Chapter 132: Behind the Scenes

[Chapter 132: Behind the Scenes]

Between Eric Williams and Tom Cruise, Brooke Shields had always leaned more towards the former. She figured if Eric didn't make any move after work today, she wouldn't mind having dinner with Tom Cruise to get closer. Although she had started acting at the tender age of twelve, she still hadn't fully broken into the Hollywood scene and found herself spinning in circles at the periphery. Sure, part of it was due to her lack of acting chops, but more critically, Brooke Shields didn't have much of a network in the industry.

After turning twenty-four and realizing her dreams of marrying the megastar Michael Jackson were dashed, Brooke Shields had to start planning for her future. Unlike Jackson, who seemed childlike and disinterested in marriage, Brooke Shields had matured and became more realistic about her prospects. She knew what her strongest asset was.

When Tom Cruise heard Brooke Shields's response, he maintained his charming demeanor and said, "No problem, I hope to hear good news." The two had barely exchanged a few words when they received the cue to get ready. Eric went to sit in front of the monitor, signaling to the script supervisor to start.

...

On screen, Yoyo smiled and asked, "What's your name?"

Not getting a response didn't faze her one bit, as she readily introduced herself, "I'm Yoyo."

...

"Cut!" a harsh voice interrupted, forcing Eric to stand up. He pointed at Brooke Shields and exclaimed, "Curious, curious! I've said it a few times now; you're really curious about Andy, so open those beautiful eyes of yours wide and try again!"

Everyone in the room could feel Eric was on the edge of a breakdown, and they hesitantly restarted the scene, watching Brooke Shields anxiously, hoping this gorgeous girl wouldn't flub her lines again.

...

"What's your name?... I'm Yoyo."

"Knowing who I am won't be good for you."

"The other day I read in the paper what you did."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Too bad I don't have time," Andy said glumly, lifting the water cup in front of him only to start coughing violently.

"What's it matter if you had time or not?" Just as Andy said that, blood spurted from his mouth, staining the cup red. Yoyo instinctively recoiled, her eyes widened, and her red lips parted slightly. This time, Brooke Shields managed to hold back her frown.

...

"Cut! That was great, we're almost there. But Brooke, your shocked expression still needs to look more natural. We have time to do this again." Eric's expression relaxed slightly, and the crew also breathed a sigh of relief.

The next take didn't go well either, as Brooke Shields instinctively furrowed her brows again at the last minute. Such natural human reactions were hard to overcome, and Eric could only gloomily announce a break, saying they'd try again after lunch.

...

As he stood up, ready to grab a bite, Allen approached him. "Eric, Miss Roberts has been waiting outside for you. She doesn't have a pass, so she can't get in."

"Roberts?" Eric asked, puzzled. "Julia Roberts?"

"Yes," Allen replied.

"Isn't she in Louisiana?" Eric wondered aloud as he walked outside.

Allen explained, "Maybe she came back because you were hurt."

Eric shrugged, ignoring his assistant's teasing.

As he stepped out of the studio, he immediately spotted a business car parked across the street. Just as he appeared at the door, the car door opened, and a stylishly dressed Julia emerged wearing sunglasses, followed by her assistant and two men who looked like bodyguards.

At the same time, several paparazzi waiting nearby sprang into action, snapping pictures of Julia.

"Hey, big star!" Eric called out teasingly as he approached, seeing the scene around him.

"Hey, big director!" Julia shot back, not to be outdone.

They exchanged a light hug, which only incited a flurry of clicks from the cameras. Once the paparazzi finished taking photos, they quickly surged forward holding microphones, bombarding Julia with questions about her return to Los Angeles and her new film's progress, and of course, they didn't forget to ask about Eric.

With the bodyguards and assistants keeping them safe, they climbed into Julia's business car without saying a word before driving off. A pack of paparazzi quickly hopped into their cars and motorcycles to follow suit.

...

Right outside the studio door, Brooke Shields, who had just stepped out to head across the street for lunch, caught sight of the scene and felt a pang of jealousy. After being famous for so long, she had never enjoyed such a 'bodyguard' treatment by the paparazzi, while Julia Roberts, who had only recently risen to fame, was already attracting such attention so easily.

Looking around in disappointment, she noticed that the few paparazzi who were hoping to catch some filming news had all followed Julia and Eric out. This stunning beauty stood there, and not a single person approached her for a photo or an interview. The security guard in the booth next to her was staring at her long legs in a creepy way, which only heightened Brooke Shields's irritation and disgust. Remembering Julia Roberts' ascent to fame re-ignited Brooke Shields's determination.

"Maybe I should be patient and wait," Brooke Shields murmured quietly, making up her mind to turn down Tom Cruise's dinner invitation. Comparing the opportunity for fame that Eric could provide versus Cruise, who, despite being big name, was still just an actor.

Moreover, any rumor or publicity about them would be futile since Cruise was already married, which would only have detrimental effects. If after all the filming, Eric Williams remained uninterested, Brooke Shields ideally decided she would approach him then. Until then, she needed to wait patiently; the benefits from being proactive and reactive were vastly different.

...

"These two are Hunter and Chris," Julia introduced her bodyguard-drivers to Eric with a hint of pride in her tone. Before Eric could respond, her long-time assistant, the freckled Allison Green, couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Julia playfully tapped her assistant on the forehead, saying, "Allison, watch it or I'll dock your pay."

Eric raised his hand to raise the soundproof barrier between the driver's seat and the back, then laughed, "Alright, I get it! You're a world-famous star now. Where are we going?"

"Not far. I've booked a restaurant; we'll be there in about five or six minutes. Don't worry; I won't keep you from your afternoon shoot."

As Julia spoke, she pointed at Eric's bandaged forehead. "What happened to you? I was shocked when I heard the news."

"I can vouch for it, it was when Julia... um..." Allison began but was quickly silenced by Julia, who gave her a fierce look. "Allison, I'm really going to dock your pay."

After catching Allison's pleading gaze, Julia released her grip. Eric joked, "Allison, you can't reveal Julia's secrets in front of outsiders; the consequences could be severe."

Allison rubbed her cheek and responded, "Of course not! But Mr. Williams isn't an outsider!" She knew all too well about the dynamics between Eric and Julia and secretly hoped for them to get together, hence her slip about the time Julia had so dramatically reacted when she saw Eric hurt and unconscious.

*****

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