Marvel’s Shadowed Knight

The male lead, Black, was dead—killed by a reader pushing for the next chapter with a gun.

"Cut! Great. Let's set up the next scene."

Director Guillermo del Toro sat in front of a small monitor, repeatedly reviewing the footage they had just shot.

"Looks like we're off to a good start. Passed on the first take."

Everyone on the crew was pleased. Although Hollywood wasn't like Hong Kong or mainland China, where people might hold ritual offerings for luck, they still placed great importance on the first scene. A smooth opening was often seen as a sign of how the rest of the shoot would go.

"Boss! You've got visitors."

Lucy Piddell pointed behind her, where two women stood locked in a tense standoff, their eyes fixed on each other. The atmosphere was electric.

Milla Jovovich hadn't expected to run into Kate Beckinsale during her visit. Clearly, they were here for the same reason.

"Hello, Kate. You came to visit too? Are you here to see Naomi?"

Milla asked with a smile, hoping that Kate didn't have the same target in mind.

"I'm not that close to Naomi, but I wouldn't mind becoming friends. I mainly came to check in on that young British actor. Since we're both from the UK, I thought I'd stop by and show some support."

Kate Beckinsale's words were layered with meaning. Sarah Mehdani was British, and so was Regulus Black, the lead actor. So which Brit was she really here to see?

When it came to nationality, Milla had already lost the first round. After all, citizenship wasn't something she could change. The Ukrainian beauty could only purse her lips in mild frustration.

"Ladies! Welcome. It's always a pleasure to see beautiful women—it really lifts the spirits."

Regulus Black had already subtly hinted at something during their last handshake. Now it was time to see the results. To those who didn't like him, such flattery could come off as annoying or even offensive.

Accusations of sexual harassment usually arose when the interest wasn't mutual. But for those who were into each other, that kind of teasing was hardly inappropriate—if anything, not kissing the moment you met might seem cold.

Milla seemed a bit nervous, while Kate looked tense. Evidently, the previous hint had planted a seed, and it was starting to take root.

Regulus didn't keep teasing them, nor did he care who they were really there to see. Instead, he took them on a tour of the company. The place had once looked like a demolition site, but now it was completely transformed—all in just three days since the initial audition.

Milla and Kate couldn't have imagined this transformation was the result of magic. To them, it was clearly a product of money.

This was a world driven by wealth, where any miracle could be explained with money.

After showing them around, Regulus brought them back to the filming area. As the boss, he naturally had a private liquor cabinet, and he led them over to it.

"Sherry okay? Just bought it today, not sure how it tastes yet."

Regulus poured a modest amount into three glasses. He wasn't being stingy—they weren't here just to drink, and he still had scenes to shoot later.

"I went back and watched your Crimson Peak. The visuals were stunning—like a painting come to life."

Milla sipped the freshly opened sherry and shared her thoughts.

"The plot was tight. The ghost effects were amazing. And that final twist—when Alan came back possessed—it was brilliant!"

Kate Beckinsale was just as impressed with Crimson Peak and quickly echoed Milla's praise.

"Thank you! I'm glad you both liked it. I haven't asked yet—was there something specific you came here for today?"

Regulus gently clinked glasses with both women. The crisp sound of glass meeting glass rang out, delighting the ears and sending both Milla and Kate into a kind of intoxicated daze. They could no longer hide what was in their hearts.

"I like you, Regulus. I don't know if it counts as love, but I can't stop thinking about you. I think I'm infatuated."

Milla downed her glass in one go and reached to pour herself another.

"I think I'm infatuated too, and I can't stand the thought of missing out. Maybe I've already missed a great film. I want to work with you—even if it's just a supporting role."

Kate Beckinsale also finished her drink, but instead of pouring herself another, she toyed with her glass, waiting for Regulus Black to respond as he wrestled the bottle away from Mira.

Regulus Black collected both Mira's and Kate's glasses, capped the sherry, and returned it to its place before leaning casually against the liquor cabinet.

The entire process was smooth and elegant, without a hint of aggression or force.

"If you two don't mind, there are some extra roles in this film. Just know that they're ghost roles—no lines, no expressions, just a brief appearance."

Regulus Black knew he had to offer them something—otherwise, they might slip away from him. Not because they didn't love him, but because they were afraid to. That kind of love that makes you pull away not because you care too little, but because you care too much and fear losing it.

"No problem. I think I'm up to the task."

"Same here. That sounds easy enough."

Mira and Kate answered in unison. The drunkenness from earlier had completely vanished, even they found it a little strange.

Although the three of them weren't far from the shooting area, they still kept their voices down out of habit. So the crew members in the distance only saw the three drinking together, followed by the two women bowing in gratitude.

Sure enough, Regulus Black later called the director over and assigned the two ghost-encounter scenes in the script to Mira and Kate, tweaking a few details in the process.

This allowed Mira and Kate, after signing the contract, to come and go freely on set, giving them more opportunities to interact with Regulus Black. And naturally, those opportunities went both ways.

Mrs. Black had lost her husband years ago and raised her daughter alone as a single mother.

Her daughter, Sarah, was bright and adorable, with golden-red hair and a pair of golden eyes—not pale gold or yellow, but pure, vivid gold.

The mother and daughter lived quietly like this until Sarah turned thirteen, when something ominous seemed to shift.

After her birthday, Sarah began reading all kinds of religious texts and spent all her spare change buying religious items. Where most children's rooms would be cluttered with toys, Sarah's walls were filled with religious symbols.

The production team had originally planned to make all these props themselves. After all, the quantity needed was huge, and the religious variety even more so.

But Regulus Black somehow managed to collect over 500 religious artifacts and handed them directly to the crew for use as props. Among them, just the different styles of crosses represented nearly every branch of the faith.

One shot in the film focused specifically on this—a row of differently shaped crosses hanging right above the girl's bed.

Sarah seemed to be possessed. She was often startled for no apparent reason, which kept Mrs. Black in a constant state of anxiety.

The camera then shifted to the family's basement, where a young man who made a living writing was hunched over his work. He wore a black shirt and pants, his hair a messy tangle. But when his quill moved across the paper, it left behind elegant, decorative script—making him look more like an artist.

Then came the narrator's voiceover:

"My name is Black—coincidentally the same as the late man of this house. That's probably why I was allowed to live in this basement for almost nothing. Given the circumstances, I really have nothing to complain about.

Mrs. Black is a good person, but lately she's been troubled by her daughter Sarah. I don't know if I should step in and help. Even though I've lived in this basement for three years, in Mrs. Black's eyes there's only the portrait of her deceased husband. I'm like a ghost—completely invisible.

But the girl has definitely been acting strange lately. Maybe I can use what little imagination I have to help them figure out what's going on. After all, I am a writer—and writers tend to be more curious than most."

"Go! You deserve someone better. I'm not right for you, and I'm not interested. If you don't leave now, I'm calling the police!"

Once again, Mrs. Black drove away a suitor. Being a single mom was hard enough—but having a beautiful daughter made things even more complicated. There were plenty of creeps out there who wanted both mother and daughter.

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