King of Hollywood
Chapter 489 - 210 Finally Arrived

Chapter 489: Chapter 210 Finally Arrived

Nicole immediately stopped, lay still for a moment to catch her breath, then got up, while Naomi lay on the bed and savored the experience for a while before slowly sitting up. Although it was brief, Nicole’s diverse techniques nearly made her truly take off. Seeing Nicole, confidently standing naked and wiping her face, Naomi, despite having no expression, lifted her chin after a glance, clearly indicating that the recent actions were deliberate.

Damn! Naomi cursed in her heart, angrily grabbing a towel to wipe her face. She knew it was retribution for last night. Unable to act on Adrian, she naturally made Nicole her target.

Although they had drunk some last night, those scenes were still imprinted in her mind; she and Nicole were both so engrossed. Damn, it was her first threesome, and probably Nicole’s too. At that thought, Naomi looked at Adrian disapprovingly, then sighed silently in her heart.

These few days of filming weren’t long, but they made her relive her years of experience in a nutshell. Dreaming big, she came to Hollywood, fought for every opportunity, and protected herself carefully, never landing a significant role, ending up unable to pay her rent and getting kicked out... Everyone said she acted well, but how would they know she was just being herself? Everyone except Adrian.

At that thought, pulling on her clothes, Naomi felt lost again. Glancing at Adrian, who was busy with the camera, she couldn’t really understand what kind of person he truly was. At least until last night, she thought he was a decent Playboy, chasing women but also gentle and chivalrous. But now... despite her saying she could do "anything for him," she couldn’t help feeling uneasy afterward, especially since today during shooting he suggested they use their experience from yesterday for a real take, which was truly... Moreover, Nicole’s prior impression towards Adrian had collapsed significantly since the divorce from her husband.

But there was something odd about Nicole and him. As Naomi put on her pants, she glanced at Nicole, who was combing her hair nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by everything. Although their relationship had been indifferent over the years, she knew Nicole was a strong-willed person, evident from how she tried to assert control in front of Adrian. However, Adrian didn’t seem to care, occasionally looking down at Nicole as if she was a possession, and also what did that behavior this morning imply?

Naomi shook her head imperceptibly, deciding not to delve into these issues. Since that night, looking into the mirror, she had spoken those words, she would just go on with it, especially since she still trusted Adrian in this aspect.

"The scene was very well done, now we just have a few exterior shots left," Adrian ended his work and announced, "I’ll head out first, you two tidy up a bit, don’t let anyone..."

He smiled, pointing at his face, and left without waiting for a response from Nicole and Naomi.

The crew was puzzled. Although they were unclear about the specifics of yesterday’s shooting, they knew that after countless NGs, the director had to call a temporary halt. But how did the shoot wrap up in just over ten minutes today? Had the director cast some kind of magic on the two actresses? Well, whatever it was, the director seemed satisfied, so who were they to voice doubts? The group then left the studio for the predetermined exterior location at a café.

The scenes here involved three parts: the two talking about dreams, then encountering a homeless man behind the café, with one being frightened to faintness. Then it was Betty/Diane and Rita/Betty hunting for clues, and outside they use a public phone to inquire about a car accident with the police; the final scene involved Betty/Diane ordering a hit. These were simple shots that could be completed within the day if everything went well.

"How’s it going?" Adrian’s voice reached Naomi’s ears as she looked at him through the mirror, standing at the trailer door.

"Almost ready, Mr. Adrian," the makeup artist responded, adding a few final touches to Naomi’s face before stepping aside.

"Make her look more haggard; this is Diane at her wit’s end, not Betty who just arrived in Hollywood. Emphasize that worn-out, anxious look." Adrian meticulously observed Naomi then stood by, watching the makeup artist work until he was satisfied, then waved his hand to signal a break.

"How does it feel?" After the makeup artist left and closed the door, leaving no one else in the trailer, Adrian placed his hands on Naomi’s shoulders and asked, looking at her in the mirror.

"Not bad, I’m not off my game," Naomi smiled.

"Just like that?" Adrian pressed.

"What, do you think there should be another issue with me?" Naomi was somewhat puzzled.

