Past and Present

The fragments of memory pieced together into a complete puzzle. In Hugo's mind, the scattered images were now completely connected, and the ins and outs of the matter were clear.

Hugo wasn't sure if it was accurate to define the relationship between Lancaster and Tracey as love, but their complicated entanglement was undeniable. Looking back at Lancaster's life in 1991, behind the drug use, alcoholism, and car accidents, it was not simply due to the failure of his career and falling into the glamour of Hollywood. There was also a part that stemmed from the sinking and pain of his inner emotions.

Was Tracey's revenge on Lancaster solely due to the failure of the "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" audition? Perhaps not. There may have been many opportunities that Tracey didn't know about, chances that were cut off before finding Lancaster. Whether Tracey played a part in Lancaster's scandalous incidents of drug use and alcoholism was also unknown.

Watching Lancaster gradually sink, for Tracey, there was a sense of revenge and also a crazy heartache. This explained everything that followed.

When Hugo participated in the audition for "A River Runs Through It" at the Four Seasons Hotel for the first time, he unexpectedly saw Tracey and Brad. At that time, Tracey didn't greet Hugo, but her gaze was complex and hesitant. Perhaps Tracey wanted to see Hugo begging her on one hand, while on the other hand, she hoped to demonstrate her power over him by having Brad by her side. Deep down, she also hoped for Hugo to return to her.

Unfortunately, Lancaster was no longer the same soul at that time. Hugo had no emotional entanglement with Tracey, and he didn't even have any memories. So, he treated Tracey as a stranger and didn't respond to her at all. This dealt a fatal blow to Tracey.

After that, Joseph overcame many difficulties to secure Hugo an opportunity to audition for "Scent of a Woman". From this, one could sense that suppressing Hugo was not a difficult task for Tracey when he was at rock bottom. However, what they didn't expect was that Hugo seized the opportunity that leaked through Tracey's fingers and successfully got the role.

Therefore, when Hugo saw Tracey for the second time at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Tracey coldly ignored him. At that time, Tracey was dealing with Universal Pictures, actually planning the project "Schindler's List". Her hatred grew along with Hugo's indifference and unfamiliarity.

During that time, although Hugo attended the premiere of "Final Analysis" and later won the opportunity for "A Few Good Men", in reality, his life remained unchanged. He didn't participate in any program recordings and didn't gain any extra job opportunities. Throughout 1992, Hugo struggled to maintain his livelihood. Although there was no evidence, it was hard not to suspect Tracey and Ron's covert actions behind the scenes.

After the release of "Scent of a Woman", Hugo and Tracey had their third encounter in the company corridor. During that meeting, they had a brief conversation, and Tracey attempted to warn Hugo about Ron's covert actions. In hindsight, it could be understood that Hugo's frequent exposure during that period reawakened Tracey's internal struggle. She wanted to test Hugo, but unfortunately, Hugo remained cold and distant, not giving much of a response. After Tracey gave her warning, she left without even saying "goodbye". She was disappointed once again.

Hugo's previous speculation was not wrong. Tracey was targeting him, and she gradually walked herself into opposition, becoming more and more determined. And the catalyst for all of this was his indifference, which not only extinguished Tracey's last shred of hope but also ignited the flames of revenge within her.

Before this, Hugo always hoped to figure out what had happened between Lancaster and Tracey, otherwise, he would always be in a passive position. But today, when everything became clear, Hugo didn't feel relieved, instead, he felt unusually heavy.

Love doesn't have absolute right or wrong, that's the truth. Because in the world of love between two people, each person has their own stance, thoughts, and concepts. Misunderstandings, missed opportunities, entanglements, hesitations, and impulsive emotions make love even more unpredictable.

In Lancaster's view, Tracey betrayed him first because she had an affair, so he became angry. And then Tracey kept causing trouble unreasonably, which made Lancaster decisively break up with her and start a new relationship. However, Tracey was unwilling to let go, which became a burden for Lancaster. So he had to hurt Tracy again and again to protect himself and seek revenge for Tracey's betrayal.

In Tracey's view, she only hesitated and couldn't make a decision because she loved Lancaster too much and was afraid. The physical betrayal meant nothing because her spirit was still loving Lancaster. But Lancaster couldn't wait and started an affair with other women, even falling in love with another woman before leaving Tracey. This was something Tracey couldn't tolerate. Her sincerity meant nothing in Lancaster's hands, and this turned Tracey into a goddess of revenge.

