King of Hollywood
Chapter 299 - Chapter 299 Chapter 26 New Planning

Chapter 299: Chapter 26 New Planning Chapter 299: Chapter 26 New Planning Facing the slightly salty sea breeze, peals of laughter echoed from afar as a young girl cheerfully splashed through the water, running on the beach. Under the sunshine, her smile was exceptionally bright, her blue eyes sparkling with dazzling light.

“I am Bambi, Ed, happily bounding through the endless forest,” she turned her head and shouted, her black hair curling up against her cheeks in the breeze, giving her an indescribable beauty. She was wearing shorts that reached her thighs and a white shirt, her bewitching figure was alluring and slender.

“You look more like a rabbit, Liv,” Adrian called out from behind her, also wearing shorts and a shirt, though his was unbuttoned, revealing his rugged chest and exuding a virile charm.

“Have you ever seen a rabbit as big as me?” Liv waved her arms and clamored excitedly, her pretty face looking innocent and pure, her 17-year-old youth and beauty fully displayed at that moment.

“Be careful not to fall, this beach isn’t a great place for tourists,” Adrian warned her, but before he could finish, Liv had already screamed and fallen to the ground, landing in a very ungainly sprawl.

“Hey, see what I was saying? My words haven’t even settled yet,” although Adrian rushed over to pick her up, he clicked his tongue, unable to hide his amusement.

“It seems you’re quite happy to see this kind of scene, aren’t you?” Liv glared at him, pouting with a hint of blame.

Adrian laughed heartily, checked her ankle to make sure it was okay, then carried her in his arms towards the car parked in the distance. Liv wrapped her arms around his neck and kept silent, just thoughtfully looking at him.

Although the beach here had too many rocks for swimming or surfing, Adrian still set up umbrellas and mats for resting near the car. The main reason he brought Liv to this secluded, undeveloped beach in Malibu was because the scenery was beautiful. Not every beach’s water is the beautiful blue seen in movies; most beaches have somewhat murky water, and those golden spots have already been sold off.

Adrian had bought a piece of his own private beach in Malibu last year, but it was only of medium quality and not especially private, so he simply took Liv to this beach that he had found by chance. Because they couldn’t go into the sea due to the rocks, the azure sea and sky, the rolling waves, and the occasional seagulls flying made the scenery here spectacular. Plus, it was relatively secluded, perfect for spending time alone together.

“Oh, look, that’s so beautiful,” Liv, leaning in Adrian’s arms, sighed as she pointed at a seagull gliding across the sky.

“Yes, a beautiful perfect arc,” Adrian nodded in agreement, enjoying the feeling of her soft warmth in his arms. Even though they had hugged and kissed before, snuggling up closely like this was a first.

“Sometimes I wish I could be like a bird, spreading my wings and soaring carefree across the sky,” Liv sighed again, shaking her empty beer can and tossing it into the trash before reaching for another.

“That’s enough, Liv, you’ve already had two cans,” Adrian caught her hand, knowing that while U.S. laws prohibit underage drinking in public places, it was often a joke, especially for those young stars who became famous early. Drinking and partying in bars, nightclubs, and clubs were common occurrences.

For that reason, when Liv snatched the beer can from his hand, Adrian didn’t say much. The alcohol content in beer and champagne was pitifully low, but this didn’t mean he would allow her to drink without restraint.

“Just two cans, I always drink more than two at their parties, secretly though,” Liv pouted as she spoke.

“They?” Adrian asked with a feigned ignorance.

“My mom’s friends,” the girl shrugged, her gaze drifting into the distance as she spoke softly, “I grew up in a single-parent household. Because of my mom, I’ve always been around rockers. They’re rebellious, libertine, cynical, and act without any concern for consequences. Under their influence, sneaking beers is just child’s play.”

At this point, she glanced at Adrian, “I thought you’d know that.”

“I had some understanding,” he nodded, looking into her beautiful eyes, “It’s just hard to believe that such an ethereal and elegant girl like you grew up in that kind of place.”

Liv’s lips curved into a smile; though her face was slightly elongated, one had to admit, if judged solely by appearances, she indeed embodied innocence and freshness, attracting people’s attention almost unconsciously.

“Today’s date was very nice, Ed,” the girl suddenly changed the subject, “I like it here–the sea breeze, the sunshine, the beach, and the beautiful sky. Everything is so comforting.”

But Adrian didn’t want to let it go at that, “What’s bothering you, Liv?”

“Why would you think that, Ed?” Liv raised her head, her gaze neither affirming nor denying, but she quickly showed a hint of discomfort under his intense, close gaze.