"You’re not angry anymore?" Adrian caressed her cheek.

"Um... I... I..." Surprised, Naomi managed a strained smile, trying to defend herself yet unable to utter a word for a while. Luckily, Adrian quickly resumed, "Don’t think I haven’t noticed. Nami, I’ve said before, I won’t force you to do anything. If you feel something is inappropriate or dislike it, just tell me. I don’t want to create any resentment between us."

Naomi opened her mouth, but it was a while before she could make any sound: "I just feel... that whatever you want... is fine..."

"What I want is one thing, but what you want is another. If actions are always taken according to one person’s wishes, it might be okay occasionally, but over time, it will lead to accumulated conflicts." Adrian sighed, bent down, and kissed the corner of her mouth, "Promise me, Nami, that there won’t be a next time, okay?"

Naomi stared at him blankly, her heart in turmoil, momentarily feeling as if she had returned to that night he had escorted her back to her apartment. Really... he’s so inscrutable...

"I understand," she said softly.

Adrian smiled faintly, kissing her again: "Good, then let’s get ready to complete this final shoot."

"Oh, Ed." Naomi suddenly stopped him, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "This morning... during breakfast... what did it mean when you gave Nicole 1 US Dollar? She looked quite upset."

"Oh that..." Adrian started laughing, his expression turning mischievously teasing, he leaned in even closer, lowering his voice further, "It was a prostitution fee."

Feeling the warm breath near her ear, Naomi felt a ticklish sensation inside, but upon hearing the answer, her eyes widened instantly, and her expression became extremely animated.

"You said... you said... prostitution fee?!" she stammered.

"Yes, exactly, prostitution fee," Adrian nodded gravely, "One dollar a time, pretty cheap, isn’t it?"

"You... you... how can you say that..." Naomi began, then suddenly realized, "Are you joking?"

"No, Nami, this is not a joke and it can’t be explained in just a moment," Adrian caressed her cheek, "But you and Nicole were friends, so you should know what kind of person she is."

"Yes, I know," Naomi was stunned for a moment, that feeling of uncertainty rising again, "Although I’m not sure how much she has changed now, I really don’t know how to describe you, Ed."

After a pause, she asked, "What about me then? Should I also set a price?"

"Of course not, you are different from her," Adrian laughed, "You are already mine, understand?"

"I get it," Naomi sighed, feeling a subtle sense of pride she herself hadn’t noticed.

What kind of changes this would bring about, nobody knew, but the most direct impact was that she NG’d several times in the subsequent shooting because her portrayal of jealousy was not adequate. Fortunately, Naomi adjusted quickly. Aside from Adrian’s control, her good state was also one of the reasons the movie was progressing so smoothly.

Then, as night fell and the scene of the two women hailing a cab was shot, "Mulholland Drive" officially wrapped up. Simultaneously, Nicole officially appeared in the eyes of the reporters, which resulted in a wave of surprise: the discussions had previously centered on why an unknown Naomi instead of Nicole was the female lead, leading to speculations about Naomi and Adrian’s relationship, and now Nicole’s appearance in the crew was like a slap in the face to these people.

Especially after the news that there were two female leads and she was one of them, that slap seemed even louder. But reporters are known for their thick skins, and as long as one thinks, if one way doesn’t work, another might. Thus, the previous gossip rumors about Adrian and Nicole were brought up again, making the divorce turmoil even more perplexing.

Initially, the rumor was that Cruise had an affair, then it was Nicole who had one, and then that both had affairs, just at different times. Although Cruise’s affair partner was yet to be confirmed, Nicole already had her candidate—Campoaring closely, Adrian was not just a notch but way above Cruise, and being a Playboy—though mostly circulated within the industry—it was normal for Nicole to get involved with him.

However, Adrian wouldn’t allow such a situation to emerge. Since he had crafted a weak and harmed image for Nicole, how could he possibly waste all his previous efforts? For the present him, holding two major broadcasting corporations and many websites, especially those specializing in celebrity scandals, it was not particularly difficult to guide public opinion.

