บท 324: Chapter 325: I Don't Like This Movie
[Chapter 325: I Didn't Like That Movie]
After finalizing the lead actress, Eric had a brief meeting with the creators of Basic Instinct to sort out some minor details. By the time the clock hit past seven, Eric was ready to leave when he suddenly remembered there was a woman still in his office.
He pushed open the door to find Joanna Pacula, a petite woman who had been absentmindedly flipping through a magazine on the couch, startled at his entrance. She sighed with relief upon realizing it was him.
All the lights in the office were on -- wall lights, ceiling lights, and even the desk lamp.
"Why do you have all the lights on?" Eric casually asked as he walked toward his desk.
"Uh... it's nothing," Joanna quickly replied, stepping forward to turn off the desk lamp and then hurriedly shutting off the wall lights, plunging the office into dimmer illumination.
As Eric watched her actions, he quickly understood that the reason for all the lights was a sign of insecurity, possibly a fear of loneliness. A feeling of empathy washed over him, and his tone softened. "I'm sorry, Ms. Pacula, for making you wait so late. I really had a lot on my plate."
Joanna shook her head. "It's fine, really. I don't have anything else going on anyway."
"How about I skip my visit to your place tonight? It's getting pretty late," Eric suggested, feeling a pang of guilt from her earlier display of vulnerability.
"No... it's not late. It's only a little past seven," Joanna said, urgency creeping into her voice. Despite being aware of the implications of her neediness, she instinctively didn't want to let this chance slip away.
She had grown tired of her uncertain life, which often felt suspended, and this young man in front of her clearly had the means to help her change everything. She didn't expect much; she just wanted stability. After all, there had been times when she hadn't booked a role for as long as three years, having to rely on odd jobs just to make ends meet.
"Then let's go," Eric said decisively, not wanting to delay any further.
...
When they arrived at the parking lot, Eric didn't get into his own car but instead hopped into the passenger seat of Joanna's vehicle.
As Joanna glanced at him fastening his seatbelt, she took a deep breath and started the engine.
"I didn't expect you lived in North Hollywood. My old place was nearby; it was further north," Eric remarked as they arrived at Joanna's little apartment.
He realized his previous apartment in North Hollywood had already been sold, but he still owned a mansion in Beverly Hills, which he kept as another residence. Although he had to pay property tax each year, the property tax could offset some personal income tax, making it not all that burdensome.
Joanna replied, "Actually, I just moved here not too long ago. I used to live downtown, but I made some money last year from the movie Breaking Point last year and moved here."
Eric shrugged slightly, not pressing further. It was clear her past situation hadn't been very good. Downtown Los Angeles was nothing like the vibrant urban centers of some places; instead, it was a rather chaotic area. Beverly Hills had the best security, while areas downtown were quite the opposite.
"Mr. Williams, you should take a break. I'll whip up dinner real quick," Joanna suggested, pointing to the small sofa in the living room.
"Just call me Eric," he said as he casually removed his jacket and hung it on the coat rack.
"Alright, Eric. My friends call me Joan," Joanna replied before heading to the kitchen.
...
Eric took a look around the small apartment. It had a one-bedroom layout, and both the decor and furniture were quite simple. The central living area had a couch, with a small TV stand in front of it and a compact dining table against the wall. A few pictures hung on the wall; he leaned in to examine them. Some appeared to be stills from stage plays, likely of Shakespearean productions.
In the photos, Joanna looked quite young. Considering she had once performed at the National Theatre in Poland, these must have been taken sometime ago -- over a decade, if he had to guess. Strikingly, she hadn't changed much at all; unlike many, Joanna seemed to be blessed with a timeless beauty.
After wandering around, Eric noticed a VCR set up beneath the TV along with a few VHS tapes. He casually flipped through them and found a horror movie titled The Kiss, the cover showing a woman whose face was half-morphed into a skull, adorned with bright red lips -- certainly not the image of the woman busy in the kitchen.
He popped the tape into the VCR and turned on the TV, settling back onto the sofa.
The film began with the disintegration of a divorced family. A mother and daughter boarded a train, but during the journey, a malignant spirit within the mother transferred to the daughter, who then mysteriously disappeared after the mother died.
Fast forward more than a decade, the daughter, now grown, had her own family. But a tragic car accident claimed her sister's life when she removed a protective crucifix, leading the sister -- never seen before -- to visit her grave, encountering her sister's husband and child...
Just half an hour in, Eric already foresaw how the movie would wrap up.
He heard a slight noise behind him and turned around to notice Joanna quietly standing there, gazing intently at the screen.
"I don't like this movie," Eric said, getting up to turn off the VCR and switch the TV channel.
She didn't respond, only the sadness in her expression revealing her own disappointment. If given a choice, she surely wouldn't have opted for such a film.
"Dinner's ready, Eric," she finally broke the silence after a moment.
"Sure, let me help you," he offered, rising to follow Joanna into the kitchen and assisting her in bringing the simple dinner to the table.
"I don't have many ingredients, so this is all I could prepare," Joanna explained.
Eric ladled a small bowl of corn chowder for himself, tasted it, and nodded enthusiastically, "This is great. I really like it."
Joanna frowned slightly at the sparsely set table, feeling a twinge of regret for not taking Eric out for a meal instead; it wouldn't have cost much, after all. Yet despite Eric's constant praise, she felt insecure, and her smile appeared forced.
*****
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