King of Hollywood
Chapter 498 - 219 Christina’s Determination

Chapter 498: Chapter 219 Christina’s Determination

"Hey, Kristen, let’s go out tonight. I know a bar on Ashland Road that’s pretty cool, the ambiance is nice, it’s relatively upscale, and best of all, you don’t need to show your driver’s license to get in," came the excited voice over the phone.

If it were before, Christina would have agreed without hesitation, then dressed up and eagerly gone out for fun, but at the moment, she just yawned and declined, "No, Claire, I don’t want to go anywhere tonight. I’d rather stay at home."

"Stay at home? My God, is that really you on the phone, Kristen? It’s not someone else, is it?" came the voice, filled with surprise.

"I’m serious, Claire, I really don’t want to go anywhere!" Christina frowned, feeling an inexplicable annoyance rising within her.

"It’s astonishing. You haven’t met some boy and decided to spend a lovely evening at home with him, have you? Is it that Jackson from last time?" the other side asked curiously, exhilarated by the prospect of gossip.

"Okay, Claire, that’s enough. I’m hanging up now," Christina said, curtly containing her irritation and then hung up the phone.

"The damn bitch! How dare she! How dare she!" The young girl suddenly sprang up from the bed, pacing the room and loudly cursing.

She finally understood why Britney always put on an arrogant air, confidently claiming she was the best and blushing like a fan girl when mentioning Adrian, especially when it was just the two of them. Moreover, her mother had said that Britney sometimes went out alone without telling anyone what she was doing — the implications were now clear without saying more.

"That damned bitch, probably started seducing early on. Despicable! To use such a shameless tactic!" Christina swore repeatedly.

She focused her anger solely on Britney, not considering Adrian’s role in the situation and whether what had happened was appropriate — it was not something she was prepared to contemplate. Perhaps deep down, she had convinced herself that Adrian was manipulating both her and Britney, and clearly, the brainwashing had been quite effective, if not as much as with Britney.

"Calm down, calm down, it’s not too late, there’s still a chance," Christina finally calmed herself after venting her anger, took a deep breath while holding her cheeks, and moved in front of the full-length mirror.

She shifted through a few poses and felt that they didn’t look bad. Although her face wasn’t as pretty as Britney’s, she believed she didn’t lose out to her in other aspects. Christina also silently rejoiced that, despite going out a lot, she never felt anything for the men — or perhaps boys would be more appropriate — who hit on her, so she remained inexperienced. The behavior her friends teased her about had accidentally given her a value similar to Britney’s.

"Just wait and see, don’t think you’re the only one who can play this game!" Clenching her fists, Christina knew her rival had gained an advantage, but she believed she could catch up and then surpass and defeat her!

Adrian, unknowing of all this, would have merely chuckled if he had known. It was exactly what he wanted to see. After understanding Silver’s intentions and deciding to give Britney a refresher course in biology, which he thoroughly enjoyed, he shifted his attention back to the movie. After months of bickering, negotiating, and discussing, "The Expendables" was finally about to start filming.

Not only did the scenes for the Three Giants need to be balanced, but the screen time for others like Damme, Lundgren, The Rock Johnson, and Diesel had to be carefully arranged as well. The first two, although action stars, were between the A and B-list, and the latter two were rookies with little say. Seagal, Renault, and Jet Li, however, needed more delicate handling.

Seagal had genuine kung fu skills and a relatively volatile temperament, liking to quibble over minor issues to assert his authority. He wasn’t a fool, though, and knew whom he could and could not afford to offend — his behavior at Adrian’s house party was telling. As long as he didn’t go too far, Adrian didn’t mind giving him more screen time; after all, his character was designed to be expendable. Renault, of course, needed no explanation — having worked together before and having entered Hollywood because of Adrian, they were friends and naturally looked out for each other. As for Jet Li, since they had made agreements favorable to him, why bother about such trivialities?

Despite the extended preparation time, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Marvel had used the interval to bring to life Adrian’s vision, developing the physiques, character traits, special skills, and weaponry of each member of The Expendables, all in line with the screenwriter’s vision. A successful movie release would certainly lead to a comic book series. In addition, the sole female actor in "The Expendables" had taken this time to practice thoroughly.

