Chapter 480: Tell Him What to Do

[Chapter 480: Tell Him What to Do]

As they spoke, the jeep slowly rolled into the parking lot of the hotel where the cast of Jurassic Park was staying. Eric and Allen got out and walked towards the hotel building. Allen continued, "So, should we keep investigating the person behind this?"

Although Eric suspected the chances of finding them were slim, doing nothing would make them seem like easy targets. So, upon hearing Allen's words, Eric nodded and said, "Arrange for a private investigator to look into it slowly, but don't spend too much effort or keep it too secret. It's better if people know we're on the case."

The hotel had been taken over by the Jurassic Park crew. As Eric and Allen walked, they greeted familiar faces they encountered along the way.

When they reached the stairs leading up, Eric said to Allen, "I'm going to take a shower. Let's continue our talk at dinner; you can go ahead to the restaurant and wait for me."

Upon hearing this, Allen smiled knowingly and handed Eric a document to sign, saying, "You might have to eat in your room. Just hand this over to me whenever you're done; I'll send it to Los Angeles."

Eric immediately understood Allen's implication and took the folder, asking, "Who came? I wasn't told anything."

Allen smiled and shrugged, "Well, I was specifically instructed not to reveal. I think you should just go see for yourself."

Eric didn't press further, turning swiftly to head up the stairs, taking just a few steps to reach his room door.

...

Sitting on the living room couch was Joanna Pacula, who looked startled by the sudden opening of the door, raising her head. The faint panic on her face didn't dissipate upon seeing Eric. She quickly closed the magazine resting on her lap and put it aside, then forced a calm smile, saying, "Eric, you're back."

Eric walked over to her with a smile, ready to sit down. He noticed the magazine Joanna had just closed, which featured a woman holding a baby, but didn't think much of it, assuming she was just looking for a casual read. He tossed the magazine beneath the coffee table and sat beside her, pulling her into an embrace and kissing her, asking, "Joan, why didn't you give me a heads-up that you were coming? I could have come to pick you up."

Seeing that Eric hadn't noticed the magazine at all, Joanna felt completely relaxed and nestled into him, softly replying, "Vicky told me not to mention it. She wanted to surprise you."

"Vicky's here too? Where is she?" Eric asked, looking around. The room was so small that if Virginia were there, he would have seen her. He then glanced towards the bedroom door.

Joanna confirmed Eric's thoughts, pointing to the bedroom. "She had a long flight and is still sleeping. I just woke up not long ago. It's really exhausting being on a plane for so long."

Eric glanced at his watch. It was already 6:30 PM in Hawaii, but during summer, it didn't get dark until 7 or 8, so there was no rush for dinner. He casually chatted with Joanna, asking, "How have things been? Are you feeling too tired?"

After the tremendous success of Twister in North America, it had quickly reached Europe. Joanna, as the leading lady, had been hopping from one European country to another for promotional events.

Joanna shook her head and smiled lightly, saying, "Not at all! Charlie has arranged my schedule perfectly, and honestly, I'd rather be busy than not have anything to do at all. It's much better than waking up and not knowing what to do."

Eric remembered the ICM agent named Charlie Walker who had been assigned to Joanna, and since he was the one who personally communicated this with ICM, he was assured that the agent wouldn't be mediocre.

"The major box office countries in Europe have all released it already. Japan has a little over a month to go. What are you planning to do next?" Eric inquired.

Despite Twister being known for its realistic tornado effects, it was still projected to easily push the leads into the ranks of A-list stars with its estimated global box office total surpassing $600 million, leading Eric to guess that Joanna would be quite busy during this time.

"Charlie suggested that I take advantage of the momentum from Twister and accept a few commercial films while aiming for an art film in a few years to go for an Oscar," Joanna replied, looking at Eric. "What do you think, Eric?"

Eric casually leaned back on the couch. While some women aged faster, some women seemed to be blessed by God, remaining immune to the ravages of time, and Joanna was clearly one of them. Although she looked like she was in her mid-twenties, she was 35 years old. Charlie Walker must have considered Joanna's age when giving such advice.

