Chapter 248: A Man Like This Is the Real Scumbag

Los Angeles, with the full moon high over the Marian Del Bay.

This bay is a man-made inland lake, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by private docks, luxury homes, hotels, and shopping malls—a place of grandeur and opulence.

At night, a few cruise ships and sailboats quietly drift in the bay. The largest ship is named the *Isabelle*.

The white ferry stands four stories high and over 200 meters long. It belongs to the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel and usually serves as a mobile restaurant. Tonight, however, the CG brand is hosting a grand party aboard, inviting many celebrities to attend.

The cruise is brightly lit, filled with music and dancing. Waves of noise spread out from the ship, creating clear ripples on the water, and the reflection of the ship became somewhat blurry.

"Kate, don't worry, I'll take good care of Miranda. You won't be cheated on."

On the deck, Luca smirked as he hung up the phone.

"Hey~ Luca, what are you doing out here?" Jamie Dornan came to the rail for some fresh air. Seeing Luca, he greeted him.

"Just making a call," Luca replied, putting his phone away with a smile. "What about you? Why are you out here alone?"

Jamie shrugged. "I'm not a fan of these kinds of parties—too stuffy. I prefer music industry parties—beer, music, weed. Drink when you want, sing when you feel like it, do what you want. Way cooler than this."

"True, it's cool, but this is what high society parties are like, right?" Luca laughed, pointing at the bustling hall behind them.

"Screw high society parties," Jamie scoffed.

"Haha, yeah, screw them!" Luca laughed, raising two glasses of wine, clinking one with Jamie in camaraderie.

But their vibe was quickly interrupted.

"Hey~ you two together again?" Keira Knightley lifted her dress and stepped out of the hall.

Her bright eyes darted between the two men, her gaze suspicious as if she was wondering something inappropriate.

"Keira, so what if I'm with Jamie?" Luca asked with a frown.

"What do you think?" Keira gestured to the moon, the deck, and the sea, a hint of jealousy in her voice. "You two are quite romantic."

She had walked out to see the two handsome men standing together on the deck under the moonlight. Both in suits, tall, dashing, holding glasses of red wine and smiling at each other with undeniable chemistry. The sight gave her a sense of crisis—these days, men could steal your boyfriend just as easily as women could.

"Jamie, take Keira away, please. I can't stand her dirty looks," Luca said, rubbing his forehead, exasperated.

In the past, when he was filming with Ryan and Rachel, Ryan was always wary, worried he'd steal Rachel away. Now, just sharing a drink with Jamie sparked suspicion.

Such is the curse of being too handsome, Luca thought, growing slightly melancholic.

"Luca, don't mind Keira, she's just joking, right, Keira?" Jamie paused and turned to Keira, confirming.

Keira flashed a sheepish grin. "Yes, I'm just joking. Jamie, dear, let's head back to the hall. There are a lot of top designers and fashion editors here tonight. I'll introduce you."

Jamie frowned. "Thanks, Keira, but I don't need your help."

"Why? You've always said connections are the most important thing in modeling. Why not meet them?" Keira asked, confused.

". . . I'll meet them on my own," Jamie said stubbornly.

"You..." Keira looked at him and sighed. She understood her boyfriend didn't want to feel like he was relying on her.

Relying on her?

Her eyes suddenly brightened. "Luca, what do you think?"

"Me?" Luca shrugged, sighing. "Jamie, do you know why I've advanced so quickly? It's because of my sister, Kate. I used her connections."

He patted Jamie's shoulder. "Now Keira's offering to help you. You should seize this opportunity unless you want to watch your peers surpass you quickly while you 'build your foundation' slowly."

"We're both career-switching models. It's tough to keep up with others in the fashion world."

"..." Jamie hesitated for a moment and nodded. "Keira, let's go."

"..." Keira blinked in surprise. He agreed so easily?

Watching Jamie finally give in, Keira felt no joy—only a sense of defeat. She had tried to convince him to no avail, yet Luca did it so easily. Could it be that Jamie was closer to him than to her?

Keira gritted her teeth. Luca, that bastard, had a way with both men and women.

"Jamie, wait!" Keira stormed back to the deck, lowering her voice angrily. "Luca, don't get any strange ideas about Jamie, or else..."

She waved her fist threateningly, flashing her teeth.

"Keira, I'm not..." Luca started to explain, but Keira didn't give him a chance. She quickly dragged Jamie back into the cabin.

"I'm not..."

Luca stood frozen for three seconds, hand extended like a wooden statue.

"I wasn't trying to hit on him!"

He slapped his mouth, annoyed. He shouldn't have spoken up!

