Chapter 36: The Killer Woman and the Perverted Man

### Chapter 36: The Killer Woman and the Perverted Man

"Just a little brat."

In the restroom, Richard washed his hands and smiled crookedly at the mirror.

"Hey, Richard, what are you smiling about? Why do you look so evil?" 

Alexander walked out of the stall and asked.

"Do you have nothing better to do? Why are you always following me?"

Richard frowned.

"Who's following you? I just did something big in there. If you don't believe me, go take a sniff. It still stinks."

"Get lost!"

Richard waved his hand in front of his nose, stepping away from Alexander.

Sniff, sniff~

Alexander sniffed the air instead, "Wait, Richard, why do you smell like perfume? Women's perfume. Oh, I get it, I heard you went to see Gwyneth. Did you...hehe~"

"Stop guessing!"

Richard shook his head, hands in his pockets, "I just went to talk to her about the script. The office of a big star like her uses high-end perfume as air freshener. I ended up smelling like it. Want to try it yourself?"

"Really? I was just joking. Why are you explaining so much? Someone once said that explaining is just covering up. What are you hiding?"

Alexander blinked.

Richard clenched his fist, "Alexander, it's a beautiful afternoon. Want to practice boxing? How about we go there?"

"No, no, no, I have things to do. You enjoy your stroll."

Alexander waved his hands and ran off. He still remembered being knocked out the other night and waking up with a stiff neck that hurt for half the day. No way was he going to spar with Richard again.

Richard chuckled lightly. To deal with someone like Alexander, you have to scare them off once and for all, or they'll keep bothering you.

After Alexander left, Richard grabbed his sketch pad and went up to the rooftop.

The set was in an old factory building from the fifties or sixties. The crew was renovating it to look like an artist's studio. In the movie, his character David Shaw lived in such a rundown place and had passionate scenes with the heroine there.

On the rooftop, Richard opened his sketch pad, picked up his pencil, and began to sketch the distant buildings.

---

After practicing with the crew for three more days, feeling ready, he started sketching Charlize Theron as an ugly, fat middle-aged woman.

Seeing the photo in the reference material, Richard admired Theron's dedication.

Normally, she had blonde hair, blue eyes, a tall and beautiful figure. Her smile was sweet with full cheeks, and when she had a stern face, she looked like a cool, high-class lady. 

Thinking about Theron, he made a mistake and sketched her pretty version. He tore the sketch, threw it away, and started again.

He calmed down, clearing his mind, and began sketching the grotesque version of Theron: a fat body, yellow skin, fierce expression, and murderous eyes.

"Who are you sketching?"

A female voice came from behind.

"A monster!"

Richard didn't need to turn around to know it was Gwyneth.

After the last incident, her attitude toward him became strange. She was nervous, scared, but mostly curious.

In the morning, when he trained in an abandoned factory, she would come by, work out nearby, and occasionally glance at him.

During the day, when they rehearsed intimate scenes, she would become extremely tense, breathing heavily, her heart racing. When Richard held her, her heartbeat nearly pushed his arm away.

Because of her nervousness, the rehearsals weren't progressing well.

In the afternoon, when Richard sketched, Gwyneth would often silently stand behind him, not too close or too far, sometimes making a comment.

Director Davis wanted him to interact more with her, hoping they could become friends, so the romantic scenes wouldn't seem awkward.

Richard thought it made sense, so he didn't shoo away the curious little cat.

"A monster?"

Gwyneth walked closer, looking at the sketch. The person was ugly, fat, and fierce, looking like a villain. She used to think "monster" was a term of endearment.

"Why do you call her a monster?"

"She's a serial killer."

"Really?"

"Yes, her name is Aileen Wuornos. Her mother abandoned her at four, she was raised by her grandparents, raped at fourteen by her grandfather's friend and got pregnant. At fifteen, she was kicked out by her grandfather, becoming homeless.

She began working as a prostitute on a highway in Florida, repeatedly abused by men. Initially, she endured it, but later, she fought back.

Between '89 and '90, she killed seven men. Some call her a serial killer, others call her... a monster."

Richard sketched as he spoke.

"You, you know all this?"

Gwyneth nervously looked at him. A man who killed seven thugs and a woman who killed seven men... could it be?

Gwyneth's heart pounded, and she took two steps back.

Richard heard the movement and looked at her curiously,

"Don't you read the papers? The New York Times recently detailed the case. I have a copy. Want to see?"

He rummaged through his sketch pad and handed her a newspaper.

"Thank you!"

Gwyneth took the paper and read for a while. The content matched what he said, and the photos resembled the sketch. She sighed in relief.

Hmm?

She frowned, "Why is the person in your sketch naked?"

"Drawing clothes is troublesome."

Richard scratched his face. The reference material only had one photo, and the person was naked.

"Is that so?"

Gwyneth looked at the sketch, then at him.

This guy was usually very proper. When he saw her, he remained calm, unlike other men who got excited.

During rehearsals, he was very disciplined, his hands didn't wander, and his gaze was clean. He didn't seem attracted to her, a beautiful big star. It frustrated her.

But this upright guy spent his afternoons secretly sketching a naked serial killer.

Isn't that perverted?

Would staying here get her sketched naked too?

"You, take your time sketching. I have to go."

Gwyneth dropped the paper and hurried away.

"Wait, Gwyneth"

Remembering Director Davis's advice to interact more, Richard called out, wanting to chat, but hearing his voice, she ran faster.

Ah~ Richard shook his head. She's too timid. How can we interact?

This is really tough.

---

After finishing his sketch, he called Ms. Theron the next day, asking for her mailing address. She said she would text it later.

"Hey, conman, what did you sketch me as?"

Ms. Theron's voice was lazy, probably still in bed.

"What you will look like in the future. Absolutely accurate."

"Still lying, Richard, you're the most confident conman I've ever met."

"Wrong. The most confident conman you've met should be yourself."

"Why do you say that?"

"Don't believe me? Touch your belly. You're already quite fat but keep deceiving yourself that you have a great, sexy figure."

"What did you say? Who are you calling fat?!"

"Look in the mirror, beautiful Ms. Theron!"

Click~ Richard hung up.

"Ah~, bastard, that annoying guy!!"

In her bedroom, Ms. Theron tried calling back, intending to curse him, but couldn't get through. Furious, she threw her phone.

"Who's fat?"

She stood in front of the mirror, tucked in her belly, saying,

"I'm not fat! I have a great figure."

Letting her belly go, it was a bit chubby.

"Bastard, Richard is so annoying."

To avoid becoming fat, Ms. Theron gave up her lazy morning and hit the gym, cursing a certain jerk while sweating.

Next time she saw him, she'd definitely beat him up.

  (End of Chapter)