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Chapter 138: After the Banquet
🕑 Added 2025-01-01 08:57:15 +0000 UTCChicago became the big winner of the 75th Academy Awards, with Rob and the producer walking up to the stage to accept the Best Picture Oscar. Everyone marveled at how the film would undoubtedly become another milestone in cinematic history. When talking about American musical films in the future, Chicago would surely occupy an important place.
However, Ethan wasn't thinking about Chicago right now, because he was facing a rather awkward situation. It seemed that both Scarlett and Anne Hathaway were waiting for him, as if they planned to congratulate him face-to-face.
But if these two women met, Ethan couldn't predict what might happen. So he glanced at their positions and distances, then whispered a few words to Rob before standing up and leaving his seat.
Just as he was about to go meet Anne Hathaway, she suddenly noticed Ethan signaling to her. She turned around, saw Ethan pointing toward the banquet hall, and noticed Rob and the other members of the crew with him. Anne Hathaway smiled and walked directly toward the banquet hall.
After watching her leave, Ethan patted Rob on the shoulder. "Thanks," he said.
Then, from behind Rob, he saw Scarlett approaching. Sure enough, Ethan used Rob as a shield to block Scarlett's view, ensuring she didn't see him signaling to Anne Hathaway.
"I'll head to the banquet first. See you later," Rob smiled knowingly and said without commenting further.
Once the crowd thinned out, Ethan slowly made his way into the corridor connected to the banquet hall. In the shadows, Ethan leaned against the wall, hidden from view, his expression unreadable, leaving only his silhouette visible.
Click, click, click. Scarlett's high heels echoed as she followed him into the corridor. As she passed Ethan, she teasingly licked her lips. In the next moment, Ethan swiftly pulled her into his embrace.
"You're playing with fire, Saint Miss," Ethan murmured as his hand moved downward, feeling the subtle, unique sensations along her waist and abdomen.
"Tsk, tsk, are you ready?" Ethan smiled as he looked at Scarlett.
"Of course... Master." Scarlett whispered those words into Ethan's ear, her breath sending a shiver down his spine.
"Good. Then Master must give the orders," Ethan said, patting her on the backside. "Wait quietly, you're staying at the Montrose Castle Hotel tonight, right?"
"Yes," Scarlett nodded.
"Good. I'll be in Room 806. Saint Miss, it's your turn." Ethan handed her the keycard.
Scarlett understood that he was referring to their bet, and she accepted the card, slipping it into her waist. She stared at him for a moment before leaning in to kiss him deeply. "No problem, my Oscar-winning knight."
After the kiss, she turned and left, her heels clicking down the corridor.
Ethan glanced around to make sure no one was in sight and no cameras were present before heading toward the banquet.
"Congratulations, Ethan! Best Cinematography!"
As soon as he entered, he was greeted by several familiar stars congratulating him. They had brought along their friends, and soon, Ethan was surrounded.
This was partly because Ethan had arrived late, after the other awardees had already received their praise.
Ethan took the glass of wine from Renée Zellweger and began chatting with the stars.
Interestingly, all the female celebrities were gathered around Ethan, while the male stars clustered around Rob and the other directors.
"Ethan, what's your next project?"
"Yeah, do you have anything lined up?"
Ethan smiled. "Not yet, I plan to take a short break."
He didn't mention the truth, of course. Since it was already 2003, it was about time for a film that would shatter the public's preconceptions of horror movies.
But Ethan had some doubts. He knew the Saw script had been written a while ago. James Wan and his writer friends had created it three years ago. They had even considered getting funding from the Australian government, which would have provided $2 million if the project passed government review. However, a horror film like Saw wouldn't pass the review, so they gave up on that idea.
They were left with raising private funds—at most around $10,000, which wasn't enough to do anything substantial, let alone make a full film. So, they handed the script to a producer to help submit it to various companies, hoping to find an interested party.
Two years passed, and then Lionsgate discovered the script.