Jamie Dornan surely understood those principles. Otherwise, he wouldn't have risen to be a top model so quickly. It was just his male pride acting up.

Back when Luca first relied on someone else's connections, he, too, had felt awkward, constantly looking around nervously, afraid of judgment. Now, though? He was enjoying it guilt-free.

I've fallen, Luca thought with a shake of his head, smoothing his wind-blown hair as he prepared to return to the main hall. Just then, Miranda stepped out.

Earlier, before boarding the ship, she had changed into a white off-the-shoulder lace gown that accentuated her figure. Her fair skin and soft, radiant features made her look stunning.

"Luca, there you are. I've been looking for you everywhere," Miranda said, linking her arm with his. Her perfume, mixed with the scent of wine, was intoxicating.

"Looking for me?"

"Nina told me you were here, but I hadn't seen you, so of course, I had to find you," Miranda smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Luca smirked. "I saw you chatting with those fashion editors earlier and didn't want to interrupt."

"Yeah, one of them is *InStyle* magazine's deputy editor. I might be their December cover model."

"Wow, Miranda, congratulations! You're rising so fast," Luca marveled.

"Thanks. Nina's an incredible supermodel manager, one of the best in the industry. I've benefited so much from her connections," Miranda laughed with a wink. "But compared to a certain pervert, I still have a long way to go, don't I?"

"Not so much. Don't forget that 'certain pervert' has a terrible reputation now. You don't want to end up like him, do you?"

"Haha!"

Miranda giggled sweetly. "Luca, thank you!"

"For what?" Luca looked at her, puzzled.

"You discovered me, didn't you?"

Miranda said softly.

Luca shook his head slightly. "Miranda, you're talented and hardworking. Even without me, you'd have succeeded."

"Maybe you're right. But those days at the bottom were unbearable—constantly hustling, worrying about where the next meal would come from, no way out, no hope, not even daring to dream, for fear of disappointment."

Miranda sighed, spreading her arms and smiling. "Now, everything is different. Every day is full of sunshine. I love this life, the time, the money, and most importantly, having a friend like you."

Miranda leaned against his shoulder, her face flushed, dimples showing as she smiled.

The two stood quietly at the bow, gazing at the lights on the opposite shore and the bustling neon streets. Venice Beach was still vibrant, and the atmosphere was growing romantic.

"Miranda!"

A familiar voice suddenly called out from behind. Nina, with a stern expression, approached them.

She was dressed in a black business suit and wore glasses, her demeanor strict—like a school principal. Since becoming IMG's vice director, her aura had grown even stronger, the epitome of a powerful woman.

"Hi, Nina. Ed just texted you to drink less," Luca broke the silence.

"Hmph!"

Nina shot him a glance. "Miranda, I've told you before to stay away from him. Do you know what kind of man he is?"

Luca grimaced. What kind of man am I?

"And you, Luca," Nina added, turning to him. "With all the gossip and negative press surrounding you, you should be more careful. Stop spending time alone with women who aren't Lima or Kate. It won't do you any good."

"I understand, Nina," Luca said without arguing.

Nina gave him a long look, a trace of helplessness on her face. He always said he understood, yet he continued doing things his way.

This rebellious, rule-breaking guy had somehow become a supermodel and even made a name for himself in Hollywood. His success defied all logic.

"I hope you really understand," 

Nina shook her head, grabbed Miranda, and started walking away, saying as they walked,

"Miranda, don't go to Malibu until Kate comes back. The company has an apartment here."

"Nina, I know, I'm just going to feed the cats. Four little kittens, they're still so small, and Luca is such a lazy guy. If I don't go, the kittens will starve."

"Alright, just be careful when you go."

"It's fine, Nina. Luca wouldn't dare bully me. He's such a timid guy."

"I'm not talking about him. Watch out for the paparazzi. And don't think he won't mess with you—he just doesn't want the responsibility. Guys like that are the real jerks. You need to be careful."

On the deck, Luca overheard their conversation and couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth. This was outright slander.

Compared to other male actors in the industry, his romantic life was as clean as a blank sheet of paper. Yet, here he was being labeled a complete jerk. Ridiculous.

He took a deep breath, straightened his bow tie, and headed toward the hall.

"Hmm?"

After just a few steps, he suddenly noticed a familiar figure near the port side of the ship—it was Mrs. Aniston.

She was wearing a silver-gray backless gown, leaning against the railing not far away, quietly gazing at the sea. Compared to the lively hall, her figure looked a bit lonely.

Should he go over and say hello? 

(End of chapter)