Model to Holywood

"Luca, I'm in San Francisco. Have you finished filming?"

"I should finish today. My flight is at 8 AM tomorrow."

At the Toronto set during a break, Luca received a call from Ed.

In recent days, the PR team for *Honey* had been promoting the movie in different cities. They arrived in San Francisco today, and Luca needed to attend the event tomorrow, so Ed had arrived early to discuss promotional plans with the team.

"Luca, there's still a lot of coverage about Britney's proposal. It's unavoidable that interviews will bring this up. I suggest you address it carefully and take the opportunity to explain. The current public opinion isn't in your favor."

Luca shrugged. "I can talk about it moderately, but the questions shouldn't be too extreme."

"Haha, alright, I'll be careful!" Ed laughed lightly.

After hanging up the phone, Luca sighed softly and picked up *The Los Angeles Times* on his lap.

His name was in the entertainment section.

The news of Britney's proposal had been spreading for days, and its impact was growing.

When the story first broke, the newspapers reported that Britney had planned to propose to Justin at her concert. Since she had apologized and tried to clear her name beforehand, many believed she wanted to reconcile.

Justin's fans were thrilled by the news, with many suggesting online that he should forgive Britney and that the two should get back together.

The fans who once "shipped" the couple were heartbroken when the golden couple broke up. Now that they were supposedly reconciling, many voiced their support.

Britney's fans were also supportive because, well, Justin was considered more reliable.

Then, the media dropped another bombshell.

This report came from the music industry and was confirmed by many musicians, making it highly credible.

It was reported that on the night of the concert, Britney threw a huge party at her mansion, attended by many celebrities. At the party, Justin performed a brand-new song he had written, professing his love for Britney and hoping to win her back.

The rumor was that the song was so good that Britney was moved to tears, nearly accepting his proposal.

But just as the prince and princess were about to reunite, the villain appeared.

Luca, the villain, had also written a song, and it was rumored to be even better than Justin's.

The princess was enchanted by Luca's song and didn't agree to the reconciliation.

After this report, Justin's fans were furious. The "Britney-Justin" shippers were furious. Even some of Britney's fans were angry.

Britney and Justin had broken up last winter over a minor disagreement, and now, after reconciling, they were just about to get back together—like a fairytale where the prince and princess overcome all odds to live happily ever after. And then, suddenly, a third party shows up? What nonsense!

No way!

Fans started to bash the villain, accusing him of being shameless and calling him the devil in the prince and princess's fairytale.

The media, of course, fanned the flames, churning out stories about the love triangle between Princess Britney, Villain Luca, and Prince Justin.

"Damn media!" Luca shook his head and put down the paper.

"Luca, *The Hollywood Reporter* named you the most talked-about new male actor of the year. How do you feel about that?" Lindsay asked, putting down a newspaper with a smile.

Luca shrugged. "I'm innocent."

"Innocent? You have a girlfriend and still meddled in Britney and Justin's relationship, you bad guy!"

Lindsay said with a hint of disgust.

Luca spread his hands. "They broke up a long time ago!"

"But they still have feelings for each other."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

Luca spread his hands again.

"Ugh, you're really terrible," Lindsay said, pouting. She kicked her legs and teased, "Hey, devil, I suggest you stay in Canada a bit longer."

"Why?"

"To hide!" Lindsay smirked, clearly amused. "The news says you're the reason Britney and Justin can't reconcile. Their fans would love to take you down."

She pointed her fingers at him like guns and went, "Pew pew."

Luca shook his head, not too worried. This story was hot for now, but it would cool off soon enough. Even if it stayed in the spotlight, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Luca, Lindsay, get ready! Your scene is up next!" Ian, the director's assistant, called out as he entered.

"We're coming!"

"What are you going to do after filming?" Lindsay asked as they walked.

"Probably just explore the city a bit."

"Too bad I still have scenes in the afternoon, or I'd join you."

"Thanks!" Luca smiled. "When we're back in LA, you're welcome to visit my place."

"Sure!"

"Scene 32, Shot 8, Take 2! Action!"

The set was ready, and the crew began filming. This was Luca's final scene.

The female lead, Katie, after becoming the leader of a group of bad girls, invited Aaron to her house for a party. They talked in a room but parted on bad terms.

They had already filmed the downstairs scenes in the morning, and only the bedroom scene remained.

The cameras rolled, focusing on the bed, with one capturing the wide shot and another focusing on close-ups.

In the shot, the two sat on the bed, talking. Luca wore a T-shirt and shirt, his hair styled neatly, his features sharp. His eyes, both melancholic and soulful, stood out in the close-up, making him appear deeply captivating.

"Aaron, I lied to you about something. Please don't laugh when I tell you!" Katie smiled softly, dressed in a tight gown, her chest practically spilling out.

"Tell me."

Aaron spread his hands.

"I pretended to be bad at math to get you to tutor me. In reality, I'm pretty good at it. On the other hand, your math isn't so great, so I intentionally failed."

"You failed on purpose? That's dumb!"

Aaron shook his head.

"Yes, I just wanted an excuse to talk to you."

"Why not just be direct?"

"I couldn't, because of Gina. You belong to Gina."

"I belong to her?"

Aaron frowned.

"No, shut up, that's not what I meant."

"Don't tell me to shut up!"

Aaron cupped her face, his eyes filled not with admiration, but with disappointment, disgust, weariness, and even a hint of fear.

"You know, Katie, you're starting to remind me of Gina."

He pushed her away and stood up decisively.

"Cut!"

Director Mark and producer Tina Fey watched the footage from the cameras and couldn't help but applaud. The face-holding move hadn't been part of the original direction.

But Luca had insisted on adding it and performed the scene to convince them. His acting moved them, and they decided to give it a try. The result was fantastic, especially Luca's eye work. It was brilliant.

"Luca did a great job! The exhaustion and disappointment he showed were perfect. Aaron's breakup with Gina was never explained, but through this performance, the audience can sense that it might have been because Gina was too overbearing and controlling. Aaron thought he could start a new relationship, but just as he was about to embrace love, he realized the woman in his arms was his ex."

Tina Fey sighed. "It's a nightmare. Luca has an excellent grasp of the character."

"Yes, and your analysis is spot on!" Mark said, eyes glued to the monitor.

"Too bad Luca is leaving. I'm really going to miss him," Tina laughed.

"Me too!"

Mark agreed, feeling a little reluctant.

During his time with the crew, Luca had developed great relationships with everyone. He was hardworking, eager, and sometimes offered helpful insights into the script. Working with him had been a pleasure.

It was just a shame his role was so small, leaving him little room to shine.

Mark shook his head and picked up the loudspeaker, announcing:

"I hereby declare that Luca's scenes are officially wrapped!"

(End of the chapter)