Chapter 36: Ava Gardner

After class, Marisa walked out of the classroom with her friends Cheryl and Evie. Cheryl's keen eyes spotted a beautiful limousine parked across the street.

The car was dark blue with a white roof, elegant and atmospheric, and had a logo of a swan with outstretched wings.

"Wow, look, that car is a Packard," Cheryl whispered.

Evie, also impressed, added, "It's stunning. I bet it costs tens of thousands of dollars."

Seeing a Packard in this era was like seeing a Bentley or Rolls-Royce today. 

As the two admired the car, the door opened, and a man in a sharp suit emerged. He was well-dressed and handsome, sporting a gold watch. The women's interest was immediately piqued.

Could he be looking for a female companion?

Unconsciously, they straightened up and put on sweet smiles, trying to look their best. But they had a nagging feeling that they might have seen this man before.

"Marissa."

Hardy called out softly.

"Jon~~"

Marissa waved happily at Hardy.

She turned to her friends and said, "My friend is here to pick me up. I'll see you later. Merry Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas in advance!"

With that, she trotted across the street.

Upon reaching the car, Hardy surprised her by presenting a bouquet of beautiful roses.

"For you."

"It's so lovely~~"

Marissa took the flowers and kissed Hardy on the cheek.

The two got into the car, which then drove away, leaving Cheryl and Evie on the sidewalk, exchanging glances.

"Is that Marissa's friend?" Evie asked in surprise.

"Yes, I remember now. He's the same man who drove the Ford to pick up Marissa the other day. I didn't realize he was so wealthy," Cheryl recalled.

"Did you see his clothes? That must be a 'Brother Booker.' The Packard and gold watch are definitely high-end. His outfit alone could buy a luxury apartment in Los Angeles," Evie said enviously.

Cheryl pouted, "Who knows if it's all rented?"

Her tone was tinged with jealousy.

Hardy and Marissa enjoyed a dinner at an Italian restaurant, went shopping, admired the Christmas lights, and finished the evening with a movie—*Casablanca*, a classic from 1942 that won an Oscar in 1944.

Ingrid Bergman, who starred in the film, looked stunning. She was about 30 years old at the time.

After the movie, they returned to Marissa's home. Marissa poured Hardy a glass of cherry wine and turned on some music.

With a charming smile, she said, "I've prepared a gift for you. I'll go get it from the room. Don't peek!"

Hardy smiled and nodded.

Once Marissa went to the room, Hardy took out a portfolio from his pocket. He had also prepared a gift for Marissa.

He settled comfortably on the sofa, enjoying the music and his drink.

Soon, the bedroom door cracked open. A long, slender leg, adorned in lace stockings and high heels, appeared, swaying to the music.

The door slowly opened wider.

Marissa, in a beautiful camisole, leaned against the door with a sultry smile. "I bought a few outfits just for tonight."

She stepped gracefully toward Hardy and sat on his lap. "Jon, do you like this gift?"

"I love it, Marissa. I have a gift for you too."

"What is it?" Marissa asked eagerly.

Hardy handed her the portfolio. Marissa opened it, and her eyes widened in shock as she saw the contents.

"Jon, this is my economic contract. Is it real?!"

"Yes, it's real. I bought your economic contract, so Sanders can no longer control you."

"This contract is now yours. After Christmas, we'll go together to annul the old contract, and you'll be completely free."

"This is my Christmas gift to you. What do you think?"

Marissa's excitement grew, and she began to cry tears of joy, clutching the contract tightly. She sobbed softly on Hardy's shoulder, overwhelmed with happiness.

For Marissa, this was like a prince rescuing her from a nightmare. Hardy taking back her contract was her escape from fear and exploitation.

She hugged Hardy tightly and kissed him deeply. 

After a while, they separated. Marissa's face was now radiant with joy.

She looked at the contract again.

"Jon, does this mean I can act and sing again in the future?" she asked, still holding Hardy close.

"Of course."

"Remember I mentioned before that I'm now an assistant at 'Noah's Ark' film company? Once you're free, you can sign with Noah's Ark. There will be many acting opportunities for you," Hardy said.

Marissa was thrilled, bouncing on Hardy's lap.

She suddenly remembered something. 

"Hardy, I want to change my name. My acting teacher said a more distinctive name would be better."

"The name Marissa is too common. There are three other Marissas in our village. The teacher suggested changing it for my debut. I'd like to say goodbye to my old self," Marissa explained.

"Have you thought of a new name?" Hardy asked with a smile.

"What do you think of Ava? My last name is Gardner. Does 'Ava Gardner' sound good to you?" Marissa asked, smiling.

Hardy was stunned.

He looked at Marissa in surprise. He hadn't expected her to choose such a famous name.

"What's wrong, Jon? Don't you like the name?" Marissa asked, noticing his reaction.

"Oh no, the name is perfect."

Marissa laughed, delighted.

"Since you like it, I'll go by Ava Gardner from now on," she decided.

"Remember to call me Ava from now on~~"

The woman gently caressed Hardy's cheek.

"Good, Ava."

Hardy recalled that Ava Gardner was ranked as the 25th "Greatest Actress of the Century" by the American Film Institute. 

Audrey Hepburn was third, Ingrid Bergman fourth, Marilyn Monroe sixth, Elizabeth Taylor seventh, and Vivien Leigh sixteenth.

In the late 1940s, Ava Gardner was emerging as Hollywood's new goddess and one of the most sought-after actresses. She would later receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and leave a handprint on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Marissa, now Ava Gardner, looked at Hardy and whispered in his ear, "Hadi, aren't you going to open your gift?"

Her voice was delicate and alluring.

Hardy picked up the woman, stood up, and walked toward the bedroom.