With a click, the bedside lamp went off. Catherine, already in her pajamas, snuggled into her blanket. Though she let out a long yawn, she wasn't the least bit sleepy. Jennifer's question kept echoing in her mind: "What are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of anything. I just lack confidence," the little girl muttered, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling.
It was a mixed blessing. In her past life as a recluse, she had a unique advantage with certain information, but it also robbed her of drive and self-confidence. Being a shut-in who spent all day at home and online, facing the real world boldly was tough. She secretly wrote novels and scripts because she didn't know how they'd turn out. Even though she knew these were top-tier works in her previous life, she still felt uneasy. After all, she was plagiarizing!
Oh, some might say Catherine showed no signs of guilt when she confidently talked to producer Nancy and Disney script editor George this afternoon. But that was because she had no choice. "The Parent Trap" was written and directed by Nancy Meyers in 1998, and only a "genius" like Catherine would think to send the script to its original creator. If she hadn't been pushed to the brink, who knows how this afternoon would have gone.
Catherine turned over, staring at the row of clocks on her nightstand. It was past 10 o'clock, and she should have been asleep by now, but she still didn't want to sleep. Finally, she got up, turned on the light, and pulled out a small box from under her bed. Inside were a lot of papers, some with multiple pages and others with just one or two.
Pursing her lips, she began to go through them. If someone else who had been reincarnated saw these, their jaw would drop. "Heat," "The Mummy," "The Matrix," "Titanic," and so on—she had practically collected all of Hollywood's future blockbusters! But none of these were complete, some were just beginnings, and they weren't even in script form, mostly somewhere between novels and summaries.
"Well, 'The Parent Trap' sold. What about these?" Catherine sat on the floor, resting her head on her knees, staring at the works in the box and murmuring to herself. Writing "The Parent Trap" was just to make some pocket money. These were written for fun when she was bored. If she needed money again, could she just pick one of these? But what if she met the original authors?
I'm going crazy. Why am I thinking about this instead of sleeping? Catherine knocked her head in frustration. She felt like she was becoming less bold since becoming a girl. Even if it's plagiarism, so what? It's not like I don't have my own ideas. For example, the original "The Parent Trap" had superficial scenes in England because Nancy Meyers didn't know much about the country. But Catherine's mother was British, and she had spent a lot of time there. She had a better understanding of the details and habits of British life, which was reflected in the script. She even designed different mannerisms for the twins to distinguish their identities. So calling it plagiarism wasn't entirely accurate. And even if she copied a script, it didn't mean the original writer would starve because of it. They might even write something better. She was just worrying unnecessarily.
"Sleep! Sleep! Stop overthinking. When the time comes, I'll figure it out." With a burst of her straightforward nature, Catherine turned off the light, got back into bed, and wrapped herself in the blanket, determined to sleep.
...
George took a deep breath, straightened his tie one more time to ensure he looked presentable, and then stepped out of the elevator. Not far away, a man in his thirties waved at him from the reception desk.
"Hi, Matthew."
"Hi, George."
They shook hands, and Matthew gestured towards the door at the end of the hallway. "Come on, they're waiting for you."
"Honestly, Matthew, we've worked together for a while. What do you think?" George took another deep breath and asked.
"Don't be nervous, George," Matthew smiled, then grew serious, "It's pretty good. I've read your memo, and the board members think so too. But... you should be prepared." Without waiting for George to understand, he opened the door to the meeting room.
"Respected Chairman and board members, I'm George Wells, head of the film subsidiary's script review team. I believe you've all read my memo. Personally, I think it's worth investing in." George began his presentation confidently after greeting everyone. He felt assured because the man sitting at the head of the table, Michael Eisner, the current CEO and Chairman of Disney, had personally come from Burbank, showing he took the memo seriously.
As a longtime Disney employee, George knew that while Disney dominated animation and was synonymous with American animation, there was still much to improve and develop. The 1989 premiere of "The Little Mermaid" seemed to usher in a second golden age for Disney, but there were still areas needing advancement. Eisner was a bold and visionary leader, so George was confident he could see the potential in "The Lion King" and "The Parent Trap," and likewise, Catherine's value.
The meeting soon wrapped up. After George's explanation, the board members asked a few questions, which he answered confidently. Their satisfied expressions showed that the presentation went well. But Eisner, the big boss, remained silent throughout, simply listening with folded hands, which made George uneasy.
Finally, as the other board members finished their discussions and the room quieted down, Eisner spoke slowly, "Mr. Wells, your suggestions are excellent. Both the animation and the film are significant for Disney, and I support the investment. However, there's a problem..."
He stared at George, "How do you plan to convince Vincent Mason of Pedro Corporation to let his precious daughter star in the movie?"
...
"Listen, George, I know you're eager to achieve something, but sometimes haste makes waste," Michael Eisner patted George's shoulder, sounding more like a mentor than a boss in the now-empty meeting room. "I've always told you not to rush. The memo is excellent, and I appreciate it. But as for the girl... let's forget it. I've met her a few times at Mr. Mason's private parties. She's indeed a charming child, but don't waste your efforts on a hopeless cause."
"Alright, Mr. Eisner, to be honest, after learning about her background, I gave up on the idea," George replied with a wry smile.
"Then let's leave it at that. I need to get back," Eisner pointed to the door, "Can't keep them waiting too long."
George nodded, then hesitated before looking at him, "About my uncle..."
"Alright, alright, Frank won't hear about this," Eisner laughed and left.
George watched him go to the elevator, then returned to his office with some disappointment. It was such a pity. If he could have made a star out of that brilliant child, the film subsidiary's influence would have doubled. But he never expected Catherine to be the daughter of a prominent Western tycoon. God sure loves to play tricks.
"Cheer up. Whether it's animation or film, as long as they're successful, you'll be close to that general manager position," Matthew came in, trying to comfort him, then half-jokingly added, "Remember, I'm just an assistant manager at the main company. You're climbing faster than me."
"Come on, Matthew, you know that's not what's bothering me," George shrugged.
"Yeah, I know—" Matthew laughed, "Thinking you could win over the daughter of Pedro Corporation's president? You're really a dreamer. Let me recall your words, oh yes, 'the modern-day Vivien Leigh!'"
"Hey, I was serious," George glared at him, "Besides, I was thinking of the company. Is this how you comfort me?"
"Alright, dinner's on me tonight at Morton's Bar," Matthew shrugged, "I should get going. Be on time!"
Watching Matthew leave, George shook his head and picked up the phone on his desk. "Hello, Ms. Brandt, could you connect me to Nancy?"
"How's it going, George? Can we get started?" Nancy's voice came quickly from the other end.
"Yes, you can start contacting actors now. But..." George sighed and explained the issue. There was silence on the other end, and he could imagine Nancy's wry smile. However, her reply surprised him.
"I still want to try, George," Nancy's voice was firm.
"You're saying you still want to visit the Mason house?" George asked, surprised.
"Yes. You should understand that if you try, you might have a chance. But if you don't, you definitely have no chance!"
George paused, wanting to persuade her otherwise, but he couldn't find the words. He simply said, "Well, good luck."
As he hung up, he thought, maybe it will work out.