The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 138.

The midday sun blazed in the sky, and the leaves by the roadside hung motionless. A sudden wave of heat had swept the streets clean of pedestrians, leaving the area around Matthew's house deserted. Even the paparazzi who once hounded him had lost interest, abandoning him due to his recent dip in popularity and an uneventful personal life.

In the end, Matthew wasn't a true star and simply didn't possess enough long-term appeal to hold their attention.

A black car turned in from the direction of North Hollywood and slowly pulled up to the curb.

After a moment, seeing that the coast was clear, a blonde woman stepped out of the car. She was heading for the ivy-covered fence when the metal gate swung open, and she practically leaped inside, throwing her arms around the man waiting for her.

With a loud bang, the gate was slammed shut from the inside, shattering the surrounding silence.

...

Inside the high fence, clothes lay strewn across the lawn. The woman was pressed hard against the iron gate by a tall, lean man, their bodies already entangled in a passionate coupling.

But the scorching outdoor heat made it impossible to stay for long, and the pair quickly moved inside the house.

"I'm going to die." Britney lay on the floor, unwilling to even twitch a finger. Her blue eyes were glazed, and a trail of saliva unconsciously escaped the corner of her mouth, like a lamb to the slaughter. "Matthew, are you trying to kill me?"

Matthew, lying in a similar pose nearby, turned his head to look at her. "You don't like it, darling?" he asked.Britney mumbled, "I do, a lot, but one more time and I'll actually die."

He scooted closer, kissed her forehead, and pulled a blanket over her. Then he went to gather their clothes. By the time he returned, Britney had already moved from the floor to the sofa.

As soon as she saw Matthew, Britney launched herself at him, kissing him until she was breathless before they finally pulled apart.

They settled on the sofa, and Britney wrapped her arms around Matthew, her hands roaming restlessly over his lean torso. "You've gotten thinner," she commented, "but your muscles feel harder, more defined."

Matthew narrowed his eyes at her playfully. "I've been training. What do you think? Are the results impressive?"

"Absolutely!" For once, Britney was able to read the look in his eyes. She answered with a wide smile, "I love it. It's so good, it's incredible!"

Hearing that, Matthew's hands began to wander again, but Britney quickly pulled away. "Stop," she said, "I'm tired."

At that, Matthew got up and asked, "Water, coffee, or tea?"

"Just water, please." Britney got up, pulling the blanket around herself. "My costume designer warned me to watch my figure and cut back on drinks like coffee."

Matthew nodded and went to pour her a glass of water. As she got dressed, Britney followed him and added, "I haven't had lunch yet."

Matthew handed Britney the glass of water and said, "Why didn't you tell me sooner? I'll cook something up for you right now."

Britney nodded, a hint of excitement in her expression. "I've always wanted to try your cooking."

They headed for the kitchen, passing a set of shelves in the living room. Britney's eyes fell on a DV camera Matthew had bought a while back, and she picked it up, intrigued.

Seeing her fascination, Matthew explained, "I use it in my spare time, just filming things for fun to relax."

Britney was already fiddling with the camera. She quickly powered it on, aimed the lens at Matthew, and exclaimed excitedly, "I want to film you cooking for me for the very first time!"

"If you insist." Matthew entered the kitchen and turned to face the camera. "It's time for the 'God of Cookery' show."

As Matthew opened the refrigerator, Britney asked with curiosity, "What are you going to make? A lover's lunch?"

Matthew pulled eggs and tomatoes from the fridge. "It's one of my signature dishes. I'll have it ready for you soon, darling."

Britney asked, holding the camera steady on Matthew, "Is it pasta?"

Matthew, who knew a thing or two about Italian cooking, replied as he whisked the eggs, "Tomato and egg noodles."

As Matthew cooked and Britney filmed, they chatted and laughed, filling the kitchen with a cozy warmth.

Before long, a bowl of fragrant tomato and egg noodles was ready. With practiced ease, Matthew picked up a fork and spoon and carried the dish to the dining room, with Britney filming his every move.

"It smells delicious," Britney said as she reached the table. She zoomed in for a close-up of the bowl of noodles before handing the camera to Matthew. "Now you film me."

