"Britney Visits Luca, Sparking Dating Rumors"
"Britney Drives Luxury Car to Pick Up Mr. Big for Overnight Stay at Mansion"
As expected, multiple newspapers reported on the events of the previous day from different angles.
Some said Britney was being promiscuous, playing the part of a homewrecker. Others called Luca a scumbag, cheating while Lima was away. Some speculated that Mr. Big and Britney were likely striking another deal, debating what the deal might be this time.
Taking advantage of this wave of media coverage, Luca, Lima, and the *Honey* film crew all gained varying degrees of exposure.
But Director Billy showed no signs of joy on his face. Grabbing a megaphone, he yelled, "Mark, get rid of those damn paparazzi—they're going to disrupt my shoot!"
"On it, Director!"
Crew member Mark went off to chase away the photographers with cameras.
*Sigh…*
Billy put down the megaphone and chugged some coffee.
"Hey, Luca!"
Seeing Luca arrive, Billy greeted him.
"Billy, good morning!"
Luca pointed at the Ford parked outside the set. "Someone scratched my car and wrote a discriminatory word on it. Can I call the police?"
Billy glanced at the car and burst out laughing. "Oh, Luca, you should be glad the car's still there rather than whining about some nasty graffiti."
Luca shrugged. "Fine, fine, I forgot we're in Daimler."
"Exactly."
After a few words, the rest of the crew arrived: Jessica Alba, Joy Bryant, Mekhi Phifer, and a group of Black extras.
"Hey, Luca, the papers said you spent the night at Britney's villa last night. Is that true?"
Joy grinned as she teased him.
Luca was looking at the shooting schedule. He glanced at Joy and smiled. "Of course not. Do you really believe tabloid gossip?"
"Haha, we didn't, but—"
Joy folded her arms and circled around him, inspecting him up and down.
"But what?"
"But after seeing you in person, we believe it now."
Joy pointed at him, laughing. "Look at those dark circles! And your complexion—so tired. You definitely didn't sleep well last night, right, Mr. Big?"
Joy winked at him with a mischievous smile.
"Not true, I slept great. Yawn..."
Just as he was explaining, he accidentally yawned.
Everyone froze for a second, then burst into laughter—busted!
Luca rubbed his eyes helplessly. Last night, he had a long phone call with Lima, talking until midnight. She fell asleep, but he couldn't.
"Luca, I think you need this."
A hot cup of coffee was handed to him from the side.
Luca blinked. "Thanks, Jessica!"
"You're welcome, Assistant!"
Once the actors had gathered, the crew officially started shooting, and Luca resumed his role as assistant director.
"Scene 10, Take 2, First shot—Action!"
Today, they continued filming scenes between the main characters, focusing on Honey and Chaz.
In this scene, Honey is upset after being blacklisted by Michael and is taking a walk in the park with Chaz.
"Sigh… I can't find any work now. Michael's got me blacklisted everywhere," Honey lamented.
"Honey, are you sure?" asked Chaz, the Black male lead.
"Yes, all he has to do is say the word, and I'm done in this industry."
Honey shrugged and sat dejectedly on a park bench.
Chaz sat beside her, incredulous. "Oh, what kind of idiot tries to stop someone from earning a living?"
Honey curled her lips sadly. "I think he's just trying to prove a point—that he can make me, and he can break me too."
"Hey, Honey, he never gave you anything."
Chaz furrowed his brow, speaking seriously. "You got that job because of your talent, your passion. That job was yours—it wasn't something he handed to you."
Behind the monitor, Luca smirked. He finally understood why this male lead won over the female lead—he was always dishing out motivational pep talks. Whenever Honey felt down, Chaz was there with a fresh bowl of emotional support.
But having a Black barber and former street thug as a life coach?
Luca shook his head. Only a Black screenwriter could come up with a lead character like this.
"Luca, is something wrong?" Billy asked, puzzled.
"No, Mekhi's acting is pretty good," Luca replied.
With the Black screenwriter nearby, he wasn't about to speak carelessly.
"Of course! Spike Lee thinks he's a genius actor," Billy added.
"Well, okay then, a genius."
Luca shrugged.
Around 3 p.m., he said his goodbyes and left the set early.
Last weekend, *Twilight* had officially surpassed 2 million copies sold in the U.S.
Greenwood Publishing was hosting a celebration party to commemorate the milestone.
As the author, Kate had to attend, and Luca, being a key figure in marketing, was also a must.
Back at the apartment, Kate was sitting on the couch, reviewing documents.
She wore gold-rimmed glasses and a white Chanel suit, with her golden-brown hair loosely braided. This outfit gave her an air of elegance and tranquility.
Her lips pressed together, and her sharp eyebrows slightly furrowed as she seriously reviewed the papers. There was a poised and composed aura about her.
Luca was impressed—this look was stunning, with a regal vibe.
