Chapter 384: A Heart-to-Heart with Taylor

The meeting with Harvey lasted about half an hour. The atmosphere was much better than Link had anticipated, which made him even more uncertain about Harvey's true intentions.

He could only advise producer Brody Bent to be cautious when calculating the film's costs and mentioned that his relationship with Harvey wasn't as harmonious as it seemed on the surface.

Bent acknowledged this advice.

After three days of discussion and negotiation, the budget for Silver Linings Playbook was set at $22 million, nearly half of the $40 million Harvey had initially claimed. The two companies would co-produce, each investing $11 million.

Since the film was discovered by Weinstein Co. and they held the dominant position, they were entitled to an additional 5% share of both North American and overseas box office revenues.

After confirming the terms of Silver Linings Playbook, Link completed one task and could focus on filming and training for boxing.

Since arriving in Los Angeles, he had tried multiple times to visit Taylor at her Beverly Hills villa. Initially, his attempts were met with locked doors. It wasn’t until Mrs. Andrea intervened that he finally got to see Taylor.

When they met, Taylor remained aloof, often turning her back to him and remaining silent.

Link didn’t mind. He spent time chatting with Taylor in the sunlit garden, talking about his recent work. He also mentioned a new song he’d written, “Say Something,” which he planned to include in his fourth album, and asked if she wanted to hear it.

Taylor gave a dismissive grunt, keeping her eyes on a magazine and ignoring him.

Link smiled and began to play and sing on the balcony. The song, performed by The Great World Band in 2014, had become popular after attention from the diva Christina Aguilera. It reached the top ten on the Billboard charts and topped charts in the UK, Belgium, Canada, and other countries. It was a beautiful, emotional ballad later covered in Chinese by Zhang Shaohan.

Here are some of the lyrics he sang:

```

Say something I'm giving up on you

I'm giving up on you, as I walk away from you.

I'll be the one if you want me to

Even so, I’ll turn back if you just beckon.

Anywhere I would have followed you

Even so, I would always follow, by your side.

Say something I'm giving up on you

I'm giving up on you, as I walk away from you.

And I am feeling so small

I’m feeling insignificant in your world.

It was over my head

Surrounded by your coldness and hardness.

Know nothing at all

Leaving me helpless.

```

As Link sang with a melancholic and emotional tone, Taylor couldn’t help but lift her gaze to him. Her curled lashes blinked repeatedly, her expression moving from surprise to irritation, and her white fists clenched tightly.

This jerk writes such passionate songs, seeming like a great romantic, but in reality, he’s a notorious womanizer, a universally recognized scumbag.

It was a waste for him to sing this song.

Yet, he sang so well, so sincerely and captivatingly.

Taylor felt helpless and powerless, like facing a murderer but being unable to arrest him.

After finishing the song, Link looked at Taylor and smiled, “How does it sound?”

“Average!”

Taylor continued to look at her magazine.

“This song is suitable for a duet. Singing it alone lacks some expression. Are you interested in collaborating? The result would definitely be great with both of us.”

“No, and don’t bother me while I’m reading.”

Taylor brushed her long hair away and went upstairs with the guitar.

Link shrugged, not insisting. He sat on the sunlit balcony, his feet resting on the iron railing, and looked at Taylor, whose complexion was rosy and body slightly fuller. She seemed even more beautiful since becoming pregnant.

“How have you been recently? It should be good, right? I heard from Selena that you’re partying every day, hanging out with a few girlfriends, shopping, and that you even vacationed on a ranch last time. I’m so envious.”

Link said.

Taylor blinked, not responding.

“But I’ve been struggling a bit, both at work and in life. Since breaking up with you, things have worsened. I feel like a train derailed, speeding through a wasteland, not knowing where the road is or where the end is.”

Link rested his arms on the railing, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds over Beverly Hills, occasionally watching a few birds fly by, feeling suddenly weary.

Taylor glanced at him, seeing his handsome profile with an expression of melancholy and sadness. Her heart was tugged, feeling a mix of pain and longing. She took a deep breath and picked up the magazine, tossing it at him.

