Capítulo 473: Chapter 474: What to Do
[Chapter 474: What to Do]
During a brief pause in the conversation, Catherine Zeta-Jones timely spoke up, "Are you talking about that movie, Mr. & Mrs. Smith?"
Eric glanced at the woman and replied, "Yeah, Catherine, are you interested in that film too?"
"Of course," Catherine Zeta-Jones said. "That's the movie you personally wrote, right? I watched most of your films while I was in the UK and my favorite was that one, The Others. The plot twists were simply mind-boggling."
"Thank you for your praise, Catherine. A beautiful lady like you must be an actress, right?"
Catherine nodded. "I'm going to play a role in the ABC series, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles."
"It's just a TV series; I think you're more suited for movies. Oh, of course, that's not something I need to worry about," Eric said with a smile. He raised his glass to John Peters and then excused himself.
"Let's go, dear," John Peters said as he wrapped his arm around Catherine's waist.
...
Catherine Zeta-Jones contemplated Eric's earlier remarks while following John Peters to a corner of the party.
"Sweetheart, I have something to say to you," John Peters said as they sat down on a couch. He took her soft hand in his.
Catherine feigned interest but felt a sense of dread building inside her.
"Here's the thing: I recently got divorced, and I want to--" John paused, then steeled himself, "I mean, darling, will you marry me?"
Though Catherine had anticipated some advances, she was taken aback by his words. She had agreed to date this Hollywood producer primarily because of his power in the industry. Not to mention, John was over twenty years older and had an explosive personality. Their relationship had mostly been her putting up with him.
Thus, she had never entertained the idea of marrying him. She had planned on dating for a few years, establishing her footing in Hollywood, and then breaking up. Now, surprise marriage proposal caught her off-guard.
Moreover, she remembered John mentioning he wanted his wife to be a full-time housewife after marriage. That was something she absolutely could not tolerate; she was still in her early twenties and could never agree to be a housewife to a man over twenty years older.
"Catherine, are you listening to me?" John Peters asked, somewhat irritated as he noticed the shock and hesitation on her face.
"Sorry, John, I just... I've never really thought about it," Catherine responded, shaking her head slightly, "Can you give me some time to think?"
"Is there really anything to think about? Just marry me. I'll provide you with a comfortable and respectable life. You won't ever have to act again; I can fully support you," John said confidently, or perhaps overly so.
Catherine avoided his gaze, accidentally catching a glimpse of Eric in the distance. She realized right then that he must have intentionally or unintentionally spurred John's sudden marriage proposal.
Feeling trapped, she cursed silently at the bastard, unsure of how to handle John's overwhelming gaze.
She knew that if she outright refused now, it was highly likely that he would explode in anger. But if she accepted, it was even worse.
Although John had several personality flaws and was rather mediocre talent-wise, he wasn't a fool. Seeing Catherine hesitate, his expression darkened as he grasped the situation, "I think you should just drop out of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. I'll have Michael find another actress for the Maya role."
Catherine spoke nervously, "John, that's not what I meant..."
"No need to say anything," John stood up, looking coldly at the woman on the couch, "Miss Zeta-Jones, my least favorite thing is to be played. Do you really think you can use me as a stepping stone in Hollywood and kick me aside afterward? Do you think something like that exists in this world?"
Catherine opened her mouth to argue but couldn't find the words. This man had already become entrenched in a delusion; she knew that anything she said would make no difference.
John placed the glass he was still holding aside, adjusted his suit sleeve, and looked pityingly at the woman seated on the couch, "Hollywood isn't just about having a pretty face. I think you should pack your bags and return to the UK by tomorrow."
Catherine felt a sense of despair. John's words meant he had fully turned on her, and if she stayed in Hollywood, he would indeed make it difficult for her. As president of one of the seven major studios, blocking an actress from a working-class background in the UK was child's play for him.
Since this was a celebration party for Twister, John wouldn't go too far, but after saying that, he lost the desire to stay and left the banquet hall after exchanging pleasantries with some acquaintances.
...
"I see that mischievous smile on your face. Are you planning something bad again?" Joanna asked as she handed Eric her plate, observing the man's expression with curiosity.
Eric exaggeratedly replied, "Of course not, I'm just a simple man who only does good things."
Joanna, listening to Eric's nonsense, was sure he had done something wrong.
"What are you two talking about?" Virginia chimed in, gently lifting the hem of her gown as she sat beside Eric.
Joanna pointed at Eric, "He just did something bad."
Virginia raised an eyebrow, glancing at Joanna and then at Eric, before feigning surprise, "So soon? I've only been gone for a little over ten minutes!"
Joanna appeared momentarily stunned, her cheeks slightly reddening as she playfully pinched Virginia's arm. "Stop talking nonsense!"
Virginia laughed lightly, dodging the playful pinch, and after Joanna let her go, she asked, "Eric, what's going on?"
"Nothing much, I just said a few extra words," Eric looked around the banquet hall, not spotting Zeta-Jones. He recalled how John Peters had said goodbye to him earlier and shrugged. John not only lacked intelligence but was also rather dense; he hadn't anticipated that the small jibe would provoke such a quick response.
