That afternoon, Luca left the office and gave Kate a call on his way out.
After New York Fashion Week ended, the busy models finally had a brief break, and Kate was no exception.
Luca had been busy writing promotional articles and dating Lima, so he hadn't spent much time with Kate. Now that he was free, he intended to make up for it.
*Beep beep...*
The first call went unanswered.
On the second attempt, it rang for a long time before Kate picked up. Before she could say anything, a wave of noise came through the receiver—there were voices singing, instruments playing, people laughing, and the clinking of glasses.
"Kate, where are you?"
He had to shout the question twice before he could hear Kate mention a bar called "The Rose Ritual."
After hanging up, Luca shrugged with a helpless smile. He knew the bar—it was on 9th Street in Manhattan, not far from Washington Square Park. It was pretty upscale, and their signature cocktail, Rose Tea Infused, had a light flavor, which was a favorite among women.
Since there were lots of beautiful women, naturally, there were also lots of men, making it a popular spot for dates.
**Was Kate on a date?**
Luca raised an eyebrow and quickly drove to the Rose Ritual. Unfortunately, single men weren't allowed to enter.
The bar had a strict policy: women could come and go freely, but men had to be accompanied by a woman to get in.
Luca was speechless. **Who would come here to pick up women if they already had a date?**
He made a quick call and waited outside for a while until Kate appeared at the entrance.
Her blonde curls cascaded over her shoulders. She wore a black cropped jacket with white fur trimming the collar and sleeves, paired with a white cartoon T-shirt underneath. The outfit was a perfect blend of cool and playful. Her tight black pants and fur-lined boots showed off her incredible legs and fiery figure.
In a crowd, she was always the most striking one.
"Luca, why did Ed call you to the office?" Kate asked, waving him over.
"To sign a contract, the CK endorsement deal," Luca said casually.
"How big is the deal?"
"Not much, just a million over three years."
"Three years, a million?!" Kate was a bit surprised. "That's more than $300,000 a year. Plus, Armani pays you $250,000 annually. You've made over $500,000 in just the first quarter. Based on last year's male model income rankings, you're already in the top 50. You're a legit supermodel now!"
"Haha, that's right! Your little brother's a supermodel now. Pretty cool, huh?"
Luca raised his chin proudly and strutted toward the steps.
*Bang!*
Before he could take another step, he felt a kick on his butt.
"Kate!"
He stumbled forward, almost falling, but thanks to his quick reflexes, he managed to grab onto a nearby girl's waist at the last second.
"Fuck!"
The girl shouted angrily and turned around, ready to curse him out, but when she saw his handsome face and muscular body, she paused, suddenly excited.
"Are you... Luca Big?"
"I…"
Luca really wanted to deny it, but ever since *that* incident, people had started calling him "Mr. Big." It seemed like everyone knew about a certain, um, *attribute* of his.
He nodded slightly. "Sorry, miss, I didn't mean to."
"Wow, you really are Mr. Big!"
The girl squealed.
"Luca?"
"Where's Luca?"
"Where's Mr. Big?"
Suddenly, all the girls around the entrance turned to look.
"Ah! It really is Luca!"
"Luca, let's go on a date!"
A group of ten or so women surrounded him, all reaching out to touch him.
Luca was stunned. **What's happening here?**
"Idiot, run!"
Kate rushed over, grabbed him by the neck, and dragged him into the bar. They ducked into an elevator, finally escaping the mob of screaming women.
Luca wiped the sweat off his forehead, still shaken. "Am I really that famous now?"
"You?"
Kate shot him a glance, her expression unimpressed. "No one knows your face. They only know your, well, *big thing*."
Luca rolled his eyes. **Sis, you're too blunt.**
"Kate, why are you at the bar today?" he asked.
"Ann invited me. Come on, let me introduce you to some new friends."
*Ding!*
The elevator doors opened.
The moment they stepped out, Luca was hit by a wall of noise, the smell of alcohol and food, perfume, and dazzling lights. The crowd of partygoers was thick, and the place was buzzing with energy.
Luca hesitated. He wasn't used to being in such loud, busy places. He usually preferred staying home. All the sights and sounds overwhelmed his senses.
"Come on, don't just stand there!"
Kate looped her arm around his neck and dragged him into the crowd. After bumping into a bunch of people, they finally reached a lively booth.
"Hey, everyone, look who I brought!"
Kate shouted as she released her grip on Luca, giving him a chance to look around. There were about seven or eight people at the booth, including familiar faces like Alessandra Ambrosio, Fernanda, and Isabeli Fontana, all supermodels. There were also three handsome men, one of whom was Matt Monda, while the other two seemed familiar.
"Wow, Mr. Big!"
The three women laughed loudly.
Luca felt a little awkward.
"Hi, Ann, Fontana, Fernanda," Luca greeted them softly.
Ambrosio chuckled, "Luca, Kate says you've been shacking up with Lima for three days straight and only came out today."
Luca shot Kate a look. **Three days straight? Really?**
Kate shrugged innocently.
Luca smiled and corrected, "Actually, I've been working on a script."
