Chapter 879

Time always passed quickly, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye. While most Americans were enjoying another weekend, Natalie sat in Adriaan's study again. She had no other choice. She had been racking her brains for a solution for the past few days. She was always absent-minded in class, and her eyes were dark because of the lack of sleep. She exuded a sense of fatigue all the time, so much so that two of her roommates had advised her to see a doctor more than once.

She couldn't think of any solution. The difference between the two of them was too great. If Adriaan went all out to deal with her, she wouldn't be able to fight back. In fact, it wasn't that Natalie hadn't considered this possibility, but based on Adriaan's character, the possibility of this happening was very low. Even so, she still waited patiently for the best opportunity to lay her cards on the table.

If everything went according to plan, she could do so after the Oscars. The production of "Star Wars" had been completed, and all that was left was to be released. It completely cut off the possibility of Lucas being replaced in the future. The only uncertainty was how popular it would be after it was released. But it definitely wouldn't be too bad. After all, this was the "Star Wars" series.

Even so, Natalie still delayed because she wasn't sure of Adriaan's thoughts. It wasn't until she heard the members of the sorority discussing it on the Harvard campus, and even Memi jokingly asked her if she had a date with the director, that she had no choice but to take action. If she delayed any longer, her name might be closely associated with Adriaan, just like Julia and Monica. This was something that she deliberately wanted to avoid, and it was also one of the important reasons why she wanted to leave him. However, she didn't expect that his reaction would completely exceed her expectations, and she instantly fell into the abyss.

"I like to stand here and enjoy the scenery outside, especially at night. The starry lights of the city give people a spectacular feeling." Adrian, who was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looked out at the city where the sun had set and only the afterglow remained. He then turned around and smiled at Natalie. "Sorry, I'm just feeling a little emotional."

Although Natalie didn't say anything and just sat there expressionlessly, the annoyance in her heart didn't diminish, especially when she saw Adriaan's smile. She didn't know how many times she had seen that kind of refreshing smile, but it had never made her feel so unfamiliar. Even when she was facing the expressionless Adriaan a week ago, it was still better than now.

"First of all, I want to apologize to you, Nada." Adrian sat behind the desk and said with sincerity, "I might have gone overboard with what I said a week ago, but no matter what, we still had a wonderful and happy time together. I still remember how cute you were when I celebrated your birthday with the crew of 'This Killer Isn't Too Cold'; and when I rode with you in Canada during the production of 'Flying With You', I remember how young you were when I shared a ride with you. I shouldn't have included these simple plans in your … calculations. It's my fault, so … "

He leaned forward and looked at Natalie very seriously. "I apologize to you here, Nada. Can you forgive me?"

Natalie couldn't help but bite her lip. The more he acted like this, the more afraid she was. She had no idea what he was thinking, and the unpredictable feeling gave her more pressure than a week ago.

"Yes." She almost squeezed the words out of her throat.

"That's great." Adriaan clapped his hands happily. "We've solved one problem, so let's solve the next one. Let's make a deal. Nada, stay by my side, and I can help you stand at the top of this circle!"

His tone was very relaxed, and his smile did not change, as if this topic was no big deal. He did not wait for her to open her mouth and continued, "I know what you want, and I can give it to you. There are many ways to be unique, and no one is perfect. Others can always find your flaws and magnify them, so it is almost impossible to create an image that is rich in talent, liked by many people, and at the same time has a high commercial value but is very low-key.

There must be a trade-off. I'm sure you'll think that commercial value can be temporarily abandoned, but that's precisely the worst choice. After a little careful analysis, you'll understand that at least half of everything is built on commercial value, and the other half is closely related to it. Perhaps you can rely on the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy to show your commercial value for a long time, but what about after that? You should understand that producers are more snobbish than anyone else.

Even independent films can't break away from this rule, and after a period of ups and downs, you can only rely on independent films to fight for the day when you can return to the forefront of the stage.

It's different with me around. I can control all the unfavorable aspects, such as the relationship between you and me, and let the media guess. From time to time, I will throw out some gossip for them to chase and divert their attention. Perhaps there will be unexpected situations, but it's much better than what I said before.

I know you, Nada. You're not the kind of person who likes to be manipulated by others. Don't be in a hurry to deny it. Although you respect your father, you never liked him telling you what to do with your career. He's too conservative at times, and he even goes beyond the boundary between father and daughter, so you missed out on a lot of good films.

Also, you have a proud heart, and you want to be the best actress. You want to stand at the top and receive people's heartfelt cheers. That's why you looked down on the members of the sorority at Harvard. Please forgive me for doing some research. It's normal for you to look down on them. Although there are some outstanding people among them, most of them are shortsighted and mediocre people who completely rely on their families. I know this very well, because I was once one of them.

