Film Academy doesn’t favor that style of movie, and just the party scenes alone were enough for them to dislike it. Even if I had agreed, I wouldn’t have gotten the nomination, not to mention the R-rating is still being criticized, why bother annoying myself?" Adrian shrugged indifferently, "Besides, you didn’t get any nominations either, Steven?"

"I’m not like you; you are the Miracle Director," Spielberg laughed heartily. Adrian shrugged again and changed the subject, "By the way, I heard ’Jurassic Park 2’ won’t be released until the end of the year?"

"If post-production isn’t good, it might even wait until next year," Spielberg didn’t hide it, "The technology has advanced quite a bit, I want to make the dinosaurs better."

"What a pity," Adrian said regretfully, "I have a sci-fi movie scheduled for the summer, I thought it could compete with ’Jurassic Park 2.’"

"Is that the one about virtual space?" Spielberg raised an eyebrow, "It is indeed a pity. Don’t think just because you are the Miracle Director that you can really beat me."

"Damn, do you have to use that nickname, Steven?" Adrian showed an annoyed expression. Spielberg laughed again and then glanced at Gwyneth. He seemed as if he wanted to say something else but ultimately just patted Adrian’s shoulder and left.

Watching him walk away and talk to other guests, Adrian then turned around: "Gwyneth, you and Kate are causing me big troubles."

"Really?" Gwyneth blinked innocently, "Do you mean because I invited the ’Godfather’? Or because I didn’t inform you before throwing this party? Or maybe because there are too many guests..."

After listing a spate of issues, she asked with a mischievous smile, "Or... because I invited Kate to attend?"

"You are getting bolder," Adrian looked at her for a while before shaking his head with a sigh, "Your father’s not looking too happy."

A daughter who had been nominated for Best Actress throwing a party—how could a father not show up to support her? But upon seeing Blanchett, as close to Gwyneth as sisters, his face unavoidably showed some disapproval. What others could guess, how could he not? That he hadn’t left already was fortunate enough.

"Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything to Dad," Gwyneth said nonchalantly, waving her hand dismissively before adding with a twinkle in her eye, "Besides, as long as you’re willing, I have a better way to appease him."

"Don’t be so eager, Gwyneth, there’ll be plenty of opportunities," Adrian knew exactly what she was thinking and brushed it off as usual.

Gwyneth huffed at once, stormed off in a huff, and Adrian just shook his head with a chuckle, not taking her slight temper to heart, but instead turned to look at Blanchett. Bruce Paltrow had not only spoken with his daughter but also exchanged a few words with Blanchett; although Blanchett didn’t reveal what was said, her expression didn’t change much, and there probably weren’t any pleasant words.

In fact, it wasn’t worth getting worked up about; it was a consensual affair, and what could Old Paltrow really do to meddle in his daughter’s affairs? Besides, it was Adrian who boosted Gwyneth not only to secure a global box-office hit as the lead actress but also to get an Oscar nomination for Best Leading Actress, making her a top-tier star. Although Gwyneth respected her father, that didn’t necessarily mean she would listen to him.

As for the relationship between the two women... After Adrian found out about them in London, they were practically inseparable, at least when he wasn’t around, Gwyneth and Blanchett had a lot of fun together.

This was proved true that evening.

"Your father said, no matter what my intentions are, if I dare hurt you, he’d make me pay a price—am I that kind of person?!"

"Your father said, no matter what my relation with Ed is, I’d better behave myself—doesn’t he know you’re just like that?!"

"Your father said he hates me and that if I were to visit your house, he wouldn’t welcome me—how ungentlemanly!"

With every line Blanchett spoke, she would slap Gwyneth’s perky buttocks, sending a loud smack through the air; and Gwyneth, with her upper body sprawled across the bed and her buttocks arched high, moaned under the impact of each slap.