Matthew took a step back to get a wider shot of Britney, who must have been starving, as she devoured the entire bowl of noodles in under five minutes.

"Mmm," she purred, making a victory sign for the camera before blowing a kiss to Matthew. "Darling, that bowl of noodles was better than anything from a three-Michelin-star chef!"

Knowing she was laying it on thick, Matthew couldn't help but smile. "Want another bowl?"

"No." Britney shook her head. "I need to start dieting soon."

Dieting was the norm for celebrities, something Matthew understood well. He didn't follow a strict regimen himself, but with the sheer amount of exercise he did, gaining weight was never an issue.

Britney walked over to Matthew and took the camera from him. "Give me a tour of the house," she said.

Matthew gave Britney a tour of the house. Remembering Helen's dramatic reaction earlier, he decided not to mention the murder that had occurred there. In his experience, someone like Britney would either be completely unfazed or utterly terrified, with no middle ground.

Back in the living room, Matthew asked, "So, what do you think of the house?"

"It's great," Britney said, then added, "I especially like the fence around the yard. It gives us privacy."

Matthew nodded slightly, pleased that Britney was finally showing some perceptiveness.

In fact, since her return from Nashville, Matthew could see that Britney had matured. Perhaps his advice during their meetings and his daily reminders over the phone had actually made a difference.

Britney turned off the DV camera and stretched. "Let's go to bed," she said.

Matthew stopped her, scooping her up into his arms as she let out a playful squeal. He carried her to the bedroom, where they didn't do anything more, simply held each other close and quietly fell asleep.

They slept until almost three in the afternoon. After they'd freshened up a bit, Britney asked, "Don't you have the gym and filming today?"

"I have the day off," Matthew said, leading her back into the living room. "The crew doesn't start shooting again until next Monday."

Britney nodded. "It's a good thing you're filming in Los Angeles. Otherwise, we'd be apart again."

Her words sparked an idea in Matthew's mind. "Darling," he began, "since I've moved, and this place is so nice and private... why don't you move in with me?"

Britney opened her mouth to say yes, but then the thought of her career gave her pause. She hesitated, then slowly shook her head. "Matthew, I'd love to, but..."

She didn't know how to finish the sentence. "...it's just not the right time."

Matthew was disappointed, but he didn't take it to heart. He took the lead in consoling her. "There's no rush. You can move in whenever you feel the time is right."

Britney's mood seemed to sink. "Don't worry, Matthew," she said quietly. "It will be soon."

Sensing her mood, Matthew decided to change the subject. "When is your new album coming out?"

"Next month."

The new album only seemed to deepen her gloom. "As soon as it's released, I'll be on the road again. I'll probably be flying all over North America and Europe for over eight months, and maybe Asia after that."

"I'll come visit whenever I can," Matthew promised.

Britney's spirits remained low. "And I have to start prepping for the next tour soon," she added in a small voice.

She leaned into him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Matthew, my schedule is already booked solid for the next two years."

Matthew didn't know how to comfort her. From what he had learned over the past couple of years, all the big pop stars were so busy they had virtually no personal time.

"It's alright, sweetheart." He pulled Britney into a hug, stroking her back gently. "With international flights being what they are, we're never more than a plane ride away."

Britney nodded vigorously, then reached up, cupped his face, and gave him a deep, lingering kiss, as if it were their last.

...

Time flew, and soon the sky outside began to darken. As was her custom, Britney didn't stay the night, leaving before nine.

After seeing Britney off, Matthew stood in the yard, gazing up at the twinkling stars in the vast night sky. He let out a sudden sigh as a thought surfaced in his mind: if you want to shine, you have to give something up.

What were the sacrifices of a Hollywood star? A personal life? Privacy? Time to oneself? Perhaps it was something more, something heavier.

He tore his gaze away from the stars and returned to the house. After quickly tidying the cluttered living room, he switched on the television and the VCR, resuming his crucial nightly practice of studying and imitating performances.

Now that he had chosen the actor's path, he would strive to become one of the countless shining stars in the firmament—and maybe, just maybe, he would become the brightest of them all.

The weekend flew by in a flash. After two days with Britney, Matthew arrived at Warner Studios at the start of the new week to resume filming for The Scorpion King.