“Don’t complain to me about your troubles. I’m not a garbage can for your negative emotions. Also, this life you’re living now is your own choice. You attend high-society parties every day, associate with billionaires and elite tycoons from various industries.

And now that you have money, you can support women worldwide, pursuing anyone you like without anyone bothering you. Doesn’t that fit your wish? Everything is your choice. Why are you dumping your woes on me?”

Taylor sneered.

Link shook his head, looking at the sky and the ivy trailing down from the second-floor balcony, with the sunlight casting dappled shadows.

“Andrea said you liked sweets as a child, and she was worried you’d get cavities and become a little chubby, so she restricted you. When you couldn’t have them, you ate secretly. Later, when you earned money, you enjoyed freedom with sweets. But now, you suddenly don’t want them.

I’m the same. I used to be restricted by you, thinking women outside were so tempting and couldn’t wait to try them. Now, no one is restricting me, and I have freedom with snacks. I find that everything isn’t as great as I imagined. But by then, I’ve strayed too far from the right path, unable to turn back, just blindly rushing forward with my eyes closed.”

Link pointed to a plane flying across the sky and smiled, “But there’s something strange. No matter how troubled and confused I feel, whenever I sit next to you, I feel like I’m back on the right track, relaxed and comfortable. Isn’t that odd?”

Taylor blinked her blue eyes, flipping through her magazine, “You should talk to Ivanka about that. She’s your girlfriend.”

Link said, “My biggest confusion in life comes from her. She’s so intelligent that I don’t understand her, not knowing what she’s thinking, what she wants to do, how she feels about me, or if she truly likes me. She’s very good to me, but I’m unsure if there’s love involved.

I once said that we come from different backgrounds, with vastly different lifestyles, and our thoughts and views are also very different. She likes having a chef cook for her, while I enjoy cooking myself. She likes living in a luxury apartment hundreds of meters high, while I prefer being grounded, feeling the sand’s warmth beneath my feet. These differences make it hard for me to adapt to the current lifestyle, making me feel like I’m floating in the air.”

“This is your own doing; no one forced you to be with her.”

Taylor said.

“It seems that way, but during our time together, she hasn’t done anything wrong. She centers her life around me, like a partner and comrade in both life and career. Breaking up with her would hurt one more person, a good woman. Perhaps I’m too greedy. It’s still my problem.”

Link stood up, stretching, and looked at the sky, the blue sea in the distance, and the bustling city of Los Angeles.

Seeing the sun setting, he decided not to disturb Taylor and Mrs. Andrea any longer and took his leave.

Looking at his car and villa, Taylor returned inside. Seeing the guitar left on the balcony, she hesitated for a moment, then her delicate fingers plucked the strings and she softly sang the song Link had just performed.

```

Say something I'm giving up on you

I'm giving up on you, as I walk away from you.

I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you

I’m sorry I couldn’t stop your wandering eyes.

Anywhere I would have followed you

Even so, I would always follow, by your side.

Say something I'm giving up on you

I'm giving up on you, as I walk away from you.

And I will swallow my pride

I will swallow my pride.

You're the one that I love

I love you.

And I'm saying goodbye

But I’m saying goodbye.

```

Mrs. Andrea approached with a stack of documents and, after hearing Taylor sing, asked, “Is this your new song? It sounds quite nice.”

“No, it’s that jerk Link’s song.”

Taylor replied angrily.

“Be polite. Why are you insulting him?”

Mrs. Andrea advised.

“He deserves it. Even after breaking up, he won’t leave me alone, showing up here pretending to be a romantic. He’s trying to use this method to continue occupying my thoughts. Hmph, don’t let him come again. I’m already annoyed just seeing him.”

Taylor brushed her hair and took the guitar upstairs.

Mrs. Andrea shook her head. She still thought they were a good match. Although Link was a bit of a playboy, he was young and not beyond redemption. With patience, they might still have a chance at a perfect relationship.

Suddenly, she remembered the documents in her hand and called out to Taylor, “The documents from Nashville Hospital need your signature. Are you sure you want to proceed with this?”

“Yes!” Taylor replied resolutely.

(End of Chapter)