Seeing Lainie frown slightly, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of concern.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “It’s just that… this pen clearly holds great sentimental value for you. It might even have a long history. I don’t want to take something so precious from you.” Lainie hesitated, then reluctantly handed the pen back to me.

  She wasn’t wrong. This pen had some history—it was manufactured in Poland in the 1960s.

  I gently pushed it back into her hands. “This pen was my grandfather’s keepsake. The dragon engraving on it is actually my family’s emblem. But for a man like me, the little hidden dagger doesn’t serve much purpose. For a beautiful lady like you, however, it’s far more fitting. So please, keep it.”

  Lainie’s face lit up with delight as she accepted the pen and smiled warmly at me.

  A bright flash suddenly flickered—click! A photographer had just captured the moment.

  “Mr. Corleone, Miss Lainie, could you pose for another shot together?” The man, clearly a journalist, asked eagerly.

  Lainie and I exchanged glances, then moved closer and posed for the camera.

  The banquet was a great success. Lainie was surrounded by enthusiastic guests. Just as I was about to invite her for a dance when the music started, Malskrov suddenly pulled me aside into a separate room.

  “Andrei, where do you plan to have your film processed after shooting wraps up?” Old Ma asked, glancing toward the doorway to make sure no one was listening.

  “I haven’t decided yet. I figured I’d find a lab tomorrow,” I answered with a casual smile.

  Malskrov lowered his voice. “Kid, you need to be careful with that. A lot of directors have fallen into traps when it comes to film processing. Some naive fool hands their film over to a random lab, only to later discover that the place is secretly owned by a rival studio. Their painstaking work ends up stolen and credited to someone else. You’re young—you might not realize how cutthroat this business is. If someone offers to process your film for free, be extra cautious.”

  “Mr. Malskrov, thank you for the advice. I’ll keep it in mind.” He was right. Hollywood was a battlefield, and if you weren’t careful, you’d end up buried before you even realized what happened.

  “I told you—drop the ‘Mister’! Call me Old Ma!” He frowned in mock annoyance.

  “Alright, Old Ma, I’ll be careful.”

  “Do you want me to recommend a few reliable labs for you?” His expression was sincere.

  Wait a minute… Didn’t he just warn me about this exact thing? I thought to myself. Now he wants me to trust his contacts?

  “No need. It’s a small matter—I can handle it myself.” I smiled and excused myself.

  Though Old Ma had been kind to me, I couldn’t fully trust anyone in this industry. To be safe, I had to rely on myself.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  As I exited the room, lost in thought, I accidentally bumped into someone.

  “My apologies, I didn’t mea—” I stopped mid-sentence when I saw who it was—none other than the seductive Heidi Lamarr.

  “What are you doing here?!” Her expression was as if she had just spotted an alien.

  “And why wouldn’t I be here?” I shot back, not in the mood to be polite.

  “You—!” Heidi’s face darkened as she gave me a once-over, then reached out and dusted off the collar of my suit. “My dear director, is this what you chose to wear to Lainie’s birthday party? This suit looks like it belongs in a museum!”

  I smirked. “You’re absolutely right, Miss High and Mighty. And would you believe it? I actually rented this near-antique. We poor folks don’t have the luxury of throwing money around like you do—we earn our living one penny at a time.”

  “You country bumpkin! You—” Heidi was shaking with rage, just about to lash out, when Lainie appeared beside us.

  “You two know each other?” Lainie asked, linking arms with Heidi affectionately.

  “You two… also know each other?” I asked, utterly baffled. I never would have guessed these two were friends—they seemed like total opposites, like parallel lines that should never intersect.

  “We’re very good friends,” Lainie said with a smug little tilt of her chin.

  Heidi shot me a glance, then nudged Lainie playfully. “Lainie, you invited this bumpkin?”

  “Heidi! Andrei is my guest. How could you say that?” Lainie’s face turned serious.

  “Oh, look at you, getting all defensive already?” Heidi teased. “Heavens, the ever-finicky Lainie, who normally can’t even stand the sight of men, has finally been struck by Cupid’s arrow?”

  Lainie blushed furiously and swung a playful fist at Heidi. The two of them started giggling and playfully shoving each other.

  I was quite enjoying the spectacle when someone suddenly slapped me on the back. Turning around, I found myself face to face with a furious Mitter Cohen.

  “You. Come with me.” His voice dripped with hostility.

  I sighed and followed him to a quiet corner, where he glared at me as if he wanted to strangle me.

  “Listen up, you son of a b*tch. Stop circling around Heidi like some stray dog. She doesn’t like broke nobodies. I am the one meant for her—you got that?! Stay the hell away! If I ever see you talking to her again, you won’t leave Hollywood alive!” He spat in my face as he raged.

  I wiped my face calmly and smirked. “Mr. Cohen, you listen to me now—I have no interest in Heidi. So there’s no need for you to bark at me like some rabid mutt. If I were you, I’d focus on winning the girl I like instead of wasting time threatening someone else. You claim to be a tough guy from the West, but right now, you’re acting more like a jealous brothel maid.”

  With that, I turned on my heel and walked away. After a few steps, I spun back around and added, “Oh, and by the way—your tie is a disaster. It completely clashes with your suit.”

  Cohen stood frozen, staring at me in shock. Then he glanced down at his tie, then at his suit, before turning on his assistant in fury. “Goddamn it! I told you this tie was a mistake, and you insisted it looked fine! With an idiot like you working for me, no wonder I’m having the worst luck!”

  Annoyed by my spat with Cohen, I retreated to a quiet corner to hang out with Fatty and the others. Around 10:30, Fox approached me, warmly recommending a film lab owned by his company and even offering to process my film for free. Looking at his kind, mentor-like expression, I couldn’t help but recall Old Ma’s warning. Hollywood truly was a treacherous place.

  I politely declined Fox’s offer and lost all desire to stay. At around 10:30, I found Lainie to say my goodbyes.

  “Why not stay a little longer? The party doesn’t end until midnight!” Lainie protested.

  “Oh my, Lainie dear, getting a bit attached, are we?” Heidi smirked before turning to me. “If you’re worried about getting home safely, I can escort you. I’ll make sure you arrive at your dream factory in one piece.”

  “Stop teasing!” Lainie scolded, rolling her eyes at Heidi before turning back to me. “Andrei, please stay a bit longer. My father stepped out for some business but will be back soon. You should at least say goodbye to him.”

  Seeing the hope in her eyes, I shook my head. “No need. Please convey my gratitude to Mr. Malskrov. Without his invitation, we poor folks wouldn’t even be allowed through this hotel’s doors. Miss Lainie, I truly enjoyed your birthday party. Happy birthday, and farewell.”

  I gave her a formal bow before turning and leaving with my friends.

  Lainie stood there, staring after me, her face flushed.

  “Lainie, are you smitten?” Heidi teased, nudging her friend playfully.

  Lainie’s cheeks burned even redder.