CH : 189 Scarlett Family - Zenith of Desire: The Hollywood Incubus

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*****

"Sleep is a tragic waste of potential," Marvin smiled. "Besides, you are quite the prodigy yourself, Scarlett. I have seen your independent film *Manny & Lo* last year. I thought you held the screen incredibly well. Your emotional grounding was fantastic."

Scarlett's spoon stopped halfway to her mouth. Her green eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Wait... really?" Scarlett squeaked, her voice cracking. "You actually watched the tiny indie movie I was in?"

"Of course I did," Marvin complimented smoothly. "Your natural acting range is impressive. Most child actors rely on cheap gimmicks and cute faces. You actually listen to your scene partners."

Marvin truly believed this. He knew where most young actresses got permanently stuck playing one-dimensional cheerleader roles. But Scarlett was destined to execute nearly every archetype—from sci-fi action heroines to heartbreaking dramatic leads.

Marvin's blunt compliment caused Scarlett to blush furiously. Coming from an Golden Globe nominee, it was staggering validation.

Remembering something vital, Scarlett sat up straighter, her eyes shining.

"Marvin! My new film, *The Horse Whisperer*, directed by Robert Redford, comes out this month. The premiere is on the 15th. Would you... want to come?"

"The 15th?" Marvin verified, mentally checking his calendar.

"Yes!"

"Absolutely," Marvin agreed instantly, offering a warm smile. "Have your agent send an invitation directly to my assistant, Amy. I will be on the red carpet."

Scarlett leaped half an inch out of her seat in unadulterated excitement. Though she was young, her raw enthusiasm and developing screen presence made him take notice. She was a diamond in the rough.

….

…

After finishing their desserts, Scarlett checked her plastic wristwatch. Reluctance washed over her expression.

"Marvin, I have to go," Scarlett sighed miserably. "My mom is coming to pick me up."

"Where is she meeting you?"

"Columbus Circle."

"That is quite a distance to walk," Marvin noted, standing up and smoothing his dark coat. "Let Gordon drive you there safely. My car is parked down the street, and we can fit your bike into the trunk."

"Really? Are you sure?" Scarlett responded happily, her heart soaring at the prospect of spending a few more minutes with him. "That would be wonderful!"

"Of course," Marvin chuckled, offering her his arm. "It is my pleasure to be of service to a beautiful and talented lady."

"Gordon!" Marvin gestured to his bodyguard near the door.

Gordon understood the silent command. He nodded and stepped onto the sidewalk to fetch the idling Mercedes-Benz.

"Who is that giant man?" Scarlett whispered as they walked out of the shop.

"That is Gordon. He is my Head of Security," Marvin explained casually.

"Wait... has he been following us this entire time?" Scarlett asked, her eyes widening.

"Even when we fell in the park?"

"Yes. The paparazzi environment in New York can be unpredictable for me," Marvin said.

Scarlett's mind raced with horror at the thought of the giant bodyguard witnessing her tangled fall in the grass, and the breathless kiss that followed. But then, she reassured her pounding heart—'There was nothing inappropriate between me and Marvin. It was an accident. And besides, he bought me ice cream!'

---

Meanwhile, standing near the roaring fountain at Columbus Circle, Melanie Sloan was having a tough day.

In truth, Melanie was having a tough decade.

Since moving to the grind of New York, her family had struggled to keep their heads above water. Her husband's chronic unemployment had forced the family to rely on government welfare and food stamps just to eat.

Though they survived the crushing poverty, the constant financial arguments wore down the foundation of her marriage, ultimately leading to a bitter divorce last year.

Now operating as a single mother with four children—two of whom were grown and working to help out—Melanie took thirteen-year-old Scarlett everywhere with her.

She fiercely supported her youngest daughter's dream of becoming a famous actress.

As a Jewish producer with a sharp mind, Melanie had clawed together a few tenuous connections in the entertainment industry, which barely helped her juggle both her managerial work and her chaotic family life.

But lately, Melanie worried intensely about Scarlett's biology.

Specifically, she worried about Scarlett's rapid physical development. Her daughter was developing pronounced curves and breasts earlier than her peers, which affected her ability to land innocent child roles. Scarlett's sudden growth spurt left her looking too mature to play the "cute little girl" archetype, yet she was too young to be legally cast in older roles.

