The night was hazy, and the gentle moonlight draped a thin veil over the City of Angels.
The entire city, vibrant yet dreamy, danced gracefully in the embrace of the ocean. The faint noise lingered in the bustling areas, while the calm of the residential neighborhoods reflected a life far removed from the glamour of Hollywood.
"Hey, Anson."
Anson had just stepped out of the car when he heard a voice calling from behind. Turning around, he saw Lucas leaning out from the driver's seat.
"If you don't know how to start the conversation, you can let your agent handle it. That's what they're supposed to do—deal with the thankless tasks."
Anson thought of Edgar's pale face from that morning and a smile crept onto his lips. He quipped, "You know it's a thankless task, huh?"
Lucas remained unfazed. "Anson, welcome to the adult world."
He paused for a moment.
Lucas added, "Or, I could step in."
"Haha," Anson chuckled. "If it requires a non-disclosure agreement, I'll call the captain or you. But saying goodbye to a friend? I can handle that myself."
Lucas didn't say anything, but his eyes clearly reflected his concern.
Anson's smile faded slightly. "Don't worry, I can handle it. You should head back to the hotel. I know Mom and Dad are waiting for your update. I'm sure you'll give them a satisfactory answer."
Lucas detected something unusual in Anson's tone and tilted his head. "Anson Wood, are you threatening me?"
Anson nodded seriously. "Yes."
Lucas: …
Anson burst into laughter. He didn't linger any longer and turned toward the brightly lit villa.
Lucas watched Anson's back silently.
If he could, he wished Anson could stay carefree, living in an ivory tower of fairy tales; but reality doesn't work that way.
Growing up means facing the complicated reality of life.
Anson walked to the door and, still not hearing the engine start, turned and waved to Lucas. After watching him drive away, he finally opened the door to his home.
The hall was brightly lit.
Anson took a look around. Every corner of the first floor was illuminated, even the storage room, creating a party-like atmosphere. But the space was empty, and in the bright light, the emptiness felt even more pronounced—a sense of loneliness and emptiness quietly spread in the light.
Only Chris Evans was there.
Chris was sitting alone, cross-legged in front of the coffee table in the living room. There were two packs of beer and an unopened bottle of wine on the table. He stared blankly at the beer, not moving or making a sound, lost in his thoughts. He didn't even notice when Anson entered.
"...Chris?"
Anson hesitated and called out.
Chris turned his head sharply, his smile immediately brightening.
"Anson!"
"Hey, you're back!"
Anson looked around the hall, worried that someone might jump out from a corner any second. "So, what kind of party are you preparing for here?"
Chris scrambled to his feet. "Yes, I was planning a party, but after making a few calls, I suddenly felt it was pointless, so I canceled it."
For a moment, Anson didn't know how to respond, feeling at a loss for words. "Uh..."
Chris smiled and waved his hand. "It's nothing, just that Johnny Depp moved into a new house and threw a party. Everyone's invited—literally everyone. He welcomes everyone."
"So, who could refuse Johnny Depp?"
"Honestly, I was tempted too, haha."
Although Chris's words were light and his expression was bright, Anson still caught the bitterness and disappointment in his tone.
Anson guessed that Chris's friends had chosen Johnny Depp's party over his.
To make it worse, they probably had initially agreed to attend Chris's party but then canceled with excuses, only for Chris to find out they all went to another party instead—not because of any sudden issues or illnesses, but because of Johnny Depp.
That's the reality of the fame game.
By the way, it was true that Charles was working on Johnny Depp's new house, just not at the same time. Johnny wasn't going on a Caribbean vacation; in fact, he had just returned from one. Charles would meet with Johnny next week for a meeting.
But Chris didn't want to talk about it, so Anson didn't press further.
Anson took off his denim jacket. "So, what's the theme of tonight's party?"
Chris paused. "You're not going to Johnny Depp's party?"
Anson looked at Chris. "What, you're not inviting me to your party? Chris, I didn't think you were that kind of person."
Chris quickly waved his hands, realizing a bit late that Anson was joking. "No, it's just... uh, I landed another lead role, filming starts next month in Vancouver!"
"Wow!" Anson raised his hands high to celebrate for Chris. "Chris Evans, the lead actor!"
Chris's smile fully bloomed. "It's just a mid-budget production, still a high school comedy, nothing groundbreaking."
He was still a bit reserved and modest.
"But Anson, are you sure you don't want to go to Johnny Depp's party? I thought you came back just to change clothes and then..."
Anson spread his hands. "Chris, tonight's star isn't Johnny, okay?"
"If you don't believe me, look outside. There's no driver waiting for me. I'm serious."
And it was true.
Indeed, Charles received an invitation, and if Anson wanted to go, he could have. But after a long day out, neither Charles nor Anson felt like partying, so they all went home to rest.
But since Chris had something to celebrate, Anson decided to stay.
"So, tell me about this project, Mr. High School Heartthrob."
Chris immediately shot back, "Is this heartthrob of millions of girls trying to insult me?"
Anson shrugged. "I know you're jealous, but some things are just natural gifts. Unless you get reborn, there's nothing you can do about it."
Chris raised a beer bottle. "When it comes to narcissism, I concede defeat."
After taking a big gulp, Chris couldn't contain his excitement and joy. "But seriously, this project is really exciting."
"The script and characters are super fun. It's not another high school romance comedy, but a crime comedy. We're a bunch of students planning to steal exam papers to cheat, haha."
"I've always dreamed of a script like this."
It seemed like a natural extension of the heist genre, with movies like Ocean's Eleven and The Italian Job dominating screens. Now, this trend was reaching the high school setting, just with a different target.
If Anson remembered correctly, this project should be The Perfect Score.
Chris was about to continue when the sudden sound of the door opening interrupted him.
"Chris? Chris!"
"Oh, here's the man of the hour. Congrats!"
Turning around, Anson saw none other than the smiling James Franco.