Chapter 311: A Heart Like a Knife

[Chapter 311: A Heart Like a Knife]

Around five o'clock in the afternoon, the film crew wrapped up a day's shoot of four scenes.

Link brought the film reels to the studio to review the footage and work on the edits. Nicole Kidman, dressed in her red costume from the film, walked in. With her blonde hair and red lips, she exuded elegance as she carried two cans of Erdinger beer in her hands.

"Nicole, hang on a minute. Let me finish up what I'm doing, and then we can chat," Link said without looking up.

"I'm in no rush; I can wait here for as long as you need," Nicole replied, settling onto a couch, propping her fair arm behind her head, quietly watching him focused on his work.

...

Beep! Beep!

Suddenly, her mobile phone, nestled in her bag, rang. Nicole frowned, annoyed, but when she saw it was Michael Ovitz calling, she picked it up.

"Answer it here; it won't affect my work," Link offered, keeping his focus on the task.

Nicole smiled slightly as she answered, "It's Michael Ovitz calling. He must want to know if I've slept with you or if we've taken any steamy photos."

Link continued his work, remaining silent.

"Michael, what's up?" she said into the phone.

"Did you and Link sleep together?" Ovitz asked.

"Did Tom Cruise tell you that?" Nicole shot back with a cold laugh.

"Yes, he did. So, you two have been together?" Ovitz pressed.

"Not exactly. I'd love to be with Link, but he thinks I'm a married woman, and he finds me unattractive and not sexy enough. What can I do? Am I supposed to knock him out and take advantage of him?" She cast a wistful glance at Link, engrossed in his work.

"Yet Tom told me you were together, that you slept side by side every day, and that it was all your idea."

"I lied to him. He read about my affair with Link in the papers and called me out on it. I got annoyed and told him we were having a blast together every night. He heard what he wanted to hear, so I doubt he'll be calling me again."

"Nicole, I really wish you would take this seriously. We agreed the company would support you to deal with Link, but six months later, and you still haven't succeeded? I'm disappointed."

Ovitz's tone held a note of frustration.

"Michael, I've tried! It's just that Link is so shy about being with a married woman. You can ask Millie; she was there when I tried to approach him on set. I used every trick in the book, but that guy just won't take the bait. Sometimes I wish I could knock him out and make a move in front of the cameras," she said with some anger.

Click!

There was a noise coming from the table. Nicole smirked, a little too pleased.

"Why don't you find someone else to work on him? I'm losing faith in my ability to seduce him, and I don't want the company's resources anymore."

"Nicole, don't give up just yet. After filming Batman, you'll be familiar with Link, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to get close. Just hang in there; persistence will pay off. Remember, failure is the mother of success," Michael said earnestly.

"Isn't there another way to deal with Link? He's a billionaire, a true Hollywood mogul. Even if he did something illegal, it wouldn't matter much in the grand scheme of things."

Nicole quietly regarded Link as she spoke.

"Nicole, you're mistaken. He may be a billionaire with a $3 billion net worth, but in front of Wall Street, that's just chump change. He may have wealth, but his rise has been too fast, built on shaky ground without strong connections in politics or law. If he dares to cross the line, I can ensure he ends up behind bars," Michael stated with a hint of disdain.

"Really?"

"Nicole, time's ticking. The North American annual box office rankings just came out, and Guess Pictures is once again a hot investment. If any dirt comes out about Link right now, it could seriously hurt Guess Pictures' market value and even force him to relinquish control. Then the major studios and Wall Street would thank you with flowers and applause," he added.

"Alright, I'll try a little harder."

...

Nicole hung up the phone, glanced at Link, and swayed her hips as she walked behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them, leaning softly against him.

"Cut it out! I'm not done with my work," Link maintained his focus without turning around.

"Okay, workaholic," Nicole said, leaning down to plant a quick kiss on his cheek before returning to the couch.

...

