Model to Holywood

"Haha, Lima, watch my spike!"

"Bring it on!"

It was just past 4 PM, and the California sun was beginning to dip in the west.

On the tennis court at Big Pear Tree Estate, Miranda jumped up and swung her racket hard, slamming a light green tennis ball back over the net.

She was dressed in a pink tank top and a white skirt, with her bright chestnut curls tied up.

As she leaped, her skirt and hair flew up, brimming with youthful energy.

"Nice shot!"

The ball sailed over the net, landing in the backhand zone, quickly bouncing off the red rubber floor.

Lima locked in on the angle and swung her racket powerfully, sending the ball flying back.

She was dressed in a tennis outfit: a T-shirt and a skirt.

Her sun-kissed skin shimmered under the sunlight, and her curvaceous figure radiated health and vitality as she moved.

"Haha, Miranda, it's 10–6!"

After winning another point, Lima happily kissed her racket, a wide smile spreading across her face.

"You're just ahead for now; I'll catch up soon—oh, Luca, you're back!"

Miranda suddenly stopped playing and looked past Lima, calling out excitedly.

"Enough, Miranda! You've pulled this trick on me twice already. Do you think I'll fall for it again?"

Lima bent over, holding her racket sideways, staring intently at Miranda.

Miranda had already tricked her with this twice before, so this time Lima wasn't going to fall for it.

"It's true this time, really!" 

Miranda pointed her racket behind Lima.

Lima frowned slightly. She sensed something familiar behind her—maybe even a scent.

She stood up straight, turned around, and was immediately pulled into a hug.

"You're back!"

Luca embraced Lima, gently kissing her cheek.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the party? Why are you back so early?" Lima playfully touched her nose to his.

Luca shrugged. "I'm not really into parties. Plus, you're all here—what could be better than this?"

"Alright!" 

Lima smiled, then wrinkled her nose. 

"Aren't you coming from the party? Why do you smell so bad?"

"Smelly?"

Luca sniffed his shirt and sighed. "Julie adopted a two-year-old kid named Mox. 

He was super clingy with me and wouldn't stop wanting to be held. I carried him for a while, and then..."

"Haha, don't tell me he peed on you?"

Lima burst into laughter.

"Worse than that!"

"Ugh! Go take a shower!"

Lima fanned her nose, making a face.

Luca threw his hands up and walked toward the other side of the court.

"Hey, Miranda! Welcome to Big Pear Tree Estate. I hope you like it here!"

"Thanks, you creep!" 

Miranda held her racket defensively across her chest.

"Uh... how do you know—cough, cough. Miranda, did I do something wrong?"

Luca was secretly shocked. Could she have x-ray vision and seen what happened in Julie's backyard?

"Miranda, what's going on?" Lima asked curiously.

"Lima, Luca is writing that kind of novel. A really creepy one." 

Miranda reported, as if giving a news bulletin.

Lima turned to Luca with curiosity. "You're writing *that* kind of novel?"

Luca blinked, suddenly remembering the manuscript in his room. He shook his head.

"It's not some dirty novel. It's a script—literature, Miranda! Can you try being a little more innocent?"

"Really? But Kate said that being stuck at home alone for too long has turned you into a pervert, which is why you're writing it."

Miranda blinked innocently.

"Alright, I'm going to have a word with her!" 

Luca waved dismissively and started toward the villa.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and asked, "Is Kate's boyfriend here, too?"

Lima paused for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Yes, yes, he came with us."

"Really?"

Luca hesitated at the doorway, sighed, and then walked inside.

"Miranda, let's continue!"

Lima smiled softly.

Miranda looked at his retreating figure, hesitating. "Do you think he'll accept us?"

"Haha, Miranda, what did you just call him?"

"Uh... a creep."

"Well, if he's already a creep, what's left to accept?"

"I guess you're right."

Miranda beamed. "Lima, let's get back to the game!"

"Let's do it!"

"Kate?"

Once inside the villa, Luca searched both upstairs and downstairs but couldn't find her.

He stepped onto the balcony and scanned the surroundings until his eyes caught a glimpse of something pale near the pool.

It was almost 5 PM, but the sun was still lingering stubbornly in the backyard.

The light illuminated the elegant pavilion, the light blue pool water, and the gleaming white marble.

On the eastern side of the pool, a row of long lounge chairs stretched out.

In the middle of them, a mermaid of a woman was leisurely flipping through the pages of a book.

She was wearing a blue bikini, sunglasses perched on her nose, and her long legs crossed as she basked in the clear sunlight, both graceful and sexy.

"Kate, I'm here!"

Luca, now wearing swim trunks, jumped off the balcony into the pool.

Splash!

Water splattered everywhere.

"You jerk! Do you have a death wish?"

Kate flicked water off her face, glaring at the pool.

"Haha, Kate, you're here! That's great!"

Luca stood in the water, arms stretched wide, grinning.

"Oh, really? Do you know what it means now that I'm here?"

Kate closed her book, uncrossed her long legs, and stood up slowly, exuding the aura of a queen.

"What does it mean?"

Luca blinked in confusion.

"It means someone's about to get beaten!"

Standing by the pool, Kate rubbed her wrist lightly and said in a flat tone, "Get up here quickly, or I won't be nice about it."

