"Luca, was Eve on her best behavior today?"
Around 4 p.m., Ed walked into the hospital room and smiled when he saw Eve peacefully napping.
Sitting at the desk, Luca put down his pen, flexed his stiff wrist, and replied with a smile, "Ed, Eve was great today. We had a wonderful time."
"Haha, she's not always such a good girl," Ed said, gently stroking her hair with affection.
"Dad, I heard you talking about me!"
Suddenly, Eve opened her eyes and stared directly at Ed with her bright, sky-blue eyes, pure and clear, making him feel a little guilty.
"Haha, Eve, Dad was wrong. You're the sweetest and most beautiful girl in the world."
"Hmph, that's more like it!"
Eve raised her delicate chin, looking proud.
Ed laughed heartily, "Time to get up, Eve. We're heading home."
"No, I want to stay here and listen to Luca tell vampire stories," Eve replied stubbornly. She had been listening to stories all morning and was totally absorbed. She had even dreamed of a group of handsome vampires and wasn't ready to leave before finishing the story.
"Vampires?" Ed asked curiously, looking at Luca. "Are you writing a novel?"
Luca chuckled. "After watching a few vampire movies with Kate last time, I got some inspiration and started writing a little something." He then turned to Eve. "The story isn't finished yet. Next weekend, I'll be out of the hospital, and you can come to my place to hear the rest."
"Emmm~ fine!" Eve blinked obediently and pulled the blanket back over herself, deciding to nap a bit longer.
Ed smiled, taking a newspaper out of his bag.
"Luca, it seems like someone's targeting you, bringing up your past."
"Oh?"
Luca took the newspaper and looked at it.
Since *The New Yorker* ran a big story two days ago about a model overdosing, Luca's reputation in the modeling world had skyrocketed—but for all the wrong reasons. Today's paper continued to drag him through the mud.
This time, they weren't making things up but stating facts.
In the entertainment section, *The New Yorker* claimed that while assisting Kate, Luca often harassed other female models. Several retired models testified, and two women in the escort business said he didn't pay after sleeping with them.
Luca's face burned with embarrassment. Those two women were likely from the night of the Victoria's Secret show—he had left in a rush and really hadn't paid them.
*Fuck~*
This report was even more brutal than the last.
It was like nailing the coffin shut.
Staying in the fashion industry was now impossible, and this might even ruin his chances in entertainment.
"Ed, with things like this, I might need to leave the industry. You should probably find another artist." Luca said softly.
Since signing the contract, Ed hadn't made any money and had lost a lot in resources and time. With this scandal, Luca's career seemed over, and he didn't want to hold Ed back anymore.
Ed shook his head. "Luca, this is partly my fault. I pushed too hard and made enemies."
"No, Ed, it's not your fault. You've been a great manager. It's my own issues—my health, my reckless past…" Luca cursed inwardly. *Damn, am I destined to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair?*
"Luca!"
Ed walked over and gently patted him on the shoulder. "Luca, are you really ready to quit like this?"
"What else can I do? Things aren't looking good for me."
"No, the fashion world and the entertainment world are different. This scandal won't affect your entertainment career. As long as you don't give up and still want to become a star, we still have a chance."
Ed said firmly.
"Go, Dad! Go, Luca!"
Suddenly, little Eve raised her small fist from the bed.
"Haha, Luca, Eve's cheering for us," Ed said, patting his shoulder with a smile.
Luca smiled softly. Even though the road ahead seemed difficult, with people rooting for him, why not keep going? Who knows, maybe a miracle could happen.
"Alright, Ed. Let's give it one more shot," he said, smiling at Eve. "Thank you, Eve. We'll do our best."
"Yay, Luca! You'll definitely become a big star!"
Eve giggled happily.
*A big star?*
Can a foreign actor with a tarnished reputation really become a big star?
Luca shook his head.
*Ring ring~*
Suddenly, Ed's phone rang.
Ed answered and after listening for a few moments, his body stiffened, and his face flushed red with excitement. "Really? Are you serious? Okay, I'll check right now!"
"Ed, what's going on?"
Luca asked curiously.
"Dad, what's wrong? Your face is red," Eve asked, sitting up in bed with wide eyes.
"Wait, let me turn on the TV," Ed said, his hands shaking as he fumbled with the remote. He quickly switched to the CBS news channel.
A social investigative show was airing.
Host Charlie Rose's deep voice narrated, "He was 90 meters from the scene. From starting to the point of impact, the entire process took less than seven seconds. Experts have calculated that the speed reached 41.25 km/h, faster than Olympic sprint champion Maurice Greene. It's a miracle. Let's watch the replay…"
The camera cut to a busy street where a female reporter was interviewing a passerby about New York's traffic issues.
In recent years, New York's growing population had put immense pressure on the city's transportation system, with cracked roads, missing signs, and broken traffic cameras becoming more common.
The report was filmed near Lincoln Center, one of the busiest areas in the city.
But even in the footage, it was clear the streets were in poor condition.
"Ugh, Dad, I hate watching the news," Eve yawned, rubbing her eyes with tiny fists.
"Eve, hold on…"
"Help~! Somebody help me~!"
Just as Ed was about to explain, a shout rang out from the TV.
Luca's eyes widened—he recognized that voice. It was the same woman from the street in front of Lincoln Center.
"Quick, go check!"
The female reporter shouted, and the cameraman rushed forward, capturing footage of a baby stroller speeding downhill as an Asian woman lay on the ground.
*Honk honk!*
A bus was speeding down the street. The bus and the stroller were on a collision course.
"Oh God, someone save that baby!"
The reporter exclaimed.
But no one was close enough to help.
Just as the audience thought tragedy was inevitable, a gray figure dashed into view, sprinting toward the stroller.
"Oh my God, is he trying to save the baby? It's impossible! He's not Superman; he can't do it," the reporter doubted.
"No, get back! You fool, the bus is coming!"
In the shot, the bus, the stroller, and the running figure were about to collide.
The reporter screamed.
Among the three, the bus couldn't see the stroller, and the stroller couldn't stop itself. Only the person running toward them could retreat—but he didn't.
"Is he suicidal?"
*Boom!*
The three collided.
The stroller was smashed, debris flying everywhere, and the figure was thrown into the air.
"Oh my God, he's done for," the reporter gasped, narrating from the scene. "Let's go check. Maybe there's still hope."
But before they could reach the spot, the man suddenly stood up.
"Oh my God, he's alive! This is a miracle!"
"Woohoo~"
The man stood, raising a baby triumphantly in his arms. "I got him! I caught him!"
"No way, he couldn't have caught that baby," the reporter was stunned, unable to believe her eyes. She stared at the tall figure holding the baby like a trophy.
"Is he a magician? Or… Superman?"
The reporter muttered.
"Wow, is that Luca? Dad, is that Luca?" Eve shouted excitedly.
"Yes, it's Luca! Your Luca is a hero!"
Ed nodded, eyes red with emotion.
"Wow, Luca! You're cooler than Leonardo!"
Eve jumped off the bed and leaped into his arms.
"Haha, Eve, you're getting heavier," Luca teased.
"Hey~! Luca, that's mean! I'm not heavy at all!"
(End of Chapter)