Firstly, he muddied the waters by introducing more rumored partners for Nicole and expanding speculation about himself and Naomi; then he redirected the attention back to Cruise by finding a suitable woman as his affair partner; and finally, he diverted public attention by extensively covering other matters.

It was successful. Within just a few days, the various noisy speculations regarding Adrian and Nicole had died down, though some still clung to the stories, most people paid no attention and quickly forgot about them after reading. This was normal; Adrian had enough resources, and Cruise lacked support, which were contributing factors.

Frankly speaking, Cruise’s popularity in Hollywood was not the worst, but it certainly wasn’t great either. Normally it was not a problem, but when issues arose, it essentially meant that everyone would push him down. Although he wasn’t falling yet, no one was going to oppose a media tycoon and a big director-producer for him.

This, along with the skillful guidance of public opinion, was enough to turn the tide. Moreover, no one believed Adrian could maintain the same level of intimacy with one woman while being involved with another—although he indeed managed to achieve what many couldn’t—especially since the Oscars were approaching, with its 70th ceremony and the participation of a major blockbuster drawing most people’s attention. If all these conditions combined couldn’t steer public opinion in a few days, then Adrian might as well give up his current profession.

Well, let’s not talk about this anymore. The much-anticipated 70th Oscar ceremony finally arrived, giving reporters plenty of opportunities to unleash their cameras, and female stars began their annual parade of spectacular fashion.

As before, Adrian walked the Oscar’s red carpet alone. One can’t completely avoid favoritism, but petty favors like attending a movie premiere together were acceptable. However, attending a grand event like the Oscars was a different matter, so Adrian had no choice but to go unaccompanied.

"Mr. Adrian, how many awards do you think ’Titanic’ will win today?" The moment he appeared, a reporter handed over the microphone, standing on tiptoes, straining to reach out. If it weren’t for someone holding him from behind, he surely would have fallen.

His movements immediately caused all the reporters to turn their cameras around. There were particularly many reporters today, moving swiftly like waves. Some celebrities being interviewed, although somewhat dissatisfied when the cameras turned, suppressed their feelings after following the gaze. After all, who could compete for attention with the Miracle Director?

"Look over there, the two representatives from PwC have already arrived. Maybe you could ask them to open the box and see who has won what. Of course, you’ll need to be prepared for the fury of the organisers and the guests," Adrian jokingly answered. He actually wanted to boast confidently about winning as many as were available since the voting had already stopped. Even if his boastful words offended most of the judges now, he needn’t worry about the big boat suffering any damage.

But Adrian is not Cameron. Such words would not be spoken publicly by him. For Cameron, just getting one Oscar statuette was enough; succeeding or not afterward didn’t matter. But Adrian wanted more, his ambitions and appetites were larger, and that’s the difference between a pure director and a media mogul.

After answering a few more questions, Adrian began walking forward. He arrived just in time; James Cameron was not far ahead, also answering questions from the reporters.

"Without a doubt, we will achieve unprecedented success. Over a year ago, some people thought Ed and I were merely burning cash. More than half a year ago, some believed this film would fail. But I daresay the results speak for themselves," Cameron said with an air of pride to the reporters in front of him.

"Indeed, now it’s unprecedented with 15 nominations — nobody can deny the greatness of this film," Adrian chimed in timely.

"Ha, Ed, it’s so good to see you," Cameron immediately said with a laugh, giving him a hug.

"How does it feel, great director?" Adrian responded half-jokingly.

"There’s never been a better time than now," Cameron replied, brimming with pride.

"Mr. Adrian, Mr. James, although ’Titanic’ has already created many miracles, do you think it will continue to create miracles tonight?" a reporter seized the opportunity to ask.

"Of course, it will!" Cameron answered.

"After it ends, it will all be clear," Adrian added.

"Mr. Adrian, do you regret not directing this film yourself?" another reporter suddenly asked.

"How could I regret it? Some scripts only shine the brightest in the right hands," Adrian nonchalantly patted Cameron on the back.

"But you didn’t receive a single nomination this time," the reporter quickly followed up.

"So what? Getting nominations is quite an easy task if I want," Adrian declared proudly. Sometimes one must keep a low profile, but that doesn’t mean he will always do so. (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote and donate monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)