An American-style memorial service isn't all that different from a party—just with darker tones and a less cheerful vibe.
Dunn wanted to bring Natalie along, but she flat-out refused. She didn't have the thick skin for it! Kirk Douglas had just died—partly because of her—and now she was supposed to show up at his memorial pretending to mourn? That felt way too shameless, even for her.
Dunn slapped his thigh and declared, "Fine, I'll play Zhuge Liang this time!"
So, he took Scarlett with him to Michael Douglas's mansion instead.
Kirk Douglas's body was laid out at the funeral home. Dunn and Scarlett bowed to his large portrait, and that was pretty much the end of the ceremony.
"Michael, my condolences," Dunn said with a sigh, giving Michael Douglas a light hug. Then he turned to Catherine Zeta-Jones and pulled her into a much warmer embrace. "Don't be too sad."
Catherine murmured a soft "Mmm," biting her lip. "I know."
In the past, if Dunn so much as glanced at her, Michael Douglas would've been furious. Everyone in the industry knew Dunn's reputation. But right now, Michael had bigger things on his mind. He didn't care about a hug—or even if Dunn pushed the boundaries further. He might just grit his teeth and pretend not to notice.
Women? They were replaceable.
His career in Hollywood? That was the real priority!
With plenty of mourners around, Michael didn't have the energy to play host. He invited Dunn and Scarlett up to the study, and out of politeness, Catherine Zeta-Jones joined them.
Once they settled in the study, Dunn let out a long sigh. "Mr. Douglas Sr. was a filmmaker I deeply respected. I never imagined he'd be gone just like that."
Catherine Zeta-Jones couldn't help but smirk. Dunn Walker sure knew how to put on an act! She sat off to the side with Scarlett, quietly chatting about other things. This was Dunn's little girlfriend, after all—she had to make an effort to get on her good side.
Michael Douglas, his face full of grief, said, "Maybe that's just fate."
Dunn nodded, giving him a meaningful look. "There's been a lot of rumors flying around lately—some even saying I had a beef with Mr. Douglas Sr. Total nonsense! He was the filmmaker I admired most! I don't care about gossip, but spreading irresponsible stuff like this right after his passing? That's disrespectful to the dead."
Michael straightened up. "Here's what we'll do: at tomorrow's funeral, when I give my speech, I'll make it clear. My father used to talk about you all the time, saying you're the brightest rising star in Hollywood. He really admired you."
Dunn smiled, clearly pleased. "That's perfect. It'll clear my name too. Ha, rumors can really do a number on you!"
Michael chimed in, "Yeah, there's always people out there stirring up trouble."
Dunn nodded again. "Oh, by the way, Marvel Studios is prepping a new movie, Ant-Man. There's an important role still up for grabs—the original Ant-Man, while the lead's the second generation. If you're up for it, I'd love to work with you. It'd be a nice way to… shut down the rumors, you know?"
"Absolutely!" Michael blurted out without a second thought.
He wasn't a top-tier actor anymore, and with his biggest backer gone, a chance to collaborate with Dunn was too good to pass up. Superhero movie or not, it didn't matter.
Their conversation flowed smoothly, as if nothing had ever happened between them. Even Catherine Zeta-Jones was stunned watching it unfold. It gave her a deeper understanding of Hollywood's men—and the harsh reality of the industry.
The chain of self-interest was brutal!
"Dunn, I heard the first cut of Chicago is done?" Catherine asked, shifting the focus. It was the thing she cared about most right now.
She'd poured everything into that film—grueling dance rehearsals, vocal training, even climbing into Dunn's bed one night to butter him up—all in hopes of breaking through with a musical and snagging some awards. But with Kirk Douglas gone, the Douglas family's sway over the Academy had shrunk to almost nothing. Now, all her hopes rested on Dunn.
Dunn knew exactly what she was thinking and grinned. "I've seen the rough cut. Your performance? It's a standout."
"Really?" Her eyes lit up.
"Relax," Dunn said. "This movie's gonna take your career to a whole new level."
"Thank you, thank you!" Catherine's face flushed with charm, her words dripping with flattery.
Michael frowned, nearly losing it, but he held himself back. Seeing his wife flirt with another man right in front of him? Humiliating!