"That sounds perfectly fine. His suggestion may seem opportunistic, but it could definitely elevate your status in Hollywood. Hollywood stars must still rely on box office numbers," Eric remarked. "I'll keep an eye out for suitable films for you."

As they lounged on the couch, Joanna sensed that Eric's rough hands felt even coarser, and pulling his hand over, she examined it, noticing several thick calluses on his palm. She asked, "How did this happen? You're a director, you shouldn't be doing the hard work yourself, right?"

"Filming is physical labor; this job is much more complicated than when we shot Twister," Eric replied with a casual laugh, capturing Joanna's small hand. "I'm a man, after all. I can't just keep my hands pretty like you women do."

They chatted idly, and before they knew it, it had gone dark outside. Eric called room service to order dinner, glancing at the still-closed bedroom door before rising to say, "I'll check on Vicky. She still hasn't woken up?"

...

The bedroom curtains were drawn tightly, making the room dark. Eric didn't turn on the lights, quietly walking over and pulling a chair to sit down. The petite figure of the woman lay side on, peacefully asleep, her face buried in a cascade of golden-brown hair. Thanks to the air conditioning, the room was pleasantly cool, and Virginia was covered with a blanket.

After watching her for a moment, he finally reached out to pat her shoulder. "Vicky, it's time to wake up."

Virginia, possibly having slept enough, opened her eyes without much drowsiness smiled at Eric. Stretching her arms wide, she asked, "What time is it? You're just getting back?"

"I already wrapped up work. I saw you were sleeping, so I didn't wake you," Eric explained, leaning his body towards the bed, and one hand unceremoniously reached into Virginia's chest and grabbed a piece of soft flesh.

Virginia smiled coquettishly and let Eric rub her gently. Perhaps it was because the man's palms were a little rough, Virginia responded quickly, and she let out a few soft moans with her red lips slightly opened.

Just when the two were feeling a little emotional, a voice from the living room called out, announcing the arrival of their dinner. Reluctantly, Eric released his hold, bending down to kiss Virginia's face. "Let's eat first; we have plenty of time tonight."

Virginia murmured in response, extending her hand. "I don't have the strength to get up. Pull me up."

Eric listened carefully, confirming that Joanna had sent the waiter away before he swiftly pulled the petite woman up, teasingly asking, "Is it because you're hungry or for another reason?"

...

While the initial awkwardness between the three had subsided, dinner was consumed fast. Perhaps due to some special instructions, normally Eric was interrupted by a myriad of things even at midnight. Yet tonight was unusually peaceful. Aside from the waiter delivering dinner, there were no knocks at the door until they finished eating.

"Don't barge in, okay? There's a surprise after you take a shower," Virginia warned Eric once more while sitting there going over documents, before she and Joanna headed into the bathroom.

Locking the bathroom door, Virginia showed little response, but Joanna looked like a girl about to get up to no good. "Vicky, is this really okay?"

Though Virginia felt a bit uneasy, having finally made up her mind, she couldn't back out now: "Why are you worrying so much? I'm the one wanting a baby, not you."

Joanna followed Virginia to the bathtub, watching her turn on the faucet to fill the tub. "I just think...it doesn't seem right not to tell Eric."

"Of course I'll tell him. I'm counting on him to support the baby," Virginia said matter-of-factly. Amid the sound of running water, she emptied some prepared items from her bag onto the sink, producing a small sewing needle and pulling out a condom, and began to poke away...

"Hey, that's way too obvious; he'll pick up on it," Joanna pointed to the condom that was quickly being punctured multiple times.

Virginia acknowledged with a sound, lifting it to the light and inspecting it before nodding with satisfaction. She then took out another one and repeated the process while casting a glance at Joanna. Perhaps to suppress her own anxiety or perhaps to convince herself one last time, she muttered, "I've been preparing for months -- medical checkups, body adjustments, and it's just this last step; don't mess it up for me."

"But I just feel..." Joanna didn't know how to respond, waving her hands aimlessly.

