(TN: Thx Ali Rafuhan, appreciate the dedication)
Drew's joining changed everything in an instant.
After the initial shock, Landon's heart was filled with joy, though his face wore a look of helplessness.
Cameron's initial panic began to melt away in a strange way when she met the look in Drew's eyes—the look of a best friend who had something good and wanted to share it.
They were close friends of many years, 'Angels' who had shared countless secrets and fought side-by-side in the Hollywood jungle.
As for Landon, after his initial extreme astonishment, watching this scene beyond imagination, a certain adventurous factor in his body was challenged and ignited; mixed with physical instinct, he accepted this sudden plot twist.
Rules were silently rewritten, and boundaries quietly blurred.
Under the dim light, breaths intertwined and figures overlapped as a celebration that began between two people evolved into an even more exhausting and crazy New York night.
Outside the hotel window, the city lights flowed silently, as if keeping a quiet watch over the extraordinary plot unfolding inside the suite.
When the first ray of morning light tried to peek through the gap in the heavy curtains, Landon opened his eyes to find himself lying on his side, holding Drew.
At the same time, he could feel Cameron's presence against his back.
As soon as Landon moved, Drew woke up as well.
She instantly recalled the heavenly joy of last night, feeling glad that she had taken the initiative to join in; otherwise, she would never have experienced such ultimate pleasure.
This was completely different from the drug-induced happiness of her ignorant youth; this was pleasure in a state of sobriety.
Drew turned around and saw Landon looking at her. Ignoring the fact that she hadn't brushed her teeth yet, she kissed him directly.
The movement finally woke Cameron behind him. Seeing her boyfriend being monopolized by her best friend, she didn't feel any unhappiness.
She knew she couldn't handle him on her own. She stretched her back, thinking she would be exhausted today after such a crazy night, but she found herself full of energy.
Landon and Drew finally noticed Cameron was awake. After Landon gave Cameron a kiss, he got out of bed.
He had to get back to the crew. He quickly got up, washed up, and left first.
The door closed, leaving Cameron and Drew on the bed whispering to each other, amidst a slightly messy bed and a half-empty bottle of brandy.
When Cameron and Drew finally got up to wash, they looked at each other in disbelief upon seeing the tightened skin on their faces. Could ultimate pleasure really have such an effect?
When Cameron, Drew, and Lucy Liu gathered again, they set off together for an interview with Rolling Stone.
During the interview, when asked about 'the understanding and trust between women,' Drew and Cameron's answers were more meaningful than the script intended, and their smiles were exceptionally bright.
Landon, meanwhile, had to stay incredibly sharp, trying to maintain a balance between the intense work on set and the occasional flashbacks of last night's absurd memories.
This sudden development in the plotline undoubtedly placed higher demands on the participants' mental control and physical stamina. Fortunately, Landon was quite battle-hardened and managed to hold his own.
In the morning, in the hotel's underground garage, Bruce picked him up as usual.
As soon as he sat in the car, Landon caught a massive eye-roll from Zoe next to him, filled with undisguised contempt, dissatisfaction, and perhaps a hint of frustration that Zoe herself hadn't noticed?
Choked by that eye-roll, Landon felt a bit guilty, and his gaze unconsciously drifted to the streets receding outside the window. He grumbled in his heart: This girl is getting more and more out of line, even daring to give her boss attitude?
But since he was ultimately in the wrong, he kept his mouth shut and said nothing.
Arriving at the set of A Beautiful Mind, a different kind of pressure hit him.
Jennifer Connelly was already putting on her makeup. When she saw him, her expression was still cheerful, showing no signs of dissatisfaction.
However, that scrutinizing look clearly asked why he hadn't returned last night. A single look was enough to give Landon a headache.
Fortunately, Landon had no scenes scheduled for the morning shoot, allowing him to temporarily avoid Jennifer's direct questioning and gain some space to breathe and think.
At noon, Zoe handed him the buzzing phone.
The call was from Dr. Dre, informing him that tonight's recording of In Da Club was canceled.
He mentioned that Eminem's secret performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom last night went extremely well with an enthusiastic response, and there were some follow-up matters to handle.
However, Dre made it clear that recording could resume tomorrow night, and the progress wouldn't be affected much.
This unexpected break gave Landon a sigh of relief and also gave him an excuse for the evening, so he wouldn't have to allocate time to the recording studio.
Taking the lunch pizza provided by the crew, Landon braced himself and sat down next to Jennifer.
While eating the pizza, his brain worked rapidly, thinking about how to explain his disappearance last night.
However, the expected interrogation never came.
Jennifer ate her salad in small bites, occasionally chatting with him about interesting things on set or her understanding of the script, her expression natural.
It was as if the person who had waited alone last night and prepared a special script wasn't her.
She even said considerately, 'Your dark circles are a bit heavy. Recording must have been hard lately, right? You should get some rest.'
Landon's prepared excuses got stuck in his throat, leaving him momentarily dazed.
He realized that this wasn't because Jennifer didn't care or was truly deceived.
On the contrary, Jennifer understood better than most that in this industry, binding a man as young, dazzling, and destined to attract countless eyes as Landon too tightly wasn't necessarily a good thing.
She maintained her indulgence toward Landon, preserved her own dignity, and left Landon some breathing room.
In fact, this 'indulgence' wasn't unique to Jennifer.
Whether it was Tracy and Rachel far away in Los Angeles, or Catherine Zeta-Jones who had changed the trajectory of her fate, these mature women who had intertwined with his life all tacitly followed a certain unwritten 'rule'.
Being in Hollywood, they knew the nature of the game all too well.
To expect an eighteen-year-old boy in his prime, ambitious and overflowing with talent, to immediately settle down and be loyal to only one person?
That would be nothing short of a fairy tale.
When the crew finished filming in the afternoon, Landon said to Jennifer with a hint of apology:
"I have to go record again tonight. It might be very late, maybe... I might not be able to come back!"
Jennifer looked up at him, her amber pupils appearing exceptionally transparent in the afterglow of the setting sun.
She nodded gently and then gave him a peck on the lips. "Work is important. Remember not to stay up too late and protect your voice."
Jennifer didn't follow up with questions or show any displeasure, calmly accepting the reason he gave.
She could never have imagined that Landon's nightlife was far richer and more complex than she could ever conceive.
And tonight, with Cameron and Drew, was destined to be another unforgettable night for Landon.