Chapitre 344: Pause

After capturing the selfie, Lucas couldn't help but grin as he continued snapping a few more shots. Ellen, realizing she needed to regain control of the situation, playfully reached for the phone.

"Alright, Spielberg," she quipped, gently taking the device from Lucas. "I think we've got enough takes. Bradley, Lucas, I hope you two aren't planning a career change to photography."

The audience laughed as Ellen examined the photos, her eyes widening in mock surprise. "Wow, Lucas, you managed to fit everyone in! Maybe you have a chance for photography."

Lucas just chuckled at her response, noticing that Ellen seemed genuinely annoyed by his interruption.

Jokes aside, Ellen quickly posted the photo to Twitter, inwardly apprehensive about whether Lucas, unaware of the Samsung sponsorship, had managed to capture the moment properly. Ellen slipped the Samsung phone back into her pocket and continued with her hosting duties, pushing her worries aside.

During a commercial break, Ellen stepped backstage where a social media coordinator approached her. "Ellen, you might want to check the response to that selfie," they suggested.

With a mix of curiosity and trepidation, Ellen pulled out the phone and opened Twitter. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the numbers.

"Oh my god," she muttered, a grin spreading across her face. The selfie, posted just minutes ago, had already garnered over a million retweets and was climbing rapidly. It was breaking records in real-time.

Within the hour, the tweet had surpassed 2 million retweets, smashing the previous record held by President Obama's re-election tweet. By the end of the night, it would exceed 3 million, becoming the most retweeted post in Twitter history at that time.

Ellen's relief was palpable. Not only had the sponsored moment been a success, but Lucas's impromptu involvement had added an element of genuine spontaneity that resonated with viewers worldwide.

Meanwhile, Lucas, still unaware of the social media storm his selfie had sparked, mingled with the celebrities around him during the commercial break.

As the ceremony resumed, the anticipation for the major awards grew. The Best Actress category came before Best Actor, as was tradition. When the presenter announced, "And the Oscar goes to... Jennifer Lawrence for 'Blue Jasmine'!" the audience erupted in applause.

Lucas genuinely clapped, a proud smile spreading across his face as he watched Jennifer make her way to the stage. She ascended the steps carefully, mindful of her flowing gown, determined not to repeat her famous stumble from a previous year.

Jennifer took a deep breath before beginning her speech. "Wow, I... I'm truly honored," she started, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "I want to thank the Academy, of course, and the incredible cast and crew of 'Blue Jasmine'. Woody Allen, your vision and direction were inspiring."

She paused, her eyes scanning the audience before landing on Lucas. "And Lucas Knight, I can't thank you enough. Not just for writing and co-directing this beautiful film, but for believing in me and pushing me to be better every day."

Jennifer's voice softened, her eyes glistening as she looked directly at Lucas. "And Lucas... God, where do I even start? You're my rock, my partner in crime, my... everything." She let out a shaky laugh. "But let's be real for a second. This whole Hollywood power couple thing? It's not all red carpets and cute Instagram posts."

The audience held their breath, sensing the raw honesty in her words.

"We've got our fair share of drama," Jennifer continued, her voice cracking slightly. "I mean, try maintaining a relationship when you're shooting in different states or countries for months on end. Or when your boyfriend decides to starve himself for a role and you're left wondering if he's gonna keel over at any moment."

A few nervous chuckles rippled through the crowd.

Jennifer took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. "It's messy, it's frustrating, and sometimes I want to throttle him." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. "But you know what? It's also real. It's us. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

As Jennifer finished, the audience erupted into applause, many giving her a standing ovation for her candor. The camera panned to Lucas, who was blinking rapidly, clearly fighting back tears.

As the applause died down, Lucas couldn't help but ham it up a bit. He dramatically wiped an imaginary tear from his eye and pretended to blow his nose loudly into a handkerchief, drawing chuckles from those around him. The tension in the room dissipated, replaced by warm laughter.

Inwardly, Lucas felt a surge of pride for Jennifer. Her honesty was both touching and brave, and he admired her for it.

The ceremony rolled on, building up to the Best Actor award. The nominees were announced one by one: Chiwetel Ejiofor for "12 Years a Slave," Christian Bale for "American Hustle," Matthew McConaughey for "Dallas Buyers Club," Leonardo DiCaprio for "The Wolf of Wall Street," and finally, Lucas for "Gravity."

