From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

"Lucas, your departure from the company to Los Angeles wasn't an accident, was it?"

Anson's words came calmly, yet within his unhurried tone, they revealed a hint of elusive certainty and conjecture.

It seized Lucas's heart in an instant.

Thoughts raced through his mind in a flash, but Lucas remained calm, looking at Anson without betraying any emotion, "Where did such a guess come from?"

Everything, as normal as possible.

Anson glanced at Lucas sideways and chuckled, "A gut feeling."

Lucas looked away, maintaining his composure, "If that's just family intuition, I think there's no problem; I'm just worried it's Hollywood superstar intuition, always thinking the Earth revolves around them, then maybe there's something to worry about."

Anson wasn't in a hurry either, continuing with a smile, "Maybe, I can't clearly distinguish it either, but I've always felt something wasn't quite right."

"I know, you care about me, tolerate me, and always understand me, that's what family should do, right? So why do I always vaguely feel like something is off?"

"After this accident, you're all as sensitive as cats with their fur on end. Mom and Dad rushed back, you simply dropped your work, and now you've even moved to Los Angeles."

"Remember last time?"

"You were worried about me, so you all flocked to Los Angeles, persuading me to move, buying property and renovating, you were busy with everything, while I, the person involved, was idle on the sidelines."

Lucas remained expressionless, but he didn't turn his head to examine Anson's expression, fearing that his eyes or expression might betray some clue, cautiously using the night to conceal himself.

Then, Lucas spoke, "Who told you to be our favorite troublemaker?"

"If anything happens to us, I believe you would rush over immediately too."

Anson shrugged lightly, "Maybe."

"One night in the hospital, Mom and Dad thought I was asleep, and I heard their conversation."

"Mom said she couldn't accept losing me again."

"So, did you ever lose me once?"

All along, Anson had vaguely sensed something was wrong. The Wood family seemed to be somewhat… doting on him, even to the point of indulgence; but he never thought much about it, naturally assuming that this was what a family should be like.

However, something was always off.

Deep in his soul, Anson could feel a pain and struggle, not just sadness, but a coldness mixed with fear, anxiety, and despair, deeply rooted in the innermost part of his memory, dragging him down slowly.

It didn't make sense.

Of course, there were other explanations for these things. After all, Hollywood was a rave party, and maybe the predecessor was enjoying his own little party and accidentally OD'd. Such things often happened.

But details, one after another, gathered together, revealing an unusual air.

Even when he heard the Wood couple's conversation in the hospital, he didn't break the silence, partly because he suspected he was half-asleep and might not have heard clearly; and partly because he didn't have concrete evidence and facts to raise suspicion, and was instead worried about exposing his secret.

However, Anson had no answers.

He thought that maybe his soul and the original owner's soul hadn't completely merged, so he had lost some memories; but as time went by, those feelings became stronger and stronger, but there was always a blank left unfilled.

An unease, a confusion, lurking like an invisible bomb.

Until now.

Lucas resigned and prepared to go to Los Angeles.

That intuition became stronger and stronger, so strong that it was almost about to devour reason.

Anson felt the Wood family's protection of him, even excessive doting. No matter what happened, they always reacted immediately—

Remember?

Anson kept not answering the phone, and Lucas even went to Edgar to find him; and subsequently, Noah was stuffed in, accompanying him at all times.

These small things, seemingly ordinary, quietly planted a seed.

Taking root, sprouting.

Finally, Anson spoke out, facing the problem directly.

Words, calmly surging in the night.

Lucas didn't turn his head, but could sense Anson's gaze fixed on him calmly and intently.

A little flustered.

Lucas swallowed, trying to keep himself calm and steady, although his fingertips had begun to sweat, he still controlled himself.

Then, he turned his head.

Lucas met Anson's gaze, and finally gently raised his chin, "Right, is that so? It must be that I misheard. I was just worried that such a thing would happen, it's all just my own wild thoughts, so I didn't ask Mom."

Lucas breathed a sigh of relief.

But Anson's words didn't stop, "Lucas, have I told you? When I was auditioning for 'Friends', I once nearly died."

"Suspected OD."

In an instant, Lucas's breath was cut off, trying to say something but finding he couldn't make any sound at all, his heart exploding in his chest.

No!

Lucas clenched his fists tightly, his whole body's muscles tense to the extreme, all reason and restraint disappearing without a trace at this moment.

But Anson remained calm, holding his cocktail, quietly looking at the stars.

"Should I blame myself?"

"I don't know what happened, and I don't know what lurks in the darkness, but it seems like there's something staring at me covetously, I'm not sure if it will attack, and I'm not sure if it's just my own wild thoughts."

"I tried to get rid of it, I tried to run away, I tried to crawl into the rabbit hole, and then silently hoped that the world would quiet down, and I could completely ignore that unease."

"But…"

Honestly, Anson didn't know how to express it.

Then, Anson fell silent—

This was the first time, the first time since transmigrating.

Anson had also thought that since he couldn't remember, since the Wood family hadn't mentioned it, since those memories didn't seem to play any role, then he would continue to play the fool.

This was to protect his secret, to avoid exposing himself; and it was also to protect his mental health, some scars didn't need to be uncovered.

Some secrets should remain secret forever. The truth is not good for anyone.

So, Anson had always obediently kept his mouth shut.

However, things were not that simple.

In the process of getting along, they became closer and more familiar, unknowingly breaking the boundary of strangers and becoming an inseparable part of each other's lives; and those anxieties and sorrows, fears and pains hidden deep in the soul had been stirring.

Perhaps, escape was not the solution after all.

Perhaps, they would eventually need to face the facts calmly one day, not only him, but also Lucas and the others, otherwise the wound would never heal.

So, Anson broke the silence, and also broke the last layer of barrier they had been holding onto.