"Did your agent come to complain about us?" Lucas asked with an air of self-righteousness, which made Anson smile.
"If he did, would you apologize?" Anson replied.
"Absolutely not," Lucas answered without a moment's hesitation, his response quick and firm.
Anson chuckled, "Why am I not surprised? But don't worry, the Captain isn't the type to complain. He didn't say anything bad about you guys."
Charles and Nora exchanged a surprised glance.
Lucas nodded approvingly, "I'm starting to think better of him."
Anson held up the script in his hand to indicate, "He was just delivering a script."
"Another audition?" Charles asked, shifting his attention back.
Anson shook his head, "No, just a project. They're asking if I'm interested."
Charles let out a low whistle, "Wow, so now you've got options? You can land a role without even auditioning?"
Anson hadn't realized it until Charles pointed it out. "This is the first time." A smile spread across his face. "So, what do you think? Do you see me as a Hollywood superstar now?"
Charles maintained his usual calm demeanor, shaking his head lightly with a gentlemanly grace.
But Lucas didn't miss a beat, filling the silence with his bluntness, "No. Honestly, I don't get why those girls scream. They really should get their eyes checked."
"Lucas!" Nora, who had been quietly observing Anson, finally intervened, scolding him. Lucas shut his mouth obediently. Nora turned back to Anson, her gaze softening. "No matter what, you're still the same in our eyes."
Anson shrugged, "Fair enough."
He looked at Lucas and countered with a jab, "If you screamed at me, that would be the real American Horror Story."
Lucas seemed to picture the scene for a moment, shivering as he brushed imaginary goosebumps off his arms.
The sight made Anson burst into laughter.
Charles, who had remained composed throughout, seized the opportunity to change the subject, "Anson, are you really not planning to buy a house?"
How many times had they brought this up today?
Anson raised an eyebrow, "You all seem very insistent on me moving out today."
Buying a house was just an excuse.
Seeing Nora about to explain, Charles simply nodded, "Yes, I don't want you living here anymore."
His straightforward admission caught Anson off guard.
Nora took a deep breath, reverting to her usual no-nonsense approach, "That's right."
"Lucas is right to be concerned. Living here without proper security measures in place, you're constantly harassed by paparazzi. You can't even rest properly."
"Now that your career is taking off, it's time to find your own place and have a space you can truly call your own."
Anson… felt a bit skeptical.
He glanced over at Lucas.
Lucas didn't try to hide his thoughts, "We're also worried that what happened with Hayden and Brad might just be the beginning."
"This is the nature of the fame game. The higher you climb, the fewer friends you'll have. More and more people with ulterior motives will try to get close to you."
Lucas noticed that Anson wasn't objecting, so he continued, softening his tone as he spoke. "Anson."
"I'm not saying your other two roommates are bad people. For now, they're still your friends. But your career is taking off while theirs are still stagnant. Living under the same roof, don't you think they might feel a certain way about that?"
"Even if they don't have any bad intentions, and even if they've never thought of harming you, it might still weigh on them late at night."
"Keeping a bit of distance not only protects you but also protects the friendship."
"You'll still be friends, and you can even help them find auditions or acting opportunities. But maintaining separate living spaces is good for the friendship."
"As unfortunate as it is, that's the reality."
Anson remained silent, deep in thought.
Nora, sensing his hesitation, glanced at Charles reproachfully, unable to hide her concern. She couldn't help but softly call out, "Anson."
"Mom," Anson interrupted her.
He took a deep breath, raising his head to meet their concerned gazes.
"I understand. Lucas is right, and it's my own fault for not seeing it sooner."
It might be harsh, it might be unfortunate, but Lucas's viewpoint was correct.
In Anson's eyes, James Franco and Chris Evans were future superstars, destined for great things in Hollywood. Even though James's career would later be marred by a scandal, both he and Chris would go on to be A-listers.
But that's the future.
For now, they were still not there.
The success of "Spider-Man" had brought massive attention, but James, as the Green Goblin, didn't get much of the spotlight. Even though he seemed unbothered now, over time, things could change.
Of course, even if he didn't consider their feelings, for his own sake, Anson needed to move out.
Sometimes you need an outside perspective to see things clearly.
He exhaled slowly, a smile returning to his face.
"Well, since you're all here, why don't we take advantage of the break and go look at some houses?"
Although Anson was smiling, Nora could sense a hint of sadness beneath it—facing the harsh realities of fame was tough.
"Lucas!" Nora called out again.
Lucas, used to taking the blame all his life, instinctively ducked his head, "Sorry."
"Mom, Lucas didn't do anything wrong," Anson said with a laugh.
Nora chuckled as well, "It's just a reflex, sorry, a reflex." She gave Lucas a look but turned her attention back to Anson. "So, what do you have in mind? Any particular area you're interested in?"
"Beverly Hills?"
"If funds are an issue, your father and I can help."
Before Charles could respond, Lucas spoke up, "Anson's account is with me. If there's any shortfall, I'll cover it."
Noticing the looks from his parents, Lucas added, "Anson gave me some tips, and I've made some money over the past year."
It took Anson a moment to realize—like Ashton Kutcher, he could start his own venture capital firm with Lucas, investing in companies he believed in. It would be a win-win.
"Hey, did you all forget about me?"
"I'm Spider-Man, remember?"
But then he saw the confused looks on their faces, realizing that they probably weren't aware of the box office history "Spider-Man" was making.
Anson turned to Lucas, knowing that with the pay from Sony-Columbia, Lucas would understand soon enough.
"The earnings from this movie are still being calculated, but they should exceed ten million."
He expected them to be shocked, but instead, Nora turned away to wipe her eyes.
Charles looked at him with pride, "Our Anson has grown up, earning his first ten million. So, what gift would you like? Anything you want."
This was not the reaction Anson expected, and he was momentarily stunned.
Charles didn't notice and continued, "Lucas, what do you think of Beverly Hills? Is it private and secure enough?"
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