Chapter 115 – "You're Not Her Boyfriend?"
The minor commotion unfolding nearby had already drawn the attention of most of the crew. Wayne could hear people whispering quietly among themselves.
Amy Yasbeck didn't seem to care about the growing audience. She took two more steps forward, her tone sharp and probing.
"You're not her boyfriend?"
Wayne instinctively shook his head. But catching sight of Cameron Diaz's obviously displeased expression, he sighed and gave a reluctant nod. He didn't want this to drag on. It was always like this with actresses—rarely could two exist in the same crew without friction.
Without another word, he took Cameron's hand and began leading her out of the studio. They'd talk about where to have lunch once they were outside.
"Hey, boy! Don't be fooled by Cameron Diaz's pretty face," Amy's voice called out behind them, loud and cutting. "She's not nearly as innocent as she looks."
Wayne suddenly understood—this fiery redhead had mistaken him for one of Cameron's suitors. Whatever had gone down between the two women must have left Amy hellbent on sabotaging Cameron's chances.
That thought made Wayne grin.
He paused mid-step, then turned back toward Amy, deliberately feigning surprise. "Cameron… she lied to me?"
"Yes!" Amy jumped at the chance. "This is her first real job in Hollywood—but just look at her outfit, her handbag. I can tell you right now, none of that comes cheap. Want to guess how she got it?"
At that, Cameron glanced sidelong at Wayne, her lips curling into a knowing smile. She said nothing—just slipped slightly behind him, clearly ready to enjoy the show.
"Well," Wayne said seriously, eyeing Amy as if giving her words careful consideration. "The clothes and bag… yeah, you're right. They do look expensive."
"Exactly!" Amy's tone grew triumphant. "So tell me, handsome—what does a broke newbie actress trade for that kind of luxury?"
"And what would that be?"
"Her body, of course! What else does she have? Still think she's all sweet and innocent?"
Wayne tilted his head, smiling faintly. "You're right," he said. "She got all that from me."
"Exactly! So she's just—wait, what?" Amy's face froze mid-smirk.
"I said, you're right. I bought her all of that," Wayne chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. "Haven't you read the tabloids? I'm her sugar daddy. The sugar daddy."
A few people nearby burst into laughter. Clearly, they'd overheard the whole exchange.
"Got anything else you'd like to add, Miss Yasbeck?" Wayne asked, still smiling.
Amy stood there speechless, mouth slightly open.
With a casual shrug, Wayne turned back and led Cameron out of the soundstage. She beamed beside him, her arm hooked around his, while Wayne muttered under his breath, loud enough for the crowd to hear:
"Damn it, Cameron. Do I really look like someone who can't afford Chanel?"
A few more chuckles followed them as they left.
"Wait, Wayne," Cameron said, tugging his sleeve. "I barely have any scenes this afternoon. Come with me to ask the producer for the rest of the day off. I've been craving your home-style Chinese food."
She knew full well that bringing Wayne along would sway the producer. After all, while most of the crew didn't recognize him—understandable, given how high he'd leapt in Hollywood—producers definitely did.
This was a great opportunity for her, too. Being seen with Wayne could give her more weight within the production—maybe even earn her a bit more respect.
"Fine. Where's his office?"
"Over there. Come on," she said, pulling him along.
Unlike Wayne's own sets—where the director had real power—this was a traditional Hollywood production. Here, the producer was king. Directors were essentially glorified cameramen, and rarely had a say in post-production, sometimes not even advisory input.
Knock knock.
"Come in!"
Cameron opened the door and led Wayne into the producer's office.
"Mr. Woodsman," she said directly. "A friend came by to visit me on set. I've only got a few scenes left today—can I take the rest of the afternoon off to go out with him?"
Martin Woodsman, head buried in a mountain of paperwork, didn't even glance up.
But the moment he recognized her voice, he lifted his head.
