I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1052: This Is No Cinderella Fairytale]

The next morning, Eric woke up right on time at seven o'clock.

At last night's party, he had only sipped a few glasses of champagne and left early due to a couple of feisty girls. As a result, he felt no fatigue from a hangover.

After getting ready, he left his bedroom and peeked into the rooms of the girls. The two restless little kittens from last night were now soundly asleep on their respective large beds. Not wanting to disturb them, Eric tiptoed out.

The twins were also up early. As he went downstairs, he found the twins in sport tank tops and shorts coming out of the gym after finishing their morning workout.

"Good morning, Master," the twins greeted him, stopping in their tracks.

"Good morning," Eric replied, about to head to the gym when he suddenly remembered. He called out to them, "By the way, the Gulfstream company should be delivering those two Gulfstream Vs to Ventura Airport this morning, right?"

After more than a year, Eric had completed construction on two private airports on the East and West Coasts and had formed a basic operations team. Initially, he had customized four private jets; the two Boeing 747-400s would take another six months to finish, but the two smaller Gulfstream Vs were scheduled for delivery today.

Drew was much more invested in the private jet situation, and the twins were well-versed in this kind of stuff.

"That's right, Master. The boss told us yesterday to wake her up this morning. Are you heading over there too?" Natasha nodded in response.

Eric shook his head. "I have other things to take care of today. You girls can go. I'll check in on things in Ventura later when I have more time."

Natasha nodded again and, seeing that Eric had no further instructions, she took her sister and left.

...

Drew did not wake up until nearly nine o'clock, when Eric personally woke her. She sleepily went through her morning routine, finally becoming awake.

Eric and the twins had already eaten breakfast. On a normal day, he would have rushed off to Firefly Studios, but since both girls were here, he couldn't leave just yet; at least one of them had to be preoccupied to ease his mind. After all, when the two girls were together, they could be a handful, and he worried they might get hurt in their antics.

After urging Drew to eat a bit more of her breakfast, Eric left the villa with her.

...

On the helipad, the twins had readied a VH-60 helicopter. They didn't summon the pilot in; instead, they took the pilot's seats themselves. The girls had long since obtained their helicopter licenses. After watching them handle the aircraft a few times, Eric felt gradually reassured.

He wrapped his arms around Drew's waist and playfully helped her into the cabin. After giving the twins a few reminders, he stepped back to a safe distance and watched as the massive black body of the VH-60 slowly lifted off and flew north.

With the girl sent off, Eric left a note for a still-sleeping Aniston before heading to Firefly Studios.

...

Upon arriving at the Gravity set, the film's cinematographer, Nicole Frank, and visual effects supervisor Robert Byer were busy beside a large glass water tank. Aside from some trivial space scenes, most of the remaining principal photography for Gravity would revolve around this water tank. They planned to film the scenes where Ryan successfully exited his ill-fated capsule and painstakingly swam out from the lake's depths.

After greeting everyone, Eric climbed the ladder to the edge of the tank. Just as he steadied himself on the edge, a crew member wearing a wetsuit emerged from the water, carrying an underwater camera.

Taking the camera from the staff member, Nicole excitedly told Eric, "Eric, I thought of a new improvement for underwater shooting last night. Look at this lens -- I built this protective layer this morning, and it won't detract from the underwater shooting effects. We might even apply for a small patent! Come on, let's go see how the recent footage looks."

Underwater photography had always been a challenge in filmmaking, primarily due to the camera equipment. Even with impeccable waterproof capabilities, most cameras couldn't deliver the demanding visuals required for film.

Listening carefully to Nicole's explanation, Eric, alongside Robert Byer, hopped into the tank with her.

...

After an hour, Eric changed into a wetsuit, ready to conduct some tests himself when a studio guard walked in with an envelope, saying it was from Jonas Hayman, the manager of the Titanic Exhibition.

Confused, Eric took the envelope and opened it. Inside was just a note asking how he wanted to handle the girl from last night.

It took him a moment to realize that Jonas must be referring to Anne Hathaway. He remembered instructing the person last night to send her home. However, recalling the situation made it clear the issue was still on his end. It wasn't surprising that he had felt like he forgot something last night.

Chuckling, Eric casually folded the note and told the guard, "Tell whoever sent the message I'll be available in the afternoon. We can discuss it then."

...

After sending the visibly puzzled guard on his way, Eric donned his goggles and climbed back up to the top of the tank.

He had only planned morning work for the day. Around twelve-thirty, after wrapping up various adjustments for the underwater scenes, Nicole and Robert declined Eric's lunch invitation. They, along with a few other crew members, hastily left, eager to enjoy the last moments of their weekend.

Eric headed alone to the restaurant on the adjacent ship.

...

Ordering lunch, he thought about Anne Hathaway. Since Nicole and Robert weren't joining him, he asked the restaurant staff to summon her.

After being taken to an office last night, Anne Hathaway realized no one was minding her afterward. If it hadn't been for the seemingly courteous park manager saying that Eric Williams wanted to see her, she might have considered calling the police. The studio staff even locked the office door to prevent her from escaping.

Unable to wait any longer, she eventually lay on the couch and fell asleep for the night, only waking in the morning due to hunger. She hadn't eaten anything since managing to sneak into the party the previous afternoon.

Most of the park staff were busy cleaning up after last night's event, even Jonas Hayman had forgotten about her.

The office door remained locked. Anne Hathaway knocked for a while, but no one answered. She contemplated using the desk phone to call 911 but decided to wait patiently for regular office hours instead. Finally, someone heard her knocking and let her out.

