After finishing a delicious and lively breakfast, Luca kissed a still-sleeping Lima goodbye and drove to the Ford Models agency.
In Ed's office, sunlight streamed through the window, faintly illuminating the small particles floating in the air. The rich aroma of coffee filled the room as another page on the desk flipped over.
"Luca, you're here!" Ed greeted him as he put down his work.
"You keep nagging me to come to work. How could I not?" Luca replied, sitting down with a yawn.
"Luca, young men need to learn moderation," Ed said, pouring him a cup of coffee.
"I know," Luca chuckled softly and took the cup. "How many scripts have you collected lately? Let's have a look."
"Sure!" Ed ducked under the desk, rummaged around, and placed a cardboard box on the table. "They're all here. Take a look!"
"Only eight scripts?" Luca counted, unimpressed. "I thought it would be a big pile. You scared me for nothing."
"These are the ones I already filtered for you. There's a bigger pile if you want to see the rest," Ed grinned.
"I'll start with what you picked," Luca said, waving his hand. He opened the scripts and began reading, quickly going through titles like Stealth from Columbia Pictures, The Devil's Rejects from Lionsgate, The Grudge from Dimension Films, and a few smaller indie films.
It took him less than two hours to finish them all.
None were impressive.
Either they were box-office flops, or he had never heard of them. Ed clearly lacked a good eye for picking scripts.
Luca then grabbed the remaining dozen or so scripts. After going through them, his disappointment deepened.
"Well?" Ed asked as he re-entered the office.
"Not great," Luca replied, tossing the script aside and shaking his head.
"How could that be?" Ed pointed to the scripts. "Stealth is a big-budget film, $130 million. The lead is this year's Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor, Jamie Foxx. You'd be the third lead."
"The Devil's Rejects is a sequel to a decent box-office hit. The second one should do well too."
"The Grudge is a horror movie from Dimension Films. The script is interesting."
"And the rest are indie films, the type you love—some are art films, some are thrillers. Out of all these scripts, there has to be one that fits you. Take another look!"
"None of them appeal to me," Luca insisted.
"Not one? Out of eight scripts?" Ed frowned, his dark face growing even darker.
"Ed, I'm a screenwriter. I can tell if a script is good or not just by reading it." Stealth was a classic flop—$100 million budget but less than $60 million in box office earnings. The Devil's Rejects had potential, but Luca had no interest in sequels. As for the smaller projects, he hadn't even heard of the production companies, which seemed to be trying to capitalize on his recent win. Low pay, no awards—no value in participating.
"Luca, you can't judge a film by the script alone. Some movies have mediocre scripts but turn out to be great. Others have no script and still do well," Ed countered.
"I get that, but I'm more experienced at choosing scripts, right?" Luca said with a raised brow and a smile.
Ed had no comeback.
"So, what do you want to do?"
"Ed, I knew the agency wouldn't have good scripts, so I came prepared." Luca pulled a newspaper from his pocket and circled something with a red pen.
Ed took the newspaper and saw that Luca had circled two news items in red.
The first was about the greenlighting of a movie adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, produced by Focus Features. The project had been in development for two to three years and was finally set to move forward.
"I've read Pride and Prejudice many times and love it. I'd really like to be part of the movie. Does the agency have any connections to land me the lead role?"
"The lead role?" Ed smirked. "Isn't that a bit ambitious? This project has a budget of over $30 million."
Luca adjusted his clothes and said with a soft snort, "I'm the Best Actor of the Berlin Film Festival."
". . ."
Ed wiped away some cold sweat. "Do you know how many 'Best Actors' there are in the world? Do you know how many are named each year? Do you know how many of them are starving?"
"I'm the youngest 'Best Actor' from an A-list international festival like the Berlin Film Festival," Luca responded calmly.
". . . but the news says they're looking for a British actor, and you're Brazilian," Ed pointed out.
"That's not a problem!" Luca smiled. "Look at me—I have the face and manner of a perfect British gentleman. I've got it down. Don't worry about it."
"No matter your looks or mannerisms, if they want a British actor, why not just cast a real Brit? What advantage is there in casting you, a fake Brit?" Ed questioned.
"Ed, it's precisely because there are challenges that I need your help as my agent. If there weren't any hurdles, why would I need you?" Luca said, shaking his head.
Ed clenched his fists. He had to admit, Luca's argument was solid. He had no rebuttal.
"Fine, I'll contact the producers. But what about these other scripts? I worked hard to pick them. You should at least keep one or two as a backup," Ed suggested.
Luca thought about it. That made sense—an actor can't always star in hits without occasionally doing some flops. The ups and downs are part of life.
But none of these projects seemed worthwhile. Even among the mediocre options, there wasn't a standout.
"Ed, I have a lot of work this year. Two films in Brazil and two here—Step Up and The Blind Side. I don't have time for more. Plus, although I won the Silver Bear, it wasn't in the U.S., so the impact isn't as big. I still need a great film to prove my ability, so I have to be cautious about my next choice," Luca explained earnestly.
"Fair enough," Ed nodded, backing off.
In the past six months, Luca had been away from the U.S., but that didn't stop him from making money for the agency. Now, he was the face of Ford Models, the top earner. Their boss, Katie Ford, had made it clear that Luca was a star they needed to keep happy—no letting him jump ship.
"Take a look, Best Actor. These are all offers waiting to throw money at you," Ed said, pulling out another folder filled with modeling gigs.
This year, Luca topped the male model earnings list and became the Berlin Best Actor. Business was booming, and he had over twenty endorsement offers. Plus, New York Fashion Week was approaching, and invitations for him to model were piling up.
But Luca wasn't interested in modeling anymore.
Last year, he modeled and made a few million dollars.
This year, he starred in a small film and earned over $3 million in profit.
Modeling just couldn't compare. Even as the top-earning model, there was no real sense of accomplishment.
Ed didn't try to argue with him about this.
From the beginning, Luca had planned to focus on acting, especially in Hollywood. Modeling had been an unexpected detour, where he'd accidentally become a supermodel.
Once he became a supermodel, the money followed.
Blinded by the financial rewards, the two of them had spent a year caught up in the fashion world.
Now that Luca was a Berlin Best Actor with unlimited potential, there was no reason to stick with modeling. After all, being a model never sounded as prestigious as being an actor.
However, Luca still had three endorsement deals left—Armani, CK, and Helmut Lang suits, all with two-year contracts.
Until those expired, he was obligated to continue with photoshoots, ads, and promotional work.
"No problem. You set the schedule," Luca said.
After finishing up work discussions, the two chatted about other matters and enjoyed a coffee with their boss, Katie Ford.
Around five in the afternoon, Kate texted him that she was off work.
Luca left the office and returned to his apartment on 76th Street, only to be startled as soon as he walked through the door.
"Luca, there's a subpoena from the local court for you. You have to respond to the court documents this week. If you ignore it, the court will assume you're waiving your right to a defense and grant the other party's request. You could end up in jail."
Luca stared at the subpoena, dumbfounded.
"How did this happen?"
"Haha, honey, you broke the law!"