Compounding the crisis, Melanie was deeply concerned about Scarlett's physical height. A recent visit to the pediatrician suggested Scarlett's growth plates were fusing early, and she likely wouldn't grow much taller than 5'3".

In the statuesque world of 90s Hollywood leading ladies, these unchangeable physical changes severely limited Scarlett's immediate casting opportunities.

It added crushing weight to Melanie's daily anxieties about her daughter's future in the acting business. 'If 'The Horse Whisperer' doesn't hit,' Melanie thought miserably, rubbing her forehead, 'I don't know how we pay rent next month.'

Just as Melanie lost herself in financial thoughts, an armored Mercedes-Benz S-Class silently glided up to the curb, dwarfing the yellow taxis around it.

The tinted rear window rolled down. Scarlett's glowing face popped out of the luxurious leather interior, waving frantically.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look who gave me a ride!" Scarlett shouted enthusiastically, her face radiating pure joy.

—

Just as Melanie Sloan sank into a spiral of anxiety regarding her daughter's Hollywood future, a black Mercedes-Benz S-Class glided up to the Columbus Circle curb, dwarfing the yellow taxis around it.

The tinted rear window rolled down. Scarlett's glowing face popped out of the leather interior, waving frantically.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look who gave me a ride!" Scarlett shouted, radiating joy.

Melanie froze on the sidewalk. 'Whose multi-million dollar car is this? Why was Scarlett in an armored vehicle? What happened to her in Central Park?'

A surge of maternal panic gripped Melanie. She rushed to the idling car in a few rapid, clicking steps.

The rear door swung open. The first person to step onto the Manhattan pavement was a handsome boy in a dark cashmere coat. Melanie recognized him instantly. She couldn't avoid recognizing him; she saw his glossy magazine posters every day, plastered across her daughter's messy bedroom.

'Isn't that Marvin Meyers?' Melanie thought, her mind reeling in shock. 'The most famous child star in Hollywood history? The billionaire heir musical genius? When did Scarlett get to know this guy? And why is he driving her home?'

Too many questions popped into her head to process at once.

Scarlett happily jumped out of the car and proudly introduced her mother. "Mom, this is Marvin Meyers. He's my new friend!"

She turned and introduced her mother to Marvin. "Marvin, this is my mom—Melanie Sloan. She's a fantastic producer and a great woman."

"Hello, Ms. Sloan," Marvin purred, stepping forward with an aristocratic bow of his head. "It is a genuine pleasure to meet you. Now I know where beautiful Scarlett inherited her stunning features."

Marvin delivered the compliment with the polished charm of a diplomat. The ease of his delivery caught the seasoned Hollywood mother off guard.

"Uh... hello, Marvin," Melanie stammered, smoothing her jacket, offering him a look of bewildered surprise. "Thank you. That is sweet of you to say. I wasn't expecting Scarlett to arrive with an escort."

"The New York traffic was dreadful, and she was stranded," Marvin smiled, his blue eyes flashing. "It was the least I could do for a fellow artist."

Marvin turned his gaze to the blushing teenager. "Scarlett, I must take my leave now. My studio engineers are waiting. You have my private phone number. Please, keep in touch."

"Okay! I definitely will! Bye, Marvin!" Scarlett beamed, clutching a slip of heavy cardstock in her hand like a winning lottery ticket.

"Goodbye, Scarlett. Ms. Sloan," Marvin nodded, turning gracefully and slipping back into the Mercedes.

Watching Marvin disappear behind the tinted glass as the car started to glide away from the curb, Scarlett felt a rush of adrenaline. She sprinted a few steps, catching up with the moving vehicle, and shouted at the dark window: "Marvin! Just so you know, I'll be fourteen this year! I am no longer just a 'little' beauty!"

Seeing Marvin's stunned, amused expression flash in the car window before it sped away into traffic, Scarlett cursed angrily in her mind. 'This damn height! Why do I have to be so short? He probably still thinks I'm a kid.'

