Chapter 140: I Need a Maid
Chapter 140: I Need a Maid
In the brightly lit office, Eric admired that pretty face, still carrying a trace of baby fat, for a while. His gaze gradually lost focus, and he involuntarily thought of that divorce case from his previous life. It should have been in 2001. Although Eric did not pay much attention to entertainment gossip at the time, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were simply too famous. He also worked in that circle, so it was impossible not to hear the people around him discuss the news.
But even after the two officially divorced, the specific reason for the divorce was never exposed, while all kinds of speculation flew everywhere.
Among the several theories Eric had heard, the most interesting one was that the two divorced because of Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Kubrick had Nicole Kidman actually do it with the male model Gary Goba, who played the naval officer in the film. It seemed that in the end, something even went wrong, and she had an ovarian surgery. Because of this, an irreconcilable rift formed between the husband and wife. Given Kubrick’s personality, Eric felt this kind of thing was indeed quite possible. However, Kubrick might have been a bastard, but he was not a lunatic. He should not have revealed such a thing to Tom Cruise. This rumor also spread only after the two divorced.
Two years before the couple divorced, a maid in Cruise’s household accidentally revealed something to the media, saying that when the Cruise couple were at home, the atmosphere between them was icy cold, and they did not even speak to each other. That maid was sued because of the revelation. After the Cruise couple won the lawsuit, they even publicly displayed their affection several times to maintain their image. But two years later, the couple divorced for no clear reason.
At the time, the media listed a whole series of speculated reasons for their divorce. Ranked first was that Nicole Kidman had cuckolded Cruise, and that the child she had carried for three months was not Tom’s. Eric personally also thought this was the most reliable rumor. After all, Nicole Kidman had practically left with nothing. If she had not been very much in the wrong, given the nature of Western women, how could she possibly be willing not to split half of Tom’s property? She would never have agreed to sign the divorce agreement just a few days before their tenth anniversary. Back then, George Lucas lost half his enormous fortune to his wife because of divorce and even sold Pixar because of it. Later, Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone was also driven nearly mad because his wife wanted to divorce him. One had to know that California law stipulated that without a prenuptial agreement, once a marriage lasted more than ten years, all property between husband and wife would be split equally during divorce. In 2001, Tom Cruise was revealed to possess a massive fortune of over 360 million dollars, while after Nicole Kidman’s divorce, it was said that she had only taken away one piece of art.
At that moment in the office, Nicole Kidman noticed Eric’s expression as he drifted off somewhere beyond the heavens and finally felt a trace of dissatisfaction. Was she really so unattractive? This man, who was three years younger than her, had actually spaced out.
The room stayed silent for several minutes before Nicole Kidman finally could not help speaking first. “Eric?”
“Mm? Oh, sorry, Nicole. I suddenly thought of something.” Eric finally returned to himself and smiled apologetically at Nicole Kidman. Then he asked, “Nicole, your file says you were developing quite well in Australia. Why did you suddenly come to Hollywood?”
“All actors in the world yearn to come to Hollywood and prove themselves. I’m no exception. I hope I can have better development in Hollywood.”
“That won’t be easy. You haven’t even shot a single Hollywood film before. Besides, if you want to prove yourself in Hollywood, you shouldn’t have come to audition for a television role.”
“It’s just… I haven’t encountered a suitable role,” Nicole Kidman found an excuse with a guilty conscience. “I thought this television series should be good, so I came to try.”
How could Nicole Kidman not want to act in films? But in this timeline, she did not have the same good luck she had in Eric’s previous life. She had come to Hollywood at the beginning of the year. Like all ambitious actors, she had arrived at the film center of the world with all kinds of unrealistic fantasies. As a result, after several months, although she had attended plenty of auditions, she had only obtained a tiny supporting role in one film, one that could not even be considered a vase role. In the end, she had no choice but to turn her attention to television dramas. Moving from the small screen to the big screen was also the path to fame for many Hollywood stars.
Eric suddenly thought of something and asked curiously, “Nicole, did you come to Hollywood alone?”
“Yes.” Nicole Kidman felt somewhat baffled.
Eric nodded noncommittally.
The office fell silent for a few seconds. Nicole Kidman could not help asking the question she cared about most. “Then, Director, did I… did I get the role of Phoebe Buffay?”
“Sorry, no. The role has already been given to someone else.” Eric shook his head and answered honestly.
Nicole Kidman froze. What… was this supposed to mean? If he had said something suggestive like “we’re still considering it” or “that depends on your performance,” Nicole Kidman would have understood what she should do. But she never expected him to directly tell her that the role had been given to someone else.
“Can you tell me why?” Nicole Kidman’s thoughts were somewhat chaotic.
Eric shifted into a more comfortable position and explained, “The other producers and I decided unanimously. Because you, mm, you’re too beautiful.”
“Ah?” Nicole Kidman was left speechless.