"Haha, knowing you want to hit me, why would I come up willingly? Do you think I'm that dumb?"

Luca chuckled.

"You sure you're not coming up?"

"Yes!"

"You think you're safe in the water? Don't forget, I'm the one who taught you how to swim."

"Haha, so what? I'm not the same beginner I used to be."

"Is that so?"

With a graceful leap, Kate dove into the pool.

Splash!

The water churned wildly in the pool.

"Haha, Kate, I'm not afraid of you in the water—ah! Don't hit my face! Don't choke my neck!"

"Cough, cough—I'm out of breath! Stop, stop, I surrender!"

Amid the splashing and shouting, Kate casually walked out of the pool.

Dangling from her fingers was an ear—attached to Luca, who looked utterly defeated.

"Ow! Kate, go easy on me! You've got a boyfriend now, you shouldn't be so violent anymore. It's not a good look!"

Luca hunched over, twitching in pain, looking absolutely miserable.

"Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, where's your boyfriend? I looked everywhere and didn't see another man around."

Luca asked curiously.

"Did I ever say I had a boyfriend?"

"That night... doesn't that count?"

Luca froze for a moment before suddenly jumping up in excitement.

But he forgot his ear was still in Kate's grip, causing him to yelp in pain and collapse to the ground.

One moment laughing, the next wincing, his face a mix of emotions.

"Kate, were you lying to me?"

Luca looked up, eyes full of hope.

Kate stared at his face before breaking into a soft laugh.

She crouched down, cupping his face, gazing at his strong brows, high nose, and red lips, before gently smiling. "Alright, dummy, I was just teasing you."

"Really? That's great, that's so great!"

Luca hugged her tightly. "Kate, I love you. No one can ever take your place in my heart."

"I know."

Kate patted his shoulder, smiling softly.

"Then why did you say you had one before?"

"Dummy, I wasn't lying, and I'll never lie to you. Past, present, or future—I'll never deceive you. I didn't lie to you the last time, either."

Kate smiled faintly, explaining the situation.

"Really? Is that how it was?"

Luca was surprised.

"Yes. Does it bother you?"

Kate asked with a smile.

"Of course not. But Kate, you don't have to do that."

Cupping her delicate face, Luca said softly, "Even though I don't want you to have a boyfriend or be taken away by someone else, I want you to live a happy life.

All the wealth, beauty, and success I have—I want you to have it too.

The reason I argued with you before is because I was too selfish.

I only thought about myself and never considered your feelings.

When I was with Lima and Britney, I didn't stop to think about you being alone at night.

But now I've figured it out. We're siblings, the closest people in the world.

As long as I'm around and you're doing well, it doesn't matter where you are or who you're with—our hearts will always be together. We'll never be lonely.

So, Kate, I don't need you to change anything for me. That wouldn't make you happy."

Kate stared into his eyes, a hint of tears flickering in her deep blue gaze. She smiled gently and said, "Yes, you're selfish, very selfish.

But you're my brother, my dearest brother. What's the harm in being a little selfish?

My love for you has never lessened because of your selfishness.

And it won't increase now just because you're being selfless.

Because, like I said, all my love belongs to you."

The white clouds drifted across the evening sky, painting the western horizon with a glowing sunset.

The breeze blew through the willow branches, like a shepherd's whip driving the sun to set.

Kate held his face and smiled slightly,

"Fool, stop getting emotional. I'm not changing for you. It's always been like this.

It's just that I hadn't made it public before because of work. Don't you think my relationship with Lima is great?"

"Lima?!"

Luca's eyes widened in shock.

Kate chuckled softly, leaned on his shoulder, and whispered, "Dear brother, you're still like you were when we were kids, always left with what I'm done playing with."

Luca's mouth twitched.

"Alright, now that we've cleared things up—no, I don't have a boyfriend—it's time to settle a score."

Suddenly, Kate's face turned cold, and she grabbed his ear.

"A score? What score?"

Luca was still stuck on the last question, his mind a little foggy.

"What do you think?"

Kate pressed him down onto the lounge chair, fuming.

"Idiot! You've been acting so badly lately.

Last time I told you I was dating someone, you actually hung up on me! You even went missing! Do you know how worried I was?

Every time I called, you'd act all distant and passive-aggressive with me. Do you know how angry that made me?

You didn't call me back for days because you were upset. You didn't even say goodnight. Do you know how much I wanted to hit you?

And eating watermelon by the lake with someone else? You actually kept that from me?!"

"Kate, I know I was wrong. Please don't be mad."

Luca lay flat on the bench, sounding defeated.

"Hmph! Just saying you're sorry isn't enough!

I told you I'm the only one in this world who loves you completely, who accepts you fully, who gives you all of me. And you didn't believe me?

You really need a beating!"

Smack, smack!

"Ah! My face! Stop hitting me, Kate, I know I was wrong!"

Smack, smack!

"Your Majesty, please have mercy!"

"Too late! I've been mad for over a month. If I don't hit you, I won't feel better. Do you want me to stay upset?"

"No, I don't!"

"Good. Now, triangle choke!"

Slap, snap!

"Luca, what was that sound? It was so crisp!"

"Nothing, just my finger breaking!"

"..."