Capítulo 52: Chapter 51: A Frustrated Rose

Later at the Oscars after-party, everyone was warm and friendly to Dunn, but he wasn't particularly enthusiastic.

The actresses attending an event of this caliber were established stars in Hollywood, not the kind you could casually take home like newcomers.

Was he going to spend another lonely night?

Dunn sighed with some bitterness.

At that moment, Kate Winslet quietly approached him, smiling. "What's wrong? You don't seem... very happy."

Dunn replied grumpily, "I got rejected. How could I be happy?"

Kate chuckled, lowering her voice, "Earlier... Hilda told me that the Oscars couldn't create two major stories at once—the youngest actress and the youngest director. At most, they could give out one award."

Dunn found it amusing. Kate Winslet was a bit too naive; did she really need her agent to point out something so obvious?

Seeing Dunn's indifferent response, Kate frowned slightly, her delicate eyebrows furrowing. "No wonder the Academy let you present the award to me... Hey, do you think I stole your Best Director Oscar?"

"Huh?" Dunn was surprised by her wild imagination and said seriously, "What are you talking about? You earned that, and it has nothing to do with anyone else!"

"Oh."

Kate Winslet nodded, half understanding, and whispered, "This party is pretty boring. Everyone's smiling and saying nice things, but it's all so fake."

"It's PR. This is the time to make connections, network, and build relationships," Dunn explained.

"I find it boring." Kate pouted slightly, then suddenly flashed a mischievous glance. "I just had my assistant call my friends and invite them to a party at my place. Are you coming?"

"I... Sure! It's boring going home alone anyway."

Dunn shrugged. Chatting with Leonardo for a bit wouldn't hurt either.

---

The house Kate Winslet rented in Beverly Hills wasn't large but was lively.

There weren't many men at the party, so the popular Leonardo DiCaprio and the well-known director Dunn Walker naturally became the focus of the ladies' attention.

These two were not ones to shy away from attention, so they chatted, joked, and lightened the mood.

Within 20 minutes, Dunn was already walking upstairs to a bedroom with a British actress named Elizabeth Hurley, affectionately holding hands.

Most people at this party knew each other—either they were Kate Winslet's fellow Brits or artists managed by Hilda Query—so no one had a higher status to look down on others.

Given Dunn's current status and influence in Hollywood, replacing Elizabeth Hurley with anyone else in the group likely wouldn't have led to rejection.

But now...

Only wistful glances and second-best choices were left—like Leonardo.

However, this newly popular star was cautious. Flirting was fine, joking around was okay, but taking things further like Dunn did was off the table.

Actors and directors belonged to different groups after all, and personal image was their lifeblood.

Kate Winslet walked over to a close friend. Seeing her pouting with a hint of longing, Kate couldn't help but tease, "Reese, your soul is practically following Dunn upstairs!"

"Kate!" Reese shot her a glare. "You're something else, huh? You've already latched onto Dunn, and now you're an Oscar winner. What about me? I'm still playing bit parts."

They shared the same agent, and before the party, Reese had already spoken with Hilda. Hilda, who knew Dunn well, subtly hinted that Reese should try to please Dunn, as it could greatly help her career.

Kate clearly understood the implication in Reese's words and blinked. "Reese, do you... really want to be with Dunn...?"

Reese huffed, "Do you think everyone is as lucky as you? Do you know how many people in Hollywood want to get close to Dunn? You know Liv Tyler, right? She used to play minor roles, but after rumors about her and Dunn surfaced last year, guess what? She landed the lead role in Michael Bay's *Armageddon*, with a budget of over $1.4 billion!"

Reese wasn't really angry at Kate; she was just a bit frustrated.

Why was Liv Tyler so lucky?

In terms of looks and figure, she was confident she was just as good as anyone else!

Kate Winslet sighed. Nowadays, her perspective and understanding were much different, but when she first came to Hollywood, wasn't she just as determined to climb the ladder? As for the sacrifices made... who cares?

