Chapter 568: An Unexpected Encounter

[Chapter 568: An Unexpected Encounter]

In a luxurious suite on the top floor of the Hyatt Hotel, a new day dawned. Eric sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, casually flipping through the manuscript of Home Alone he had worked on the night before. He couldn't help but feel nostalgic; it had already been five years since he had typed out that script on an old typewriter, brimming with ambition.

After the sound of water from the bathroom, Kelly Hu emerged wrapped in a simple bathrobe. She curiously stared at Eric's back for a moment before she couldn't resist creeping closer and kneeling on the thick carpet beside him, resting her head on his knee as she peered at the script.

Noticing the woman's position, Eric reached out to stroke her cheek and asked, "Have you ever been to Japan?"

Kelly tilted her head, rubbing her face against his palm. "I went with a close friend six years ago."

"It sounds like you had a good impression of Japan."

She replied, "It was okay, I guess... they were all very polite."

"Why don't you go put on some clothes? We can have breakfast together," Eric said, showing no interest in continuing that topic as he pinched her delicate chin, giving her instructions.

There was a slight hesitation in Kelly's movement. Everything that needed to happen had happened since last night, yet Eric had not brought up the character again. She was worried that once they had breakfast, he might just ask her to leave.

Seeing Kelly linger, Eric guessed her thoughts. He pulled a private business card from his pocket and handed it to her, saying, "Resident Evil is likely going into production next year. You have over four months to prepare. When the project starts up next year, I'll personally arrange an audition for you. If your performance meets my standards, I'll give you the role of Ada Wong. So, take this time seriously, and really delve into that character's traits. Also, it'd be best to enroll in a short-term acting workshop."

Kelly took the card, her expression tinged with anxiety as she asked, "What if I can't meet your standards?"

"If you do well as Ada Wong, you'll make quite an impression, much like the character played by Brooke Shields in Running Out of Time, who only appeared for a few minutes but left a lasting impact. However, if your performance doesn't measure up, not only would it ruin the film, but it wouldn't help your career either. Regardless, even if you don't pass the audition, I can help arrange other opportunities for you."

The disappointment was hard for Kelly to hide upon hearing Eric's words, which offered no real promises.

Eric lifted her chin, feeling dissatisfied. "Do you think I'm one of those low-tier directors who uses sweet talk to hook up with women and then forgets about them?"

"Mr. Williams, I don't," Kelly said, her eyes shifting.

"Even if you do, it's fine. Since you were encouraged by your agent to get close to me last night, you can relay my exact words to him. I'm sure he'll understand what I meant. If he doesn't, take that card and go find UTA and get yourself a new agent. They'll know exactly what to do with my card."

"Okay, I got it," Kelly said softly, avoiding Eric's gaze.

Eric's fingers slid down to loosen her bathrobe, admiring her graceful body as he firmly stated, "Now, go get dressed."

...

In Hell's Kitchen, a classic apartment building stood next to a large container truck, surrounded by stacks of filming equipment. This was the set for Leon: The Professional.

When Eric arrived from the Hyatt, the crew was already filming. Luc Besson, still trim and young, was in the midst of directing two protagonists, not intending to interrupt, Eric simply stood by, observing like a passerby.

Lolita was certainly not the same Lolita anymore. Although Jean Reno retained his role as the male lead, the female lead had been replaced by a sixteen-year-old named Melissa Grint; she was small, barely five feet tall, and appeared almost underdeveloped.

Even though Luc hadn't cast the original Lolita, the actress he chose brought a certain innocence even more so than Natalie Portman's.

Today marked the third day of filming, but Gary Oldman, the main antagonist, had yet to show up. They were currently shooting the iconic scene where Mathilda meets Leon on the staircase.

The shoot went smoothly, with only five or six simple takes needed before they wrapped that scene up.

While Melissa Grint's performance deviated from Natalie Portman's style as Eric remembered it, her acting was just as strong. When she, clutching a burning cigarette, asked Leon if life was only painful in childhood or always painful, she perfectly expressed the angst, confusion, and discontent of adolescence, earning Eric's silent applause.

Perhaps this is Hollywood -- where nobody is irreplaceable.

Without a twelve-year-old Lolita, the controversy surrounding Leon: The Professional would likely be much less, and it might even surpass the limitations of its original timeline, potentially earning several Oscar nominations.

...

During lunch, the creative team chose a nearby restaurant to treat Eric. The sixteen-year-old pubescent girl enthusiastically chatted with Eric about her views on Mathilda. Eric and Luc discussed scriptwriting, and Eric shared some concepts for a film styled like Taken. Given Luc's strengths in this genre, he immediately vowed to draft a script based on Eric's ideas.

The afternoon shoot started off smoothly until someone noticed Melissa frowning slightly during filming.

Initially, Melissa claimed nothing was wrong, perhaps she had just eaten something off earlier that day, but as she climbed the stairs, her leg suddenly gave way, and she tumbled down the stairs.