It was a long, tiresome morning.

...

When Anne Hathaway entered the restaurant, she noticed that the food on Eric's plate was infinitely more appealing than the Hollywood mogul himself.

Heaven knows no one had thought to get her something to eat all morning.

Perhaps those around her thought women didn't need to eat.

Watching the girl, who appeared faint and starry-eyed-come over, Eric quickly understood what was going on. Amused, he pushed his lunch across the table to her. "If you don't mind, feel free to eat mine. I'll order another."

"Thank you, Mr. Williams."

The scent of the food activated her growling stomach, and she didn't hesitate to take him up on his offer. Gratefully, she started cutting a generous piece of muffin and eagerly stuffed it into her mouth.

Only after swallowing a mouthful did she stretch her neck comfortably and notice the man across from her smiling. That was when she suddenly realized she should probably be a bit more dignified. She discreetly adjusted her sitting posture and smiled politely at Eric, saying, "I apologize, Mr. Williams. I was just so hungry."

Eric instructed the waiter who had just arrived to prepare another meal for him while saying to Anne Hathaway, "No worries. If that's not enough, I can order you another."

Anne Hathaway quickly shook her head. "No, that won't be necessary; this is already plenty."

Eric picked up a bottle of water and twisted off the cap before handing it to her. "So, your name is Anne Hathaway?"

Taking the bottle, she took a small sip and replied, "Yes, actually I share the same name as Shakespeare's wife."

"That's interesting," Eric chuckled, "Do you know what Shakespeare named his son?"

Anne Hathaway blinked in surprise, then shook her head. "Sorry, Mr. Williams, I don't know."

Eric shrugged. "Neither do I."

Anne Hathaway seemed to find some humor in Eric's response, letting out a few giggles.

Eric thought the girl was a bit naive, and looking at her youthful face reminded him to ask, "By the way, how old are you?"

Pausing her eating, Anne Hathaway quickly steadied herself and smiled at Eric. "Mr. Williams, asking a girl's age is rather impolite."

Unfazed, Eric said, "What if I really want to know?"

There was a hint of petulance in Anne Hathaway's eyes, but she soon replied, "I'm twenty-one."

Eric observed her performance and opted not to call her out on it. He distinctly remembered her being eighteen during The Princess Diaries, a very famous Disney film from 2001. At the moment, the book version of The Princess Diaries hadn't even appeared yet.

Though he didn't wish to expose her, Eric shook his head, feigning disappointment. "What a shame. Disney happens to have a teen movie that needs a female lead. Your looks fit the bill, but your age is just a bit off. The role requires someone below eighteen."

Anne Hathaway's eyes widened, hesitation shadowing her face. "Um, Mr. Williams, actually I can play a girl under eighteen."

"But you're already twenty-one, so you've lost that youthful feel," Eric replied, shrugging. "I'll search for someone else instead."

Anne Hathaway's grip on her utensils stiffened for a moment. Biting her lip, she said, "Actually, Mr. Williams, I just lied."

"Oh?"

"My birthday is November 12th. I still have over a month until I turn eighteen. I just didn't want people to see me as a child. I apologize."

Eric couldn't help but smile. "Oh, that's fine. I also just lied; Disney doesn't actually have a film requiring a female lead under eighteen. What we need is someone under sixteen."

Even Anne Hathaway, though naive, realized Eric was just teasing her. Beneath her surface disappointment, she made no protest, simply smiled again at Eric.

Moments later, a waiter brought out Eric's lunch. As he leisurely picked up his utensils, Eric broke the silence again, watching Anne Hathaway, who had slowed down her eating once more. "So, how did you end up at the party last night?"

Suddenly embarrassed, Anne Hathaway looked down and said, "I waited outside the door for a long time, and then a single gentleman brought me in."

"Oh, he must have been a real good Samaritan."

"Yeah, but unfortunately, I accidentally lost him in the crowd yesterday, which caused the misunderstanding."

Eric casually enjoyed his meal while listening to the girl's whimsical tale, finding it quite entertaining.

...

After lunch, Eric stepped out of the restaurant, with Anne Hathaway trailing closely behind him as they headed over to the studio grounds.

Walking along the concrete pathway of the administration area, gazing at the immense shadows of the soundstages nearby, Anne Hathaway felt a surge of anticipation.

She came from a decent background, unlike many young men and women who arrived in Hollywood with nothing. Though she still had two months until she turned sixteen, with her father's help, she already had her professional agent. While it wasn't a big agency like ICM, it was enough to provide her with auditions that many young people dreamed of.

But standing beside Eric Williams now, she felt an even deeper sense of hope.

He was the richest man in the world, with a fortune of over a hundred billion. Anne Hathaway had no idea what that really meant, but she understood it was enough to afford anything one could desire. While she grew up in a comfortably middle-class family, it paled in comparison to the truly wealthy elite in America. Her childhood experiences attending wealthy gatherings with her father had left her longing for such a luxurious lifestyle.

Without a doubt, the man beside her could help her realize everything she wanted with just a wave of his hand.

...

The morning work for Gravity was already done. Eric didn't head to the soundstage again but made his way to his office, intending to take care of some accumulated emails in the afternoon.

In his office, Eric casually settled into his chair behind the desk and opened his computer. He also allowed Anne Hathaway the freedom to move around the office as she pleased, unconcerned about the girl whose fate he had already planned.

*****

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