As clips of each performance played, Lucas found himself particularly captivated by Matthew McConaughey's portrayal in "Dallas Buyers Club." The raw emotion and physical transformation were undeniably impressive.

When Cate Blanchett opened the envelope and announced, "And the Oscar goes to... Matthew McConaughey for 'Dallas Buyers Club'!"

Lucas broke into genuine applause.

As Matthew made his way to the stage, Lucas settled back in his seat, a contented smile on his face.

He didn't mind not winning; he knew there would be other chances. Instead, he focused on Matthew's powerful acceptance speech, nodding along as the actor spoke about his journey and inspirations.

***

After the ceremony wrapped up, Lucas found himself at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, mingling with fellow celebrities and industry bigwigs. He was nursing a glass of champagne when Ellen sidled up to him, a mischievous grin on her face.

"So, Lucas," she said, nudging him with her elbow, "have you checked your phone lately?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Uh, no. Should I have?"

Ellen's grin widened. "Oh, you might want to. That little selfie stunt of ours? It kind of broke the internet."

Confused, Lucas pulled out his phone and his eyes widened as he saw the notifications flooding in. "Holy sh- I mean, wow," he corrected himself, remembering where he was. "This is insane!"

Ellen laughed. "Yeah, and that whole thing was supposed to be a scripted bit. I was meant to take the photo myself."

"Did I mess up some sponsorship deal or something?"

"For a minute there, I thought you might have," Ellen admitted. "I was sweating bullets when you grabbed that phone. But hey, it worked out even better than we planned!"

Lucas couldn't help but burst out laughing. "So you're telling me I accidentally hijacked a sponsored moment and made it go viral? That's hilarious..."

Ellen joined in his laughter. "Only you, Lucas. Only you could pull something like that off without even trying."

They clinked glasses, both amused by the unexpected turn of events.

"Next time," Lucas joked, "maybe give a guy a heads up before he becomes an accidental social media sensation."

Ellen smirked. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, your cluelessness made it all the more authentic."

Lucas smiled as he chatted with Ellen before excusing himself to approach Jennifer. She greeted him with a nod and a warm smile.

"Hey, congratulations on your win," Lucas said, his voice sincere. "You were incredible up there."

Jennifer's smile widened. "Thanks, Lucas. That means a lot coming from you."

There was a brief pause, the air between them thick with unspoken words. Finally, Jennifer broke the silence.

"You know," she began, her voice soft, "winning this award... it made me realize something. I wouldn't be here without you. Your support, your guidance... it's been everything."

Lucas nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"But," Jennifer hesitated, choosing her words carefully, "I think we both know our careers are demanding right now. We're both at critical points, and..."

"We need to focus," Lucas finished for her, understanding in his eyes.

"Yeah," Jennifer agreed, relieved he understood. "Maybe we need some time to really throw ourselves into our work. Not a breakup, just..."

"A pause," Lucas supplied. "A chance to grow individually."

Jennifer nodded, her eyes glistening. "Yes. I love you, Lucas, but I think this might be what we need right now."

Lucas took a deep breath, processing her words. After a moment, he gave her a soft smile. "I get it. And I think you're right. We've got some incredible opportunities ahead of us, and we should embrace them fully. It doesn't change how I feel about you, though."

Jennifer reached out, squeezing his hand. "Same here. This isn't goodbye, it's just... see you later."

Lucas smiled, nodding in understanding. "So, tell me more about what you've got coming up," he said, smoothly shifting the conversation.

Jennifer's eyes lit up. "I'm gonna be pretty swamped. I've got 'Serena' coming up with Bradley Cooper. Should be a blast."

Lucas nodded, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, Bradley, huh? Should I be jealous?"

Jennifer chuckled, playfully swatting his arm. "As if. What about you, Mr. Bigshot? What's next on your agenda?"

Lucas grinned. "Well, remember that film 'Whiplash' I mentioned? I'm starting work on that in a few weeks. Been in touch with the director since Sundance last year."

Jennifer's eyebrows shot up. "Oh right, isn't that the one where you had to go disguise yourself just to talk to the director? The one you wouldn't shut up about?"

