Jennifer Connelly and Charlize Theron found themselves both loving and hating Regulus Black. Why hadn't he made any move? They were already completely captivated by him—if he so much as curled a finger, they'd have let down their final guard.
And yet, even though there was desire in Regulus Black's eyes when he looked at them, in normal interactions he always managed to dissolve the atmosphere of seduction with ease, turning conversations back to work.
"I think it's just bad timing. Regulus has his own judgment. If the time is right, he'll take the initiative," said Mrs. Cook with a smile, glancing at the two leading ladies. Clearly, they were already under Regulus Black's spell. The longer the contact, the stronger the influence. But of course, not just anyone was affected—only those whom Regulus Black had taken an interest in, those who could sense desire and affection in his gaze. They were the ones who could become truly enchanted over time.
"So tell us—how long did it take before you were together?"Charlize Theron asked excitedly. After all, the woman in front of her was Regulus Black's official lover.
Why didn't she feel any aversion to being a lover? It was such an indescribable feeling!
"The first day. The moment we met, he chose me. I don't know why, but I just had that feeling. Regulus's eyes seemed able to pierce the soul, and at the same time they radiated sincere desire—like a child who wants something and simply has to have it. That kind of desire."
Mrs. Cook began to understand something Regulus Black had once said: "I see, I conquer." But of course, he had to see something worth conquering first. If he wasn't interested to begin with, there would be no conquest.
"That really matches how I felt too! From the very first meeting, I felt the same way. But I also sensed a strange kind of regret… I don't know why."
Jennifer Connelly was clearly lost in thought. She could feel his desire, and yet… why was there regret in it?Maybe it was exactly that regret that kept Regulus Black from taking things further with her.
"My feeling was the opposite. Besides the desire in his eyes, I sensed expectation. Is it because I'm the youngest?"Charlize Theron puffed her cheeks in frustration, giving her baby-faced cheeks a pinch.
"I suppose… Miss Connelly, you've had two movie roles before. Maybe now that you've grown up, you've lost that childlike charm, and that's what causes the sense of regret. As for Miss Theron, perhaps you're still too young, which is why Regulus is looking forward to your future. People are never satisfied with what they have."
Mrs. Cook's explanation made a strange sort of sense, which only left the two leading ladies more conflicted. What now—should one of them reverse time to regain her youth, and the other grow up overnight? This concubine simply cannot do that!
The villa's main doors were wide open, snow piled high at the entrance. Dr. Alan clutched the wound under his left arm, where Lucille Sharpe had just stabbed him. The knife had been pulled out, and blood continued to flow. He struggled to push the doors open, and the cold wind and snow instantly poured into the hall.
Thomas Sharpe approached with a knife in hand. He easily grabbed Dr. Alan and turned him around.
"If I don't do it, she will. Listen to me—you're a doctor. Show me where."
Thomas Sharpe handed the knife to Dr. Alan. Clearly, the stabbing had to happen—but the location could be chosen. Avoid the organs, the major nerves, the major blood vessels. Dr. Alan moved the knife to his right side, just below the diaphragm. He had no choice but to trust him.
Thomas Sharpe stabbed it in and pulled it out quickly. The blade didn't go deep—though the wound bled profusely, it avoided all vital areas.
Using the injury as cover, Dr. Alan slowly collapsed. Thomas Sharpe turned and walked calmly toward the camera.
"Cut! Good! Very good!"
Director Guillermo del Toro applauded from the side. This scene had been split into many short takes, but none took more than five tries to nail. The performances were explosive—these two actors were in the zone!
You see, when both the director and actors are not in the right state, reshoots can happen hundreds of times. In such cases, what's lost is not just money and time, but also the actors' enthusiasm for the project and the director's patience.
However, ever since the first night of staying over, several core members of the crew have been dreaming about scenes related to the film. When they discussed it afterward, not only did it improve work efficiency, but everyone also chose to downplay this strange coincidence. Talk of ghosts and spirits could be listened to, but not spoken aloud.
Still, filming based on such detailed dreams significantly boosted efficiency—more than just a little.
"Alright, let's have the two ladies come over. We'll reshoot the group scene again."
Director Guillermo del Toro didn't pause for a moment and called over the two lead actresses who were having tea.
What followed were scenes in which they served as background or distant figures. Regulus Black and Robert Downey Jr. were completely unaffected and performed with the same intensity as before. One of the most crucial qualities of an actor is repetition—repeating the same actions, glances, expressions, or lines until the director is satisfied. Especially when performing in ensemble scenes, this is essential. Otherwise, a single mistake from one actor could force everyone to redo the scene.
Very soon, those scenes passed smoothly as well. Seeing that it was already noon, Director Guillermo del Toro immediately released the crew for lunch. Outside Mrs. Cook's food truck, a long line had once again formed.
Now, in addition to the food truck, they had also rented a mobile toilet trailer. Every few days, the props team would drive it back to town for maintenance and return it at dawn. It also helped handle the mansion's household waste.
As the "ding ding ding…" sound rang out, a call came through to the phone specially assigned to Regulus Black by Lucy Piddle.
"Mr. Black! Mr. Ron Weasley has an urgent family matter that requires your attention. It seems to be quite serious."
"Alright, I understand."
Regulus Black was no ordinary wizard. Calling him forward-thinking would be an understatement. With the advantage of past-life experience, if he still clung to outdated wizard customs—treating Muggles like fools and refusing to communicate—he'd be a complete idiot. So yes, he bought a semi-truck. And of course, he bought a phone. More than that, as the current head of the Black family, his investment ventures were far broader than those of his predecessors.
"Black, something came up?"Director Guillermo del Toro had originally planned to shoot the scene of Dr. Allen and Thomas Sharpe in the basement storage room that afternoon.
"Yes, I'm afraid we'll have to pause filming today. I have some urgent matters to attend to."
Regulus Black wasn't just one of the lead actors in this film; he was also an investor. But more importantly, he was the Duke of the Black family and a billionaire, so being busy was entirely expected.
Still, it was unlikely Ron Weasley's matter would take too long to resolve.
"Downey! Don't try anything with the two leading ladies. I'll be telling your wife!"
As Regulus Black was leaving, he deliberately joked to Robert Downey Jr., making the two actresses' eyes light up.
Was that… a declaration of ownership? The two women immediately felt a sense of impending happiness.
It had to be said—Regulus Black's charm was overwhelming. Ordinary people simply couldn't resist it.
"Screw you! I'll keep an eye on them and make sure no one runs off with them."
Robert Downey Jr. shot back with a grin. After all, the two had been sharing a room for days now—there was definitely some camaraderie. Yep—battlefield brotherhood.
Regulus Black rolled out a motorcycle from the food truck—its design far beyond the technology of this era, drawing astonished looks from the entire crew. A helmet with cat-ear designs was placed on his head, and with a roar, he sped off from Crimson Peak.
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