### Chapter 134: The Phone Call

After the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, the news media began to comment on the winners, with half the attention focused on the Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy category. Before the ceremony, most media believed that Gwyneth Paltrow had the highest chance of winning.

It was well known that the film was backed by the Weinstein brothers. With their PR capabilities, getting Gwyneth a Golden Globe seemed easy, but this time, unexpectedly, they failed.

Additionally, Gwyneth's performance in "Shakespeare in Love" was quite good. While not on par with veteran actors, she was outstanding among actors under thirty, certainly much better than Cameron Diaz in "There's Something About Mary."

After the results were announced, many critics ridiculed Cameron Diaz's win, feeling it was unfair to Gwyneth and Meg Ryan, whose performances they believed were much stronger than Cameron's.

"Richard, did you know I could have won the award, but I gave it up."

At noon on the set, Richard received a call from Gwyneth.

"Why?" Richard asked.

"I said I gave it up on my own. Do you believe me?" Gwyneth asked.

"I believe you."

"Haha, thank you. If I said I gave it up because of you, would you believe that?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe I didn't want to work with Weinstein anymore, or maybe I really fell in love with you."

"Are you still unwell?"

"No, it's gotten worse since I came back from Italy. I think of you at least twice a day—once when I go to bed and once when I wake up. Sometimes I think about you all day.

I think about our first meeting, our first concert, and that time in the hotel when you treated me so harshly. I also remember our experiences in Sicily and Italy. Each time I think about it, your treatment of me feels more intense, and now I'm beyond help."

"You can try traveling abroad or seeing a psychologist. It will get better with time."

"It's useless. We haven't seen each other for almost four months, but it hasn't helped at all. I told you, your treatment of me has penetrated my soul. And then we reinforced it together. Maybe in a few years, or decades, I'll slowly get better, but right now, I can't help but think about you."

"You're making me feel guilty."

"Hahaha, can you feel guilty, you pervert?" Gwyneth laughed. "I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty or to burden you. I just want... can you come see me? If you don't have time, I can come to you."

"No, we agreed not to see each other again after that time, for both our sakes."

"Why not? I think about you every day. I gave up the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and so much more for you. Why can't I move you?!"

"Gwyneth, we're adults. We consider many factors before making decisions. If you say I'm part of the reason, I believe you. But if you say it's all because of me, I don't believe it. If you don't care about your condition and insist on meeting, we can arrange a time. You don't need to play tricks."

"Will you come? When? I don't care about any condition. I'm not sick."

"Alright, let me..."

Creak~ Just as he was about to speak, there was a faint sound at the door. He gently opened it and saw Angelina standing at the entrance, hands in her pockets, looking at the ceiling as if admiring its cracks.

"Angie, do you need something?"

"Yes, it's time to shoot. I came to get you. Hurry up!"

Angelina impatiently waved her hand.

"Alright, I'll be right there!"

Richard went back into the lounge.

Phew~

Angelina patted her chest, smiled, and then frowned.

"Gwyn? Sick? Meeting?"

Angelina was puzzled. She overheard the name 'Gwyneth' by chance and couldn't help but listen. But Richard's vague words left her confused. From his tone and what he said, she instinctively felt their relationship wasn't ordinary.

"What's the relationship between these two? Is Gwyneth sick? Gwyneth really wants to see him? He doesn't seem eager to see Gwyneth? Why can't they meet?"

Angelina scratched her head, thinking it over, and the more she thought, the stranger it seemed.

Ring ring~ The phone rang; it was Gwyneth calling.

Angelina pursed her lips and answered the call.

"Hey, Gwyneth, what's up?"

"Do you have something to ask me?"

"No!"

"Really? Then I'll hang up."

"Wait!"

Angelina looked around and walked to the window. "Are you sick?"

"Haha, you heard?"

The person on the phone laughed.

"Yes, I heard it all. You and that guy are involved, right?"

"No!"

"Don't try to fool me. The way he talks to you doesn't sound ordinary."

Angelina sneered.

"Yes, he's very proud and cold. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

Angelina asked curiously.

"Because of love!"

"What?!"

"Weren't you asking about my condition? I'll tell you, it's lovesickness."

"..."

"I might have fallen in love with Richard. I'm trying hard to pursue him. I want to meet him, say I have a role for him, to get him to come to Los Angeles, but he doesn't want to. I can only keep negotiating, even flattering him."

"... Is this a joke?"