But I think you also understand that you can't do whatever you want in reality. Even for me, there are things that I can't get, such as you. That's why I think we can make a deal. I know your potential better than anyone else, and I know your determination better than anyone else. I can give you whatever you want. I don't need to prove it. My achievements in the past few years are enough to prove everything. "

I like you very much, Nada, and I have feelings for you. That's why I was so excited when I had a showdown with you a week ago. Although I've adjusted now, some words can't be taken back. So, I'm thinking that maybe I can use this method to keep you by my side. Of course, you can refuse. The decision is in your hands. "

Adriaan said this eloquently with a smile from beginning to end, as if he was talking about a very ordinary thing. It was completely inconsistent with the words that pierced straight into Natalie's heart. When he said the last sentence, a sharp look flashed from his eyes. Obviously, if Natalie made a choice that was contrary to what he wanted …

"Now, please tell me, dear Nada, do you agree or refuse?" He spread out his hands. Although his tone was very sincere, he no longer concealed his sense of superiority.

Sitting at the desk, Natalie's face alternated between red and white. Although she had been trying to control her emotions, the more Adriaan said, the more restless she became. She didn't know whether it was because of contradictions or something else.

Adriaan didn't speak again. He just sat there quietly and waited. After maintaining this state for a long time, Natalie lowered her head and covered her face with her hands. She took a deep breath and looked straight into the eyes of the man in front of her. "I agree."

※ ※ ※

After two clicks, the lights in the room lit up, and the darkness that had enveloped the room disappeared without a trace. Adriaan, who had been sitting behind the desk, stood up and stretched comfortably. After Natalie left — of course she had to leave. Although she had agreed to Adriaan's conditions, she still needed time to adjust her mentality — he sat on the high-back chair with one hand holding his chin and the other hand on the armrest. He kept tapping back and forth until the sky outside was completely dark.

Opening the wine cabinet and pouring himself a glass of whiskey, Adriaan took a light sip, and then nodded approvingly. Whiskey without ice did taste mellower.

"She's really a practical woman." He sighed softly. Although he said so much and even hinted at the end, if Natalie was really tenacious and unyielding, he would choose to let go. In fact, even if she just cried and begged, he would still choose to let go. There was no need to keep such a woman by his side. He didn't lack women. However, in the end, she still made the choice that he wanted to see the most and least wanted to see.

"Matilda is Matilda, and Natalie is Natalie. I really didn't expect me to make such a mistake." Adriaan said as he came to the French window with the glass in his hand.

"But it's not too late to correct it now. Besides, making some small mistakes is better than not making any mistakes at all." He got up lightly and drank the liquid in the glass in one gulp. Then he looked out. From here, he could clearly see the city lights that Beverly Hills loved. They looked gorgeous and bright under the night sky, and he could not help but want to praise them.

The words that he said at Claude's house when he instigated him to join him and start a business with him rang in his mind again. Adriaan could not help but sigh softly. Then, all sorts of information about Natalie, whether it was in this life or his previous life, quickly emerged from the depths of his memories and flashed past.

"No Angela …" He raised the glass in his hand, slowly turned it, and said in a low voice, "In here."

Immediately, he went back to the wine cabinet and poured himself a glass of whiskey. "You'll like the life I've arranged for you, Nada."

An unfathomable smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"I promise."

※ ※ ※

The storm passed just like that. It seemed to be just a small episode, and no one knew what happened except for the two people involved. Even Charlize only knew that Adriaan and Natalie had some conflict, and they calmed down for a week before reconciling. Of course, she knew that this would not be the whole story, but whether it was Adriaan or Natalie, they obviously wanted to deal with this matter in a low-key manner, so she would not take the initiative to ask anything.

Most things went on as usual, except for the filming in New Zealand that was affected. In addition to attending the MTV Awards this month, Adriaan also went to London to inquire about the situation of "Harry Potter."

The hubbub of casting, which took several months and attracted the attention of countless people and media, ended around mid-August. The British government then amended the "Child Labor Law" at the end of the month, and the start of work was naturally put on the agenda. It was worth mentioning that the adult actors were basically unchanged, such as Richard Harris or Alan Rickman. But all the young actors, except for Hermione, who had been selected early, were not familiar to Adriaan.

From Harry to Ron to Draco to Neville, they were all brand new. The little guy who played Harry was called Eric Reese, and he came from a middle-class family in the suburbs of London. His father used to be a stenographer and cameraman, and now he was a director's assistant in a film crew. His mother was an actress. He had brown hair and a pair of grayish-green eyes. Although he was not at the level described by Rowling in the book, he was very cute, and it was because of this that Columbus chose him to play Harry.