"Well, you guys chat. I'll head downstairs to greet some friends—couple of senators are stopping by soon," Michael said, excusing himself.
Dunn figured it was time to go too. This wasn't the place for anything wild—though the thought was tempting!
After a quick chat with Catherine, he left with Scarlett.
On the drive back, Scarlett couldn't help but whisper, "Sweetheart, did you… ever have something with Mrs. Douglas?"
Dunn chuckled. "Have what?"
She hesitated. "I don't know… the way she looks at you just feels off."
He tapped her head playfully. "You're young, but your instincts are sharp."
"Wait, it's true?!" Scarlett's mouth dropped open.
Dunn smirked at her. "What, you jealous?"
"No," she paused, "just… surprised. She's married. Is that okay?"
He laughed, half-amused, half-exasperated. "What do you mean, 'Is that okay?' It takes two to tango, you know—both sides wanted it."
"Oh," Scarlett said softly. "But I feel like you've already got enough women. Do you really need to mess with someone who's married?"
Dunn nodded thoughtfully. "Fair point. Truth is, it only happened once, and it was… an accident, sort of a lesson for the Douglas family. But it does show you the difference between exceptional men and exceptional women."
Scarlett tilted her head, curious. "What's that?"
He leaned in close, whispering so the driver wouldn't hear, "Women are a man's battlefield. The more you conquer, the more exceptional you are—like me."
She scrunched her brows. "And exceptional women?"
"It's the opposite," Dunn said. "The fewer men a woman's been with, the higher her value, the more exceptional she is."
Scarlett blinked, a little confused, still processing it.
---
The next morning, Scarlett and Natalie got up at the same time.
"Sweetie, can you help me hook my bra?" Scarlett asked.
Both of them were standing there naked, getting dressed—a situation that already pushed Natalie's comfort zone. Scarlett's casual "sweetie" made it even more awkward. They'd shared a bed last night, serving Dunn together, even getting intimate in the process. They were as close as sisters could be. But hearing "sweetie" still made Natalie flinch.
After a moment's hesitation, she helped anyway.
"Thanks," Scarlett said with a sweet smile, glancing at the purple bra in Natalie's hands. "Need a hand?"
"No, I'm good," Natalie replied, quickly turning away. She was fine with Dunn seeing her body, but not so much with others—especially Scarlett, whose figure was so striking, so curvaceous, it was impossible not to stare. Even Natalie couldn't help sneaking a few glances.
By comparison, her own body felt… average. She was a B-cup; Scarlett was a D. Two whole sizes apart. Natalie hated losing at anything, but in the looks department, she felt outmatched by Scarlett and couldn't help feeling a little insecure.
Thankfully, Dunn never brought it up.
Then Scarlett remembered Dunn's talk about "exceptional men and women" from the night before and decided to ask Natalie about it. "She's super smart—she'll get it, right?" Scarlett thought, before repeating what Dunn had said.
Natalie froze for a second.
"What's wrong?" Scarlett asked, puzzled.
Natalie shook her head, her expression conflicted. After a long pause, she took a deep breath, like she was steeling herself, and finally said through gritted teeth, "He's right."
"Huh?" Scarlett's jaw dropped again.
"I've only been with one man—him," Natalie said calmly. "An exceptional woman should stay pure for her man."
Scarlett's eyes sparkled as it clicked. She grinned, leaning in to whisper, "No wonder the girls in the other two bedrooms are just companions, while we're the girlfriends, hehe."
Her warm breath tickled Natalie's ear, and suddenly, flashes of last night—both of them with Dunn in bed—flooded her mind. Her ears turned bright red, and she couldn't keep up her cool older-sister vibe anymore. Flustered, she looked away. "Hurry up and get dressed. Time to work out!"
"Alright!" Scarlett giggled, happily humming a song Dunn had written for her. "I kissed a girl just to try it, hope my boyfriend doesn't mind it. It felt so wrong, it felt so right…"
Natalie's neck flushed pink under her fair skin as her heart raced. She wanted to tell Scarlett not to kiss her again next time they were with Dunn. But the words stuck in her throat.
Like the lyrics said: "This wasn't what good girls do, not how they should behave. My head's all messed up now, can't play it straight. I kissed a girl, and I liked it…"
Scarlett's lips were soft, captivating—so different from Dunn's roughness.