Hugo stood on the staircase, gazing quietly at Tracy through the bustling crowd. The music blared all around them, yet she stood still amid the swaying bodies, her eyes fixed on him with an expression that reminded him of a statue a statue of vengeance.
Because of the distance and dim lighting, Hugo couldn't see Tracy's expression clearly. But sometimes, one didn't need to. A person's gaze and aura could be felt even from afar and at this moment, Hugo could distinctly sense the pressure radiating from Tracy, sharp and cold, as if she were holding a gleaming dagger in her hand.
Tonight, Tracy wore a perfectly tailored crimson evening gown that accentuated her sharp intelligence and poise. Time had taken away her youth, but in return, it had given her something far more valuable. That dazzling red awakened a long-buried memory in Hugo's mind. At last, just two hours before the New Year arrived, everything connected he finally remembered what had once happened between his former self and Tracy.
Hugo Lancaster and Tracy Jacobs first met during the audition for Dead Poets Society. The handsome, graceful Yale senior had effortlessly caught Tracy's attention. Lancaster was only twenty-two at the time — youthful yet exuding a gentlemanly charm and scholarly brightness that made him stand out. He soon became one of the leading candidates for the role of Neil Perry.
It was often joked that in Hollywood, the fastest way to fame was to "sleep your way up." Sadly, there was some truth to that. Many newcomers considered it a simple and direct shortcut to success, and plenty of producers or directors, even if reluctant, would always find people eager to "offer" themselves.
Predictably, Lancaster and Tracy spent a night together and afterward, he landed a role in Dead Poets Society, moving from backup candidate to the official cast list.
What was supposed to be a one-night encounter didn't end there. Tracy found herself unable to forget him. Lancaster wasn't just attractive — he was polite, attentive, and his mix of intellectual charm and youthful warmth was deeply magnetic. Their second night together soon followed the first, and the meetings multiplied. By 1990, their relationship had become an open secret in the industry.
Although Lancaster's performance in Dead Poets Society was impressive, it only elevated him from a supporting actor to a rising second-tier name. Still, with Tracy's influence and that of Ron, her business partner, his climb to leading man status was unusually swift.
In 1990, Lancaster starred in Desperate Hours, directed by Michael Cimino, alongside Anthony Hopkins and Mimi Rogers. Despite its star-studded cast, the film turned out to be a massive flop, drawing scathing reviews and earning Lancaster his first Golden Raspberry nomination for Worst Actor.
In just a year, he had gone from a promising newcomer in Dead Poets Society to a Razzie-nominated star of Desperate Hours. His career became a roller coaster. But thanks to Tracy and Ron's powerful connections, he weathered the storm. Unfortunately, the follow-up films — The Adventures of Ford Fairlane and Hudson Hawk — fared even worse, and by early 1992, Lancaster had officially won the Razzie Award for Worst Actor.
Throughout those two turbulent years, Tracy remained close to him. They never declared themselves lovers, nor did they live together, but their intimacy was no secret to anyone.
During Christmas of 1990, Lancaster prepared a special evening for Tracy. Moved and flustered, she realized she had fallen for him. Until that night, she had always viewed their relationship as purely physical — a transactional "arrangement" in exchange for help and favors. It was a harsh truth, but she believed it. Yet when feelings entered the equation, everything grew complicated.
Her first instinct was denial. To suppress her emotions, she initiated another "casting couch" affair with a young actor, convincing herself it was nothing more than business as usual. But it didn't work. Panicked, she pursued yet another man, hoping to prove to herself that her heart hadn't betrayed her.
Unexpectedly, Lancaster walked in on one of those encounters. No man could tolerate that, and he was no exception. He beat the other man on the spot, and a furious argument followed ending with Lancaster storming out.
He had believed their bond was special. After all, their entanglement had lasted nearly two years. But now he realized it had been one-sided all along and that realization filled him with rage.