"If that's the case... when Dunn comes over, I'll introduce you," Kate offered.

To Reese, Kate's words sounded like music to her ears, and her eyes lit up. "Really, Kate? Wow! Kate, you're the best!"

Kate hesitated slightly, then whispered, "Dunn doesn't have a partner right now. If you can seize the opportunity and move into his house..."

Reese's excitement was almost palpable.

"I get it, Kate, thank you! Wow, Kate, I don't even know how to thank you!"

Reese was as excited as Kate had been when she won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Kate was slightly taken aback. Was her good friend Dunn Walker's status and influence in Hollywood really this significant? Reflecting on Hilda's earlier advice, Kate realized how fortunate she was to have Dunn as a friend.

"But..." Kate paused, "But you should know Dunn... Even if you move into his house, it probably won't last more than a few months."

Reese accepted this easily. "That's fine. Even if it's just for a day, I won't let this opportunity slip by!"

An hour later, Dunn, fully dressed, came downstairs. The girls at the party began scheming ways to catch his attention again.

Kate Winslet didn't need to do any of that. She grabbed Reese's hand, smiling as she walked up to Dunn. She teasingly asked, "You didn't mess up my room, did you?"

Dunn waved dismissively. "It was the guest room, not your bedroom!"

Kate rolled her eyes at him, then pulled Reese forward and introduced her with a smile. "Dunn, let me introduce you to a friend, Reese Witherspoon. She recently dropped out of Stanford University."

"Oh?"

Dunn openly looked Reese up and down. She had a sweet, cute face and a petite yet shapely figure. The fact that she was a Stanford student added extra points in her favor.

"Hello, Director Walker. It's an honor to meet you." Reese Witherspoon straightened her posture, tilted her head, and flashed a very sweet smile.

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Dunn."

Dunn extended his hand, and when he felt her soft hand, he subtly teased her by lightly brushing his finger against her palm.

He was trying to gauge Kate Winslet's intentions.

Sure enough, Reese Witherspoon responded in kind, her fingers mimicking his playful gesture.

Dunn understood immediately. He flashed a knowing smile at Kate. She didn't want to get involved herself, so she was offering her friend instead.

But... that worked just fine.

"Reese, when the party's over, would you like to come to my place?" Dunn didn't bother with any subtlety, his gaze intense as he directly invited her.

Reese smiled sweetly, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Sure, I'd be honored."

Seeing Kate's disapproving look, Dunn felt a bit smug and pushed his luck. "By the way, upstairs earlier, Miss Elizabeth Hurley and I agreed to invite her over tonight too. Reese, you don't mind, do you?"

Kate Winslet's expression changed instantly. She was so upset she wanted to pull Reese back. "Dunn, this is too much. This isn't right!"

But to her surprise, instead of resisting, Reese Witherspoon moved closer to Dunn, tightly gripping his hand. "It's okay, Kate. I don't mind. I... I trust Dunn will handle it."

Kate felt a bit disheartened. Why were these new actresses so driven?

Dunn laughed. "Of course, Kate, you're getting too conservative."

Kate Winslet was so angry her face turned pale. She took a deep breath and said seriously, "Dunn, just... don't go too far. It could... hurt Reese. You understand what I mean, right?"

Reese Witherspoon giggled. "Kate, you're overthinking it. Dunn would never hurt me."

At that moment, Elizabeth Hurley, her face slightly flushed, walked over. She had clearly touched up her makeup and naturally leaned against Dunn, smiling as she asked, "What are you all talking about?"

Kate Winslet, looking at her seductive expression, became even more irritated. "Dunn was just planning to invite you and Reese over to his place tonight."

Elizabeth Hurley paused, her expression stiffening for a moment before she regained her composure. She glanced at Dunn, then at Reese Witherspoon, and smiled. "Sure, why not? Reese and I are friends anyway, so it won't be too awkward."

Kate Winslet rolled her eyes and nearly fainted.