“Five years ago, when I was 12, my mom and I attended a concert in Portland, a performance by a famous rock band, Aerosmith,” she suddenly brought up something else, and Adrian didn’t interrupt, just listened silently, “I didn’t want to go, but I agreed after my mom insisted. Then… when I saw that man on stage screaming at the top of his lungs, a familiar feeling suddenly welled up inside me, especially when I saw his daughter. It was like seeing my own sister… I was shocked, and I couldn’t help asking my mom if the man on stage was my father. Clearly, she hadn’t expected me to be so sensitive at that time, and had no choice but to take me out of the concert and reveal everything under a larch tree… I still remember it to this day…”

She took a slow sigh at this point, her expression carrying a melancholy far beyond her years.

“So… do you hate your father?” Adrian asked softly.

“I don’t know,” Liv snuggled closer in his embrace and responded in an equally soft voice, “That’s just their style. To my father, my mother getting pregnant was just an accident. They were only living together for a while, so he didn’t need to take too much responsibility. In the eyes of those to whom rock is everything, sex, drugs, violence–it’s all quite normal. Maybe it’s just them, maybe it’s all men, who knows?”

Adrian didn’t speak further, just stroked her lustrous black hair. Liv let out a comfortable moan, then lifted her head, “I like this date, Ed, it at least made me feel something different.”

“Do you mind if I kiss you?” Adrian’s hand slid down to her cheek.

Liv looked at him for a long time, a smile that was both playful and tempting appearing on her face, “Do you want to make love to me, Ed?”

“Every man would want to make love to you, Liv,” Adrian replied without hesitation, and faintly, he felt he was on the verge of completely grasping the girl’s thoughts.

“Then let’s make love,” said Liv, turning over to kneel before Adrian. She straightened her body and reached to unbutton her shirt and take it off, revealing her tempting softness supported by a light-colored bra right before his eyes.

“Now? Here?” Adrian asked in surprise.

“Is there a problem?” Liv shrugged, a carefree attitude apparent once again.

“But don’t you think it’s a bit abrupt?” Although he said that, Adrian’s gaze was scanning over Liv’s fine figure without any intention of hiding.

“What’s the problem? I’ve seen a lot of this at rock parties. Usually, people get excited talking or get high, and then start making love, even in front of everyone at the party. There have even been times when several people would do it at the same time, so what’s the big deal about making love on this deserted beach?”

No wonder she always seemed so indifferent; she had seen too much of this. Adrian thought to himself. And it also fostered the loneliness and emptiness deep inside her.

“Why pick me, Liv?” he suddenly asked. “There must have been many boys who pursued you.”

“Because I like you,” Liv leaned forward, her hands on the mat, almost nose to nose with Adrian, her body forming an enticing “n” shape, “Most of those guys were just trying to get me in bed, and I can see through that; the few who aren’t like that are just cool-acting fools, utterly uninteresting. You’re different, Ed. At least you make me feel comfortable, so I think making love to you isn’t a bad idea. My mother said a girl’s first time should be with a man she likes and who is tender.”

“First time?” Adrian raised his eyebrows in astonishment; that answer was unexpected. After listening to her talk about rock musician parties, he had assumed she was experienced in all matters, even the more exotic. Yet, it turned out to be her first time. In that case, the description of “the symbol of innocence in the 1990s” seemed quite apt.

“Of course,” Liv suddenly became a bit angry, and she slapped hard on his shoulder: “Hey, are you even a man? My mother said you’ve been with many women; you don’t seem to show it!”

Adrian was somewhat taken aback, being reprimanded by such a young girl. Before Liv could speak again, he suddenly sat up, pulled her into his arms, and sealed her rosy lips.

He didn’t just pry open Liv’s lips; his hands began to wander over her scarcely clothed body, with their lower halves pressed together intimately. Soon, the girl moaned attractively under his kisses and caresses, her somewhat unripe response proving she wasn’t lying–especially when his finger delved deeper and confirmed this.

Then, along with a pained cry from Liv, this beautiful girl gave away her first time on the silent and empty beach.

*******************************

As “True Lies,” “Twisters,” and “Bad Boys” hit the theaters, the fierce battle of the summer movie season was fully underway. Major companies’ outstanding productions began to enter cinemas, such as Fox’s “Clear and Present Danger,” which had also been pushed back to this year, or Disney’s last hurrah in 2D animation “Lion King,” and Paramount’s Jim Carrey-starring “Dumb and Dumber,” among others.

These movies and animations, although they had achieved impressive box office and critical acclaim, couldn’t shake the momentum of “True Lies” and “Twisters.” Unsurprisingly, “True Lies” broke through the $100 million box office mark in North America after three weeks, and within the same timeframe, “Twisters” swept away $150 million! “Bad Boys,” although not as high-performing as them, still broke through the $50 million box office mark after three weeks, which, compared to its cost of over $20 million, was already profitable.

