Chapter 181: He's a Jerk

[Chapter 181: He's a Jerk]

"Hey, Eric, I've watched all your movies, except for Pretty Woman, I thought the rest were just okay," a young woman said.

"Thanks for the compliment, Elisabeth," Eric replied.

"I wasn't really complimenting you," she retorted, a bit annoyed. "I'm just curious why those few movies of yours made such amazing box office numbers. It's a really interesting topic, and I plan to use it for my thesis."

"You're studying... media?" Eric asked, suspecting based on her background.

"Of course, I'm at Vassar in New York, graduating next year."

Eric simply nodded, not offering any opinion. 

Elisabeth frowned at Eric's dismissive response. "You've never heard of Vassar?"

Eric shrugged, "Elisabeth, I only graduated high school. I can't even name all the Ivy League schools, so..."

"Alright," she said with a resigned shrug, now intrigued by Eric. It was strange that a young man who hadn't graduated from college could achieve so much in such a short time.

...

The executives from Universal and MGM arrived right at two o'clock. Once everyone gathered, the staff led them to a luxurious screening room at the Sunset Hotel. Eric nodded to Virginia and the others before taking a seat in the front row. Flanking him were Michael Eisner and Paramount's president, Ned Tanen. The first row had just enough space for the eight top executives.

Elisabeth Murdoch, uninvited, didn't cause any trouble for the staff. She proactively sat among the crew in the back row, inching over to Julia's side.

Julia glanced at the unfamiliar woman beside her, feeling a bit odd. She had no idea who this woman was, but thinking about Eric's flirtatious nature, she instinctively categorized Elisabeth as someone similar to Virginia, leading to a subtle animosity toward Elisabeth Murdoch.

Though Julia had resolved not to get too emotionally or physically involved with Eric anymore, he had already left a deep imprint in her mind. It had become a benchmark, making it hard for her to engage with other men without comparing them to Eric, and as a result, things often ended before they really began.

During filming, Dilur McDermott, who played Julia's husband, had pursued her. He was tall, handsome, a graduate of Fordham University's drama school, talented, gentle, and unlike Eric in many ways. Julia had tried to see if they could have something, but in the end, the shadow of Eric lingered in her heart, blocking any sparks from forming; everything ended quietly.

This led to Julia harboring resentment against Eric for impacting her private life. To avoid deepening that influence, although she was in Los Angeles after filming, she hadn't met with Eric even once.

...

As the staff prepared for the screening, Elisabeth Murdoch greeted Julia. After receiving a reply, she casually asked, "Julia, what kind of person do you think Eric Williams is?"

"He's a jerk!" Julia blurted out without thinking, caught in a swirling emotion due to Elisabeth's proximity.

Elisabeth was left speechless, looking at Julia with a mix of confusion and surprise.

Julia's voice was low, and with the other attendees softly chatting, only a few around her heard her words. Sitting next to Julia, Sally Field couldn't help but chuckle. As someone who had heard certain rumors about Julia and Eric, she recognized the underlying bitterness in Julia's statement, which hinted at feelings of unfulfilled desires.

Realizing what she had just said, Julia turned beet red, feeling embarrassed and almost wanting to bolt, but just then the lights in the screening room dimmed, giving her a moment of relief.

Elisabeth Murdoch straightened up and couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Julia before she shifted her focus back to the screen.

...

The first attraction, Steel Magnolias, was directed by Herbert Ross. Its plot seemed quite fragmented, mainly focusing on the daily lives of six women, centering around significant events like weddings, Easter, Christmas, New Year's, and funerals. Even though Herbert Ross included some comedic elements, it ultimately remained a drama.

The film began with Julia's character Shelby Eaton's wedding, tying together various facets of life over the next several minutes, introducing the six distinct lead characters to the audience.

After Shelby's wedding, New Year's arrived. The previously shy and insecure hairdresser Annelle gradually opened up, meeting the waiter at Shelby's wedding. The two fell in love and quickly decided to live together. Annelle, feeling that her happiness was hard-earned, became somewhat absorbed in Christianity, constantly praying.

Shelby battled high insulin levels, the opposite of a diabetic lacking insulin. This condition led to severe hypoglycemia, which caused her to faint when her sugar dropped. Following her doctor's advice, Shelby was advised against having children.

However, after marriage, Shelby was unable to adopt due to her medical diagnosis. She hid her condition from her parents and insisted on getting pregnant.

Days of life passed slowly, and Shelby gave birth to her child, but then came the terrible news that rocked the entire family: Shelby suffered severe kidney damage due to the childbirth.

In a shocking turn, her usually strict mother secretly stepped in, donating one of her kidneys to Shelby.

The surgery was successful, and Shelby appeared to return to her normal life. Yet, life often does not comply with our hopes. As her son grew, Shelby continued pursuing her career. Then, one day, while caring for her child, Shelby collapsed on the floor.

By the time she reached the hospital, the poor woman could only rely on a life support machine to sustain her vital signs. Her mother sat by her side day and night, but despite her vigil, she couldn't wake her daughter. Ultimately, her husband, with tears in his eyes, signed certain documents, and the hospital turned off the life support.

*****

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