"Mr. Black! The filming is almost complete."
Charlize Theron, dressed in her elegant costume for the role and wearing a pair of glasses, approached Regulus Black.
"Call me Regulus! Do you have any plans afterward?"
Regulus Black noticed that she was wearing the jewelry he had entrusted her to keep. In the film, this was the ring given to her by Thomas Sharpe, borrowed from his sister, Lucille Sharpe.
Right in front of Regulus Black, Charlize Theron moved the ring from the middle finger of her right hand to the ring finger of her left hand.
"Regulus! Do you have any suggestions for my future career?"
Charlize Theron's implication was more than clear. Generally, rings are worn on the left middle finger, while wedding rings are placed on the left ring finger. For an unmarried woman, a ring should be worn on the right middle or ring finger—otherwise, it might discourage potential suitors. Couple rings are typically worn on the middle finger. Previously, Thomas Sharpe had only placed the ring on Edith Cushing's right middle finger.
"I would certainly love to have a girl like you by my side for life, but you need to think carefully. Gaining something always comes with a loss. Being with me, you could gain a lot, but you'll also lose a lot. Think it through."
Regulus Black took Charlize Theron's left hand, kissed the ring on her finger, and then gently patted her hand.
Charlize Theron naturally understood what he meant. It seemed that Regulus Black agreed to be with her, but the final choice was still in her hands—gain and loss, was there even anything to hesitate about?
She had already suffered an injury from ballet dancing and had just stepped into the acting world, only to discover its filth, which was no less than that of the modeling industry. Meanwhile, her mother needed care. All of this made Charlize Theron realize that opportunities are rare and must be seized. While protecting herself, she had to choose her investments wisely—and her only capital was herself.
Was there anything left for her to lose? No. So just go for it!
In the distance, Regulus Black was pulled aside by another lead actress—Jennifer Connelly had the same question as she did.
Charlize Theron caressed the ring on her ring finger, a confident smile on her face. She had already made her decision.
"Mr. Black, I just saw Theron move the ring, and you seemed to agree—am I right?"
There was a hint of expectation in Jennifer Connelly's eyes, as if she truly wanted Regulus Black to accept Charlize Theron.
Earlier, during the time when Regulus Black was not around, the two lead actresses had grown quite close to the Cook family who stayed behind. The crew knew that the Cook family had an unusual connection to Regulus Black—especially the two little girls with heterochromatic eyes, who even set their sights on taking down Regulus Black. This baffled many—what could possibly drive them to such lengths?
After a long period of communication, the two actresses finally got the answer they were seeking.
First, it was naturally because of Regulus Black's status, title, and wealth.
As a member of an ancient British noble family, the Black family had a long and storied history. But the most important thing was that the family now had few members left. As the current head of the family, Regulus Black placed great importance on the matter of heirs.
Second, it was because of Regulus Black's unique view of marriage, which differed greatly from that of modern society.
His views were similar to those of Mormonism or Eastern concepts of polygamy or harems—he believed the more women, the better. However, fortunately, Regulus Black did not seem to harbor any misogynistic tendencies. On the contrary, every woman joined him voluntarily.
But once they did, Regulus Black had an extremely strong sense of possession—he could not tolerate his women betraying him.
"Yes! I've already accepted Miss Theron's request. You should know by now that my views on marriage differ from those of modern society and common norms. I'm sorry—the prop has already been given to Miss Theron. But I am a fair person—not absolutely fair, but relatively fair. I'm willing to make it up to you with a gift. If you have the time, you're welcome to come and receive it anytime."
Regulus Black also took Jennifer Connelly's left hand and kissed the ring finger.
Director Guillermo del Toro had been watching from a distance. As soon as Regulus Black finished dealing with the two female leads, he immediately came over—there were still some group scenes that required Regulus Black to appear. If these romantic entanglements continued to cause delays, they would exceed the filming schedule.
Although Regulus Black was an investor and wouldn't mind, as the director, Guillermo couldn't simply dismiss the issue.
After all, for a director, going over schedule is equivalent to failing at the job—this is an undeniable fact. In the future, it could be used as an argument against his talent, which was absolutely unacceptable.
"Regulus! I'm so glad you made it. There are still a few group scenes left. Even though you're just in the background, we can't go on without you."
The chubby director, Guillermo del Toro, gave Regulus Black a big hug and patted him heavily on the back.
"What scenes are left? Let's get on with it!"
Regulus Black spoke as he walked toward the props team to change costumes. Normally, he wore a black Gothic-style suit, but since he wasn't playing the role of Thomas Sharpe, he couldn't be dressed in a style more Gothic than the male lead.
So, Regulus Black wore a suit with a hint of Baroque luxury—a look that instantly marked him as a wealthy, high-society gentleman. Paired with his title as an ophthalmologist, he was an irresistible draw for young women and noble ladies alike.
"Let me take a look at the shooting schedule. First is the waltz scene between the male and female leads. Then comes your meeting with the female lead at the office building, followed by the scene where your mother lectures you. Next is the morgue scene, where you identify Mr. Cushing, and then the remaining scenes in the castle where you appear."
Director Guillermo del Toro continued flipping through the schedule.
"Lastly, there's your meeting with the detective, then your invitation to Mr. Cushing to attend the ball in the rain. Once you're soaked, it's the perfect cue to change outfits and wrap up."
Typically, supporting actors wait for the lead to call them in for background scenes. But Regulus Black, being both an investor and a supporting actor, was a rare case—the leads had to wait for him before shooting could proceed.
"Whatever you say, just follow the plan. I'm always ready."
Regulus Black blinked his eyes, instantly slipping into character as ophthalmologist Dr. Alan McMichael.
"Everyone, pick up the pace! Our boss is a busy man—we don't have much of his time."
Thomas Sharpe braved the rain to bring Edith Cushing to the ball—an event originally organized by Dr. Alan McMichael's mother, hoping to give her daughter a chance to get close to the soon-to-be baronet from England.
Accompanied by Lucille Sharpe on the piano, her brother Thomas led Edith into a spinning waltz. The candles in their hands flickered but never went out. Meanwhile, Alan McMichael stood in the background, wearing a helpless yet genuinely warm smile.
He had long harbored feelings for Edith Cushing, but she always regarded him as just a male friend—a so-called "guy bestie." Now that Edith might have found true love, all Alan could do was silently give her his blessings.
In the office building, Alan McMichael had just opened a new ophthalmology clinic. The room was filled with professional books and an old slide projector, which contained eerie photographs he had collected. This was all for Edith Cushing, whose novels often mentioned ghosts—though she always denied they were real, insisting they were only metaphors.
Edith was stopped and lectured by her mother. As members of the upper class, Alan couldn't understand why Edith's mother didn't approve of her. Nonetheless, he kept trying to mediate between the two.
In the morgue, Alan McMichael immediately recognized Mr. Cushing's body. His grief was no less than Edith's. Mr. Cushing had always hoped his daughter would marry Alan. Though never explicitly stated, he had always held Alan in high regard.
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