Half an hour later, Link completed his tasks, stretched, and realized Nicole had fallen asleep on the couch. She was indeed striking, with long golden hair and delicate features. Her lips were a bright red, and as she slept, the strap of her dress had slipped off her shoulder, exposing her smooth skin.

"Nicole, wake up!" Link gently shook her shoulder.

Her long eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes, smiling brightly at him. "Waking up to see you is such a lovely feeling."

"You must be tired after a long day of filming. Why don't you head home and rest? We can talk tomorrow," he suggested.

"No way, let's chat today," Nicole insisted, popping open the two cans of beer and handing one to him. "Let's drink and talk."

"About what?"

Link took the beer and headed to the opposite seat, but Nicole pulled him beside her, resting her legs on his lap.

"There's no one else here, so what are you afraid of? Afraid I might assault you?" Nicole laughed lightly.

Link shook his head, staring at her pale knees. "Michael Ovitz is right; even though I have money, I don't have many connections. I have a lot of enemies, so I must be cautious sometimes."

"Cut the act. I saw you with Charles Schumer when he came to visit the set. He's a big deal in New York politics. How does that not count as having connections?" Nicole replied, playfully batting her eyelashes.

"I only know a few; it doesn't count for much." Link waved it off and took a sip of his beer. "Now, tell me about your issues."

Nicole shrugged, adjusting her loose strap. "I was hoping to vent to you, but then I realized my problems seem trivial compared to yours. But if you want to hear, I can share."

Taking a sip of her beer, she started to explain her challenging marriage with Tom Cruise.

Before marrying him, she thought she had found her prince charming, but after they wed, his issues began to surface. Tom was controlling, self-absorbed, and had an intense desire for dominance, often showing her off in public to compensate for his height. Living with someone like him made her feel suffocated, and she nearly went insane, which is partly why she intentionally provoked him at the bar that night -- to stir him up.

Originally, she thought she could endure, but then she discovered Tom had cheated on her. As revenge, she flirted with Link to embarrass him, and later Michael Ovitz chose her to employ a different tactic. However, during the process, she found herself genuinely attracted to Link, who turned out to be an amazing man.

"When I say I like you, I really mean it. Do you believe me?" Nicole said with a hint of vulnerability.

"If your marriage brings you nothing but unhappiness, why not end it?" Link inquired.

"I want to divorce Tom Cruise, and I've thought about it many times, but he won't let me go. He still wants to hold onto me and keep tormenting me," Nicole said, wiping her eyes and scoffing lightly. "Do you know what's the saddest part? Michael Ovitz set me up to seduce you, and Tom knows about it. He hopes I'll succeed."

"Tom knows?" Link was taken aback.

"At the Golden Globe Awards, I flirted with you right under the table, and he saw everything. He just thought he could use me to bring you down, which is why he didn't intervene." Nicole said with a hint of sadness in her eyes. "You may be a playboy, but you treat all your girlfriends with care. Tom, on the other hand, is cold even to his only wife. Compared to you, he's hardly a man, let alone a husband."

Link recalled the Golden Globes when Tom sat next to Nicole, watching her flirt with Link under the table for over twenty minutes. He had wondered why Tom didn't seem to care, and now he understood why.

He took a sip of beer, noticing that Nicole's eyes were now filled with tears.

"Here, dry your tears." Link offered her a tissue.

Nicole sobbed as she leaned into his arms.

Link hesitated for a moment before gently patting her shoulder. Every tough guy had a soft side; after all, just last time, Angelina Jolie had employed the same tactic to catch his attention.

Ding!

Nicole's phone rang again.

She glanced at it, smiled coldly, and suddenly looked at Link with mischief. "How about we play a little game? I might take advantage of you a bit, but I promise I'll make it up to you afterward, any way you like. How about it?"

"What kind of game?" he asked curiously.

"Just wait and see!"

With a slight smile, Nicole squatted down slowly in front of him, tucking her golden hair back as she picked up her husband's call.

*****

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