Virginia continued, "My brother has been pushing me to get married again. You know I'm not planning on it. In Hollywood, even if you get married, not many couples last long. It's better to be single. A few years ago, I was thinking about adopting a child," she said, lifting her left hand, showcasing a beautifully patterned rose gold ring under the light, "but after he gave me this, I dropped the idea of adoption. Why adopt when I can have my own? I checked with the doctor -- at my age, it's just right to have a child now. Waiting a few more years would be too late."

Joanna clearly still had reservations, looking at Virginia's resolute expression as she softly suggested, "You should talk to Eric about it."

Virginia scoffed, "That little bastard. What would I discuss with him? You have to understand, he's only 22. Don't be fooled by his mature looks; he's still just a kid inside. Guys like that tend to find kids annoying and would probably say to wait a few more years. Ha, if I waited a few more years, I'd be old! Having another baby would be risky; if I lose this face and have no kid, he'll dump me in a heartbeat."

Joanna weakly defended Eric, saying, "I don't think Eric is like that."

"Men are unreliable. Having a kid would give me security. Once I have a child, he'll be obligated to take care of me. Besides, money means nothing to him if he can afford it. I've made up my mind. If you mess this up for me, watch out -- I'll dunk you in the bathtub," Virginia warned, mimicking a throat-slicing gesture toward Joanna.

Joanna recoiled slightly as she watched Virginia hurriedly clean up the sink and pack things into her bag, then pulled her toward the bathtub. "Alright, Joan; let's take a shower."

...

Eric felt that it was troublesome for women to take a shower. He had finished sorting through the documents Allen left him. The two women still hadn't come out, so he walked to the bathroom door and tapped lightly, smiling as he asked, "Hey, you guys aren't drowning in there, are you? Do you need me to perform CPR?"

"Don't barge in! I'm warning you!" Virginia's voice came from the bathroom, tinged with a hint of panic.

"Okay, but it shouldn't take this long to take a shower, right?" Eric grumbled, turning off the lights in the bedroom, took off his clothes and fell on the big bed.

After a while, in the dim light coming in from the window, Eric saw two women coming out of the bathroom one after another. When they came to the bed, Eric grabbed Virginia, who was walking in front, and pressed her under him skillfully.

Following a few rustling sounds, a woman's soft moan was heard.

Joanna, who was still standing blankly beside the bed, raised her hand to look at the small box in her hand and blinked quickly, as if... something was wrong, was there any step she missed?

The woman was still thinking when a big hand reached out and pulled her onto the bed.

The small box in her hand also fell to the ground.

"Come on, babies, let me see the deep sisterly love between you," Eric's wicked voice rang out in the darkness.

Joanna felt herself being placed on Virginia's soft body, and then a big, somewhat rough hand pressed on her smooth back. The two women's faces were pressed together. Hearing Eric's words, Virginia below smiled and opened her mouth, biting Joanna's red lips.

...

Morning sunlight poured through the curtain gaps into the bedroom. Joanna, feeling a bit sore and weak, opened her eyes to see another face beside her, slightly parted lips with the person sound asleep.

Seeing the sunlight streaming through the window, Joanna realized it was quite late; Eric was likely already at work. Sitting up, she exhaled deeply, glancing over at Virginia, thinking it was all this witch's fault that she found herself suffering.

However, recalling the events of last night, Joanna suddenly realized he seemed to have... never worn a condom and she didn't take precautions herself...

Turning her head to the floor, she saw the small box containing the recently punctured condoms lying intact. Thinking of the possibility that she might be pregnant, her mood shifted, complex feelings flooding in as she recalled Virginia's words from the previous night; after all, she was five years older than Virginia.

Since her twenties, Joanna had lived a somewhat tumultuous life. She had finally made her way to America but found that her career didn't progress as hoped. She'd wasted so many years failing to stabilize her life. If she hadn't met Eric, she was uncertain when her life would have settled.

Thinking about Virginia's words from the previous night, Joanna couldn't help but feel a hint of anticipation regarding having a child.

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.