Chapter 47: For the Girls of Los Angeles

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time!"

Swinging the knife in her hand, Kerry Mulligan approached slowly. "Once I sensed your intentions, I knew I had to punish you, you scoundrel. And Murphy has already scripted the perfect plan."

Her lips curled to the left, her doll-like face still cute, but her words were icy and harsh. "The opportunity finally arrived. Most of the crew went back to Los Angeles for the break. My agent, Bill Ross, accompanied Uncle Julian out of town. The tutor had some errands, and Murphy went to town due to a headache."

She drew nearer. "It's just the two of us left here. How could I pass up such a perfect opportunity?"

Although James Franco believed Kerry wouldn't do something reckless, the gleaming knife still exerted pressure on him, causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead.

"James, I won't harm you," she assured, which made him relax slightly. But Kerry added, "I'll only follow Murphy's script up to a certain point."

"You're bloody insane!" James finally cursed.

As the lead actor, he had rehearsed the script countless times and remembered Jeff being castrated by Hailey in the earlier part. If he were to suffer the same fate, what difference would it make whether he lived or died?

James Franco stared intensely at Kerry Mulligan, her cute doll-like face now serious. It didn't seem like she was joking or playing a prank.

"Kerry, have you considered the consequences?" he shouted.

Kerry Mulligan shrugged, nonchalantly gesturing with the knife. "I'll figure it out after I'm done."

Three feet, two feet, one foot...

As she drew closer, James Franco struggled and shouted, but to no avail.

"Sorry, James." Kerry stopped in front of him, extending her free hand to gently pat his handsome face. "For the underage girls of Los Angeles, you must make some sacrifices."

Her words carried a sense of righteous determination, as if she were a just avenging angel descending from heaven.

Observing Kerry Mulligan and James Franco, Murphy knew he couldn't just stand by. Although he was confident Kerry was only trying to scare James, the mind of a girl her age was unpredictable. If James Franco said something inappropriate and provoked Kerry, she might act impulsively...

He stepped out from the corner, clearing his throat. James Franco turned to look immediately, as if hearing a heavenly call.

James Franco hadn't even had a chance to speak when Murphy, looking puzzled, asked, "Jim, Kerry, are you rehearsing something?"

Hearing Murphy's question, Kerry quickly closed the knife and shot James Franco a fierce glare before turning back with a sweet smile. "I've been struggling to capture Hailey's character transformation. James is helping me find the right feeling."

James Franco was about to object, but Murphy interjected quickly, "Jim, your dedication is truly admirable."

"Yeah!" Kerry chimed in. "Jim is a great actor and has been a big help to me."

James Franco was left speechless by their exchange.

"Why are you back?" Kerry quickly changed the subject. "Is your headache better?"

"It's fine now." Murphy walked over to James Franco's chair, untying the knots of the ropes. "I remembered some work I had to attend to, so I came back."

He patted James Franco's shoulder gently before heading toward the stairs. Kerry gestured with the knife toward James Franco and quickly followed.

Watching Murphy and Kerry ascend the stairs, James Franco untied himself from the ropes and dropped them to the floor. He stood there for a moment, his expression changing constantly, before he let out a long sigh.

Were all young girls like this now? He still wasn't sure if Kerry Mulligan would have done anything if Murphy hadn't shown up.

James Franco shook his head, wiping away the tears and mucus from his face. His gaze fell on the open toolbox on the floor, containing saws, pliers, hammers, and knives, all gleaming with a cold metallic sheen. The thought of those tools on his body sent shivers down his spine.

Just from looking at the toolbox, James Franco could tell that today's events weren't a spur-of-the-moment decision by Kerry Mulligan. They had been planned for some time.

Faced with such a girl, should he continue? Rubbing his sore shoulder from where the pliers had hit, James Franco walked toward the door.

"Murphy..."

In the room upstairs, serving as the director's office, Kerry Mulligan sat at the desk. "Did you... did you see everything?"

"Not everything," Murphy shook his head lightly. "I only saw part of it, starting from when you threw James Franco."

"He actually insulted you!" Kerry Mulligan exclaimed indignantly. "He's such a despicable scumbag, insulting someone as good as you. It really infuriates me."

She gritted her teeth. "I should have carved a few marks on his face!"

Murphy's lips twitched slightly, calmly saying, "Thank you, Kerry. It feels good to be defended."

Kerry Mulligan smiled so wide her eyes crinkled. "It's the least I could do. I just wanted to warn James Franco that I know he's a scumbag."

Murphy didn't say much more. If it weren't for his tolerance and passivity, this incident wouldn't have happened. But considering James Franco's current state, maybe it was a good thing for the crew.

As for Kerry Mulligan, her actions were clearly influenced by him. Her rebellious and daring side seemed a bit crazy.

Suddenly, Kerry Mulligan asked with concern, "Is your headache really better?"

"I'm fine now." Murphy waved his hand, but Kerry stood up. "Do you want me to massage your shoulders? When I was younger, I used to help Uncle Julian with his."

"Thanks." Murphy shook his head gently. "Not right now. I have work to do."

Different from dealing with James Franco, Kerry Mulligan always appeared obedient and adorable in front of Murphy. Waving her hand, she said, "I'll go back to my room to do homework and not disturb you."

The short one-day break ended quickly. On Sunday, the crew gathered again in this standalone house for filming. Perhaps yesterday's events had an impact. Except during work hours, James Franco avoided Kerry Mulligan.

After a period of adjustment, the rookie crew led by Murphy gradually found some cooperation and efficiency in their filming.