"Darling, everything will be fine."
Upon returning to Los Angeles, Gal Gadot quickly learned about the recent events. Although she preferred Murphy not to get involved, she knew his character wouldn't allow him to stay out of it. "We can't fight an entire nation's legal system. We can only do our best to help Ross."
Seeing the travel fatigue still lingering on Gal Gadot's face, Murphy nodded slightly. "I know what to do."
Gal Gadot understood him, and he understood her. He could see her concerns but wouldn't spell them out. Moreover, he wouldn't resort to illegal means that could lead to irreversible consequences.
Things were different now. Like everyone else in the world, Murphy had become more conservative. When he was starting, he had nothing to lose and dared to risk everything. Now, he had to consider not just himself but also his family, so he had to act with greater caution.
Murphy walked over, leaned down, and gently kissed Gal Gadot on the forehead. "You're tired. You should rest and adjust to the time difference."
Gal Gadot wrapped her arms around Murphy's neck. "Will you stay with me? I can't sleep without you."
"Happy to oblige." Murphy lifted her chin and kissed her lips. "My princess."
Hearing Murphy's words, Gal Gadot misunderstood, biting her lip and saying, "Murphy..."
Her voice was soft and sweet. "I'm really tired."
"Darling," Murphy straightened up and spread his hands. "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing." Gal Gadot gave him a playful glare and headed upstairs. "I'm going to sleep."
Murphy quickly followed. "Wait for me."
When they returned to the bedroom and showered together, they couldn't resist the urge. However, this time there were no special tricks or kinky games. Murphy and Gal Gadot simply enjoyed the tenderness and emotional outburst after their long separation.
Time sometimes dissipates everything, but other times it brings things together. Their relationship hadn't faded with time but had grown stronger through careful nurturing.
After stepping out of the bathroom and lying together, Gal Gadot suddenly felt wide awake, so Murphy chatted with her.
"Did you resolve the issues in Israel?" he asked with concern.
"Yes, it's mostly resolved. There are still some minor issues, but my mother can handle them."
Pressing close to Murphy's broad chest, Gal Gadot said, "Mom asked me to thank you for the funds. She'll repay you as soon as possible once things stabilize."
Murphy shook his head. "No rush."
A little over ten million dollars wasn't a significant amount to him, and it mainly helped change some of Gal Gadot's mother's perceptions.
Gal Gadot smiled and then changed the subject. "I heard from Lily that James proposed to her?"
"Yes," Murphy nodded, then laughed. "There was a bit of an incident."
He recounted the story of Lily Collins swallowing the engagement ring to Gal Gadot.
"Lily usually seems so refined," Gal Gadot was surprised. "James must have considered that when he chose that method."
"It was a bit warm that day," Murphy speculated. "There were many tourists at the Santa Monica Pier. Lily probably got thirsty on the way."
Gal Gadot adjusted her position for comfort. "Have Lily and James set a wedding date?"
"Not yet," Murphy guessed. "But it should be soon, likely this year."
Out of Murphy's sight, a slight shadow crossed Gal Gadot's eyes but quickly disappeared. Hearing such news inevitably affected her mood, but she trusted Murphy. Even without the security of marriage, they would continue their journey together.
She knew how much temptation Murphy faced in Hollywood, but he remained steadfast for the sake of their deep, stable relationship.
To prevent Murphy from noticing her emotional shift, Gal Gadot changed the topic again. "How's your new project coming along?"
"The script outline is ready," Murphy sighed. "But I've only written the beginning, and it's currently on hold."
"Because of Ross?" Gal Gadot asked.
"Yes," Murphy admitted. "There's little else I can do besides assembling the best legal team for the best possible outcome."
Although not very familiar with Ross, Gal Gadot knew enough. As a law graduate, she understood that Ross's actions warranted severe punishment, even multiple death sentences.
However, she didn't dwell on this and asked, "Is the new project still with 20th Century Fox?"
"Yes, they've communicated their desire to continue collaborating through Kara."
Even without seeing the script outline, 20th Century Fox was eager to work with him again. A project from a newcomer versus one from Murphy or Spielberg garnered very different attitudes from production companies.
This industry was like that: projects from new directors struggled for attention, while those from top directors were highly sought after. It's the same for actors; superstars and ordinary actors were on entirely different levels.
Murphy hugged Gal Gadot tighter. "This time, you should be the producer."
Gal Gadot seemed a bit unsure. "Can I do it?"
"Of course," Murphy reassured her, gently patting her smooth back. "I have confidence in you."
Gal Gadot had already learned and trained on three projects. Her ability wasn't an issue, and now she had enough experience to be a producer.
In projects with 20th Century Fox, there would never be just one producer. Even if they trusted Murphy, they would still send financial supervisors and other staff to the crew.
Hollywood had many such "family business" crews.
However, Murphy intended for Gal Gadot to be a real producer, not just a titular one, but an executive producer managing the entire production.
There was a big difference between a titular producer and an executive producer. The latter had more power and was involved in the entire production process. Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Landau often played this role in their projects.
Simply put, an executive producer is the "chief steward" during production, responsible for key aspects and ensuring crucial resources and techniques are provided.
This involvement isn't just in name. An executive producer must actively participate in the project, handling the most critical parts, especially in Hollywood film production, where directors, actors, and other staff rely on them to manage everything.
Some famous directors often take on the executive producer role in their projects to gain more control, like Steven Spielberg and George Clooney.
Gal Gadot might have some shortcomings, but Murphy had already discussed with Kara Faith and Bill-Rossis to find experienced assistants to help her.
Film production is complex, and executive producers usually have many assistants. The executive producer mainly oversees the process.
The primary duty of an executive producer is to ensure the film company produces a high-quality film on time and within budget. From conceptualizing the film to its release, they oversee every stage.
As evening fell, Gal Gadot started to feel drowsy but fought to stay awake, asking Murphy, "Why do you want me in this industry?"
She knew Murphy had put in a lot of effort to guide her career, although she didn't oppose it.
Murphy certainly wouldn't cite Israel.
"Whether a small or big director," he thought for a moment, "having a producer girlfriend is a blessing."
Gal Gadot looked up and asked, "Why? What's the reason?"
"Most directors are pure creators or artists, even if not completely pure, they aspire to be."
In this regard, Murphy was shamelessly self-promoting. "Such people often hate dealing with business matters. Even if they love money, they're not sensitive to it. Having a producer partner to manage projects lets them focus on creation, reducing unnecessary worries and stress."
Gal Gadot rolled her eyes, fully aware of Murphy's thick-skinned nature.
Murphy acted oblivious and continued, "Since the producer is close, they'll ensure every penny is spent on the project, unlike others who might embezzle funds. This is crucial for content quality. Two directors of the same level can produce vastly different results with and without a producer partner. That's why such partnerships are common."
Hearing "partnership," Gal Gadot felt a surge of sweetness, overlooking the rest.
In truth, Hollywood producer-director partnerships were rare, and Murphy hadn't mentioned many common, yet unsuitable examples for Gal Gadot.
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