WebNovels

Chapter 332 - Chapter 322: Flattery 

This standalone house was "Juno's" home in the movie—a typical American middle-class setup with simple furnishings. 

The room Dunn and Cate Blanchett stepped into happened to be "Juno's" bedroom. It was decked out with a youthful vibe—band posters plastered on the walls, a desk cluttered with textbooks, and a guitar propped up nearby. 

There was only one chair in the room, meant for "Juno" to study in. Dunn didn't hesitate; he plopped down on the bed and gestured toward the chair. "Take a seat." 

But instead of sitting there, Cate Blanchett locked the door behind her, sauntered over, and brushed her hair back with a flirty little move. Then she sat right next to Dunn on the bed. 

The vibe shifted instantly. 

An empty room, a bedroom, a big bed, just the two of them… 

Dunn's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Cate, and she didn't look away—she met his gaze head-on. 

They were both adults, especially in a place like Hollywood where hookups were as common as coffee runs. Dunn caught her drift immediately. 

"Delivery straight to my door, huh?" he almost laughed out loud. 

Cate Blanchett wasn't a knockout by Hollywood standards. Blonde hair, blue eyes—she was pretty in a standard way, but next to the dazzling starlets out there, her looks didn't stand out. 

Her charm, though? That was something else. Everyone in the industry raved about her vibe. When EL magazine ranked Hollywood's beauties of the '90s, she didn't crack the top five, but her elegant, classic aura outshone Angelina Jolie and Uma Thurman, landing her at number six. 

The top spot? Nicole Kidman, the undisputed goddess of the era. 

At 31, Cate didn't have a wrinkle on her face yet, and her presence wasn't as commanding as it'd get later. She still had a sweet smile, dressed in tight jeans and a black sweater—the outfit for her supporting role as "Vanessa" in the film. 

Dunn wasn't exactly drooling over her looks, but since she was offering herself up, why push her away? Might as well give it a shot, right? 

He didn't waste time—reached out and pulled her into his arms. 

Cate's body went soft, melting into him. Her eyes half-closed, lashes fluttering like she was putting on a show. This wasn't nerves—it was pure acting. 

What was this, her first rodeo? Hardly. 

Dunn shook his head, catching a whiff of her scent as his hand slid under her sweater, wandering casually. "If you want to be with me, just say it. No need for all this cloak-and-dagger stuff," he said, keeping his tone light. 

Cate didn't flinch as he touched her. Seeing he wasn't rushing to pin her down, she knew the act hadn't worked. "I'm not lying," she said softly. 

"Oh?" Dunn paused, intrigued. "Alright, spill the secret first. We've got time—no rush." 

Cate bit her lip and murmured, "I… I'm really close with Rose." 

"I know that. Get to the point!" 

"We dated." 

"What?" Dunn froze, stunned. He sat her up straight, hands off her now, gripping her shoulders instead. He stared into her eyes. "Wait, you're saying you and Rose Byrne were a couple?" 

Cate's cheeks flushed. "Yeah, it was two years ago. We…" 

"Hold up!" Dunn cut her off, frowning. "Aren't you married? You know why I never made a move on you all this time in Hollywood? Because you're married!" 

"Huh?" Cate looked genuinely shocked. "But… when you were with Nicole, she was…" 

"Nicole's different. Her marriage to Tom Cruise was already falling apart by then! Forget that—keep going. What's the deal with Rose?" Dunn had never heard a whisper about this part of Cate's past. 

Cate spoke slowly. "Back in '99, Rose did a movie with Heath Ledger called Two Hands. It got 11 nominations at the Australian Film Awards. I was a presenter there, and that's how we met." 

"Skip to the good stuff!" 

"I was fighting with my husband a lot back then—things were cold. I wanted something new, but I'd just gotten to Hollywood. I couldn't divorce or date guys casually; it'd breach contracts. Around that time, Jodie Foster came out, had a kid with her girlfriend through artificial insemination—it was a huge deal." 

Dunn's eyes widened. "So you… hooked up with Rose Byrne?" 

"At first, it was just experimenting. Then feelings grew, and we… you know." 

"You know what?" 

Dunn's eyes were huge, his mouth practically big enough to fit an egg. 

"We slept together," Cate said, her face heating up. 