"Can we not talk about this right now? Fine, I admit, I did make some mistakes..."

"Some mistakes? To hell! Barney, don’t you realize where the problem lies? I hardly see you for months at a time, while other kids play happily with their parents, I’m stuck at home watching boring TV, without even a friend to talk to!"

"I can’t help it, you know what I’m doing!"

"Yes, I know, and I also know that maybe one day it won’t be you showing up at the door, but your coffin instead!"

In the middle of the office, an intense argument was underway. The towering man’s stern voice attempted to hide the loss and helplessness in his eyes, while the imposing young girl seemed equally anxious and distressed. After several minutes of deadlock, as if someone had shouted "cut," both relaxed suddenly.

"Nicely done, Scarlett, you’ve got a grip on the character’s traits," Adrian complimented the young girl with a thumbs up.

"You’re not bad yourself, Ed, great acting. I really thought you were Barney, my... father in the movie." Scarlett said with a giggle, though she paused slightly before mentioning that last term.

"Thanks. Looks like I could consider starring in a movie and grabbing an Oscar or something," Adrian laughed heartily.

"Good idea, I sincerely suggest you try it out," Scarlett immediately made a funny face. "I’m sure it would cause quite a stir."

"Alright, kiddo," Adrian laughed, tousling her hair, to which Scarlett protested by jumping up, "I’m almost fourteen, not a kiddo anymore!"

Although she wore baggy overalls, her chest showed signs of burgeoning waves, truly a beauty in the making.

"Okay, okay, Scarlett," Adrian quickly corrected himself, "So, what do you think about acting alongside a bunch of muscle-bound men?"

"It’s nothing, just a bit funny. My first major commercial film... and it’s with them," Scarlett said, trying to suppress her laughter.

This version of "The Expendables" was completely different from the one in the previous life. In short, it’s about one of the three main leaders of a mercenary group who accidentally involved his daughter in a revenge plot, resulting in him and his mates going on a killing spree. It’s somewhat similar to Schwarzenegger’s "Commando," but definitely tighter and more in tune with the current pace.

Although the story was a complete Hollywood cliché, the detailing was still quite exquisite. It wasn’t the 21st century anymore, and there were still plenty of excellent screenwriters. With just the right director who could capture the designed action scenes better, the movie would undoubtedly recoup its costs. Adrian had initially hoped for Michael Bay to direct since his control over impactful visuals was top-notch.

However, the guy had become increasingly hungry for power on set after directing several blockbuster movies, especially since "The Rock" received a lot of praise. Hesitant about working with so many A-list stars, he declined, also due to other commitments like "Bad Boys II," which was in the planning stages.

Adrian didn’t press him. The biggest problem with this film was pacing control. The worst part of the original version was the endless buildup with only a few minutes of climax. Though this one had no relation with the previous one, such issues should be avoided. Eventually, Jerry Bruckheimer, who agreed to produce, recommended Simon West, a competent director. With Bruckheimer overseeing the production, there was no need to worry too much.

"It is indeed funny, especially thinking that someone like Stallone could have such a beautiful and cute daughter," Adrian subtly complimented Scarlett.

The girl’s cheeks instantly turned red, and she shyly looked away. Ever since crying in Adrian’s arms that one time, she often phoned him to talk about her concerns, and since her mother worked for him, she regularly found excuses to run off to Los Angeles, spending long hours in his office. She often wedged mother coming to get her before leaving.

Sometimes Scarlett talked with Adrian for a long time; other times, she just quietly watched him work, seemingly content.

"Thank you. I think I should go, otherwise..." Scarlett pointed towards the doorway and then stuck out her tongue playfully.

"Alright," Adrian nodded, and then he suddenly called out to her, "Scarlett."

"Hmm?" The young girl turned around.

"You know why I insisted on casting you for this role, right?" Adrian asked.

"You told my mom that I would eventually need to take on some commercial films, but beyond that, I also know..." Scarlett’s smile softened, her grey-green eyes gleaming as she quickly ran over and hugged Adrian tightly, burying her head deep into his abdomen.

After a while, she released her grip, her smile full of gratitude, "Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Ed."

(This story is incomplete. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote, send monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)