King of Hollywood
Chapter 488 - 209 The Inescapable

Chapter 488: Chapter 209 The Inescapable

It’s no wonder Nicole would make such an association, the same independent cabin, the same dimly lit setup, the same dismissal of unrelated personnel, the same repeated NGs, only this time the person in the bed had gone from Adrian to Naomi. But, she underestimated Adrian too much, he’s not thinking about those things at all right now. Work is work, personal is personal, and anything else would be pushed aside by him until the job was done.

One must remember that copying a film doesn’t guarantee success, without the directorial experience and learnings from a previous life, without starting with relatively simple movies, without complete dedication to production, how could Adrian possibly create these films that hold a place in cinematic history so smoothly and efficiently?

Even back on the set of "Eyes Wide Shut", he only started to flirt with Nicole after making sure the shooting was satisfactory, and had it not been for her unwillingness to concede and her desire to regain some control, Adrian might not have actually taken real action. Knowing what to do and when is the most important reason Adrian has arrived at where he is today.

"That’s enough for today." After having Nicole and Naomi get dressed, Adrian called the assistant director and ordered that. Nicole had already put it that way, could he still expect her to be in good form?

"Do you have time tonight? We need to talk." He summoned the two women and asked them this.

"No problem," Naomi answered without hesitation, while Nicole glanced at her before counter-asking, "Is something wrong?"

"Of course, I think we can communicate better just among the three of us without too many people around," Adrian shrugged, "You both know that this film needs to be completed within two months."

He paused before adding, "How about this, I’ll drive; I have a quiet place in Malibu where we won’t be disturbed. We can have a good talk, and then go out for dinner together."

"Sorry, I’m not interested," this time it was Nicole who interrupted, "I’d like to go back to rest first. I’m very tired and irritated today, and then I’ll think over what you might say before I call you."

She was unapologetically blunt, which somewhat surprised Adrian, but he didn’t try to stop her, so he ended up leaving the set with Naomi.

"What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?" After driving a distance, Adrian glanced at Naomi, who seemed absent-minded in the passenger seat, and asked.

"No, nothing." The startled young woman smiled and shook her head, showing no sign of any other emotion.

"Really?" Adrian pressed, his discerning look fleeting across his eyes, and after a few seconds of silence Naomi finally spoke, "What... what are you really planning to do? And... was it all planned from the start?"

"At first, I only considered inviting Nicole to play another female role. After hearing that you knew Nicole, I became sure of this idea." Adrian smiled, truthfully.

The car fell silent again, and although Adrian only answered the second question, Naomi wouldn’t fail to grasp the implied meaning—indeed, she wouldn’t have asked if she hadn’t guessed a little.

"Then... those rumors..." Naomi coughed softly before asking again.

"Many of them are greatly exaggerated," Adrian replied, as simply yet profoundly as ever.

"You really are an asshole..." the woman muttered under her breath, biting her lip and looking out the car window with a complex expression.

"Do you regret it?" Adrian asked, his expression unchanged, staring straight ahead. He knew when to beat around the bush and when to be direct.

"Of course not," Naomi quickly responded, her teeth grazing her lips as she turned to look at Adrian with a calm gaze, "Whatever you want me to do, I won’t refuse."

Adrian watched her change, a faint smile on his face, but he didn’t take it too seriously. A bit eager, wasn’t she? Yes, a little, but... it didn’t matter.

He had discussed the film’s plot and progress with Naomi at the villa in Malibu, then took her around for a stroll, and after dinner, he drove alone to pick up Nicole. He was very careful on the road and thankfully, most of the media’s attention was captivated by the upcoming Oscars, and Nicole’s divorce case wasn’t as sensational as he remembered, so they weren’t discovered.

"As for this part of the story, I won’t say much more. Although the entire script is written at will, if you take these segments out individually, each has a beginning and an end. Regarding Betty and Diane, or rather Rita and Betty’s relationship, I don’t need to go into details. They are a lesbian couple, one of whom gained success through a director and was ready to marry him, while the other constantly struggled without success, hence she hired a hitman to kill her after being betrayed." Adrian said this to Nicole and Naomi, who were sitting on chairs to his left and right in the rather spacious bedroom.

Both women were dressed simply, but both wore knee-length skirts with stockings. One leaned back in her chair with her hands clasped together, while the other sat upright with one leg crossed over the other, mature and appealing in their own unique way.

"You’ve mentioned it before, Ed, but it feels familiar in a different way now, doesn’t it?" Nicole said with a double meaning.

"Yes, that is why I wanted Naomi to play the role of Betty/Diane. She has the deepest understanding of these feelings through her experiences. In fact, it was upon hearing of her ordeal that I was able to complete the script." Adrian effortlessly shifted the topic, highlighting the importance of Naomi’s experience.

Nicole obviously became uncomfortable and quickly asked, "So what else do we need to discuss?"

"About how to get you engaged in this scene," Adrian raised his hand, "My plan is to wrap up shooting before the Oscars. If we drag it out and can’t finish, it will become very troublesome."

He paused, swept his eyes back and forth between the two women, and continued, "The reason I invited you to play this role, Nicole, is not just to warm you up but also considering your special relationship with Nami."

"Ha, so you mean substituting the feelings between friends for those between lesbian lovers, right? You’re quite clever, Ed." Nicole scoffed, then glanced at Naomi.

"Then do you think there’s a better way?" Adrian spread his hands.

"I can do it." Naomi, who had been silent, finally spoke up. Nicole, who was about to say something, raised her eyebrows and swallowed what she had been going to say.

"Good, then discuss it amongst yourselves; I’ll bring the things up." Adrian said as he walked out.

"Things? What things?" Nicole hurriedly asked behind him, and she soon found out the answer.

