Kate glanced at the cigarette pack in Anson's hand. She casually pulled out a cigarette, just about to place it in her mouth, but paused slightly, then stuffed it back into the pack.
Anson, puzzled, assumed it wasn't Kate's usual brand. "I just grabbed it from Grant earlier. Trying a new brand once in a while can be interesting."
Kate waved her hand. "No, I just... no, never mind, I don't need it."
She hesitated, uncertain.
Anson noticed that Kate's gaze was still fixed on the cigarette pack. Even though it was nighttime and he couldn't clearly see her expression, he could sense her reluctance and longing.
Her actions contradicted her words.
Although Anson wasn't sure why, he didn't ask. He put the pack away and joked, "If you're worried about your breath, no need. There's no kissing scene tonight."
Kate shot him a glance. "Even if there were, I wouldn't worry. The audience can't smell anything, after all."
Anson laughed. "Like in Gone with the Wind, right? That iconic kiss actually smelled like garlic and cigarettes."
"Haha." Kate smiled briefly, but it only lasted for half a second before fading. She glanced at Anson again, showing a hint of hesitation.
Anson thought she was reconsidering, so he handed the cigarette pack back.
Kate looked at the cigarette longingly for a moment but then shook her head firmly. "I can't smoke."
Anson: ???
Just yesterday, Anson had seen Kate smoking, so why couldn't she today?
Kate pulled her gaze away and gave a somewhat awkward, helpless smile, tugging at the corner of her mouth. "I'm pregnant."
Anson was caught completely off guard and froze, unsure how to react. His feet kept moving, but his upper body was rigid.
After a moment, he finally came to his senses, looked at the cigarette in his hand, and obediently put it back in the pack, which he slipped into his pocket.
"Oh," Anson muttered, then glanced at Kate again. "Congratulations?"
Normally, this kind of news would be joyous, and "congratulations" would be the expected response. But Kate's anxiety and restlessness suggested otherwise, and Anson wasn't sure. He raised his voice slightly at the end, expressing his uncertainty.
Kate immediately picked up on it and gave Anson a sidelong glance.
Anson, feeling innocent, looked at Kate. "Sorry, I'm still adjusting from our earlier conversation. I'm not sure how I should be reacting."
As he spoke, he pulled out a cigarette and held it between his lips, though he didn't light it—just left it there.
Kate watched this scene quietly. She couldn't help but smile slightly, feeling a bit more relaxed.
It was hard to find the right words, unsure of who to tell or how to even begin. She had kept it all inside, anxious and uncertain.
Somehow, when facing the relatively unfamiliar Anson, the words just slipped out, without the usual internal struggle.
Maybe it was because he wasn't close to her that made it easier.
Kate exhaled deeply, finally revealing the heavy secret that had been weighing her down. Now that it was out, everything seemed simpler.
"I found out this morning."
"If I'm not mistaken, it should be around five to six weeks. Although I haven't been to the hospital for further testing, I'm pretty sure. I can feel it."
"I don't…"
"What I mean is, this was unexpected. I don't know what to do."
"Damn it!"
Now everything was clear—
No wonder Kate had been so restless and on edge today, oscillating between irritability and anxiety. She couldn't calm down.
In Hollywood, expectations for actresses were often stricter. While there were still roles for women in their thirties and forties, opportunities for those under thirty were more abundant.
For male actors, it was the opposite. Men only hit their prime after thirty, while actors under thirty were often seen as boys.
This year, Kate was turning twenty-eight, entering her prime as an actress. After years of hard work, she had finally found a breakthrough in her career. She had been working to redefine her path post-Titanic, and her career was poised to flourish.
But an unexpected pregnancy could derail all of Kate's plans.
It wasn't just about time. By the time she gave birth and returned to work, producers and studios might offer her different scripts and roles, potentially changing everything.
Moreover, there was an immediate issue: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
When she signed the contract, Kate had no idea she was pregnant. But now, only four days into filming, the lead actress was suddenly expecting, and the maternal glow would complicate things.
Frustrating.
Kate genuinely loved Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and wanted to bring something unique to the project.
But now, she feared she was becoming the one ruining it.
She was angry, upset, anxious, and lost.
Kate couldn't focus and couldn't get into character.
Worse, she was keeping it all to herself. This was a huge secret, and revealing it could disrupt the entire production—something Kate despised.
"…Just the thought of becoming the one who ruins everything makes my stomach churn. I can't forgive myself for being so unprofessional."
"This… this isn't me."
"I'm becoming the kind of actor I despise."
"Self-absorbed, arrogant, mixing personal life with work, creating chaos for the production. This happens all the time in Hollywood, especially with women. It's why producers see women as problems. I've always wanted to change that stereotype, but now I'm becoming the problem."
"Damn it!"
Kate had suppressed her feelings again and again, holding on tightly to her secret, unsure of who to tell.
Of course, she could tell her agent, and she probably should.
But in Kate's mind, telling her agent would mean asking them to clean up the mess, and there would be no turning back.
She didn't want that.
At least not today. She had just found out that morning and hadn't fully processed it yet. She wasn't ready to face the consequences.
In a way, she was still in denial.
After all, she hadn't even gone to the hospital for a formal blood test.
Now, here she was.
Anson had unknowingly become the first person in the world to learn that Kate Winslet was carrying a new life.
Honestly, the situation felt a bit strange, especially since Anson and Kate were supposed to fall madly in love in the movie they were working on.