Dunn's throat went dry. After a beat, curiosity got the better of him. He lowered his voice. "How'd you… I mean, what'd you do? Hands?" 

"Huh?" Cate blinked, thrown off by the blunt, ridiculous question. 

Dunn coughed lightly. "You know I've got a lot of women, right? Most of the time, it's… well, let's just say things get crowded in bed sometimes." 

Cate bit her lip. "There's lots of ways. Hands work, but… do I really have to say it? It's embarrassing." 

Dunn smirked. "What's there to be shy about? Tell me—I could use some new tricks. My girls could learn a thing or two!" 

Cate shook her head. "It's tough… People who aren't into that kind of thing usually hate it." 

Dunn shrugged. "No big deal. I know some models in New York who are down for anything—they'll play along." 

Cate hesitated, still reluctant. "How about this: next time you're free, invite me and Rose. We'll show you in person." 

"Live demo?" 

"Yup." 

"Deal!" Dunn lit up, yanking her closer and pushing her toward the floor. 

Cate knew exactly what was coming. She went along with it, kneeling at his feet, tossing him a flirty little smirk before reaching for his belt. 

Dunn pressed her shoulders down, feeling a rush of dominance. "Don't squat—kneel." 

… 

Meanwhile, Kathleen Kennedy and Patty Jenkins were still going over camera angles and shooting techniques. 

They didn't think much of Dunn and Cate slipping off to the bedroom next door. Dunn had mentioned wanting Cate for a role in Daredevil, so they figured it was some hush-hush contract talk. 

But "Juno's" house wasn't fancy—just a regular place with thin walls. Soon, faint, weird noises started drifting through. 

At first, they brushed it off. 

Then a loud, piercing moan shot through the air, and their faces changed. They exchanged a look, stunned. 

They weren't newbies—they knew what that sound meant. 

"Let's keep looking at the script," Kathleen said calmly. After 20-plus years in the biz, she'd seen it all and recovered fast. 

Patty Jenkins, though, wasn't so unfazed. She gaped at Kathleen. "Kathleen, is… is this normal in Hollywood?" 

Kathleen paused, then nodded. "Pretty much." 

Patty muttered, "This is just… too much. The whole crew's downstairs!" 

Kathleen chuckled. "Patty, haven't you heard about Dunn's reputation? Besides, you saw it—it's mutual. What's there to fuss about?" 

Patty shook her head, frowning. "It's just weird. This is Cate—Cate Blanchett! She's already a big name. She doesn't need to throw away her dignity to suck up to Dunn. And… isn't she married?" 

Kathleen's tone stayed even. "People's greed never stops. Think of it like mountain climbing. If you're not in the game, Everest is just a name. But once you've conquered Kanchenjunga or K2, you'll risk everything—even your life—to tackle Everest. It's human nature. In Hollywood, you don't risk your life—just a little dignity for a big shot's favor. It's easy." 

Patty sighed. "I don't get it." 

Kathleen smiled. "You don't get it because you're still a Hollywood newbie. Juno hasn't even hit theaters yet. Once you've got some success under your belt… I'd bet you'll make the same call." 

Patty laughed, half-annoyed. "Kathleen, what are you talking about? Even if I wanted to, you think Dunn would give me a second look?" 

Kathleen grinned. "You wouldn't have to do it yourself. You're a director—a step above actors. You could just introduce Dunn to some pretty actresses from your crew, right?" 

Patty's face froze. "No way… really?" 

Kathleen waved it off, laughing. "Anyway, that's all down the road. For now, I think you should guard the stairs—make sure no one bothers our big boss, yeah?" 

Patty groaned. "Why me?" 

Kathleen winked and stood up. "Fine, I'll do it. A chance to suck up to the boss this easily? I'd jump at it." 

Patty's eyes widened as it clicked. She scrambled to her feet. "Okay, okay—I'll go!" 

Kathleen watched her rush out, then sighed softly, shaking her head with a wry smile. 

Not even famous yet, Juno still untested, and already so eager to kiss up to the boss. Once she had some clout and was chasing bigger heights, would she really hold back from pulling out all the stops to flatter him? 

Kathleen's lips quirked up. She didn't buy it. 

 read more inpatreon

belamy20

More Chapters