"Follow that car."
In front of the Beverly Hills theater, Spike Lee peered through the car window, watched Sofia get into Horner's rcedes, and instructed his driver, "Stay on them."
The black rcedes started up, pulling away from the theater entrance at a leisurely pace before turning at the intersection. As it turned out, it was heading for the Four Seasons Hotel.
Spike Lee’s expression was grim. He had left the theater early, settled into his car, and told the driver to wait, curious to see if his words had had any effect. That was when he saw Sofia and Matthew erge together. Sofia had even taken Horner by the arm before they both climbed into the car.
He knew Sofia. She had dabbled in art school for a few years before dropping out as soon as she grew bored. She was restless by nature and had never been a conservative woman.
The rcedes ahead was now approaching the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills. As the car slowed considerably, not only was Spike Lee's gaze dark, but his entire face had turned grim.
Even though his own motives for wanting to get back together with Sofia were less than honorable, the sheer frustration of watching his ex-wife—the very woman he was prepared to coax and win back—follow another man into a hotel room was simply...
The rcedes sedan pulled up to the hotel entrance. A doorman stepped forward to open the door, and as Spike watched, Horner and Sofia got out one after the other and walked into the Four Seasons.
Spike was no fool. What would a grown man and woman be doing, entering a hotel arm-in-arm at this hour? Just to chat? To have a drink? A midnight snack?
Obviously not.
Smack!
His hand slamd down on the seat, and Spike cursed under his breath, "Whore!"
He took off his glasses and leaned back against the seat, huffing and puffing as if he were losing his mind with rage.
The driver glanced at Spike in the rearview mirror, perplexed as to why the director was so furious. After all, he and the Coppola woman had been divorced for over two years.
"Park across the street," Spike said just then.
The limousine drove past the Four Seasons, made a U-turn, and parked on the opposite side of the road. Spike stared through the window at the hotel entrance one more ti. The rcedes that had brought Matthew Horner and Sofia had already driven off, quickly vanishing into the night.
The car was gone, and the two who had entered the hotel clearly had no intention of leaving anyti soon.
Spike felt an urge to storm in and catch the two of them in bed, but he was fifty years old, after all. Though years as a director had cultivated a fiery temper, he knew there was no point. His divorce from Sofia was two years old and public knowledge.
For a mont, he froze, feeling worse than if he had just swallowed a live maggot.
Spike told his driver, "Alright, let's head back."
The driver remained silent, starting the car and pulling away from the Four Seasons. He hadn't gotten far when Spike's hoarse voice ca from the back seat again. "Drop
off first, then co back and keep an eye out for when they leave."
Spike also lived in Beverly Hills, not far from there.
The car turned onto South Sidonie Street and then onto Rodeo Drive. Spike continued to stare out the window. People milled about on Rodeo Drive, especially near the Beverly Center, which was still bustling at this hour. Large screens mounted high on the mall's exterior walls cycled through various advertisents.
The next mont, Spike Lee's eyes were glued to one of the giant screens. A crowd of n, their waists wrapped in red, were an unusually striking sight. The man at the forefront was particularly commanding—masculine and heroic, like a god of war.
"Slow down."
The car slowed. The short advertisent on the large screen was for a movie. Recognizing the protagonist, Spike suddenly felt a pang of inadequacy.
Spike cast one last glance at the big screen, just in ti to see Horner kick so black man into a well...
His eyes widened abruptly. He stared blankly out the window until the car had left Rodeo Drive, then he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Find out when Matthew Horner's new movie is coming out and which company is producing it. I want to go to the premiere."
****
The driver dropped Spike Lee off, switched to another car, and returned to his post near the Four Seasons entrance. He stared at the hotel for a while, but his eyelids grew heavy, and soon he drifted off to sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, it was already dawn. Seeing the sun rising in the sky, he knew he had ssed up.
Still, the driver got what he ca for. He stepped out of the car and ran to the hotel entrance. Slipping a doorman a hundred-dollar tip, he quickly learned that Matthew Horner and Sofia had not erged all night after entering the previous evening. They had only just left together in a rcedes twenty minutes ago.
The driver returned to the car and dialed Spike Lee's number. "Boss, Horner and Sofia left the Four Seasons five minutes ago. They left together in the sa car."
"I got it." The line went dead.
Putting the phone down, the driver shook his head, feeling his boss was being far too petty. Divorced for over two years and still ddling in soone else's private life.
Before driving off, he glanced at the magnificent entrance of the Four Seasons. Just like the five-star hotel itself, Horner was clearly a better match for Sofia. His own boss, on the other hand, was old and bitter... just...
He pushed the thought from his mind and drove away.
***
"Where to?"
Matthew asked Sofia, who was sitting beside him in the moving rcedes sedan. "I'll give you a ride."
Sofia took one of his hands, gently feeling the rough texture of his palm as she murmured, "Century City. The Fox Building."
"Mike, you heard her," Matthew told the driver.
"Why are your hands so rough?" Sofia took Matthew's hand again to inspect it more closely. The palm was clearly calloused.
Matthew replied, "I train year-round. As long as I'm not too busy filming, I work out every week."
Sofia was surprised, her nail tracing a callus. "No wonder you're in such incredible shape."
"Can't help it," Matthew said matter-of-factly. "Soone in my position can lose it all in an instant if I don't work hard."
Since Century City was close to the Four Seasons, the rcedes soon arrived at the Fox Building, even with the morning traffic.
"This is ." Sofia glanced at Matthew, a smile playing on her lips. "Last night was wonderful. I'll rember it for a long ti."
Matthew held out his hand. "Your phone."
Sofia hesitated for a mont before handing her phone to Matthew. He typed in his number, hit dial, then hung up and returned it to her.
"I'll miss you."
Sofia nodded gently, put her phone away, and leaned out of the car. She gave Matthew a small wave, then turned and walked into the Fox Building.
****
anwhile, Spike made his way from his house to Francis Lawrence's.
He didn't stay long, leaving after no more than half an hour.
On the way back, he received a call from his assistant, who had already secured an invitation to the premiere of "300" through their agency.
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