Soon after, Lancaster auditioned for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The role had originally been promised to him, especially since Tracy was one of the film's producers. Landing it would have secured him a place in a $50 million blockbuster and given him the chance to work with Morgan Freeman and Sean Connery.
However, during the audition, his chemistry with the leading actress candidate, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, was undeniable. Sparks flew between them far too naturally. Tracy, watching from the sidelines, was furious. She believed Lancaster was deliberately flirting with Mary to provoke her, a petty act of revenge meant to ignite her jealousy.
In a fit of rage, Tracy made a drastic decision. Lancaster lost the leading role in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which was ultimately given to Kevin Costner. Lancaster was the very last to find out even his agent, Ron Meyer, had been kept completely in the dark.
After the fallout, Lancaster confronted Tracy, and the two erupted into yet another heated argument. This time, Lancaster ended it himself with the words, "We're done. I don't ever want to see you again," before walking away.
For him, that undefined, tangled relationship was over. Soon after, Hudson Hawk began its publicity campaign. Exhausted by constant setbacks, Lancaster started seeing a young nurse an ordinary woman far removed from Hollywood's chaos. Their relationship began smoothly, offering him a rare sense of peace. But when Hudson Hawk finally hit theaters, it crashed and burned both critically and commercially. Having endured three consecutive flops, Lancaster felt disheartened though the nurse's affection gave him some solace.
For Tracy, however, the failures were devastating. Her career and personal life were both sinking, and seeing Lancaster find love elsewhere made her realize the truth she had long denied: she was genuinely in love with him. Desperate, she decided to win him back.
Tracy confessed everything her feelings, her regrets, her inner turmoil hoping to start over. But Lancaster knew from the start that what they'd shared had never been normal. Two years of dysfunction couldn't suddenly become a healthy relationship. His new romance, by contrast, was calm and real. Without hesitation, he rejected her firmly and completely.
That rejection enraged Tracy beyond control. She saw it as a second act of betrayal the first being his supposed flirtation with Mary and now, she accused him of "two-timing" her before their breakup. The situation spiraled out of control, but Lancaster refused to compromise. He stood by his decision and severed all ties with her once and for all.
Those were turbulent days. Tracy came to him again and again at least five times. Sometimes she screamed and cursed at him in rage; other times, she broke down crying, even kneeling before him, begging for reconciliation. When Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was released, it became a massive box-office success, grossing $165 million in North America and ranking as the year's second-highest earner in 1991. Yet the film was trashed by critics, and Kevin Costner received a Golden Raspberry nomination for Worst Actor losing, ironically, to Lancaster himself.
The irony only deepened Tracy's despair. With her career faltering and her emotions in ruins, the constant rejection from Lancaster pushed her over the edge. When she finally realized that his relationship with the nurse was real, she snapped.
There's an old saying: men cannot forgive physical betrayal, while women cannot forgive emotional betrayal. If, in the beginning, Tracy had believed Lancaster's romance was merely a rebound an act of revenge she now knew better. He had truly left her. That realization, strangely, brought her a kind of calm. Accepting his wish, she ended things once and for all.
But was it truly the end? Only in name. Soon after, Tracy began her revenge. She couldn't bear the thought of Lancaster's "emotional betrayal."
His 1991 became a nightmare. One scandal after another filled the tabloids failed films, rumors of drug use, drunken brawls, car accidents, affairs all splashed across the front pages. Under relentless media scrutiny, Lancaster broke down and eventually split from the nurse, just as Tracy had wanted.
From there, Hugo's memories filled in the blanks. Lancaster descended into self-destruction losing himself in excess, pursuing Uma but failing again, accepting Razzie-level projects out of despair, and even being dropped from A River Runs Through It after sleeping with the wrong producer.
Looking at Tracy now, standing in the crowd before him, Hugo felt a chill run down his spine.
....
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (40 chpaters)
Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(40 Chapters)
The Great Ruler (30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu