Model to Holywood

Around 8 p.m., on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.

Dim streetlights illuminated the wide road as a silver Honda sedan slowly passed beneath them.

The passenger-side window was half-open. A middle-aged African-American man leaned his head against it, eyes half-closed as he gazed at the streetscape, a contented, slightly tipsy smile on his dark, reddish face.

"Ed, are you okay?"

Nina turned her head and asked softly.

"I'm fine!"

Ed rubbed his cheek and closed the half-open window. It was January in New York, and the weather was still cold. He couldn't risk Eve catching a chill.

"Nina, have you finished reading Luca's vampire novel?"

"Halfway through."

"What do you think of it?"

"Emm~ It's not bad, pretty interesting."

Nina had never been particularly interested in *Twilight*. She'd heard Eve mention it often and saw Kate reading it, which piqued her curiosity. After reading a few chapters, she found it surprisingly good.

The novel had beautiful people, werewolf tales, school life, suspense, comedic adventures, and a tragic, moving love story. These elements blended perfectly, making even someone like her, who usually didn't read romance, eager to finish it.

"Nina, Luca wants to get it published. Do you think there's a chance?"

"Published?"

Nina thought for a moment. "In the last few years, vampire movies have done really well at the box office, proving that audiences are interested in the genre. It's worth a shot."

Ed nodded. He had been thinking the same. Last year's *Queen of the Damned* grossed over a hundred million, and several vampire movies were slated for release this year, all with big budgets.

"Nina, Luca mentioned earlier that he wants to publish it under Kate's name. What do you think of that?"

"Oh?"

The mention of Kate immediately grabbed Nina's attention. "He wants Kate to be the author?"

"Yes, Luca said since Kate's a supermodel, using her name would make the novel easier to market."

Nina slowed the car, seriously considering the feasibility of this idea.

Publishing under Kate's name would indeed make it easier to promote. Kate was not only famous in the U.S., but also in Europe and South America. While Luca was currently known as "Superman," that fame was media-driven and likely temporary.

Moreover, it was a female-centered novel, told from a woman's perspective, with delicate inner monologues and elegant, refined language. It had a beautifully romantic tone.

When Nina first read the novel, she could hardly believe it was written by Luca, such a masculine guy.

Publishing under Kate's name would be low-risk. If it failed, it wouldn't matter much, but if it succeeded, the benefits would be enormous.

A supermodel-turned-author could be a sparkling label, signifying intellectual beauty. Kate could even use this opportunity to become a top-tier supermodel.

Nina felt a surge of excitement at the thought, but she quickly calmed down. No matter whose name was on it, the key was whether the novel was good enough to be published and sell well.

"Eve, did you bring Luca's novel back with you today?"

Nina wanted to give it a serious read and see how good it really was.

"Eve?"

She glanced back at the empty rear seat. Her face changed, and she slammed on the brakes.

"Ed, where's Eve?"

"She's sleeping in the back seat, isn't she?"

"No!"

"What?!"

"Ha ha, Kate, what kind of parents are they? They're almost home and just now realizing Eve's missing!"

Luca chuckled as he looked at the little girl sound asleep on the bed.

Kate shook her head, speaking into the phone, "Nina, Eve fell asleep here. She can stay the night. Okay, see you tomorrow."

She hung up the phone, smiling. "Eve followed them downstairs earlier but sneaked back without Nina noticing. Gave her quite the scare."

"She's a mischievous little girl."

Luca gently pinched the girl's nose.

"Mmm~ Stop!" 

Eve swatted her tiny hand at him in her sleep, turning her face to the side and kicking off the blanket.

"Luca, move over, don't wake her."

Kate pushed his wheelchair aside and gently picked up the little girl, carrying her into the next room.

After a while, Kate came back out. "Luca, you said you needed to talk to me?"

"Yes, Kate. I plan to publish *Twilight* under your name. What do you think?"

"Oh, why?"

Kate asked curiously.

"First, you're a supermodel with a big following, so using your name would create buzz. Second, I'm planning to become a major celebrity. Ed's crafted an image for me as a tough, iron-willed man. If I publish a women's novel, it would seriously damage my reputation."

"You? A tough guy?"

Kate covered her mouth, laughing.

Luca looked at her with displeasure. "Kate, I'm Superman. Isn't Superman a tough guy?"

"Ha ha, alright, I guess you're half of one."

"So, are you in?"

"Emmm~ Let me think about it."

Kate folded her arms, her eyes blinking mischievously at him.

Not wanting her to see through him, Luca wheeled himself over to the desk, sorting through his manuscript as he spoke. "Kate, you should consider this carefully. This novel is just my trial work, and honestly, it's not that great. Even if it gets published, it probably won't sell well. If it performs poorly, it could damage your public image. There's a lot of risk involved."

"I'll do it!"

"Kate, you should think about this for a few days, maybe talk to Nina."

"No need, I can make this decision."

With a toss of her hair, Kate left the room.

Luca shrugged, feeling a bit guilty for using underhanded tactics on Kate. Sigh, his integrity was questionable.

"Luca, do you need help getting into bed?"

Kate suddenly reopened the door.

"Uh, I think I've got it."

Luca put down his manuscript and wheeled himself to the bed. He leaned on the edge and used the least painful method to climb onto it. After more than a month of recovery, his spinal injury no longer hurt, but Kate still thought he was fragile, so he had to be cautious.

"Ha ha~ Luca, the way you get into bed is so funny, like a little puppy."

Luca's arms gave out, nearly causing him to fall. He lay on the bed, glaring at her, "Kate, you can leave now."

Kate covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Need help with your clothes?"

"No, I've got it."

"Ha ha, are you shy? Don't forget, I've been the one changing your clothes this whole time."

Kate chuckled.

Luca twitched his lips. She was right.

Though the hospital had caregivers, Kate always took over when she visited, personally helping him wash up, eat, change clothes, and even clean his bedpan.

Thinking about it, Luca felt a bit touched. "Kate, you're probably tired today. Get some rest. I can take care of myself."

"Alright then, good night!"

Kate waved and closed the door.

After she left, Luca climbed back out of bed. He pushed his wheelchair, moving slowly, hoping to recover soon.

(End of Chapter)