"Oh, my God!"
Ashley lay on her side, propping her head up with one hand, casting a playful look at Mary, as if to say, "See, you were just scolding me, and now what?"
"What? What are you looking at? What does that look mean?"
Despite the situation, Mary still felt awkward under Ashley's gaze. She frowned and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Eric, still catching his breath, had a slight sheen of sweat covering his chest, highlighting his muscular frame.
Ashley licked her lips. "I remember you saying Eric isn't your type. Don't you usually go for muscular guys?"
"Aren't these muscles?" Mary playfully slapped Eric's chest, creating a loud smack.
Watching her reaction, Eric burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?" the Olsen sisters asked in unison.
"Nothing, it's just the sound your slaps make on my chest. It's amusing."
Smack!
"You shameless!" Mary blushed and, continuing to scold him, slapped him again.
Eric caught her hand and easily pulled her close.
Mary giggled, playfully struggling as she tried to push Eric away with her arms and legs.
"Ashley, help me! Get this brute off me!"
"Ashley, hold her!"
They both turned to Ashley, who shrugged and suddenly pounced on Mary, helping hold her arms down.
"Traitor! You're helping him!" Mary's eyes went wide.
"Now, let's see what life lessons you've picked up."
"Special episode of Life of Adèle, start!"
Time kept moving forward, the thick curtains blocking out the sunlight, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night.
No one knew where this would lead, and no one wanted to think about it. Passion filled the air, clouding their minds and letting instinct take over.
The room was filled only with the scent of desire.
In the dim light, shadows flickered on the walls.
Ding!
The sharp sound of a phone jolted Eric awake. He shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts.
Looking at the clock, he realized it was already nine in the morning.
Moving wasn't an option—he'd wake the sisters. Still sleeping off the effects of the night before, they clung to him soundly.
"Fine, it's probably someone from the production team calling. Whatever, I'm going back to sleep."
Eric closed his eyes, remembering that he had a meeting with Nicole that evening and needed rest.
But Ashley's voice quietly broke the silence. "Eric, is that your phone?"
"Don't worry about it, go back to sleep, honey."
Eric gently patted her back.
"Answer it—it could be important."
Eric chuckled. "Look at me, I can't move!"
Ashley opened her eyes, noticing Mary's arms wrapped tightly around him, just like hers.
She smiled. "Seems like Mary's been hiding something. She said you weren't her type, but looks like she just didn't want to admit it."
Eric nodded. If there wasn't something there, why would she have joined in?
Ashley went to the living room to grab his phone. Coming back, she began running her fingers gently along his skin.
"Eric, why aren't you at the set yet? Where are Ashley and Mary? The whole team is waiting for them," came Judy's worried voice over the phone.
Technically, if someone had ended up in bed with the Olsen twins, Judy might have counted it as a success for her team. But her behavior last night was unforgettable to Eric. She'd left him to deal with everything and disappeared, irresponsibly.
Now that she was calling him, he decided to have a little fun with her.
Eric motioned to Ashley to stay quiet.
Then, pretending to sound weak, he said, "I… I was hurt. I'm in the hospital after surgery."
"Oh my God! What happened? Which hospital are you in? I'll be there right away."
"Isn't it because of you? You left me alone at the hotel. I warned you that David was a sharpshooter."
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Did you get hurt while taking them home?"
"Yes, got shot in the chest. Judy, I'm not sure if I'll make it."
"This is all my fault! Don't say that! I'm coming, Eric, hold on!"
Judy, clearly on the verge of tears, hurriedly started moving. Eric could hear her fast steps—she might have been running.
"Wait, which hospital are you in? I don't know where to find you! Damn! I can't find my car! Where is it?"
"Ha-ha-ha… Just press the key fob, and it'll respond."
"Oh, yes, right."
This was followed by a bump and the sound of her car starting.
"Eric, which hospital are you at? Tell me quickly!"
"The First Hospital of China. You'll have to fly here."
"What? China? Are you… Wait, are you laughing? It sounds like I can hear you laughing."
"You scoundrel! You lousy jerk!"
For a moment, Judy went silent, then started cursing at him with everything she had.
Eric hung up and dialed Andrea.
When Andrea answered, she sounded concerned as well. "Director, I just saw Judy running out, shouting something about a shooting. Are you okay?"
"Everything's fine; I just wanted to let you know I have urgent business and won't be able to make it today. Ashley and Mary won't be there either—they have business meetings."
"Understood. But what should we do with the crew if none of you are coming?"
"Take a break; let everyone rest until noon. We'll resume filming after lunch."
"Got it, Director."
After hanging up, Eric tossed the phone aside. This was the benefit of running a large company: when he wanted to put production on hold, he could. The cars, equipment—everything was theirs; they rarely rented locations.
You could say that apart from the actors, almost everything else belonged to the company, even the crew. There were no rental fees.
As for actor salaries, the extras were paid daily, and the Olsen twins' pay wasn't particularly high since they were almost out of the industry. Each of them got a one-million-dollar contract for two months of work.
