[Chapter 269: Honey, Should We Call the Police?]
Back at their Beverly Hills mansion, Nicole Kidman had taken a shower, changed into a soft pajama set, and sprawled out on the patio lounge chair to bask in the sun.
In the bright sunlight, fragments of what had happened in the bathroom flickered in her mind -- gentle, intense, suffocating. Scenes played in her head like high-definition images, making her soul and body tremble uncontrollably. She found her legs tightly intertwined.
Riiing! Riiing!
The shrill sound of the phone rang out, interrupting her thoughts.
Nicole reluctantly opened her eyes, reached for the portable phone on the table, and saw it was Michael Ovitz calling.
Ovitz informed her that paparazzi had spotted her leaving the bar with Link and that she hadn't reappeared for over half an hour. He asked what she had been up to with Link.
Nicole blinked, replying that she had tried to get Link's attention multiple times without success. When she saw him at the bar today and he went to the restroom, she had planned to flirt with him.
But Link was a coward; not only had he rejected her advances, he had pushed her down, causing her to twist her ankle.
"Link is such a jerk, a demon who deserves hell. He's not human; he's the most shameless, despicable, and brutal creature on this planet. I went out of my way to make myself available to him, and he didn't even dare to touch me. He's just a spineless, pathetic man. Sometimes, I can't help but think about running him over with my car -- crushing him over and over again."
Nicole spewed her venomous insults towards Link, feeling an unexpected sense of pleasure in berating him, as if she were whipping him.
She laughed heartily, feeling like a queen.
On the other end of the line, Michael Ovitz could barely contain himself at her harsh words. It was quite unbecoming for someone he viewed as a gentle and elegant woman. He could only imagine the pain Link's rejection had caused her.
At that moment, Link was likely the person Nicole despised the most.
"Nicole, take it easy. There's no rush with Link; let's focus on you getting better first."
"Michael, I don't think Link is into me. Why not try someone else?"
Nicole suggested.
Ovitz had considered this as well, but he knew that to create a scandal involving Link, a married woman would carry more weight. Among the actresses represented by CAA, there were few as stunning and cooperative as Nicole Kidman.
He could only reassure her, urging her to be patient and not to lose heart, telling her that if she tried hard enough, she would definitely get Link to fall at her feet.
Nicole reluctantly agreed but expressed that enticing Link required a lot of time and energy, often at the expense of her work. She hoped CAA could provide her with some resources as compensation.
Ovitz agreed, mentioning that Jane Campion was directing a new leading lady film, and the company would recommend her for an audition.
Nicole thanked him sincerely.
...
After hanging up, Nicole smirked slightly. A glimmer of triumph flashed in her blue eyes, but suddenly remembering Link's face, her proud expression crumbled instantly.
Fuming, she slapped the couch, then realized she should call him. She picked up the phone again.
"Nicole, what's going on?"
Link's clear, magnetic voice resonated on the other end. It was a nice voice, yet infuriating, especially after what had just transpired. He spoke to her as if nothing had happened.
Nicole felt a surge of indignation and wanted to lash out at him. But the words came out as, "What are you doing?"
"I'm working at the studio. Our new film is about to start shooting, so I've got a lot on my plate."
Link replied.
"What new film? Batman?"
"The Sixth Sense. It's a ghost story that has some emotional depth."
"It doesn't sound that great. Is there a role for me?"
"Not really. The Sixth Sense has two main female characters -- one is the wife of the male lead who has been married for over a decade, and the other is a mother of an 8-year-old. You're too young and too pretty for either of those roles."
"Oh, so you do give compliments too."
Nicole felt flattered by his comment about her youth and beauty, relishing the praise.
"Well, the role of the female lead in Batman has already gone to Monica. I'll keep you in mind for the next suitable role. Didn't you just finish filming To Die For?" Link mentioned.
"Monica Bellucci?"
She frowned, disappointed that it would go to that Italian actress. "You treat her very well; I'm also your woman now, so you need to be fair with both of us from now on."
"Got it. Is there anything else?" Link asked.
"What do you think? I got hurt, pretty badly, nearly died, and you don't care at all?"
Nicole whined.
"Stop complaining. If it were someone else, it wouldn't just be a minor injury."
"You!"
As she was about to argue back, she remembered what had actually happened in the bathroom. Despite feeling tempted, threatened, and entangled, Link had not truly crossed any boundaries, exhibiting remarkable control.
From that angle, the bastard was somewhat of a gentleman.
Before she could call him a coward, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. She quickly said into the phone, "Cindy, I twisted my ankle. I need to rest. Let's go shopping in a couple of days."
...
After hanging up, her husband, Tom Cruise, walked onto the patio and glanced at her legs. "I heard you hurt your ankle."
"Heard? Who told you?"
Nicole quickly pulled her lower leg under the blanket to hide the telltale marks.
"You mentioned it on the phone."
Tom furrowed his brow.
"Yes, I ran into Link at the bar today, and I wanted to ask him about the lead role in Batman. But that bastard, after a few drinks, suddenly overpowered me, pushed me onto the couch, ripped my dress and stockings, and brutally raped me. Honey, can you get revenge for me?"
Nicole feigned tears, playing the victim.
"Really?"
Hearing her recount the scene made Tom envision Link assaulting Nicole, but he quickly shook his head.
This was inconsistent with what Michael Ovitz had told him. He believed Ovitz over her, knowing Link was not the kind of person who acted without consequences.
"Don't be ridiculous; you just twisted your ankle."
"Tom, I'm telling the truth! That bastard truly assaulted me! Can we call the police and have him arrested? Let's make sure that damned rapist pays for what he did."
Nicole shouted, clenching her fists in outrage.
Tom shook his head. "Link isn't that reckless. If he had done something like that, Michael Ovitz wouldn't be able to handle him either. Just focus on resting."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Nicole let out a cold smile, lying back on the lounge chair, stretching comfortably as she took in the rays of the sun.
*****
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