Both women were completely naked, their skin flushed lightly, especially Blanchett who kneeled behind, her gray-blue eyes filled with infinite confusion and desire, overwhelmed with intense lust, each smack bringing her immense pleasure. While Gwyneth’s expression wasn’t visible, her reaction was likely not much different than Blanchett’s.

"You’re quite imposing, Kate," Adrian murmured as he kissed her neck from behind.

"I need to teach her a lesson. If her father dares say such things again, I’ll seek justice on her body," Blanchett, gasping, immediately reached back to hook Adrian’s neck and turned to kiss him passionately, quickening her thrusts, causing Gwyneth’s moans to intensify.

Bruce Paltrow might think so, but he certainly wouldn’t say it outright; that would be quite rude. If he had to say it, he would find a private setting, not at a social gathering, so Blanchett was just seizing an opportunity to make a point. Adrian didn’t point this out; in fact, when Blanchett paused, he started fondling her tongue while beginning to slap Gwyneth’s arched buttocks, adding a spice to their bedroom play.

Having trained them step by step to this level was immensely satisfying for Adrian; thinking this, he suddenly pushed Blanchett onto Gwyneth’s back and increased the intensity and pace below, instantly filling the room with their melodious moans.

Let’s not talk about that now. The next day, Adrian’s office welcomed a guest, someone familiar he had met at Gwyneth’s reception.

"I can’t believe you already had the outline and yet acted so surprised; were you trying to make fun of me?" Adrian joked with the woman behind the desk, closing the folder in his hand.

Her features were somewhat androgynous, but the long, black hair complemented her feminine softness, creating an altogether intellectual air.

"No, it’s precisely because of that I was surprised then; what you said... matched everything I was thinking," she said, her gaze slightly dazed as she looked at him.

"It’s such an unexpectedly flattering compliment, but I can sense there’s something else in there," Adrian continued jokingly.

Seeing the other party cough awkwardly and then lower their head, he added, "So, what brings you here, Sofia?"

Sofia Coppola, the daughter of Francis Coppola, was an acquaintance Adrian had met at an event hosted by Gwyneth. They had met a few times before, each encounter brief, but Adrian had left a strong impression on Sofia by bluntly stating her lack of acting talent and suggesting she pursue a different path, repeatedly emphasizing his renowned insight which would be the same for anyone else.

"I’ve made up my mind; I’m preparing to direct my first movie," Sofia had said at the party last night after they had exchanged pleasantries.

"Congratulations, you’ve chosen the right path," Adrian had responded immediately. He had given her the same advice during their first meeting and when they ran into each other at the Lux production of "Star Wars Prequel," and his view hadn’t changed.

Sofia’s eyes flashed an unusual expression. "So, do you have any good advice, Ed? I mean regarding the theme."

"Do I have to answer?" Adrian asked with a light laugh.

"You’ve already said it more than once, so it shouldn’t be a big deal to give me more advice," she asserted confidently.

"I see..." Adrian didn’t think too deeply, "First, keep the budget low; don’t dream of having too much floating capital, then find inspiration in your life, from things you are familiar with, things you often see, things you have personal insights on."

"And then?" Sofia asked, apparently having already considered these points.

"For example, about women," Adrian smiled, "Most female directors are meticulous and adept at focusing on various issues from a female perspective, though mostly centered on romantic relationships. You could completely pick a new focus—how about the relationship between a daughter and her parents and family?"

"Oh?" Sofia finally showed a reaction.

"I’ve said quite a bit, you should also share your thoughts, right? That way, I can analyze better," Adrian suggested.

"Alright, I do have an idea—a family in the Midwest of the United States during the seventies, about several daughters and their devoutly religious parents," Sofia admitted quickly, "They’re young, some are quiet, some are lively, all lovely, but that’s just on the surface. People don’t understand them, or rather, the true thoughts of these young girls."

"So they’re distressed, aren’t they?" Adrian immediately caught on, "I wouldn’t recommend you focus too much on the girls’ troubles; that’s too straightforward and such themes are quite common. That’s when you need to bring a unique twist."

