Chapter 49: Something to Help with Sleep?

After hanging up the phone, Wayne, still full of energy, had another intimate session with the sleeping Anne and Naomi Watts before getting up, taking a shower, and making himself a simple yet delicate breakfast.

"Breaking news! This is the real face of 'Bartleby'! You've all been deceived by him!"

"Loser Wayne? NO! He's a playboy!"

"Counting 'Bartleby's' many girlfriends!"

Wayne ate his breakfast while reading the tabloids about his love life with great interest.

Although *Accepted* had been out for more than twenty days, and Warner had stopped promoting it, his name and photo still appeared in the newspapers from time to time.

The reason, of course, was that the paparazzi had caught him on dates with various beautiful women.

He had been prepared for this and didn't mind. After all, in America, the public is very accepting of celebrities dating and getting married.

What's more, he wasn't just an actor; he was capital. He didn't need anyone to hire him for films.

After breakfast, Wayne drove himself to the Warner Bros. studio in Burbank.

Due to the promotional activities for *Happy Death Day*, he and Jessica wouldn't be able to go to Europe to shoot the European scenes of *The Bourne Identity* until mid-November.

But that didn't affect the indoor scenes, so *The Bourne Identity* had already started filming a few days ago.

Since he had some free time today, the director had adjusted the shooting schedule to film the scene where the protagonist Bourne is rescued from the sea and spends a week on the fishing boat.

Wayne arriving at the set at 10 a.m. wasn't because he was making a grand entrance, but because the sets and props needed time to be prepared.

Even though Warner had all the necessary equipment at their studio and the crew had reserved it ahead of time, it still took two or three hours to set up. There was no point in arriving earlier.

But what Wayne didn't expect was to see an unexpected woman on set.

"Ms. Kidman? Wasn't today's shooting schedule adjusted? You shouldn't have any scenes today, right?"

Wayne looked at the tall, elegantly beautiful woman with porcelain-white skin and asked in confusion.

Nicole Kidman was playing the role of Nicky, a CIA liaison, with only about three minutes of screen time and a few lines, appearing only at the end of the movie for a scene with Wayne.

However, her character would reappear in *The Bourne Supremacy* and *The Bourne Ultimatum*, making her a significant supporting character.

But according to what Doug Liman had told him, today was supposed to be only his scene on the fishing boat.

"Call me Nicole, and I'll call you Wayne, okay?" Nicole Kidman smiled, her face looking both graceful and slightly tired.

"Maybe my agent mentioned it this morning, but I wasn't really paying attention. You know, I've been so stressed with all this recent drama, but don't worry, it won't affect the filming." Nicole half-complained, half-explained.

Wayne knew exactly what she was referring to.

She and Tom Cruise had started their divorce after filming *Eyes Wide Shut* in 1999. The divorce wouldn't be finalized until over two years later, in February of next year.

It was one of the most explosive entertainment news stories in Hollywood over the past two years. The timing seemed about right now.

But would someone as sharp as Nicole Kidman really be this devastated by the divorce? Wayne had his doubts.

After all, in his previous life, Nicole had used the divorce to her advantage, positioning herself as the weak, sympathetic victim, which earned her a lot of public support. This helped her secure back-to-back Oscar nominations, winning Best Actress on her second try. She always seemed calculating.

Of course, Tom Cruise had his share of issues in the divorce.

He was famous for his work ethic, always giving his all on set, but like many Hollywood stars, his personal life wasn't perfect.

The key issue was his involvement in Scientology.

Scientology, while offering support to its members, was notorious for its control over them.

Tom had insisted that Nicole join Scientology after they got married, which was a big deal in Western societies that value religious freedom.

So, when Nicole attacked him on this front, he couldn't really defend himself.

Later, when Tom met his third wife while filming *Mission: Impossible III*, she left him after gaining the fame and resources she wanted.

This further confirmed that Tom Cruise indeed had some issues in his personal life.

Otherwise, with his wealth, fame, and good looks, why would women keep divorcing him?

Of course, these were just gossip stories Wayne found amusing. None of it really concerned him.

Out of politeness, though, he said, "Nicole, you should take some time to rest and clear your mind when you're not working. It's important to relax."

Nicole sighed softly after hearing this.

"You're right, Wayne. But whenever I have downtime, I can't help but think about all the awful stuff, and that's been wrecking my sleep."

"Why don't you have a few drinks? While too much alcohol isn't good, a little bit can help relax your nerves and improve sleep."

Wayne was just offering a casual suggestion, but Nicole seemed to take it seriously.

"That's a good idea. But my agent and assistant are always worried about alcohol affecting my body and skin, and they're afraid I'll become an alcoholic. So, aside from the occasional social event, I don't get to have any alcohol at all."

She paused, her blue eyes staring directly at Wayne. "So, Wayne, would you do me a small favor? Could you come by my place tonight and bring me something to help me sleep?"

Wayne's heart skipped a beat, and he raised an eyebrow.

Now he understood why Nicole Kidman was here, and why she was confiding in someone she'd only met once.

This woman wanted him!

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