制霸好莱坞

With the movie contract in hand, Jenny at least didn't have to work two jobs during the day and night anymore. Being a waitress is an unpredictable job; if she didn't show up for a week, the other waitstaff would just cover her shifts, or they would hire a temporary worker. Given Jenny's appearance and popularity, Johnny wouldn't fire her just because she took a week off.

But she still insisted on working the night shift. The main reason wasn't for the salary, and it wasn't to make things easier for Johnny. It was because...

During the second scene in the interrogation room, George also struggled with his lines, and by the time they finished, it was already past five in the morning. Jenny removed her makeup, changed her clothes, and was rushed by Dave to the restaurant. She was two hours late, but Johnny didn't scold her. Instead, he told her that being two hours late was no problem, and when the crowd died down, she could leave early. However, her base salary would be halved.

Jenny didn't mind; she had misjudged how exhausting the filming would be. In the acting world, she couldn't feel the physical fatigue. The only fatigue was the mental exhaustion that came from staying in character. Though she only filmed two scenes that day, she didn't realize that waiting between takes wouldn't allow her to rest. To keep her dress from wrinkling, she was even more tired than she would have been waiting tables.

Then there was another six-hour shift. By the end of it, Jenny was relying on sheer willpower to continue. Once the busiest period for late-night snacks was over, she immediately said goodbye to Johnny and left work.

Dave had been waiting for her at the restaurant. No matter how much she insisted, he wouldn't leave. He didn't let Jenny walk home but drove her to the building's entrance.

Exhausted, Jenny fell asleep in the car. She woke up as soon as the car stopped. "Are we here?"

"We're here," Dave said, smiling gently at her. "Go rest. You have to wake up early tomorrow—I'll pick you up for breakfast."

This was why Jenny had to work the night shift. Without it, Dave would take her to dinner, and everything would go as it should. She had no way to stop him from confessing his feelings without hurting him, and she didn't want to refuse him right now.

If it was manipulation, she could admit it. A girl with nothing who wanted to make it in Hollywood had to do a few questionable things. Jenny had managed to maintain her boundaries. She didn't want to sleep with Dave, not just because she didn't like selling her body, but because it would be an insult to Dave's character. If he were a sleazy producer who only had his eye on her beauty, she wouldn't mind keeping him around, using him for as long as she could, then kicking him to the curb when she had enough. But because Dave was so sincere toward her, she kept avoiding the moment when everything would fall apart. It wasn't just because she needed him as a friend—it was because she didn't want to hurt him.

What comforted her a bit was that she really liked Dave. After her ex-husband, Jenny had no admiration left for rich, handsome men. Her ex had been a perfect man—wealthy, suave, handsome, and considerate. But in the end, it turned out that a person's essence had little to do with whether they were rich or handsome. Dave was dedicated to his work, sincere, and behind his shy personality, there was awkward humor. If her situation weren't so special, she wouldn't mind seeing where things with him could go.

But right now, she didn't have the time. Jenny really didn't have the time. For a girl aiming for the top in Hollywood, a relationship with Dave would be a huge waste of time.

That night, she staggered up to the fourth floor, thanked Dave, and collapsed into bed without even taking a shower.

The next morning, Dave did pick her up for breakfast. Sitting in the breakfast shop, surrounded by the smell of sugary pastries and sizzling bacon with eggs, Jenny's stomach ached with hunger. She was already thinking about the long day ahead—over ten hours of shooting and another six-hour shift. She craved anything sweet and salty—just a taste of happiness and the aroma of starch.

But she didn't order much. "Black coffee, one chicken salad, no dressing," she finally said, adding, "Half an order of vinaigrette, please."

Dave ordered bacon and eggs, chocolate pancakes, mocha coffee, and orange juice. Jenny stared at his breakfast, starting to understand why big stars often had bad tempers.

But she couldn't eat much. She hadn't exercised the day before, and her muscles were already feeling it. Eating anything that was high in calories would be disastrous for her.

"Want a bite?" Dave asked, noticing her expression when the pancakes arrived.

Rejecting that bite of pancake was even harder than rejecting Dave's future confession.

Jenny closed her eyes and said, "No, thanks."