"We won't lose by a huge margin at the box office, but we'll still lose, and this time, I want to win," Luke said.
Mr. Eisen thought for a moment and replied, "We're already at a disadvantage with the subject matter and the core story. Lord of the Rings 2 has the huge positive buzz from the first movie. Meanwhile, Pirates of the Caribbean is an unconventional topic and an original film. To close that gap, we have to generate a ton of buzz."
"Exactly, that's what I was thinking. Take a look at this." Luke handed a proposal to Mr. Eisen.
"You're planning to shoot the third 'A Moment in Time' short film with Anne, using it to drive up your buzz before the premiere?" Mr. Eisen asked.
"Yes, but it's more than that. My goal is to kill three birds with one stone," Luke replied.
"Three birds with one stone?"
Mr. Eisen could only see the first "bird" in the proposal; the other two weren't obvious yet. But he trusted that Luke wouldn't do anything without a solid reason.
After thinking it over, Mr. Eisen said, "I support you, but I have to warn you about one thing."
"Go ahead!"
"This will have to be your last collaboration with Anne for a while. Your on-screen couple dynamic needs to be broken up now. If you get completely locked into that pairing, it'll make future projects really difficult for you."
Luke nodded; he understood that perfectly. Many celebrities in the industry start by building that "couple" buzz, but they eventually have to dismantle it at a certain point. Otherwise, the audience locks them in, and they can't credibly work with other actors.
So, this promotional short film, the final part of Luke and Anne's "A Moment in Time" trilogy, would also be their last time working together for a while.
"But a single short film won't be enough to create the buzz you need to beat The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," Mr. Eisen cautioned.
"I know. Just wait for my next move!"
"Alright. I'll reach out to Anne to check her availability and start preparing the paperwork."
---
## Filming Day: April 19, 2002
The title of this short film was "A Letter from the Future."
The film opens with a shot of the majestic Mount Rainier. The snow-capped mountain, shrouded in mist, looked like a scene from a fairy tale. The clouds partially concealing the distant peaks slowly rose, giving the stunning landscape a solemn, almost deadly feel.
At the foot of the mountain, nestled among thick green woods, lay a quiet cemetery.
A young woman in her twenties, played by Anne (Hathaway), stood before a gravestone. She meticulously cleared the fallen leaves and weeds around the marker, tending to it as if caressing a lover's face.
Once finished, she stared at the photo of the handsome man on the headstone for a long time, reluctant to leave.
It wasn't until dusk began to settle that she whispered, "Luke, this is the last time I'll visit you. Let's say goodbye here. I hope we have another chance to be together in the next life."
With that, she drove away, returning to her home in Seattle.
The first thing Anne did when she got home was instinctively reach for a bottle of pills on the table, but she quickly put it back down. What's the point? she thought. I'm already in the final stages, what difference does it make if I take them or not?
Anne had a extremely rare degenerative central nervous system disorder. It was similar to Alzheimer's, which is commonly called old-age dementia, in that it caused a gradual loss of memory and cognitive function. The disease tortures both the patient and their family until death.
Her specific condition was actually better than Alzheimer's because some specialized drugs could cure it, but only if they intervened early on. Anne was diagnosed too late; she'd missed the optimal treatment window and could only slow down the inevitable.
She was twenty-two this year, but only had memories from when she was twenty onward; the disease had erased everything before that. Over the years, she was only able to survive this long thanks to the care of her husband, Luke.
Anne couldn't remember how she and Luke met or fell in love. All she knew was that this man took care of her during the days when she had lost most of her memory, forgotten what she'd learned, and couldn't earn a living.
But a year ago, Luke, who worked as a mountain guide, was killed in a landslide on Mount Rainier. That happened when Anne was twenty-one, and now, she was about to lose even the last memories of her husband.
Anne ate a simple meal, then sat at the dining table, flipping through photos of herself and Luke. It was her only comfort. Her greatest gratitude was that despite her misfortune, she had managed to meet and receive the love of Luke in her lifetime. That's enough to make this life worthwhile, she thought.
This time, as Anne reached the last page of the album, she accidentally pressed too hard and tore the corner of the cover.
Huh?
She was surprised to find a laminated photo hidden in the cover's lining. Anne pulled it out and realized it was a high school graduation picture. In the photo, Luke looked about seventeen or eighteen, and she was standing next to him with her arm around him, surrounded by their entire class. She was vibrant and beautiful back then. Though she looked slightly different now, she could still recognize herself.
"Seriously? Why would he hide such a meaningful picture?" Anne looked at the photo, then flipped it over.
On the back were several small pieces of paper listing every student's name and contact information.
"Where did I used to live?"
Curious, Anne started looking for her name. But after a quick scan, she couldn't find her name or her address. She realized the list was ordered from left to right in the photo. Luke was number six, and she was number seven.
Anne counted several times. The seventh name on the list was: Taylor Swift.
But my name is Anne Luke, right?
Wait, back then, it must have been Anne Hathaway, before I took my husband's last name.
Even though she was constantly losing her memory, she couldn't be wrong about her own name. Her driver's license and bank records wouldn't lie.
Who is Taylor Swift?
She frantically scanned the entire list, checking it over and over. There was still no one named Anne Hathaway on the list...
Her name truly wasn't there!
Is the girl with her arm around Luke in the picture... not me?
A wave of dread washed over Anne.
If the girl wasn't her, did that mean that girl was the woman Luke truly loved? And was she only being cared for because she looked similar, making her just a substitute?
If that were the case, her life would be a complete joke. She had already lost everything; if Luke's love was fake, what did she ever truly have?
Filled with deep anxiety, Anne began to write a letter.
Ms. Swift:
How are you?
I am not well.
Anne Luke.
She wrote the confusing, disjointed letter, then walked out the front door to the brand-new red mailbox and dropped the letter inside.
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