While chatting with the stars, Ethan kept thinking about how to snatch it. Of course, he could start shooting the film early, altering it slightly to outdo James Wan and his team. However, if that led to a lawsuit over similarities, it wouldn't be good for him either.
So Ethan preferred to intercept the script before Lionsgate did, securing it for himself. Not only would that give him the script legitimately, but he could also bring James Wan on board as a director. After all, when it came to the remaining Saw films, he couldn't continue directing them, and there were also the Conjuring films to consider—huge money-makers.
Ethan already had a plan in mind. He had tasked Loren Ortiz with registering a new film production company called "Norton's Eye." He intended to use the company to collect various film scripts, perhaps even attracting the producer who had helped James Wan's team submit their script. It was possible he could land unexpected scripts along the way.
After mingling with the stars, Ethan sat down, nursing his glass of wine.
Cinematographers weren't the mainstream figures in Hollywood; the real center of attention at this banquet were the behind-the-scenes bosses—executives from Universal, Sony, Disney, Warner Brothers, and Paramount. These top figures were laughing and chatting with the award winners, discussing their company's upcoming big projects.
Ethan, with his sharp instincts, noticed a delicate hand accepting a keycard from a producer, signaling that the Montrose Castle Hotel would be bustling throughout the night.
But this was Hollywood, and this was capitalism, wasn't it?
Ethan smirked and set his wine glass down. "Anne, I didn't expect you to be so popular."
"I didn't expect it either," Anne Hathaway replied, her cheeks flushed from champagne. She raised her glass. "Congratulations, I knew you'd win this award."
"Seems like you were more certain than I was," Ethan took a big sip of his drink.
"Of course..." Anne Hathaway rested her hand on her knee, propping her chin with her wrist. She smiled at him. "You're really handsome."
Ethan turned to meet her gaze. "You should be glad there are so many people here. Otherwise..." He shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid.
"Otherwise what?" Anne Hathaway asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.
"Princess, what do you think?" Ethan's smile widened as he stood up and began walking toward the balcony. Anne Hathaway followed closely behind.
Slap.
Thirty seconds later, the balcony door closed.
Whoosh.
The curtains were drawn, and the sound of kissing filled the air for the next ten minutes. When a waiter tried to open the door, the two finally walked out.
"Are you leaving already?" Ethan touched his lips with his finger.
Anne Hathaway nodded. "Yes, I have a flight tonight."
"Safe travels. Don't forget to call me when you get there," Ethan said without any concern that Scarlett would find out.
Anne Hathaway's response seemed to confirm the appropriateness of his statement.
"Forget it, I don't want to wake you. I'll just send you a text," she replied.
"Alright, see you in New York. I won't let you off easily when I do," Ethan gently squeezed her small hand and watched her leave.
He didn't rush back to his room but spent a little more time chatting with Rob and the others. When no one else came looking for him, he followed the waiter back to his floor.
Knock knock knock.
Ethan wasn't sure if Scarlett was in his room, so he decided to try first. If no one answered, he would ask the hotel staff to open the door.
Soon, he heard a sound at the peephole. Scarlett was clearly observing the situation outside.
The door opened with a soft click, and Ethan raised an eyebrow, gripping the doorknob and stepping inside.
What greeted his eyes was Scarlett in a rather sensual outfit. She was dressed like a real nun, but in a low-cut version, with black stockings on her legs exposed and a netted eye mask covering her face. A belt was wrapped around her hands, adding to the allure.
"Master, welcome back," she said in a voice tinged with excitement, slightly lowering her head.
"That outfit looks great, Sister," Ethan said, licking his lips as his desire instantly ignited.
He pulled her by the belt to the bed, sitting down first.
"Come on, my nun servant, it's your turn."
"Yes, Master."
Scarlett knelt before him, looking up as she said, "Let me wash your hair first."
Ethan shifted slightly on the bed. "Go ahead."
"Alright, Master."
