Chapter 4 : Scolding, Phone Call, Seeking Answers

The collaboration with Alice to create a scandal was a preemptive PR measure to prevent future revelations about Christopher''s sexual orientation. This was Angela and the company''s decision, and Christopher himself didn''t want to agree. He compromised only to reassure the company.

Alice was chosen because she was easy to deal with. She wasn''t very popular, her acting skills were mediocre, and she couldn''t land major roles. Angela only promised her supporting roles in two of Christopher''s films, and she happily agreed. Such a person was easy to work with, as long as she was given some resources from time to time.

But no one expected her to pull this stunt.

Fortunately, the other party was Adrian. Adrian was Christopher''s person, and although they weren''t in the same company, as long as Adrian''s heart was with Christopher, this matter wouldn''t be difficult to handle. But now Christopher said he and Adrian were done.

Angela was taken aback.

"Why didn''t you tell me earlier? Why did you make this decision on your own?!"

Christopher''s tone wasn''t good either. "This is my personal matter. There''s no need to discuss everything with you."

Angela: "And now? Do you see the current situation? Do you still think this is your personal matter?"

"Sorry," Christopher''s voice softened, "but I''ve already said it. The company will have to handle this differently."

Angela sighed on the other end and asked, "What happened between you and Adrian? Caleb said you spent the night there last night, and today you''re telling me you two are done? How am I supposed to believe that?"

Christopher: "Believe it or not, I''ve already taken my things back."

"No, what''s the reason?" Angela was anxious. "There must be a reason."

Christopher took a cigarette from the pack on the coffee table, put it in his mouth, and walked to the balcony to light it. "Angela, Caleb is coming back."

The phone went silent. Christopher smoked and looked at the colorful city center below. "Caleb is coming back. I can''t have anyone around me."

Angela didn''t speak. After a while, she said, "Christopher, do you think you and Caleb have a future?"

Angela had been with Christopher since he was still at Boulder College and knew all about him and Caleb. Unlike Christopher, she didn''t think highly of Caleb. She believed Caleb valued his career more than love, so when Caleb left Christopher to go abroad alone, she wasn''t surprised but rather relieved.

When Christopher said he would wait for Caleb, she didn''t interfere. But when Christopher really waited for Caleb for two years, she couldn''t help but call him foolish, poking at his heart and saying Caleb wouldn''t come back. Christopher just smiled and said, "I promised to wait, so I have to keep my word, right?"

Two years later, Caleb indeed didn''t come back, and Christopher turned to a young actor. The young actor looked a lot like Caleb but had a completely different personality. Angela knew he couldn''t let go for a while, so she let him be. Over time, she noticed that Christopher was quite attentive to the young actor named Adrian. Being with Adrian, Christopher''s mood improved significantly, and she thought maybe Christopher had moved on.

Angela quite liked Adrian. Adrian was calm, perceptive, uncompetitive, and didn''t meddle. He took whatever Christopher gave him and didn''t ask for more if Christopher didn''t offer. Occasionally, he would even give something back to Christopher. He treated everyone around Christopher with respect, neither fawning nor feeling inferior. He didn''t interfere with Christopher''s work and was indifferent to Christopher''s scandals. Angela didn''t know what he truly thought, but on the surface, he seemed like a nearly perfect lover.

Christopher was doing well with Adrian, and Angela could see that. She thought the two of them would be like this for the rest of their lives. She didn''t expect that she, who was usually so good at reading people, would be wrong about the artist she had managed for nearly ten years. It made her both angry and amused.

"I don''t know," Christopher said, "but I''m not willing to give up."

Christopher indeed wasn''t willing to give up. He had secretly loved Caleb for ten years and openly for six years, keeping someone in his heart for sixteen years. Just reciting a name every day could wear it out, let alone the fact that Caleb had been an obsession in his heart for a long time. To forget, he would have to let the obsession rot inside him until it hurt so much that he would be willing to cut it out.

Angela didn''t know what else to say. She sighed, "You weigh it yourself. I only have one thing to say: don''t ruin your future over this."

"I understand," Christopher said. "I''ll leave the scandal to you. Thank you."

"Alright, haven''t you thanked me enough?" Angela said irritably. "Don''t forget you have a magazine cover shoot later. It''s a bit far, so have Caleb pick you up early."

"Okay."

Christopher hung up the phone and reopened Twitter. Adrian''s trending topic had already dropped two places, pushed down by a female celebrity''s wedding announcement and another social news story. He clicked on the photo, zoomed in, and looked at it carefully again before slowly exhaling.

The doorbell rang; the delivery had arrived. He tossed his phone on the table and got up to get the food. While eating, he couldn''t help but call Adrian.

The ringtone rang twice before Adrian picked up, his voice a bit breathless: "Mr. DuPont? Why are you calling me now?"

Christopher''s heart sank, and he said in a deep voice, "What are you doing? Is someone with you?"

"Hmm?" Adrian was stunned for a moment. "No, why?"

Then, as if he thought of something, he added, "Oh, I... my stomach doesn''t feel too well. Don''t misunderstand."

"Yeah." Christopher wanted to ask where he was feeling unwell, but the words got stuck in his throat. "Just wanted to let you know, Angela will probably talk to your agent about the rumors between you and Alice. So... what''s the deal with those photos of you and Alice?"

Adrian said, "It''s nothing, really. We had a few scenes together during the day, and she got scolded by Bruce and started crying. No one dared to comfort her, and I thought it wasn''t right to leave a girl crying alone, so I went over to say a few words. She had been squatting for a while and her legs went numb, so I helped her up. That''s probably when the photos were taken."

It was pretty much what Christopher had thought.

Christopher knew Adrian well. He wasn''t the type to flirt with women. At first, he even suspected the photos were photoshopped, but after a closer look, he realized there was something to it. That''s why he called Adrian, to hear the whole story from him directly and put his mind at ease.

He didn''t think about why he was so eager to hear an answer. Maybe he knew, but just didn''t want to admit it.