As for the child who played Ron, his name was George Saunders, and he came from Liverpool. He did not send any videos of cross-dressing and dancing to the crew. The reason why Columbus chose him was because his rare red hair was very special, and his appearance was very suitable for Rowling's description. Although he usually looked a little dull, he would become very clever in front of the camera. Naturally, he became Ron.

There was no need to go into detail about the young actors Draco and Neville. In short, the casting this time was just like last year's World Cup, which fully demonstrated the meaning of unreliable accidents. If it were not for Adriaan's intervention, there was almost a 99% chance that Emma would not have played Hermione. Actually, none of this mattered. No one could not be replaced, right? Besides, the little girl who was chosen to play Jenny was very cute and beautiful. In a few years, she would probably not become an auntie.

The power of production had been delegated to the producer, director, and Rowling. Adriaan only went to London to ask about it and visit Emma. After that, he brought Kyla to Los Angeles. Bosworth was currently working with a female director in a romantic comedy, and there was a role for a teenage daughter. Adriaan originally wanted to recommend Scarlet, but on second thought, he had a lot of opportunities for Scarlet. It would be better to give it to someone else, so he chose Kyla.

The girl agreed readily, and naturally followed him to Los Angeles on his luxurious private jet. This was the first time the two had met after the premiere of Star Wars. Kyla had clearly adjusted her mood. Not only was she calm when facing Adriaan, but she also took the initiative to tease him a few times on the plane. Unfortunately, her mother was with her, so Adriaan did not do anything.

But when they arrived in Los Angeles, Kyla still found an opportunity to stop him.

"Here … it's a little bigger. It seems to be very effective …" She said to him as she lifted up her top, revealing her pink breasts. There was a hint of nervousness, shyness, hope, and a hint of madness that was well hidden.

This was definitely a depressing thing. A beautiful girl lifted up her top because she wanted to rub it a little bigger. It was really funny. This was not logical at all. When Adriaan said that after the massage, it was more to comfort her. He did not expect Kyla to listen to him and even credit the development of her breasts to him. Now, she wanted to continue. It seemed that she really cared about her breasts. But the whole thing seemed to have gone in a very strange direction.

Adriaan did not refuse. Although she looked normal now, if he refused, it was hard to guarantee that she would not fly into a rage and turn around to tell her parents about it. Moreover, even if it went in a different direction, it could still go back in the future. He could not let someone else take advantage of him.

There was no need to elaborate on what happened next. Just like the last time, after the massage, Kyla panted in his arms for a long time before she recovered. Thinking about how she sang along with the rhythm when he touched her, it seemed that her breasts were one of the most sensitive parts of her body. But even though the massage was one thing, Adriaan did not do anything else. Although the girl's unique fragrance and the twisting body in his arms made him restless, he still controlled himself in the end. He did not even move closer to her neck to take a deep breath. It was not easy to gain the trust of this sensitive girl in his arms.

Luckily, he did not lack women around him. Otherwise, after Kyla's "fruitless teasing", he would have to do it himself. That would be too tragic.

All in all, this happened in early September. He had to travel half of the world, so the filming of "The Lord of the Rings" naturally slowed down. Originally, there should have been at least a week of peace for the production, but he did not expect the incident with Natalie to happen. Naturally, Adriaan did not have the mood to continue with the production, so he wasted a few more days.

After he adjusted himself and settled Natalie, another important matter was placed in front of him. So, the matter in New Zealand was temporarily put aside.

"If it really doesn't work, let Peter try. I need at least a week before I can go back … I know, but the matter here is very important … Alright, that's it." Adriaan turned off the phone and let out a long sigh.

Although Jackson had a deep understanding of the script, and most of Adriaan's filming was based on the original version, there were still many differences between their styles. Moreover, Adriaan's shooting was very fast, so most of the scenes had to be shot. So, Jackson could be responsible for some of the bigger scenes, but many of the specific content still had to be handled by Adriaan.

But now, there was no better way. Although the filming efficiency was very high, the 350 million budget was not slow at all. Many people in the crew ridiculed that the money was wasted on Adriaan running around the world. So, in order to get the end of filming earlier, it was feasible to let Jackson try.

However, the matter over there could be temporarily solved, but the matter over here was not so easy to solve.

"Hey, dear, how is it?" After hurrying into the delivery room, Adriaan asked with a smile. But what he got was Monica and Sophie, who were sitting on the two beds with their legs apart, snorted in unison.