"Wait, you're a screenwriter?"
Matt Monda asked with a hint of confusion.
Matt and his friend Ben Affleck had won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay with *Good Will Hunting*, so he was particularly sensitive to the word "script."
"Matt, Luca's script has already caught the attention of Walt Disney Studios. They're planning to make it into a movie, so you might see it hit the big screen this year," Kate said with a proud smile.
"Is that so?"
Matt nodded but said nothing more.
Luca could sense Matt's coldness, along with a strange hostility. **What's that about?**
Was it because he was too handsome, or something else?
"Luca, this is Matt, this is Heath, and this is Ryan. They're all big Hollywood stars. You know them, right?" Kate introduced the group.
Luca nodded. Matt Damon didn't need an introduction—he was an A-list star, thanks to *The Bourne Identity*. Heath Ledger, the quiet guy, was a rising star after his performance as the Joker in *The Dark Knight*. As for Ryan Gosling, though still a C-list actor, he was beginning to make a name for himself.
Luca greeted the three politely.
Each reacted differently. Matt smirked, Heath gave him a quick nod and smile before looking away, while Ryan Gosling offered a friendly smile and greeting.
Because of Matt and Heath's aloofness, the atmosphere around the booth became a bit awkward. Luca realized he wasn't exactly welcome.
Trying to break the ice, he asked, "Ann, what were you guys talking about?"
Ambrosio gave the men at the table a glance and smiled knowingly. "We were just talking about Kate's novel, which is about to be published. We're planning how to celebrate it. I'm thinking of buying 100 limited editions to give to friends."
"Me too!"
Isabeli and Fernanda raised their hands, laughing.
"Thanks for the support!"
Luca raised his glass with a smile.
"I've got to go, everyone. See you later!"
Matt Monda said, grabbing his coat and leaving.
Heath Ledger hesitated for a second, stood up, said his goodbyes, and followed Matt out.
Everyone turned to look at Ryan Gosling, curious to see if he would leave as well.
Gosling awkwardly smiled, raised his glass, and said, "Kate, here's to the success of your new book!"
"Thanks!"
Kate smiled and clinked glasses with him.
With a polite nod, Ryan finished his drink, said goodbye, and left the bar.
The booth was silent for about three seconds before the four women burst into laughter.
"Haha, Luca, you really are the king of killing the mood!"
"Luca, you've ruined our gathering again!"
"Luca, why do all the guys seem to dislike you? What's up with that?"
Luca threw up his hands. **I have no idea.**
Honestly, he felt like he'd behaved pretty normally, with no inappropriate words or actions. Yet somehow, he'd managed to offend the three men.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your dates,"
Luca said, raising his glass apologetically.
"It's fine, we're used to it!"
Ambrosio laughed.
"Luca, Kate said you've changed a lot these past few months and wouldn't ruin the vibe at gatherings anymore, but..."
Ambrosio spread her hands, "It doesn't seem like you've changed at all."
The girls started laughing again.
Luca shook his head and said seriously, "At least I've gotten more handsome, right?"
"Hahaha~ Luca, you've gotten funnier."
"Not just that, you used to be Luca, but now you're Big Bird Luca."
"Hahaha~"
They all joked and laughed for a while, and by around 5 p.m., the gathering wrapped up early.
"Sorry, Kate. I ruined your gathering again," Luca said apologetically as they drove.
"It's fine. Didn't Ana say we're all used to it?" Kate leaned back in her seat, a playful smile on her lips.
Luca said helplessly, "Kate, I didn't do anything to ruin the vibe, did I?"
"Didn't you?"
"Did I?"
"Of course you did!"
Kate glanced at him. "Matt's a big star, right?"
"Yeah, maybe not as big as Leo, but still a big star."
"Then why were you so cold when you saw him?"
"Cold?"
Luca frowned, "Was I cold? I greeted him, but he ignored me. Was I really the one who was cold?"
Kate slapped her forehead, "When you see a big star, aren't you supposed to be more enthusiastic and go up to greet them? You made me introduce you, making Matt feel like a small star. Do you think he'd be upset?"
Luca understood now. Matt Damon probably felt slighted, which is why he decided to leave.
"Haha, he's a big star, and I'm a supermodel. Am I acting proud?"
"Heh~"
Kate poked his forehead with a smile, "You're just a little male model, what's there to be proud of?"
Luca chuckled softly, "Kate, a guy like Matt is way too sensitive, with that whole celebrity attitude. Why would you even hang out with him?"
Kate shook her head, "We weren't on a date. Ana met him at Fashion Week, and we all just sat and chatted."
"I see."
Luca let out a sigh of relief, "Kate, 'Twilight' is about to be released. If it doesn't do well, don't feel too pressured."
"Pressure? Why would I feel pressure? You're the original author, aren't you?"
Kate laughed lightly.
Luca shrugged, "Alright! But once 'Twilight' is out, some media outlets will probably make a fuss about your involvement. Don't get upset if you see it."
"Don't worry, I can handle it!"
Kate patted her ample chest confidently.
"That's good to hear!"
(End of Chapter)