“It’s like this.” Eric sat up straight and explained, “In the story’s setting, Phoebe is a girl with a very difficult background. She was abandoned by her biological parents when she was young. Later, her stepmother committed suicide. At only fourteen years old, she wandered alone to New York and struggled at the lowest level of society before finally becoming a masseuse.”
“What does that have to do with appearance?”
“It has a great deal to do with it,” Eric continued. “Do you think if a very beautiful fourteen-year-old girl ended up on the streets of New York, she could safely grow into her twenties, live an ordinary life, and make a large group of good friends?”
Of course not. Although Nicole Kidman came from a well-off middle-class family, it was not as if she had never seen the dark side of society. If Phoebe were very beautiful, then if she had better luck, she might find a decent man to marry and become a housewife. After all, beauties were not a rare resource anywhere. But if her luck was bad, her fate would be extremely miserable.
“Eric, if that’s the case, then why did you ask me to wait here?”
“Because… curiosity, I suppose. I’m very curious about you, so I wanted to talk with you.”
“That’s all?” The woman looked at Eric in disbelief. This reason was far too forced.
Eric shrugged and stood up. “That’s all. I only wanted to chat with you for a few sentences. It’s very late, Nicole. Sorry for making you wait so long. I’ll treat you to dinner.”
“Alright.” Nicole Kidman stood up in disappointment, put on her high heels, and walked out of the office beside Eric. Under the ambiguous gazes of the security guards on duty, they went downstairs together.
While eating at a nearby restaurant, the tall woman seemed preoccupied, as if she were struggling with something inside. Eric, on the other hand, ate quite a lot with relish and chatted with the woman as if nothing had happened.
After dinner, they walked out of the restaurant. Eric got into his car. Seeing that Eric was about to say goodbye to her, Nicole Kidman finally could not help pulling open Eric’s car door and sitting in the passenger seat. The woman understood very clearly that if she missed this chance, she might only be able to slink back to Australia in defeat.
During her months in Hollywood, Nicole Kidman had already witnessed much of its brutal competition. The highest-status person she had dealt with was only an independent film director who had no real fame in Hollywood. Although she had also won a few minor awards in Australia, those were completely useless in Hollywood.
“Nicole…” Eric looked curiously at the woman who had gotten into his car. Her own car was parked right beside them.
“Alright, Mr. Williams. What exactly do I need to do to get a role? Please tell me directly, alright?” After saying this, the woman’s breathing became somewhat rapid. Her blue eyes stared seriously at Eric, carrying a kind of desperate resolve.
“But that role really has already been decided,” Eric answered seriously.
“Then why did you do all these unnecessary things? You gave someone hope, then immediately crushed it under your foot. Don’t you think that’s… excessive?”
“Alright. I apologize. I really was only… curious.”
“And because of that, you made a woman wait in your office for several hours, then chatted about a few irrelevant, messy things. That’s too absurd. Do you think anyone would believe that?”
“What else do you want, then?” Eric also became somewhat impatient.
The woman hesitated for a moment, then reached out, pulled Eric’s hand over, and pressed it onto her thigh. “Mr. Williams, I know your situation very well. You are Hollywood’s most promising young director. I’ve also heard about Julia Roberts, so please give me a chance, alright?”
Eric glanced at the hand the woman had pressed onto her thigh. Although there was a layer of pants between them, Eric could still feel an inexplicable warmth.
“After Running Out of Time, there is indeed one film you could try for. Like Pretty Woman, it’s also a romantic comedy,” Eric finally said.
The woman’s grip on Eric’s hand tightened, and excitement appeared on her face.
“You know, I’ve been rather busy lately. That film won’t begin production until at least July or August, perhaps even later.”
“No problem. I can wait,” Nicole Kidman said without hesitation.
Eric shook his head. “That’s not what I mean. I’m saying I’ve been rather busy lately, and my home needs a servant.”
“Ah.” Nicole Kidman’s mouth opened slightly.
An amused, malicious smile curled at the corner of Eric’s mouth. “I’m too busy. I need someone to help me prepare three meals a day. Oh, I’m generally not home at noon, so two meals a day will do. Also, I don’t like hourly workers coming into my house to clean, so I also need someone to tidy the rooms for me. If you’re willing, from May to September, you can temporarily guest-star as a maid.”
“Ah!” Nicole Kidman’s mind still had not quite caught up. After thinking for a moment, the woman tentatively asked, “I… Eric, is it the female lead?”
Eric revealed a victorious smile. “Of course. If you perform well, like Julia, you’ll enter the ranks of A-list actresses with one film. Such a good opportunity is something many Hollywood actresses might not encounter in their entire careers.”
“I need to think about it.” Nicole Kidman raised her head.
“Of course. Once you’ve thought it through, contact me as soon as possible. By the way, if you agree, you’ll have to stay in my mansion for the next few months.”