On the ride back to Long Island, Melanie interrogated her daughter, asking a rapid-fire barrage of questions about how the two teenagers had met. Scarlett told the mostly honest truth about the bicycle crash in Central Park and the Italian gelato dessert they shared.

She deliberately skipped the embarrassing details about landing on his chest and the breathless kiss that followed. She was gushing over him so heavily she could barely form complete sentences.

After the frantic story concluded, a silence settled in the subway car. The mother and daughter spoke at the same time, as if they had secretly agreed upon the timing.

Scarlett: "Mom, do you think I can still grow taller?"

Melanie: "Dear, how would you feel about us moving to Los Angeles?"

After another long moment of silence in the rattling train, the two spoke in unison again.

Scarlett: "I have no problem with that. I love Los Angeles."

Melanie: "Honey, I promise you're going to keep growing."

The mother and daughter looked at each other and burst into genuine laughter.

"Oh, by the way, Mom," Scarlett added, examining her fingernails to hide a smile. "I invited Marvin to the red carpet premiere of *The Horse Whisperer* next week."

"What did he say?" Melanie asked, her eyes widening.

"He agreed." Speaking of this victory, Scarlett became visibly thrilled again. "Marvin was scheduled to fly back to Los Angeles tomorrow morning to oversee his work, but to attend my premiere, he decided to stay in New York a few more days."

Melanie became incredibly serious, leaning closer to her daughter over the subway seat. "Scarlett, listen to me carefully. You and Marvin... you two—"

Before Melanie could finish the warning, Scarlett instantly understood what she meant and replied quickly, cheeks burning. "Mom! How is that even possible? Marvin is two years younger than me. He's twelve! I am not sure if a boy his age knows about *those* adult things yet because he is so young."

"Did you seriously interrogate him and find out the boy's exact birthday in a thirty-minute ice cream date?" Melanie laughed, teasing her flustered daughter.

Melanie sighed, her expression turning pragmatic. "Look, Carly... if it is Marvin Meyers we are talking about, I have no objection."

Melanie's words were sincere. As an aging woman in the industry, Melanie cynically knew that to succeed in the shark tank of Hollywood, women needed to pay vastly more than men. The system is built to chew up, exploit, and spit out beautiful, naive girls by the thousands every day.

Girls like Scarlett were a dime a dozen.

To survive predatory producers, red casting couches, and studio politics, connections were everything. Among the heavy prices women were expected to pay to climb the ladder, surrendering the physical body was often considered the easiest currency to spend.

Men only had to pay with time, networking, and some physical entertainment; women were expected to pay with bodies and souls.

Melanie possessed decent working-class connections in Hollywood. At recent producer gatherings, she had listened to the whispered descriptions of Marvin Meyers. She knew the untouchable power structure operating secretly behind the boy. Not only did he come from a terrifyingly rich Wall Street banking and land dynasty, but his aunt was a rising A-list director and producer with massive connections.

Not to mention, he was a genius; Melanie knew this for a fact after reading the first twenty pages of his sci-fi novel.

In a protective mother's view, if a titan like Marvin could fall in love with her daughter... with his family's financial power and his creative mind, he would be her ultimate shield.

His invisible hands and billionaire contacts in the brutal entertainment industry could help her daughter climb to the top of the A-list, entirely without Scarlett ever needing to give up her dignity or her body to sleazy sixty-year-old studio executives until she becomes A-list even then there are those who want more. That was exactly how the industry functioned for everyone, no matter their age. Power protects power.

Both of them were minors. If something romantic happened during their teenage relationship, there was no practical legal need to worry about Scarlett's future being negatively affected. In California, while the age of consent is 18 and there is no formal 'Romeo and Juliet' exemption, consensual sex between close-in-age minors was almost never prosecuted—it was treated as a low-level misdemeanor at worst, and real-world cases like theirs rarely led to any charges or lasting consequences.

It wasn't hard to find teenage relationships in the Western Hemisphere. Around this time, nearly one in two American high school students—about 46–50%—had engaged in sexual intercourse by the time they were sixteen, most of it with someone close in age within a romantic relationship. Among older teens, the figure often reached 60–65%. This kind of experience was common enough that it didn't stand out as risky in the eyes of peers or the legal system.