She had never underestimated the boy’s intelligence; sometimes she even felt that Ryan was smarter than she was. She absolutely didn’t believe he couldn’t see that what she was doing would ruin her audition.

Of course, judging from Tom Cruise’s rather cold tone when he hung up the phone, the audition was already a lost cause.

“You like him, don’t you? Nicole Carter.” Across from him, Nicole Kidman was a bit stunned by Ryan’s question. “Don’t deny it, I’m not an idiot.”

For the first time, Nicole Carter felt troubled by Ryan’s precociousness. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I do like him, but just a little.”

“I don’t like him. I really don’t like him!”

Ryan’s words stunned Nicole Carter again. After living together for several years, it was the first time she’d heard him so clearly express his likes and dislikes.

Just from that one sentence, Nicole Carter thought she understood his reason for doing this. Without even thinking, she made up her mind. “Alright, Ryan, since you don’t like him, I’ll try to have as little contact with him as possible.”

Ryan thought he’d have to argue and persuade her, but he didn’t expect Nicole Carter to make a decision so quickly. From this, he could also see his place in her heart. For a moment, he had a thousand things he wanted to say, but in the end, it all came down to one sentence.

“Thank you, Nicole Carter.”

Nicole Carter didn’t say anything more, but walked over and hugged him tightly. He felt her cool elegance, she felt his warmth. In that moment, it was as if the whole world had shrunk to just the woman and the boy—she was his support, he was her everything.

“Ryan, if you don’t like something in the future, just tell me directly, okay? Don’t make me worry.”

“Mm… thank you, Nicole Carter.”

“It’s just a pity about this opportunity.” The chance that was almost in her grasp had slipped away, and Nicole Carter couldn’t help but sigh a little.

“Oh, come on, Nicole Carter, that role wasn’t right for you at all.”

Not yet ten years old, Ryan climbed out of Nicole Carter’s embrace, putting on a somewhat comical look as if he was about to have a serious talk. Anyway, conversations like this happened often between them, so Nicole Carter didn’t mind. “Ryan, I know you’re smart and mature for your age, but do you really understand movies?”

“Who says I don’t understand movies?” Ryan’s nostrils were practically pointed at the ceiling.

“Alright then, you should at least give me your reasons.”

“I heard from Pat about the general plot of this movie. The female lead is basically just a pretty face, only needing to show off her charm and figure, with no room at all to showcase any acting skills.” Ryan paused, then looked at Nicole Carter’s coolly beautiful face. “You know, Nicole Carter, you’re already a bit too beautiful. Of course, that’s a strength, not a weakness. I can totally imagine that if you played this role, you’d be typecast as just a pretty face, and it would be extremely difficult to break out of that later. Are you really willing to be just a pretty face?”

Although Ryan’s words were a bit blunt, how could Nicole Kidman not understand the reasoning? It was just that she desperately needed a project to make her mark in Hollywood and establish herself. However, after hearing these words, the first thing she thought of wasn’t herself.

“Ryan, you little grown-up, since when did you start studying movies?” But as soon as she said it, Nicole Carter remembered that back in London, this guy had bought quite a few books on movies and scriptwriting. Could it be…

“Does that even need studying? Don’t forget, I’m a genius!”

Suddenly, the image of a red-haired big monkey flashed through Ryan’s mind, making him shudder involuntarily. He quickly shook his head to stop his wild thoughts.

A black Cadillac slowly pulled into the small parking lot in front of the apartment. In the back seat, a chubby middle-aged man with some Jewish features looked at the woman beside him and asked again, “Pat, did this script really come from a ten-year-old child?”

“Correction, Harvey Carter, Ryan is just over nine, not even ten yet.”

They were both in the same business, always running into each other, so Pat Goldsley could barely count as his friend.

“I’m just a bit shocked, it’s unbelievable. Even though the story is about a child, a film so full of loneliness and family affection doesn’t seem like something a child could write.”

As they walked toward the apartment, Harvey Weinstein couldn’t help but say a few more words, while Ms. Goldsley just smiled knowingly. “Harvey Carter, once you see that boy, you won’t think that way anymore.”

“Really?” He knew a bit about Goldsley’s situation. Since she praised him so highly, maybe that boy called Ryan really was special. “Then I’ll wait and see.”

The doorbell rang with a “ding dong.” Nicole Carter was just about to get up to answer the door when Ryan jumped off the sofa and dashed to the door in a few steps.

“Hi, Pat, you finally made it.” Ryan greeted the female agent first, then looked at the big fat man behind her. Although he looked a bit different from what he’d imagined, he recognized him instantly.