Lucas nodded, a proud smile on his face.

Jennifer's expression turned slightly skeptical. "I don't know, Lucas. A small indie about jazz drumming? Are you sure that's the best move right now? I mean, you're hot off 'Gravity'. Shouldn't you be looking at bigger projects?"

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Chapitre 345: Busy tycoon

Lucas just smiled, shaking his head slightly. "Jennifer, you know me. I've never been about chasing the biggest paycheck or the flashiest role. Whiplash... The way it captures the intensity, the passion, the borderline obsession of pursuing perfection in art - it really speaks to me."

"Sure, the director's new to the scene, but sometimes that fresh perspective is exactly what a story needs. I'd rather take a chance on something I believe in than just coast on my recent success."

Jennifer nodded, trying to understand. "I get it, I do. It's just... you've worked so hard to get where you are. I don't want to see you throw away opportunities."

Lucas reached out, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I appreciate you looking out for me, Jennifer. But trust me, this is the right move. Sometimes you've got to follow your gut, you know?"

Jennifer sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, I know. From the years I've known you, you're quite the dedicated actor. Just... don't be too dedicated that it'll harm your health like, you know, that whole Romeo thing you just pulled."

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't worry. 'Whiplash' doesn't require me to starve myself or go completely off the deep end."

They chatted for a bit longer, the conversation flowing easily despite their earlier decision. As the party started to wind down, Jennifer's eyes sparkled with renewed excitement about her award.

"I should probably head out," she said, glancing at her Oscar. "I can't wait to show this baby to my parents. Mom's gonna flip!"

Lucas nodded, a warm smile on his face. "They're gonna be so proud. You've earned it."

They shared a brief hug, both aware of the bittersweet nature of their parting.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" Jennifer said softly.

"You too," Lucas replied. "Knock 'em dead with 'Serena'."

As Jennifer headed off, Lucas felt a mix of emotions. Pride for her success, a tinge of sadness at their decision to take a break, but also excitement for what lay ahead.

With a final glance around the party, Lucas decided it was time to head back to New York.

He had a meeting scheduled with Damien Chazelle, the young director of "Whiplash," in a week, and he wanted to be well-prepared.

***

Back in the Big Apple, Lucas found himself juggling his acting career with his growing business empire. He had a series of meetings lined up with the board of Uber, discussing expansion strategies and potential new markets. The ride-sharing company had been growing exponentially, and Lucas wanted to ensure they stayed ahead of the curve.

Next on his agenda was a check-in with his team at Airbnb. They were facing some regulatory challenges in certain cities, and they needed to strategize on how to navigate these hurdles while maintaining the company's rapid growth.

Lucas found himself at Le Bernardin, one of the city's most prestigious restaurants, awaiting his meeting about Uber recent development.

He'd chosen this location not just for its excellent cuisine, but for its private dining areas that ensured discretion.

Lucas was deeply invested in his various business ventures, but one project in particular had his attention lately - the development of the Uber Eats app. This new service aimed to leverage Uber's existing network of drivers to enter the food delivery market, potentially disrupting the industry just as Uber had done with ride-sharing.

After a short wait, a man in his early thirties approached the table. "Mr. Knight?" he asked, extending his hand. "I'm Jason Anderson, lead project manager for Uber Eats."

Lucas stood, shaking Jason's hand firmly. "Please, call me Lucas. It's great to finally meet you in person, Jason."

They exchanged pleasant small talk as they settled into their seats and ordered their meals. Lucas asked about Jason's journey with Uber, and Jason inquired about Lucas's latest film projects.

As their appetizers arrived, Lucas leaned forward slightly, his expression becoming more serious. "So, Jason," he said, "I'm eager to hear about our progress with Uber Eats. How are we looking?"

Jason nodded, reaching for his briefcase. "Of course, I've got all the latest reports right here. I think you'll be pleased with where we're at."

Jason began to lay out various documents on the table.

Then Lucas leaned forward, his eyes scanning the reports eagerly. "So, how's the user interface coming along? I want it to be as intuitive as our ride-sharing app."

Jason pulled up a phone, showing Lucas some mock-ups. "We've kept it familiar for existing Uber users, but added features specific to food ordering. See here, how users can easily browse menus, customize orders, and track their delivery in real-time."

