Model to Holywood

"Let's sit here!"

It was just past 7 p.m., and after finishing their ad shoot, Luca and Aniston arrived at the café beneath the Koch Building.

After the two of them sat down, Aniston's assistant, Vina, left the booth.

Now, only the two of them remained.

"Jen, here's the script. Take a look!"

Luca handed Aniston a folder containing the script for *The Blind Side*.

"Thanks!"

Aniston opened the script and began reading it carefully.

Luca sat quietly across from her, not saying much. Occasionally, when he heard a soft chuckle from her, he would glance up and see Aniston smiling, clearly moved by the story.

*The Blind Side* tells the story of a young Black boy who becomes a football star with the help of a white family. It's a feel-good, inspirational movie.

Unlike many other films with a similar tone, *The Blind Side* is interwoven with everyday life scenes and filled with humorous moments, making the audience both laugh and feel deeply touched.

"Mrs. Tuohy's husband is quite the character, and the two kids are also very interesting. The characters are well-rounded," Aniston commented as she read.

"Yes, it's a white, upper-class family: a big house, loving parents, a well-behaved and beautiful daughter, and a cute, sensible son. It's the kind of family everyone dreams of."

The protagonist, on the other hand, is a Black child who never knew his father, and his mother is a troubled woman with addiction issues. He has over a dozen siblings, but he's never met any of them.

The intention behind this setup is to contrast the two families.

"Do you think there's really a family like this in the world?" Aniston asked.

"Of course, the world is vast, and anything is possible," Luca replied with a smirk.

"So, you don't believe it either, do you? I don't believe it myself," Aniston said with a slight shrug. "In reality, can a family really be that perfect? Mrs. Tuohy is so strong-willed, wouldn't her husband cheat? And Collins is so pretty, would she not date someone in school? And with all that money, wouldn't they ever face investment failures?"

"Well, it's a script, after all, Ms. Aniston," Luca reminded her.

"Haha, I'm just talking. All the families I know that are considered 'white elite' are perfect on the surface but actually filled with problems. I'm the same. The Tuohy family, though... it's quite enviable."

Aniston sighed softly.

Luca nodded slightly, choosing not to continue the conversation.

According to the news, Aniston's parents divorced when she was young, and she lived with her mother. Before making it big, she worked as a waitress, saleswoman, assistant, and more, living a fairly average life.

Once she became famous and wealthy, she married Brad Pitt.

Two big celebrities, it seemed like a fairytale.

But Brad Pitt had constant negative press, including reports of marijuana use, heavy drinking, promiscuity, and emotional issues.

Clearly, Brad Pitt wasn't as perfect as "Mr. Tuohy."

"This is a fantastic script," Aniston finally said after finishing. "Nia told me you were an Oscar-level screenwriter, and she was right."

"As long as you like it. I wrote it with you in mind," Luca said, not being modest, knowing the script was excellent.

"Thank you! I love it. It touches on race, humanity, society, family, and sports—all hot topics. I really like this script. So, let's talk about the collaboration."

"Wait a minute!" Luca gestured toward the script. "Jen, there are a few issues with the script that I should mention."

"What issues?"

"First, I'm not very familiar with American football, so for the game scenes, we'll need to consult an expert. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone like that."

"Really?" Aniston raised her eyebrows with a smile. "You hid it well, I didn't even notice. But that's a minor problem."

"The second issue is that we haven't received authorization from Michael or Mrs. Tuohy yet."

"That's also a minor issue. I can have my legal team handle it. Anything else?"

Luca paused. "Nothing for now."

"Okay! So, can we discuss the collaboration now?"

"Sure!"

The main part of their discussion involved the transfer of the script's rights. Aniston wanted to acquire the script outright.

Luca didn't mind, but when it came to the transfer fee, they hit a snag.

Aniston, not short on cash, offered $500,000 for the script.

But Luca didn't want the money. He wanted to use the script to settle a favor he owed someone.

Aniston, however, insisted.

In the end, they compromised.

Luca accepted a $200,000 transfer fee, and he agreed to serve as the executive screenwriter for the project.

"You're quite the stubborn one," Aniston teased, waving a small silver spoon.

"Why?" Luca chuckled.

"I've already told you the reason I picked you for this endorsement is because you're perfect for it, not because of me, and yet you keep going on about it," Aniston said, sounding annoyed.

"I wasn't arguing. I'm a new screenwriter, and you're the esteemed Ms. Aniston. The fact that you like my script is the highest form of praise. That recognition is more exciting than any amount of money. If I could, I'd trade this script for your autograph."

"Really?"

Aniston grabbed a pen and signed her name on a napkin. "Here, it's yours. No more transfer fee."

"Thank you, Jen! I'm so grateful. I'll treasure this, and looking at your signature every day will keep me motivated."

Luca carefully folded the napkin and placed it in his wallet.

"Haha, you're such a charmer. If you weren't so young, I'd think you were trying to flirt with me."

"I'm not that young," Luca countered.

"I know," Aniston replied with a wink, laughing softly.

Luca was a bit speechless. Aunt Rachel probably remembered the embarrassing moment he had the last time.

"Jen, I was talking about age. Many people say I'm like a 40 or 50-year-old man," Luca said seriously.

"I was talking about age, too. What did you think I was talking about?"

Aniston smirked, giving him a mock serious look.

"Uh..."

Luca felt a little awkward.

"Haha!"

Aniston chuckled. "Luca, I've been curious about something for a while. Can I ask you?"

"What is it?"

Luca looked puzzled.

Aniston brushed her hair back and slightly lowered her head. "Luca, do you have any... health issues?"

"Yes, I once fractured my spine, but I'm fully recovered now."

"That's not what I meant."

Aniston rolled her eyes and pointed to his stomach. "Do you have any issues with your... prostate? Otherwise, how could that have happened so suddenly? Ahem. If it's too personal, you don't have to answer."

Luca's mouth twitched. This question was a bit over the line.

"Jen, I'm fine. It... it's fine."

"Then what about last time?" Aniston asked, making a small gesture with her hands.

"Last time... It probably had too much to drink. Yes, that must have been it. You saw that glass of champagne."

"Haha!"

"Listen! Jen is laughing again."

In the booth next to them, one of Aniston's assistants was speaking with another.

"Jen has been down lately because of the gossip surrounding Pitt, but she's already laughed over ten times today with Luca. She's even laughed so much that her makeup is smudged," one young assistant remarked with a smile.

"Mmm-hmm," Vina responded, flipping through her schedule.

"Vina, rumor has it that Luca knows how to charm women. Do you think Jen..."

"Shut up!" Vina cut her off coldly. "Did you forget what I taught you? As an assistant, keep your curiosity in check, your mouth shut, and your focus on work."

"I know, but isn't Jen's mood part of our job too?"

"Yes, and as long as you know that, it's fine. Just don't talk about it with anyone else, especially about Mr. Pitt. Last time, someone said something about him to Jen, and she was really upset. I hope it wasn't you."

"Of course not! I'm Jen's assistant."

"Good. As long as you understand," Vina said, turning back to her work.

In her notebook was a diagram of Aniston's personal relationships, with many names listed—Luca's among them. Initially, his label was "friend -," but it had now been updated to "friend +."

This change meant the team would pay more attention to him going forward.

After making this note, she glanced at the time. It was past 9 p.m.—time for a break. Should she remind them?

"Luca, it's settled then. See you on set!"

"Okay, Jen, see you on set!"

Hearing the farewell behind her, Vina quickly stood up and left the booth.

Thanks to reader Demon杰 for your support and tips!