"What are you bringing that for?" she asked in surprise as she watched Adrian set up a camera at one end of the bedroom.

"Do you know what your biggest problem is, Nicole? It’s your inability to let go," Adrian said while his hands never stopped. "It’s just the three of us here, no other distractions. You can clear your mind of any stray thoughts, completely let go, and fully immerse yourself."

"Here? You’re joking!" Nicole snapped back with infuriated laughter. "Don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind, Ed! You won’t get me to agree!"

However, as if to oppose her, Naomi silently began to undress. Without any hesitation, she removed all her clothes in front of them, then wrapped a scarf around herself and looked at Nicole. That calm gaze was more unsettling to Nicole than a direct challenge. She avoided Naomi’s eyes, covered her forehead with her hand, took a deep breath, and raised both hands.

"Enough, Ed. I don’t want to mess around with you here anymore. I’m going back," she said as she started to walk away, but Adrian’s voice quickly followed: "Are you planning to give up, Nicole?"

Her body trembled slightly, and her steps halted.

"Do you want to tell me that all of the achievements you’ve worked so hard for, the hope you’ve started to have control over your own life, the determination you want everyone to acknowledge, are you going to let all that go?" Adrian spoke slowly, but each word resonated clearly in Nicole’s ears. Although the words were grandiose, they unquestionably hit her where it hurt, and she finally turned back after a long while.

Nicole’s chest heaved with rapid breaths. She glared bitterly at Adrian but couldn’t utter a word, while Adrian faced her gaze with composure. After a moment, Nicole finally managed to steady her emotions. She bit her lip and then undressed, bare as Naomi in front of him, her figure just as well-proportioned, not at all inferior to Naomi’s.

"Come on," she said somewhat haughtily, lifting her chin as she draped the scarf around herself and reclined on the bed.

"Alright, get ready," Adrian made a gesture and sat behind the camera, then clapped his hands: "Action!"

This time, it was Naomi who initiated a kiss with Nicole, without too much fanfare, just sucking gently on her lips like an ordinary couple. Nicole responded generously, her hands beginning to explore Naomi’s body, but before she could start kissing her way down, Adrian’s voice interrupted: "Cut!"

"Nicole, your hands are too stiff," he said loudly, as if he were on a set and in the middle of directing, "It doesn’t feel like the caress between lovers; it needs to feel more natural! Let’s do it again!"

After that, such instructions were frequently heard, not unlike the filming earlier in the afternoon.

"Cut! Nami, make your expression more enraptured. Remember, the person in front of you is your lover, your beloved! Let’s do it again!"

"Cut! Nicole, what are you doing? Can’t you be more passionate? Can’t you think that after the kiss, the frog will turn into a prince?! Let’s do it again!"

"Cut! Dammit, this isn’t a set; it’s okay to go a bit further, stop being so squeamish! Let’s do it again!"

...

After countless NGs, Adrian inevitably announced a break. The two women said nothing, leaning against the headboard and panting slightly. After their entanglement, a fine sweat broke out on their foreheads, their skin blushed faintly, and their eyes occasionally met but quickly diverted. Obviously, the continuous NGs in the bed scene had produced a certain chemical effect.

Unlike men, intimacy among women requires more closeness. During adolescence, mutual caresses among the same sex are common. Generally, in the West, at least one-third of women have had a same-sex sexual encounter in their youth, and mutual caresses are even more common, so their resistance to homosexuality tends to be far lower than that of men.

"Fine," Adrian, who had been pacing back and forth in the room, pinching his chin and furrowing his brow, suddenly said, "I’ll go get some alcohol. A little drink might make it easier for you to get into character under the influence."

Without waiting for Nicole and Naomi to respond, he walked out, leaving the two women looking at each other, still arm in arm, leaning against the headboard in silence.

Soon, Adrian returned with a bottle and two glasses, poured a little for each, and handed them to Nicole and Naomi.

"What is this?" Nicole asked immediately after taking a sip and making a face from the taste, while Naomi began to cough loudly beside her.

"Tequila," Adrian pointed to the silver bottle. "It’s the best there is."

"Damn it, you’re making us drink this strong stuff!" Nicole exclaimed angrily.

"It’s just a little bit. Are you going to get drunk off this small amount?" Adrian raised his index finger and thumb to show a small gap.

"The hell..." Nicole exhaled deeply, covering her forehead, while Naomi did the same beside her.

"Give yourselves a moment. When you feel about right, let me know. Also, I’ll leave the bottle here. If you think you need more, help yourselves, but remember to keep it appropriate," Adrian set the bottle on the table next to him and then took his place behind the camera.

The two women on the bed took a few minutes to mentally prepare, each pouring a little more brandy to drink. Once the blush that had faded from their cheeks returned, they signaled they were ready to begin.

"Good, ready... action!" Adrian nodded, a barely noticeable smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.

Feeling the touch of lips, a completely new sensation surged through Naomi’s heart—excitement? Pleasure? Joy? She didn’t know. All she knew was that she wanted to continue, and she was aware that Nicole, whom she was holding, felt the same—just not as intensely. The sounds of kissing grew louder, and Naomi’s hands began to roam more assertively.

Naomi was no fool. Though she didn’t fully understand Adrian, she had a rough idea of what he was thinking. It embarrassed her, and she had thought about refusing; she believed that if she did, Adrian wouldn’t force her, otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked the question "Do you regret it?" But in the end, she had agreed.

Besides, Nicole must have guessed it too, though why she hadn’t refused or just wanted to get it over with, Naomi didn’t know. She herself wasn’t entertaining such thoughts. Once a decision was made, one had to stick to it. Those who quit halfway would never succeed. At most... they could buy their freedom after paying off the interest, and Adrian had agreed to that, hadn’t he?

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with a recommendation ticket or a monthly ticket on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)