“Why?” Nicole Kidman felt a little afraid, and several humiliating words surfaced in her mind.
“I have an official girlfriend, so I don’t want a young and beautiful woman coming and going from my villa. Besides, after you become famous in the future, you also wouldn’t want others to know how you obtained this role, would you?”
“I understand.” Nicole Kidman nodded.
The two chatted for a few more sentences before parting. Even after returning home, Eric was still excited by his own bad taste. He was certain Nicole Kidman would not refuse this proposal. He even felt that perhaps this “system” could continue in the future. That way, he would no longer need to invite unfamiliar hourly workers into his home to clean, and he would no longer have to worry about his three meals every day. More importantly, what could be more satisfying than having those dazzling major stars from his previous life serve as his maids?
A new week began, and Running Out of Time entered its final stretch of filming. The larger scenes had already been completed. What remained were scattered outdoor scenes. Five days later, on a street in downtown Los Angeles, the Running Out of Time crew began filming the final scene. Although the entire crew had gone through one and a half months of intense work, everyone now wore relaxed expressions.
On the bus, Sean tucked a newspaper under his arm and held a bucket of popcorn as he sat down. At the same time, he noticed the sapphire necklace on the chest of the woman behind him. After hesitating for a moment, Sean could not help turning back again and staring at the sapphire necklace in front of the woman for several seconds. Only when the woman showed a wary expression did he speak. “Sorry. I mistook you for someone else.”
“It’s alright,” Yoyo replied indifferently, her gaze casually drifting out the window.
“The necklace is very pretty. Where did you buy it?” Sean could not help asking.
“A friend gave it to me. It’s fake. Very cheap.” Only when Yoyo heard him mention the necklace did she regain a little energy.
Sean smiled. “Your boyfriend?”
Yoyo shook her head. “I haven’t seen him in a long time.”
“Keep it well.” As Sean said this, he turned around, his gaze somewhat wandering. “Maybe one day, he’ll suddenly appear. Heh. Give you a fright.”
Yoyo also revealed an expectant smile. Perhaps even she felt that this hope was very faint, but she still stubbornly rode this bus every day, hoping that Andy would appear again.
The bus gradually came to a stop, and Eric also called out in satisfaction, “Cut. This shot passed. There’s only one shot left. Everyone, prepare. Yoyo, oh no, Brooke, the next one is the scene I asked you to perform in the audition room. Although we still have several hours, I still hope you can pass it as soon as possible. There’s the wrap party at the Hilton Hotel tonight.”
“I’ll do my best, Eric,” Brooke Shields replied with a smile.
The final shot began. Another day had passed, and Yoyo still failed to meet Andy. Disappointed, she stepped off the bus. Several cameras simultaneously filmed Brooke Shields from inside the bus, across the street, and from other angles.
Although she had practiced many times in the audition room that day, Brooke Shields still went through four or five NGs before finally completing the shot.
After Eric shouted “Good!” in satisfaction, everyone around them began applauding.
Eric held a large megaphone. “I announce that Running Out of Time has officially wrapped. Clean up the site immediately. Tonight at the Hilton Hotel, everyone must show up. Not one person can be missing!”
“Awooo…”
Cheers rang out. Many crew members could not help removing their hats and tossing them into the air.
After making the announcement with a smile, Eric walked toward an armored transport vehicle parked nearby.
Four broad-shouldered bodyguards in suits stood alertly beside the armored vehicle. A middle-aged man in his forties was placing the sapphire necklace used by Brooke Shields during filming into a safe.
“Mr. Derek, thank you very much for your sponsorship.” After the other party placed the safe containing the diamond into the vehicle compartment, Eric warmly stepped forward and shook his hand.
“You’re welcome, Eric. This is a win-win situation.” The middle-aged man named Derek politely shook Eric’s hand. “Then, Eric, I must leave as soon as possible. Every extra minute the gem stays outside makes me uneasy.”
“No problem. I understand.” Eric smiled in response. Aside from the series of sponsored brands in Running Out of Time, there was another very important prop: the sapphire that Monk Tou had stolen.
Previously, some people had suggested using a prop for filming. They only needed to find a blue crystal worth a few hundred dollars. But after thinking it over, Eric still decided to use the real thing. However, he did not have connections in this area. After contacting Columbia, Amy Pascal reported it upward, and Columbia quickly found a blue diamond worth ten million dollars. It was said that the gemstone belonged to a British collector. The other party had originally planned to auction the diamond through Christie’s this autumn. Coincidentally, a Columbia executive had a good personal relationship with that collector. After some communication, the collector reluctantly agreed to lend the gemstone.
But the process had not been easy. Every time the gemstone participated in filming, four armed bodyguards stood nearby, staring unblinkingly at it, never more than five meters away from the sapphire at any moment. Their presence made everyone in the crew tense and nervous. Fortunately, no problems occurred throughout the entire filming process.