Early in the morning, Dunn was called to a secluded café by Kate Winslet. When he arrived, he saw her sitting quietly in a corner, wearing a pair of oversized sunglasses.
Dunn was also wearing sunglasses—the very pair he had bought in his past life.
Ever since filming *Titanic*, he had made it a habit to wear them whenever he went out. After all, he was a public figure now, and sunglasses were at least a small shield against the relentless paparazzi.
More importantly, he had lost his "mirrored embodiment" directing ability. Wearing these sunglasses gave him a sense of security—his secret weapon, just in case.
"Hey, Kate, you called me over so urgently—what's going on?" Dunn complained as he sat down. He had wanted to spend more time tangled up with Liv Tyler.
Kate looked serious. "Dunn… your… indiscretions have been exposed."
"What?" Dunn's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! I just brought Liv home last night. How could it be exposed already? That's way too fast!"
"Liv?" Kate was momentarily stunned.
"Yeah, Liv Tyler." The moment he said her name, something felt off. "Wait… it's not her? Then who?"
Kate was fuming, looking at him with contempt. "Who do you think?"
Dunn stared at Kate's dark expression, his head suddenly feeling heavy. "No way… is it us?"
Kate let out a bitter sigh, burying her face in her hands, fingers tangled in her hair. Agitated, she said, "Dunn, I'm engaged! If this isn't handled properly, I'm finished!"
Dunn immediately realized the gravity of the situation. After a long pause, he asked, "Have you told your agent?"
"She's the one who told me!"
The more Kate thought about it, the angrier she became, and naturally, she directed her fury at the source of the problem—Dunn. She glared at him like a predator eyeing its prey.
Dunn let out a helpless chuckle, repeatedly apologizing. "I'm really sorry, Kate. I never intended to cause you trouble. Back when we were filming, I even—wait, hold on!"
His tone suddenly shifted as he grasped the complexity of the situation.
During the filming of *Titanic*, Dunn and Kate had indeed spent a lot of time together, but he had been mindful of her reputation. He had deliberately arranged for her to stay in the room next to his, and that entire floor was occupied by key members of the production team.
There was no way this information could have leaked from the outside.
Was it an internal problem?
Dunn couldn't wrap his head around it.
The *Titanic* crew had every reason to hope for the movie's success—it would boost their careers. Even if someone wanted to sell celebrity gossip, it made no sense to do it at such a crucial moment before the movie's release.
That meant there was only one logical reason for the leak.
Someone wanted to sabotage *Titanic*.
"Could it be Warner Bros. or Sony? Maybe they don't want *Titanic* to succeed and deliberately spread a scandal?" Dunn narrowed his eyes, the possibility growing stronger in his mind.
"Can you stop speculating and tell me what we should do?" Kate was on the verge of a meltdown.
Dunn thought for a moment and said, "This is complicated. Call your agent. We need to see Bill Mechanic."
As for his own agent, William Mihok, Dunn didn't see the need to involve him—he didn't fully trust him yet.
---
At Fox Studios' executive office, Kate sat stiffly in her chair, feeling suffocated by the immense pressure Bill Mechanic exuded. She barely dared to breathe.
Her agent, Hilda Quirley, on the other hand, remained composed and assertive.
Once Dunn explained the situation, Bill Mechanic and Hilda immediately saw through the scheme.
Hilda was livid. "It has to be Universal! *Jurassic Park 2* is about to release—they're afraid of *Titanic* stealing their thunder!"
Bill Mechanic reached for a cigar but hesitated when he saw Kate's tense expression, then put it down. "That's unlikely. I have good relationships with Universal's executives. They wouldn't stoop to something this underhanded."
"Then that means—"
Bill Mechanic raised a hand, cutting Hilda off. "Enough. The important thing now is figuring out how to handle this situation."
Dunn wasn't aware of the internal power struggles within Fox, but Bill Mechanic wasn't naive. *Titanic* was Fox's most important project. There was no way a rival studio could have infiltrated their inner circle.
There was only one explanation—internal sabotage.
However, without concrete evidence, he couldn't openly challenge Tom Rothman, the co-chairman and president of Fox.
Hilda, a seasoned Hollywood agent, was well-versed in handling such crises. "The core issue here is that Kate is engaged."
Dunn and Bill nodded in agreement.
If both Kate and Dunn were single, there wouldn't be a scandal to begin with.
The only problem was that Kate Winslet was engaged, and now there was proof—real or fabricated—that she had been involved with Dunn. In Western culture, this would be considered betrayal, which could significantly damage her reputation.
Of course, in Hollywood, this wasn't a career-ending scandal, but it could negatively impact *Titanic's* box office numbers.
"We should hold a press conference to deny it. There's no solid evidence anyway," Kate suggested, unwilling to drag her fiancé into this mess.
Hilda shook her head. "That would be a mistake. Public denial would only make the controversy grow. The best way to diffuse this is to redirect attention to a more appealing narrative."
Bill Mechanic nodded. "What do you suggest, Hilda? Fox will fully support your strategy."
Hilda spoke decisively. "We announce that Kate broke off her engagement last year and is now dating Dunn."
"What?!"
Dunn was stunned.
"No way!"
Kate exclaimed in protest.
"Kate!" Hilda's tone was firm, her brows furrowed. "This is the best way out. Not only will it protect your reputation and the movie's box office, but it will also earn you public support and excitement."
Bill Mechanic smiled approvingly. "I agree. This could even serve as additional publicity for the movie—maybe boost ticket sales."
In Hollywood, this tactic was common. Romantic rumors between lead actors often attracted more attention and boosted a film's performance.
"I refuse!" Kate's voice was resolute, her expression defiant. "I'm engaged. I love Jim. I'm going to marry him!"
Bill Mechanic's expression darkened.
Hilda sighed. "Kate, as your agent and as your friend, I have to tell you—he's not right for you."
Kate clenched her jaw, anger simmering. "Hilda, this is my personal life. I expect you to respect that."
An awkward silence fell over the office.
Dunn let out a long sigh.
Kate Winslet was really stubborn.
Dunn knew her fiancé—British director Jim Threapleton. The guy… wasn't great.
In his past life, Jim had used Kate's fame to boost his own career. He convinced her to take a role in a low-budget independent film, *Hideous Kinky*, just to advance from an intern to an assistant director.
After they married, he kept using her influence to build his career, mooching off her fame. Eventually, Kate had enough and divorced him.
As a friend, Dunn didn't want to see her end up unhappy. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"Kate, you're still young. Don't you think it's too early for marriage?"
Kate's beautiful eyes widened in shock. "You… you agree with Hilda?"
"This isn't about that." Dunn shook his head. "Kate, to me, the scandal, the box office—it's all secondary. What matters is whether you're truly happy. As your friend, I don't want to see you being deceived. Do you understand?"
"But Jim—" Kate's face paled. She didn't understand why everyone around her doubted her fiancé. Now, even Dunn was voicing the same concerns.
Dunn stood up. "Hilda, let's keep things simple for now. Just issue a basic clarification. If someone's targeting us, they'll strike again. No need to rush."
Hilda's eyes brightened. "Kate, go with him. Listen to what he has to say. Men—especially ambitious men—often mix love and career. You need to be careful."
Kate took a deep breath, then turned to Dunn, staring into his eyes. "Why?"
"Because we're friends," Dunn said sincerely.
This had nothing to do with any ulterior motives. In Hollywood, casual relationships were common, but Dunn genuinely saw Kate as a friend.