"Miss Diaz, I'll talk to the director and have your scenes pushed to tomorrow. Anything else? As you can see, I'm swamped."
Cameron blinked, clearly not expecting such a smooth approval.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Woodsman," Wayne said, stepping forward and offering a hand. "I'm Wayne Garfield. Pleasure to meet you."
The producer stood up quickly, shaking his hand. "The pleasure's mine, Mr. Garfield—truly."
After speaking, the producer seemed to finally recognize Wayne. He took a closer look at his face, then smiled politely.
"Director Garfield, I'm a big fan of your work. Truly a perfect blend of art and commercial success."
"Thank you," Wayne replied, glancing at the stack of paperwork on the desk. "I'll let you get back to it. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to collaborate one day."
"Likewise—I'd love that," the producer nodded.
Outside the soundstage, Wayne and Cameron didn't linger. They got into the car and headed straight home.
Cameron Diaz couldn't stop smiling the entire way. Even the fatigue on her face couldn't hide how good of a mood she was in.
"You have no idea, Wayne," she said, leaning back against the seat. "I'm a total rookie, yet I somehow lucked into landing a female lead. That alone's made a lot of people on set pretty hostile. My life's been a mess lately. Turns out Hollywood sets aren't anything like what I imagined."
Wayne thought for a moment, then offered a few words of comfort. "Every crew has its issues—even mine. You've got to learn how to adapt. If you spend all your energy on that drama, you'll never improve."
"Are all film crews like this?" Cameron asked curiously.
"Pretty much. Wherever there are people, there'll be conflict. Everyone's scrambling for more power, more say. But forget about all that right now. Didn't you say you were craving Chinese food?"
Wayne didn't want to dwell on those topics. In time, after experiencing two or three shoots, she'd come to understand everything. No amount of advice could beat firsthand experience.
"Chinese food—absolutely. I still remember that meal at your place," she grinned, glancing toward the front of the car. Noticing the partition was already up, she quietly slipped over to Wayne's side. "But maybe we could start with… an appetizer?"
"I'm always game," Wayne murmured, "as long as it's something you enjoy tasting."
A pair of delicate hands were already working at his belt. Wayne closed his eyes and leaned back into the plush leather seat.
The ride was as smooth as it was silent. The Rolls-Royce Phantom barely rumbled as it glided into the Garfield estate. As the car came to a stop, Sergey, his loyal driver and bodyguard, got out and entered the main house—he knew his boss far too well by now.
Lunch didn't actually happen until over an hour past noon. Wayne sat at the table, lazily eating a plate of dumplings while watching this woman who always seemed to bring something new to the table.
From midday until late at night, their footprints touched nearly every corner of the mansion's third floor. As far as Wayne was concerned, he'd happily tasted that "engine-powered waist" once again.
October, Waldorf Astoria, Manhattan.
In the hotel suite, Wayne sat in a meeting with his core team. They'd flown into New York the night before and used today as a prep day. The shoot would officially begin tomorrow.
"Zack, are we 100% confirmed with the city? We're blocking streets on day one. We need police presence for traffic control."
This was Wayne's biggest concern. Any delay during street closures would waste valuable filming time.
"No problem," Zack Snyder said, nodding confidently. "I've handled it. As long as we start on time, the police will be there to maintain order."
New York, one of the most filmed cities in the world, was no stranger to movie productions. Dozens of crews came through every month. The city government was generally cooperative—as long as you didn't disrupt public life.
John and Zack had already signed an agreement with the city during their earlier location scouting trip, and New York had a solid reputation for honoring such deals.
"John, has everyone moved into the hotel?" Wayne asked, turning to his producer. "We need logistics locked down. This isn't Warner Bros. Studios. Any hiccups here, and the media's going to pounce."
"Everything's been arranged," John assured him.
The cast and crew, excluding temps and extras, numbered nearly 150 people. Managing such a massive team would be a true test of John's capabilities as a producer.