"How's the outfit?" Kate suddenly looked up, blinking with a playful smile.
That smile shattered the whole image.
Kate was still the same lively, carefree sister, always blunt and a bit violent when dealing with her brother.
Luca shrugged. "Kate, your outfit is perfect. I'm sure you'll wow everyone."
"Thanks!" Kate lifted her chin proudly.
"Luca, you need to change too. You always dress so casually. It's embarrassing to take you anywhere."
Kate tossed aside her papers, pushing him into the closet and picking out a light blue Dior suit for him.
"Isn't this color a bit too flashy? I prefer black suits," Luca said.
"Flashy?" Kate shot him a glare. "You're 21! If you're going to a party, you should look more stylish!"
"I have a girlfriend. Why do I need to look sexy?"
"What does one have to do with the other? Stop complaining and get changed—Nina's waiting."
Kate waved him off, impatiently urging him to hurry.
"Alright, alright!"
Luca took off his shirt and was about to change his pants when he noticed Kate watching him intently.
"Tch," Kate huffed, turning her head aside. "I've taken care of you long enough—what haven't I seen?"
Luca smirked, resigned to changing into the flashy suit right in front of her, slicking his hair back in a cool style.
Once ready, Kate called out, "Jinna, are you ready to go?"
"Yes, Kate!" Jinna responded, striding confidently into the room.
Pfft!
Luca couldn't help but laugh.
Jinna was sporting a slicked-back hairstyle, a black suit, tie, sunglasses, and black leather boots. With her straight posture and cold demeanor, she looked like a mob boss.
"What are you laughing at?" Kate shot him a look of disapproval. "Isn't Jinna's look cool?"
"Cool! Very cool!"
"Good. Let's go!"
With a commanding wave, Kate led the way, followed by Luca and Jinna.
Kate walked in front, looking dashing in her white suit and glasses, embodying both elegance and power—a perfect blend of a queen and a writer.
Luca walked beside her, his sleek blue suit showing off his athletic build and long legs, giving him a striking appearance—like a handsome playboy.
And then there was Jinna.
Wait, where was Jinna?
*Bang, bang!*
The sound of knocking came from the hallway.
Luca turned, startled, to see Jinna pushing the apartment door forcefully.
"Don't be surprised. Jinna's just making sure the door's locked," Kate explained calmly.
"Obsessive-compulsive disorder?" Luca asked.
"Yes."
Luca wiped his brow. Having a bodyguard with OCD was going to be a headache.
The three of them got into the elevator and headed downstairs.
A brand-new Mercedes van was waiting at the entrance.
A female assistant stood by the door.
"Hurry up, you two!" Nina called from the car.
"Sorry, Nina. It's all Luca's fault. He's useless at picking clothes, shoes, styling his hair, and choosing accessories. I had to do everything myself. Honestly, Luca's such a hassle," Kate said, exasperated, as she got into the car.
Luca's mouth twitched. He wanted to kick her, but he didn't dare.
Nina, meanwhile, frowned slightly as she scrutinized their outfits.
Kate's outfit had been professionally designed and was flawless, but Luca's seemed a bit too playful.
It was a literary event, and most of the attendees were from the cultural sphere.
While his outfit highlighted his handsomeness and athletic build, it seemed a bit too casual.
"Nina, Luca likes blue!" Kate interjected before Luca could say anything.
"I…" Luca began.
"You what?!"
Kate stared with wide eyes and said, "You like blue, don't you?"
Luca shrugged, "Yes, Nina, I like blue. I absolutely love it, haha~"
"Alright then!"
Ms. Nina shook her head, her gaze showing a bit of helplessness.
Kate smirked and turned her head, "Gina, let's go!"
"Okay!"
The car slowly started moving.
Ms. Nina took out a document and said, "Kate, there's going to be a press interview later. Have you gone over the questions?"
"No problem!"
Kate adjusted her glasses, a confident smile on her face.
"Just be careful. Some reporters like to ask strange questions. You have to handle them cautiously. If there's something you can't answer, leave it to me. No matter what, don't get angry or upset. The moment you do, it'll become big news."
"Got it!"
"And one more thing!"
Ms. Nina glanced at Luca.
Luca paused, "Nina, do I have a problem?"
"What do you think?"
Nina patted a stack of newspapers beside her. The top one had a headline about him and Britney.
She shook her head, "Kate, this is an unexpected situation. We weren't prepared for it. If anyone tries to ask about Luca and Britney, don't give any comments. Just say it's Luca's personal matter, and you're not informed."
"Got it!"
Kate smiled slightly, covering her forehead dramatically, "Luca, you're such a headache."
"Haha~"
Luca wiped his face and gazed out the window as the car sped across the Queensboro Bridge, with the distant silhouette of the Bucky Building in view.
Thank you, Soy Sauce Diva, for the generous reward! Much appreciated!
(End of chapter)