Actor in Hollywood

Jealous? Envious? Embarrassed?

Yeah.

The answer was definitely yes. James Franco didn't mind admitting it. Along with that, there were countless other emotions—shock, surprise, regret, frustration—all hitting him at once.

For a moment, he was dazed.

Words couldn't accurately describe what he was feeling. A whirlwind of emotions surged within him, and for a split second, James wanted to turn around and leave the scene—

Damn it.

But James managed to control himself.

Even though he was jealous, so jealous it felt like his stomach was burning, seeing the role he had dreamt of going to Anson—Peter Parker, freaking Spider-Man!

But... he let out a long breath, tilting his head to look at Anson, feeling both annoyed and irritated, sighing deeply before finally approaching him.

Shaking his head and muttering "I hate you" under his breath, James stopped in front of Anson and Brad. He looked Anson up and down, with a puzzled expression on his face. "It doesn't make sense. How could they choose you and not me, the super handsome guy?" Then, his eyes met Anson's.

"I hate you. Seriously." James emphasized again with full sincerity.

But he still opened his arms and gave Anson a hug—tight and even tighter—while mumbling, "It's definitely because I'm too handsome. There's no other way. Peter Parker can't be too good-looking, right? So, I guess I'll reluctantly accept this," and then, leaning closer to Anson's ear, he whispered.

"Congratulations."

He paused, took a deep breath, and repeated, "Congratulations, brother."

Anson wasn't James, so he couldn't fully understand how James felt, but he knew this wasn't easy.

For once, Anson hugged James back.

A smile crept up on his lips. "So, this means we'll be working together. How about that? Are you ready to have both your acting and charm completely overshadowed?"

James froze for a moment, a beat late to catch Anson's confident grin. "Get lost!"

As soon as he said it, he realized he hadn't retorted fast enough, losing the upper hand. "If anyone's going to overshadow someone, it's going to be me overshadowing you. Don't you know that in the original comics, I'm the school heartthrob?" He grumbled some more but then noticed Anson's expression—one of comforting a child:

Sure, sure, whatever you say.

James looked up at the sky, utterly defeated, feeling both frustrated and regretful, as if reflecting on his life choices.

Brad, finally snapping out of his joy and craziness, blinked a few times. "Wait, does this mean you two are going to act opposite each other?"

He imagined the scene in his mind.

"Haha, hahaha, that's going to be hilarious! Can I get a front-row seat to watch?"

"Requesting set visits!"

"I want to be in the front row, watching you two act opposite each other. Let's see who cracks up first, haha."

A burst of laughter and teasing ensued.

Finally, things calmed down, and Anson and Edgar made their way to the garden.

Edgar couldn't help but take in the view of the garden. It had been almost half a year since he last came here, and while things seemed the same, they also felt completely different.

"Hey, Captain, are you ready?"

A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Edgar looked over instinctively and saw Anson smiling under the shade of a tree.

The autumn sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering like butterflies onto Anson's shoulders. That smile was calm and gentle, different from the ones on red carpets, in magazines, or at parties. It was warm and bright, making it impossible not to smile back.

Caught off guard, Edgar quickly cleared his throat to cover his moment of distraction. "Ready for what?"

"Signing the contract." Anson raised the pen in his hand, giving it a slight wave.

Edgar froze again, all his words stuck in his throat.

Anson didn't get a response, but he didn't mind. He extended his right hand and said, "Captain Cook, would you like to be my agent?"

Edgar quietly gazed at Anson's outstretched hand, the sunlight casting a rainbow over it, holding his attention firmly.

Back then, he had chosen to take a risk, to believe in Anson, to trust his own judgment, and to stake his entire career on this young man. Without any formal agreement, he had dared to slip Anson's photos into a manila envelope and send them off to Sony Columbia.

Now, everything proved that his decision was right.

Moreover, Edgar had a feeling that this was just the beginning.

So, Edgar stood up, solemnly shook Anson's hand, and said, "It's my honor."

Anson looked around and then asked, "So, where do I sign this contract? Before my lawyer stops me, I can at least sign a date."

"Haha," Edgar's smile fully blossomed. "No rush. I'll make sure everything is in order. After all, I wouldn't want you to break the contract over some issues and then switch to Creative Artists Agency. That would pretty much end my career as an agent."

After all, Edgar had already been working tirelessly for a whole month without a contract, so there was no need to hurry now.

Of course, deep down, there was still a bit of concern. If Anson landed the role of Spider-Man but then turned around and signed with another agent or agency, all of Edgar's efforts would be in vain. But he chose to trust Anson.

As for today—

"Now, we need to sit down and talk about your salary," Edgar said, motioning for Anson to take a seat.

Anson was a bit surprised. "Do we have any leverage?"

Edgar gave a confident, subtle smile. "They chose you, unanimously. That's our leverage."

He liked the way "we" sounded. Edgar's career as a Hollywood talent agent was finally on track.

"Actually, after Sam Raimi confirmed he would take on 'Spider-Man,' Sony Columbia had already chosen Peter Parker. Edward Furlong—do you know him?"

Edgar casually dropped a bombshell. This was the first time Anson had heard this insider information, and he nodded. "Of course, 'Terminator 2.' Who doesn't know him?"

Anson had always assumed Tobey Maguire was the first choice for Peter Parker, but so far, that name hadn't even come up, as if he wasn't in the running at all. And now he learned that Edward Furlong was originally set to be the first Spider-Man?

That was a bombshell!

In 1991, "Terminator 2" hit theaters, and the young Edward Furlong, who played the savior in his youth, dazzled the big screen. At just fourteen, he became an overnight sensation. However, his career spiraled into chaos as his mother, aunt, and uncle fought over his guardianship—essentially his income—much like what happened to Macaulay Culkin, completely derailing his career. The young star plunged into a downward spiral afterward.

Edgar shrugged slightly. "But not long after that, he ended up in jail. Sony Columbia terminated his contract immediately."

"In jail?"

"Yeah, like Robert Downey Jr. But because everyone's talking about Robert Downey Jr., Edward Furlong's news didn't make as big a splash."

The future "Iron Man," Robert Downey Jr., was currently at the lowest, darkest point in his career. Late last year, he was arrested for the second time in three years for charges involving white powder, illegal firearms, and more, earning him a three-year sentence and becoming a topic of gossip.

It seems Edward Furlong faced a similar downfall.

Edgar continued, "Sony Columbia doesn't like negative press, so they completely buried the news. They definitely won't want any more scandals surrounding this project, which could cause the paparazzi to dig up old story again."