Lucas nodded approvingly. "That's exactly what I had in mind when I pitched this. What about the restaurant side? How are we making it easy for them to manage orders?"

Jason swiped to another screen. "We've developed a simple dashboard for restaurants. They can update menus, manage their availability, and even get analytics on their most popular items."

As they delved deeper into the details, Lucas felt a growing sense of accomplishment. His idea was taking shape, evolving from a concept into a fully-fledged service that could change how people interacted with food delivery.

"And the rollout plan?" Lucas asked, already thinking ahead.

Jason pulled out a timeline. "We're looking at a soft launch in select cities next month, then a gradual expansion. We want to ensure we can handle the volume and work out any kinks before going nationwide."

After wrapping up his meeting with Jason, Lucas decided to head over to Liza's restaurant. He'd brought her in as an investor on the Uber Eats project, knowing her restaurant expertise would be invaluable. Plus, her establishment was serving as one of the test cases for the app.

As Lucas entered the restaurant, heads turned and whispers began. A few brave souls approached, asking for pictures. Lucas obliged with a smile, while Simon and Jack kept a watchful eye on the surroundings, particularly wary of any paparazzi that might be lurking.

Eager to avoid too much attention, Lucas made his way to the reception desk. A new face greeted him, a young woman who seemed a bit star-struck. Blushing, she led him to Liza's office.

The moment Liza saw Lucas, her eyes lit up. She rushed over, enveloping him in a warm hug. "Lucas! My god, I saw those pictures of you circulating, looking like death warmed over. Then boom! There you are at the Oscars, healthy as a horse. How the hell did you transform so fast?"

Lucas chuckled. "What can I say? I've got a great plastic surgeon on speed dial. A little nip here, a tuck there, and voila!"

Liza playfully swatted his arm, laughing. "Oh, shut up. Seriously though, you had me worried there for a while."

Lucas's expression softened. "I know, and I'm sorry about that. But hey, I'm back to my old self now. Ready to take on the world... or at least the food delivery industry."

Liza quickly interjected, "Speaking of food delivery - how's your grand Uber Eats idea coming along? It's been what, a year since you started development? Are you scamming me out of my hard-earned cash?" She raised an eyebrow, her tone playful.

Lucas chuckled, playing along. "Oh, you caught me. I've actually been funneling all the money into my secret underground lair. Got to fund my supervillain lifestyle somehow."

Liza burst out laughing. "I knew it! No wonder you looked so gaunt in those pictures. Clearly the result of your evil scheming."

Their laughter subsided, and Lucas's expression turned more serious. "Joking aside, the app development for the first version is actually complete and ready to go."

Liza's eyes widened, a mix of excitement and nervousness crossing her face. "Phew," she exhaled. "I really hope it'll turn a profit though."

Lucas could see the anxiety behind Liza's eyes. This was her first major business investment outside of her restaurant, and he understood the weight of that decision. He reached out, patting her hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry about its success," he said with a confident smile. "I'm the most followed person on Twitter, after all. If I can't make this work, nobody can."

Liza just chuckled at his confidence, shaking her head in amusement. "Alright, Twitter King. Just don't let it go to your head."

After his meeting with Liza, Lucas headed to meet Damien Chazelle, the young director of "Whiplash."

When Lucas walked into the coffee shop where they'd agreed to meet, he immediately spotted Damien. The young director looked like he was about to jump out of his skin, his leg bouncing nervously under the table.

As Lucas approached, Damien shot to his feet, nearly knocking over his chair in the process. "Mr. Knight! It's an honor to meet you again. I mean, properly this time. Not like at Sundance when you were... um..."

Lucas couldn't help but grin at Damien's nervousness. He held up a hand, cutting off the young director's rambling. "Damien, relax. And please, call me Lucas. We're going to be working together, after all."

Damien nodded, taking a deep breath. "Right, sorry. It's just... you're Lucas Knight. You're kind of a big deal."

Lucas chuckled, sliding into the seat across from Damien. "Look, when we're on set, you're the boss. I'm just there to bring your vision to life. So don't worry about my 'status' or whatever. I'm here because I believe in your script and your talent."

Damien visibly relaxed at Lucas's words, a small smile forming on his face. "Thanks, that means a lot coming from you."

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