Was it Lancaster's fault? Or Tracy's fault? Perhaps both. But all of this had nothing to do with Hugo because he was never a participant in this relationship. However, he was intricately involved with Lancaster because he was now Lancaster.

From Hugo's perspective, he couldn't give any response to Tracey. Not only because he was now with Uma, but also because he was never part of that relationship. He had no right or need to respond. So the hatred between Hugo and Tracey was unresolvable. Although Hugo wanted to sympathize with Tracey, considering she was just a woman madly in love, he couldn't. He had no way and no possibility.

Now Tracey was completely opposed to Hugo. The development of "Schindler's List" was still unknown, but Hugo was certain that Tracey's appearance at Sydney's party during the "The Firm" incident was not that of an ordinary guest. Moreover, the look Tracey gave Hugo at that moment was filled with the pleasure of revenge, arrogance, sharp provocation, and attack. It was almost a direct challenge to Hugo.

Hugo knew that if possible, Tracey would even ruin the opportunity for "Sleepless in Seattle" and do everything possible to exclude him from any movie project. Although Tracey's connections were limited and she couldn't be considered top-tier in the film industry, Hugo knew that a woman driven by anger is dangerous. She would do everything possible to achieve her goals.

Such a terrifying enemy was chilling. And Hugo had no possibility of retreat or compromise. It was a life-and-death struggle, and Hugo had to stand tall and face the challenge. Otherwise, he would fall and retreat in disgrace, with no other choice.

Therefore, Hugo straightened his posture slightly, calmly and composedly looking at Tracey, responding to her dagger-like gaze, and the confrontation between their eyes ignited infinite sparks in the colorful lights of the snow globe.

Tracey was somewhat surprised by Hugo's reaction because in the past year, every time they met, Hugo had been relatively passive. Regardless of her gestures, whether it was indifference, anticipation, or friendliness, Hugo had always been in a passive state of receiving information. This indifference made Tracey feel endless shame. But today, Hugo bravely faced her gaze without any disguise. This was the first time in a year that Tracey had expressed her anger and hatred towards Hugo so openly, and Hugo was actually looking at her at this moment!

In one year, Hugo had changed a lot. He had become more sunny, warm, brilliant, gentlemanly, and friendly. Tracey heard bits and pieces of the latest news about Hugo from different friends. She knew that Hugo had successfully quit drugs, she knew that Hugo now drank alcohol in moderation, and she knew that Hugo and Uma's relationship was stable. She also knew that Hugo was now striving for progress. This made Tracey even more angry, but also more heartbroken.

When she saw Hugo's amber eyes embedded in his narrow peach blossom eyes, hazy like a layer of mist, like an endless abyss that made people unable to extricate themselves, Tracey fiercely bit her own tongue to wake herself up. The faint taste of blood restored Tracey's rationality.

Tracey's eyes, like those of a cobra, fiercely locked onto Hugo, as she was ready to extend her venomous fangs to pierce through that enticing neck. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the confident Hugo. She wanted to destroy him even more, just like destroying a beautiful piece of art. Amidst the heartache and regret, there was also an indescribable pleasure.

So, Tracey slightly opened her mouth and mouthed to Hugo, "I see you." After saying that, she lifted her chin slightly, revealing a mocking smile, and then shifted her gaze, as if Hugo was nothing more than a trivial speck of dust. She turned around and whispered to the person next to her.

Hugo stood in place, his eardrums constantly vibrating from the loud disco music. In the flickering lights, he found it difficult to capture the details of Tracey's expression. He could only see that sharp gaze, piercing his nerves. Then he saw Tracey open her mouth to speak. The two of them were separated by an entire hall, amidst the lively crowd, having a conversation across space. Hugo tried to decipher Tracey's lip movements in the dim light, but it was incredibly difficult, and Hugo didn't know how to lip-read. He could only vaguely see, perhaps, three words, but didn't know what they were.

However, inexplicably, Hugo's mind conjured up the demonic eye of Sauron, the Dark Lord in "The Lord of the Rings" series, who whispered to the ring-bearer, "I see you." This silent sense of terror pervaded. Suddenly, a cold breeze blew from nowhere, making Hugo shiver and wake up.

Hugo knew that the war had just begun. The lover of the "past life", the enemy of the "present life", this was a war that allowed no retreat. No quarter!