“It’s not surprising, ‘Twisters’ is closer to the lives of Americans, but from here we can see that, with the maturation of CG technology, disaster movies or films depicting large-scale scenes will become the new box office myths,” Adrian said at a routine meeting of Bossworth Film Company.

It was not just because “Titanic” was soon to set sail–there was still plenty of time before the official start, and Adrian had already handed the outline to Cameron, urging the screenwriters to perfect the script. Cameron, who had already received the first installment of funding, was also preparing to head out to sea to observe the wreckage of the ship up close on the Atlantic seabed–it was also because Adrian’s next production would be a big-scene sci-fi movie directed by Roland Emmerich, who had that penchant for tormenting Earth, titled “Independence Day.”

This middle-aged man from Germany had a sensitivity to CG technology that was no less than Cameron’s. The difference was that Cameron was more innovative and liked to explore new technologies and then apply them to filmmaking; Emmerich, on the other hand, preferred to wait until the technology was completely mature before using it, and he always took it to the extreme.

The guy was indeed a very talented director. As early as ’77, when he was still a student, his work became the opening film of the Berlin Film Festival, and he didn’t have that bad habit of European directors–he knew how to use new technology to serve a movie. Therefore, he was able to make a name for himself in Hollywood, not just because it was easier for European directors than for European actors. His “Universal Soldier” from ’92 had already proved this point.

Also, as Emmerich was European, when he came to Hollywood, the agency that managed his work affairs was MGIS. So, after Claude took an interest in and acquired MGIS, Emmerich, like David Fincher and Kevin Spacey, entered Adrian’s field of vision. If Adrian didn’t take advantage of that, he’d be an idiot.

“Simply put, it’s a story where aliens invade Earth and then get defeated. Martin recommended you to me, and I made a point to attend the test screening of ‘Stargate.’ It was great, and I believe you can handle this film well, Roland,” Adrian had said to Emmerich.

The director considered it for only a moment before agreeing. Adrian’s eye for talent was well-known in the entertainment industry, and as could be seen from Michael Bay and others like Fincher and Spacey, he liked to boost newcomers, so Emmerich had no reason to refuse.

Will Smith was an even clearer case; initially, it was Adrian who handpicked him to star alongside Martin Lawrence in “Bad Boys.” With such a favor, combined with his well-known Midas touch within the industry, Smith didn’t hesitate at all.

In addition, another movie was in preparation, the one that Adrian had mentioned to Don Simpson at the premiere of “Bad Boys”–Michael Bay’s best work–without exception–“The Rock”!

The reason for this accolade was that Michael Bay’s subsequent movies declined in quality, even the “Transformers” that brought him back to the ranks of top directors did not have the same storyline and pacing as this film.

This was largely due to his no longer working with Jerry Bruckheimer and also partly because of Simpson’s death. It could be said that “The Rock” was so excellent because it would still be considered well-crafted even years later, and it owed much to both Bruckheimer and Simpson serving as producers. Simpson had a precise grasp of the kind of scenes and storylines Americans wanted to see, so most of the movies he produced, from the ’80s to today, were very popular. If it wasn’t for his sudden death due to drug overdose, he might have continued to make even better films with Michael Bay.

Adrian had warned Simpson about this, but in Hollywood, marijuana was almost an indispensable item for everyone, so Simpson did not take it seriously. After reminding him a few times, Adrian didn’t press further, as some things are difficult to change. Besides, as Michael Bay became a top director, he would naturally seek out the role of producer, a matter pertaining to control over film production that most directors face, so it’s best to let nature take its course.

Of course, the three leads in “The Rock” remained those in memory–Sean Connery, Ed Harris, and–Nicholas Cage! Besides them, Adrian couldn’t think of anyone more suited at the moment, and Nicholas Cage was also at MGIS. However, he was not like Fincher, Spacey, or Emmerich, who had the agency handle their affairs before; Cage was attracted to MGIS after Adrian’s acquisition.

The agency had indeed spent a lot of effort to persuade Nicholas Cage, especially since he had become famous back in the mid-’80s. But Adrian felt it was worth it; although Cage gradually turned into the king of bad movies after 2000, he shone brightly throughout the ’90s. Why not fully leverage his value? Besides, this could also…

However, although this movie was still in the early stages, much like “Titanic,” which was rushing the script, it wasn’t going to be produced by Bossworth Film Company. Adrian planned to give it to New Line.

(To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please visit www.NovelFire.net. There are more chapters available, support the author, and support genuine readings!)