Seeing Eric unwilling to elaborate further, the two women didn't press him about it. Virginia stood, extending her hand to Joanna, "Let's not waste our time with this troublemaker. Let's go dance."
Eric watched Joanna rise and chuckled, "You two are like sisters; if you dance together, everyone will just be envious of me."
The celebration invited guests strictly from Hollywood; even if nobody said it, they all understood the nature of Eric's relationships with Joanna and Virginia. The two women had been close throughout the event, igniting quite a bit of envy in others regarding Eric's good fortune.
Virginia shot Eric a glance, "Let's play for a bit longer. Joanna and I will head back to Beverly Hills later. You can go wherever you want tonight, but don't come disturbing us."
After saying this, without waiting for Eric's response, the two women left him with soft laughter and made their way to the dance floor.
...
"Mr. Schultz, thank you for coming today," Eric said as he bid farewell to the last wave of guests by the door, glancing at the servers beginning to clean the hall, feeling relieved.
Just as he was about to head home, a hotel server approached him, "Mr. Williams, I think you should take a look at this."
Eric followed the server to a corner of the banquet hall, where he saw a black-haired beauty lying drunkenly on a couch. Her dress was disheveled, and she reeked of a mingling scent of alcohol and perfume, creating an oddly enticing aroma.
Eric sighed awkwardly, intending to instruct a nearby server to arrange a room for Catherine Zeta-Jones, but noticed the server standing beside him staring at the beauty on the couch, swallowing hard and making a clear gulping sound. This deterred him from making further arrangements. It would be tragic for someone who had just been dumped to encounter a server harboring impure intentions.
"You don't need to worry; I'll handle this," Eric waved the server off, summoned the hotel manager to give instructions, and then approached to pick up the woman from the couch, leaving the banquet hall. The server responsible for operating the elevator, though curious, stood still with his gaze averted.
When Eric emerged carrying a woman in his arms, the driver and bodyguard waiting in the car were not surprised; they respectfully opened the car door for him.
...
Catherine Zeta-Jones actually had a high tolerance for alcohol. However, being dumped publicly at the party may have prompted her to drink too much and she drunkenly passed out on the couch.
Yet, as she felt herself being lifted by a man, Catherine was nearly fully awake. Despite still feeling light-headed, she sensed what was happening and felt safe in the strong embrace of the man holding her.
Though she liked to socialize with Hollywood elites, she wasn't so desperate as to let anyone take her home. Originally, she had intended to wake up and return to her place, but the sensation of safety in the man's arms altered her plans. So she decided not to wake up, and after relaxing a bit, she quickly fell asleep again, even failing to realize she had curled up on the man's lap.
Time passed, and when the car finally stopped, she was carried out. The cool night air made her momentarily wake from her stupor. Though the initial impulse had dissipated, she understood now that it was exactly this infuriating man who undermined her relationship with John Peters with discreet words; she should feel angry at him.
As she hesitated, the warmth around her grew once more, and soon, she found herself laid on a large bed.
This was her last chance!
Though her stay in Hollywood had been brief, she was quite familiar with Eric Williams. A man so notorious for being a player would surely have no qualms about taking advantage of her.
What should she do now? Pretend to just wake up?
What if he tried to force something?
Or if he did nothing and simply let her leave, what then?
The woman wrestled with her conflicting thoughts for a few seconds, still hesitating when suddenly she felt a thin blanket placed over her. Soon, she heard the soft sound of a door closing.
Finally, she felt safe enough to open her eyes. The room was dark and unfamiliar, yet Catherine Zeta-Jones didn't sense any fear creeping in. After waiting quietly for a moment and ensuring he had indeed left and wouldn't return, she gradually closed her eyes again, sinking into an endless black dream.
...
Perhaps it was the strangeness of the environment, or perhaps there was another reason. Despite having rested through the night, her mind remained somewhat foggy, yet she woke up early.
This was a southern-facing bedroom on the second floor of a villa. Perhaps it was due to negligence, the curtains weren't pulled, and she could see the dark red dawn outside. Barefoot and wrapped in a blanket, she stepped onto the floor and went over to the window to take in the view of the endless, deep sea. Since it was early, the ocean appeared a dark color, its surface layered with a hint of orange from the gentle breeze, creating a breathtaking sight.
However, she was not in the mood to admire it. Placing the blanket back onto the bed, she adjusted the gown that had slipped from her shoulder, and walked around the room. She quickly went into the bathroom, washed up, and tossed aside the alcohol-soaked gown, finding and wrapping herself in a pink bath towel. In her mind, she couldn't help but think that this man had a pink bath towel in his guest room...
As she pondered, she glanced around and opened a small storage cabinet next to the bathroom door, discovering a fresh set of toiletries inside. She took out a toothbrush, brushed her teeth, and leisurely washed her face before finally stepping out of the guest room.
She had seen this legendary Liberty City in magazines, but she never imagined she would one day walk out of one of its dreamlike villa rooms. Staring at the second-floor circular corridor, she felt an odd sense of unreality.
*****
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