Chapter 87:

As Robert De Niro sat quietly on a bench, adjusting his emotions for the next scene, Martin unexpectedly approached him. De Niro looked up in surprise, only to hear Martin's cheerful voice, as if he were a young boy asking for something simple.

"Dad, can you take me to the park to play baseball tomorrow?"

The words were innocent, and the smile that accompanied them—bright, sweet, and full of life—was one that softened Martin's features completely. It was a pure, unguarded expression that made him seem like a real child again.

"Wow, you said yes, that's great!" Martin continued with a playful excitement that disarmed Robert, making him smile despite himself.

Martin then turned to De Niro, his tone shifting as he became more serious. "Mr. Robert, remember my smile now. That was the emotion between Markle and his father at that moment. They loved each other, and that's what the father feels right now."

Robert De Niro blinked, taken aback. Was Martin trying to explain the emotional depth of their scene to him? He couldn't help but be caught off guard, but oddly enough, he wasn't angry. In fact, he was deeply moved by the boy's sincerity.

After a moment, Robert nodded, closing his eyes to lock in the feeling Martin had just evoked. Two minutes passed in silence before Robert finally spoke.

"Director, I can do it!"

Sure enough, the next shot went perfectly, a seamless take that left the crew applauding. John Poulson couldn't hold back his praise. "Martin, you surprised me! I knew your acting was strong, but not this strong. How did you pull that scene off? How did you bring Markle out of the shadows like that?"

Martin gave a shy smile, one that seemed almost self-deprecating. "Mr. Robert, honestly, I can't explain it. That scene was something I just felt needed to be done that way. I don't know, it just happened."

But internally, Martin had another explanation: a little bit of the succubus's shadow spell.

After the brief NG (no good) moment, the shooting progressed smoothly, the father-son dynamic between Robert De Niro and Martin driving much of the plot forward. Their scenes were central to the film's success, and with both actors in top form, the production began to move swiftly.

Days passed, and an unexpected visitor arrived on set.

"Paris, why are you here?" Martin asked, recognizing the familiar face of Paris Hilton.

"I came to see you," Paris beamed. "I brought coffee for everyone—wait, Martin, you're not mad at me, are you?"

Her expression shifted in the blink of an eye from joyous to mock-indignant, as if she could switch personas as easily as a costume. Martin chuckled and waved her off.

"Of course not! But you know, I really get happy when I see you. And that's not the right emotion for my character."

Paris raised an eyebrow, her lips pursed. "Really? Fine, I'll leave after handing out the coffee." Then, as if recalling something, she gestured to a woman standing behind her. "Martin, this is my new assistant, Kim Kardashian."

Kim Kardashian gave Martin a curious look as Paris introduced her. It was the first time Kim had seen Paris so eager to please someone—especially a boy like Martin.

Martin smiled warmly at Kim. "Hello, Ms. Kardashian."

Kim's eyes widened, and a slow realization dawned on her. She thought to herself: This boy, this smile, the charm… It was all too obvious.

"Hello, Martin!" Kim greeted, her voice tinged with admiration.

"Okay, Kim, go and give the coffee to everyone. I need to have a word with Martin," Paris said, ushering her new assistant away.

Once the set was quiet again, Paris, with no one else around, closed the distance and unexpectedly kissed Martin on the lips.

"Did you miss me, Martin?"

"Yes, yes, of course I did," Martin said quickly, pulling back, though his tone remained gentle. "But right now, I really need to keep my emotions together for the scene. After filming, I'll come find you."

Paris's mood dropped slightly. She had her suspicions, though she had already accepted that she was one of Martin's girlfriends. But that didn't mean she was content to share him forever. I'll make sure Martin is mine alone, she thought darkly.

"I'm leaving then," Paris said, her voice tinged with disappointment. "But don't forget to come see me after you finish. I'll be in Los Angeles soon."

"I won't forget," Martin reassured her, though his mind was already on the next scene.

Paris left, her mood still somewhat heavy, but Kim Kardashian, who had been lurking in the corner, found herself amused. So, this is how the little princess Hilton behaves when Martin's around? Kim mused. She giggled, imagining how Paris would react if she found out about her own plans. Wouldn't it be fun to show off Martin as my prize, in front of Paris?

But then she paused, a thought striking her: Wait, isn't Martin only 14?

Kim shook her head, realizing the awkwardness of her fantasy.

At that moment, Paris called out for Kim, and she quickly ran off to her car, still in high heels. Martin couldn't help but notice how fast she moved for someone in such shoes—perhaps her curves helped her maintain balance.

He'd noticed Kim's prying eyes but chose not to acknowledge them. From the glimpses he'd seen of her future performance, he knew she was clever, someone who could be useful in the long run. In contrast to Paris's fiery and rebellious personality, Kim seemed much easier to control, making her a far more useful ally.

During a break, Robert De Niro, curious as always, pulled Martin aside.

"Boy, there's something between you and Paris, isn't there? You two aren't just friends, right?" Robert asked, though he seemed more intrigued than suspicious.

Martin smiled slyly, deciding to keep up the charade. "No, we met at a charity party for Fox Films. We're just friends. That's all."

Robert leaned in with a knowing smile. "Ah, I see. Keeping it secret, huh?"

Martin shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Robert De Niro grinned. "Alright, I get it. You've got a tight grip on your secrets. But you're different from those other child stars. I respect that."

In Hollywood, maintaining an air of mystery was as important as talent, and Robert respected that. It was all about control, and if Martin could master that, he was one to watch.

"Everyone's ready, let's get back to work!" John Poulsen's voice called out from across the set, signaling that it was time to shoot the next scene.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.