He paused and then continued, "You might not even need to describe their troubles but rather showcase their lives, and then hit them with a shocking ending, like—suicide! Think about it, several adorable girls just starting to grow up, ready to enjoy a wonderful life, but they commit suicide one after another. It’s sensational and terrifying! Why did they do it? What difficulties did they encounter? Why couldn’t they seek help from their parents or teachers? A flurry of questions arises, and when you look back at the descriptions of their lives, the answer—and the whole theme of the story—surfaces: no one knows what these young girls are thinking, no one really understands them!"

At first, Sofia was just slightly opening her mouth, but as she listened further, especially upon hearing the choice of "suicide," she couldn’t help but reveal a look of utter astonishment.

"Is there a problem?" noticing her unusual expression, Adrian asked.

"No... Nothing... It’s just... I mean to say... I’m just... really shocked..." Sofia covered her forehead, at a loss for words.

"What I want to say, Sofia, is that these are just suggestions. Only you know what kind of movie you want to make—if you don’t know yourself, it’s best to let go early. So, you can listen to these opinions, but don’t let them influence you," Adrian gently persuaded.

"Yes, I know, I’m just... a bit surprised..." Sofia repeated the word "surprised," but quickly controlled her emotions, "Thank you for your advice, Ed. Can I talk to you tomorrow?"

Her eyes twinkled with curiosity as she assessed Adrian as if seeing him for the first time.

"No problem, you have my office number, right?" Adrian said without hesitation.

Once that was settled, Sofia didn’t say anything more. She gave him a deep look before leaving and then, the present situation ensued.

"Now that you’ve looked over the outline, I want to ask, are you willing to invest in this movie, Ed?" Sofia hesitated before looking up.

Adrian raised his eyebrows in surprise: "I think Frank would be very willing to invest in this movie."

"That’s my father," Sofia quickly interrupted, then paused for several seconds before adding, "You should know, I don’t want to..."

She gave a wry smile, made a gesture, and didn’t continue, her tone filled with depression and helplessness.

"Indeed, every young person has such thoughts," Adrian consoled, and then smiled again, "Alright, I’ll invest."

"Really?" Sofia looked at him incredulously; she clearly hadn’t expected it to be so easy.

"You know, I’m always spot on," Adrian said with a slight smile, "I’ve told you before that you’re more suited to be a director than an actor, especially after last night..."

Although he didn’t finish his statement, the meaning was clear enough. Sofia coughed lightly again, took a deep breath, and met his gaze again: "I’ll finish the script as soon as possible."

Then she stood up: "That’s it then, I’m going back."

"I’ll await your good news." Adrian also stood up but merely watched her leave, her hurried departure carrying a hint of escaping.

A flicker of smugness flashed across his mouth, which is the advantage of foreknowledge, the script Sofia Coppola talked about was her directorial breakthrough: "The Virgin Suicides." It told a story of five daughters sequentially committing suicide in a religiously devout family during the ’70s. Like all female directors, it was delicate and sensitive; with suitable subject matter, it received considerable acclaim and solidified Sofia’s stance as a director.

Thus, Adrian had predicted this at the party, leading her to be utterly surprised, just like before when he confidently stated she was more suited to directing than acting—even if the butterfly effect led Sofia to choose another theme, it didn’t matter. If her memory used this idea, it must resonate with her, right?

It turned out his approach was correct, though Sofia approaching him for an investment was unexpected, but it was just an added bonus. Honestly, Adrian found Sofia Coppola quite agreeable, though she had some class, and the reason for doing so was... because it was interesting. Yes, very interesting, and that reason was sufficient.

Of course, no matter what, there was still a long way to go, so he quickly turned his attention elsewhere, such as reviewing the voting process, monitoring the situation in Southeast Asia, looking up some upcoming shows, arranging some movies for his woman, or the imminent date just within reach. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)