Chaos erupted on set. Doctors arrived after about ten minutes, confirming it was nothing serious -- just acute appendicitis.

The crew sighed in relief but was soon faced with a dilemma.

The hospital informed them the girl needed immediate surgery. Though appendicitis surgery was usually quick, she'd require at least a week or two of recovery. With a film crew burning cash every day, waiting for a lead actress for two weeks was out of the question.

At least it was reassuring that the shoot had just started, and the cost of resuming was minimal; they could quickly replace the actress.

Eric had intended to return to East Hampton, but under these circumstances, he proposed they review the audition tapes of the original leading actress.

Luc agreed, and they all returned to their hotel, where the assistant director quickly gathered the audition tapes.

There were a good fifty tapes from aspiring actresses. With expectations, Eric began reviewing them but found no one named Natalie Portman.

Losing interest, he quickly bid farewell to Luc.

...

On the road back to East Hampton, Carter Moen, Eric's bodyguard and driver for several years, noticed Eric's expression through the rearview mirror and asked, "Boss, are you feeling down?"

Eric shook his head. "There are just days when I feel a little low."

Carter joked, "Doesn't that happen every month?"

"Fuck you!"

"Ha ha..."

After the lighthearted exchange, Eric relaxed and picked up the Home Alone script again, flipping through the pages.

In the sleek black Toyota cruising down Long Island, Eric was lost in thought when, suddenly, the car jolted and came to a stop with some dull thuds.

"What happened?" Eric called out, lifting his head.

Carter patted the steering wheel and turned to say, "We broke down. I'll check it out."

Eric followed Carter outside the car.

Lifting the hood revealed a cloud of smoke that billowed forth. Carter waved his hands to clear the air, cautiously examining the situation.

Eric crouched awkwardly by the roadside, reached into his pocket for a cigarette, and asked, "Carter, do you know how to fix this?"

Carter shook his head lightly, smiling, "Actually, I'm better at fixing tanks."

"Fine," Eric laughed, pulling out a lighter, but Carter interrupted, "Boss, we need to push the car to the side of the road first."

So, reluctantly, Eric pocketed the cigarette and lighter, and they worked together to push the black Toyota slowly to the roadside.

As they struggled, Eric juggled self-deprecating humor, saying, "I'm a billionaire, and here I am pushing my own car."

Carter responded without missing a beat, "I'm a Marine, and I used to fly Black Hawk helicopters. Now, look at me, driving a Japanese car."

Eric chuckled, "I suddenly see you as a natural talk show host."

"I can't talk for twenty minutes straight; let's skip that."

Once they rolled the Toyota to the side, Carter made his way back to the engine. Knowing he couldn't help, Eric squatted back down at the roadside.

After a bit of inspection, Carter looked up, saying, "Boss, it's not a big issue, but I don't have any tools."

Eric surveyed the area, inquiring, "Where are we?"

"Jericho City is to the north," Carter answered.

As they debated whether to call a towing company or look for nearby tools, a white Chevrolet pulled over nearby. A woman in her thirties leaned out, "Gentlemen, do you need a hand?"

"Yes, ma'am, if you don't mind," Carter stepped forward, and Eric stood up as well.

The woman hadn't noticed Eric at first due to the car blocking her view. But as he stood, she exclaimed, "You're Eric Williams?"

"Yes, ma'am," Eric extended his hand.

Before the middle-aged woman could respond, the back door of the Chevrolet swung open, and a little girl jumped out, a look of surprise lighting her face as she approached Eric. "Wow, it's really Eric Williams! Mr. Williams, hello! I'm Natalie Hershlag, but you can call me Nat!"

Eric raised an eyebrow as the little girl shook his hand enthusiastically. Before long, the woman intervened, "Nat, let go of Mr. Williams's hand; that's rude."

"Okay, Mommy," the girl released Eric's hand but continued to gaze at him curiously. "Mr. Williams, are you here to select actors on Long Island? What do you think of me?"

"Oh, well, I'm just passing through..."

"What movie are you planning to film next? Do you have a role for me?" she asked, making an adorable face.

The girl's mother ignored her barrage of questions and chatted briefly with Carter before suggesting, "Mr. Williams, I live nearby. Perhaps Mr. Carter can come with me to get some tools."

"Sure, that would be helpful," Eric nodded at the woman.

Since it was Eric they were dealing with, the woman felt at ease and warmly invited Carter to sit in the front seat. Then she called out to her daughter, "Nat, hop in; we're heading back!"

"Mom, you're definitely coming back, right? Can I stay and chat with Mr. Williams?"

The woman glanced at Eric, who nodded eagerly, "Don't worry, ma'am; I'll take good care of Nat."

"As long as it's not too much trouble for you, Mr. Williams. Nat, don't be a handful now."

"I won't be!" Natalie Hershlag said immediately, stealing a glance at Eric, as if he'd think of her as a troublesome girl.

*****

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