If something like this happened on a small film set — the director suddenly vanishing, the lead actors missing — the producer would be in a rage.
Eric patted Ashley on her hip: "Get some rest, sweetheart. We'll pick up again after lunch."
"Wait, hold on a second."
Eric opened his eyes again, a hint of humor in his voice. "Not satisfied yet?"
Ashley gave him a gentle smack. "No, it's just… I have a question for you. It's not only mine — Mary's curious too."
"What's the question?"
"Promise to answer honestly first."
"I don't make promises."
"You!"
"Alright, alright, ask away. I promise to be truthful."
Ashley looked at him with her big eyes: "What exactly is going on between you and our Aunt Elin?"
"What?"
Eric tensed, pretending he didn't understand.
"Elin Olsen, my aunt. When we first met you in New York, what exactly were you two doing in that hotel room?"
"Oh..."
Eric acted as if he understood. "Nothing, really. We were just talking. Discussing MGM's future, financing, loans, that sort of thing."
"Really? You promised to be honest, remember."
"Of course, I'm not lying. We're close enough now that there's no reason to hide anything."
"Then why, when Mary and I walked in, was there that strange smell, the same one that's here now?"
Eric laughed awkwardly. "What about it? It's a hotel, not a house. And now, the Plaza Hotel is owned by an Arab family."
"Arabs… I've heard they aren't particular about cleanliness. Even in scorching heat, they wear heavy clothes to cover up; of course, they might smell a bit. Ugh..."
"Exactly, that's why the hotel has that smell. Agreed?"
Ashley stared into Eric's eyes for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll believe you."
Eric exhaled in relief, dodged a bullet!
"Too bad, though. I thought you and Aunt Elin might have a thing," Ashley sighed.
Eric's eyes widened slightly as his thoughts raced, analyzing her words.
"Could she… No, no, it's a trap. She's trying to trip me up."
Taking a serious tone, Eric firmly replied, "What are you talking about, silly? I only have a business relationship with Elin."
Ashley finally smiled. "Alright, I'll trust you."
"Whew, close one!"
That afternoon on the set of Blue Is the Warmest Color, the three, having slept until noon, arrived separately to avoid gossip.
Judy looked at Eric with irritation: "Did you enjoy yourself? You almost scared me to death! You know that?"
Eric chuckled, giving her a sideways glance. "Who told you to leave me alone at the hotel? Not very friendly."
"But you had fun, didn't you? You and the Olsen sisters?"
"Not at all! Do you think I'd take advantage of the situation? You have no idea how hard it was just to get them home."
Judy stopped her questioning, understanding that Eric wasn't one to exploit someone's vulnerability. The fun should be consensual — otherwise, what's the point?
Andrea walked over: "Everything's ready, Director."
"Blue Is the Warmest Color, Scene 10, take one. Action!"
The assistant clapped the slate loudly, and the scene began again.
Under the green light adjusted by the crew, Mary, in character, wrapped her arms around an extra and walked toward Ashley.
After a few steps, their silhouettes crossed paths. They seemed to sense something, simultaneously turning to look at each other. In the crowded scene, that moment felt like an eternity.
Yesterday, the Olsen sisters couldn't capture the right mood; the scene wasn't working. But after last night's events, everything changed. Not only had their relationship with Eric shifted, but the dynamic between the sisters themselves transformed.
Everything was different, on a physical and psychological level.
"Perfect, that's a wrap!" Eric cheered them on, and everyone around burst into applause.
Andrea, looking at the monitor where their expressions were clearly visible, said, "Fantastic. How did they do it? Look at Mary's gaze — just one night, and they found the right approach. It's incredible."
Eric nodded. "To really perform a role well, you need to immerse yourself in it. Looks like our method worked."
Andrea couldn't hide her admiration. "But how could it work so quickly? That look, like they're in love. It seems children's and teen shows were holding back the Olsen sisters' potential."
"What?"
"Some actors are born for certain roles. Perhaps the Olsen sisters' path is to play same-gender couples. They're naturals in this genre."
Eric chuckled quietly to himself, knowing his contribution.
The Olsen sisters, like martial artists unlocking energy points, were now nailing scenes in a maximum of three takes. Eric didn't waste time and immediately moved to the most challenging scene — the breakup scene.
Emma, furious at Adele's ride with another man, let all the pent-up emotions explode.
They exchanged lines at a rapid pace, radiating emotions so intense they nearly leaped off the screen.
Every facial expression, every movement, every glance, and every inflection perfectly captured the heartbreak with stunning accuracy.
Nearby, James McAvoy watched them in shock, eyes wide.
Were these the Olsen sisters? They seemed like different people compared to yesterday. His inner voice shouted, "What is this? It's like they've absorbed the talent of Meryl Streep, Katharine Hepburn, and Greta Garbo! How did their acting skills rise so sharply? It's unbelievable!"
Another take was approved. Everyone realized the Olsen era might just be beginning!
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