Angelina frowned.

"He's a very special man. The more I get to know him, the more fascinated I am. He's my dream man, and I have to have him."

"Haha, that's ridiculous. You're long past your teenage years. Are you really doing something so foolish?"

"I broke ties with Weinstein and gave up competing for the Golden Globes and the Oscars for him. That's why I didn't win last night."

"...Are you crazy?"

"I'm sick, you know that."

"I don't believe it. If you're really Gwyneth, you would never do that."

Angelina hung up the phone, shaking her head. Love? The proud Richard? The humble superstar Gwyneth? Haha, only a fool would believe that.

"Angie, it's time for the shoot!"

The assistant called from a distance.

"I got it!"

Angelina headed to the set, where she saw Gwyneth's "dream man," Richard Brad. This guy just looked a bit handsome, a bit strong, and somewhat pleasing to the eye. Was Gwyneth really foolish enough to fall for a man like this? She didn't believe it.

"Angie, why are you looking at me?" Richard put down his script and asked.

"What's your relationship with Gwyneth?"

"Just friends."

"Gwyneth said she's pursuing you."

"She's joking. She's just too immersed in her role and has mistaken me for some perfect man. But I'm not that man."

Richard shrugged.

Angelina blinked. This explanation sounded reasonable, but she instinctively felt that it wasn't that simple.

"Since she likes you, why don't you accept her? Gwyneth is a beauty and a superstar. Isn't dating her cooler than a small-time model?"

"My girlfriend is the coolest!"

Richard glanced at her, then walked away with the script in hand.

Angelina smiled slightly. This guy indeed had a bit of pride. But who was telling the truth? Or were both lying? If both were lying, what was the truth?

"Actors, get ready! We're starting the shoot!"

On set, Angelina and Richard began their performance. Today's scene was about the protagonist, Amelia, being deeply shocked after witnessing a victim scalded to death at a crime scene. Back home, she was restless and paranoid until Detective Solomon, played by Richard, visited and caused a misunderstanding.

"Who's there?"

In the bedroom, Amelia pulled the curtains. It was dark outside and raining heavily. Through the glass, she saw a soaked figure.

"Hey, don't be nervous!"

Outside, Richard gestured with his hands.

"Damn it, what are you doing there?"

Amelia aimed her gun at him.

"Amelia, are you okay?"

Richard asked.

"Damn it, what are you doing here?"

Amelia shouted.

"Mr. Lyme has been trying to call you for an hour but couldn't get through. He's worried something might have happened to you, so he sent me to check."

Richard pushed open the window and climbed in.

"I don't need his concern."

Amelia put down the gun.

"He wants you to go to him immediately."

Richard wiped the rain off his face and tidied his hair. As a rookie detective, he had to maintain his image and always look good.

"I don't work for Lincoln Lyme."

Amelia said, sitting on the sofa.

"Lincoln believes the evidence you found shows the killer still has a victim."

"Telling me this is just to make me keep working for him?"

Amelia scoffed.

"Hey, I'm just a messenger. Don't take it out on me."

Richard shrugged, soaked from head to toe, shivering in the cold winter.

Amelia propped her face and looked at him.

"Cut!"

"Angie, watch your expressions."

Director Philip Noyce reminded.

"Okay, I got it."

Angelina covered her mouth, laughed, and quickly adjusted her expression.

"Scene 245, take 12, shot 2, action!"

The second take went smoothly. They finished after four tries and started preparing for the next scene.

"Hey, Richard, I owe you an apology!"

In the car, Angelina said, smoking a cigarette.

"What?"

Richard was holding a book on criminal psychology, a prop from the previous scene. After the shoot, he bought it from the prop master.

"For what I said earlier. I didn't mean to belittle your girlfriend. I was just curious."

"Alright, I accept your apology."

Richard replied, flipping through the book.

"One more thing. Gwyneth said she gave up the Golden Globes for you. What do you think about that?"

"Do you believe it?"

"If it's true?"

"It doesn't matter. What she does is her business. What does it have to do with me?"

"So cold?"

"Yes, just that cold."

Richard smiled slightly.

Angelina stared at him intently. "I suddenly find you very uninteresting."

"Good. If you found me interesting, that would be bad."

Richard shook his head.

"Why?"

"I'm worried you might fall in love with me too. After all, I'm a pretty great guy."

"Ugh! Shameless jerk!"

Angelina punched him.

---

(End of Chapter)