"Move in together? Live together?" Owen asked as the elevator descended.
Jenna, who until that moment had kept her eyes fixed on the metal doors, turned her head and raised an eyebrow.
Noticing Owen's genuinely bewildered expression and the disbelief in his tone, she couldn't stop an amused smile from slipping onto her lips.
She definitely hadn't expected to see him so thrown off; she was used to Owen staying calm.
She had expected him to start firing off questions and looking for logical reasons as to why she was suddenly bringing this up.
"Yes," Jenna replied with a slight nod, holding his gaze playfully, "What do you think?"
Even though she appeared calm on the outside, Jenna was nervous.
And the truth was that she had been thinking about this for days. She was completely decided and ready to defend her position on why living together was the most logical next step for the relationship.
'Don't throw this debate at me right when we're heading to my parents' house for dinner...' Owen thought, grimacing.
A soft chime interrupted the silence.
The elevator doors finally opened as they reached the underground level, and both of them began walking through the building's parking garage, surrounded by the echo of their own footsteps against the concrete.
Owen remained lost in thought, considering his answer.
Jenna, knowing perfectly well that he was processing the information to formulate a response, chose to leave him alone during the walk.
It wasn't until they reached the car and Owen settled into the driver's seat of the BMW that he finally responded, "I don't know. It seems a little rushed."
"I don't think so," Jenna immediately countered, adjusting her purse on her lap as she fastened her seatbelt.
"We started dating and getting to know each other seriously on January first of this year. Between March and April, the trial phase went so well that we officially became a couple, and on May second we made it public at the Met Gala in front of the whole world. If you do the math, we've been officially dating for more than four months now."
'You've really put some thought into this,' Owen thought, glancing at her with a strange expression.
"And that's not even counting the fact that we've known each other since last year when we filmed The Spectacular Now. We're talking about almost ten months of knowing each other," Jenna added, now looking at Owen and waiting for his reply.
"Well, yes, but living together deserves a thorough compatibility study. Ten months is still a short time," Owen said, turning the key and starting the engine. "With Sophie, when I started living with her, that was exactly when everything began to go wrong."
Mentioning his ex was an instant misstep.
"Don't compare me to her," Jenna said. Her tone dropped, losing its earlier amusement and taking on a colder edge.
Generally speaking, no current partner enjoys hearing parallels drawn with an ex, and Jenna was no exception.
It wasn't that she hated Sophie, but she didn't like the direct comparison because she believed they were completely different situations.
"What do you mean by that?" Owen asked as he maneuvered the car toward the garage exit.
"My situation and Sophie's are completely different. I didn't invade your space," Jenna replied, crossing her arms before firmly beginning to break down her argument.
Jenna knew the details of that old relationship.
At the time, Sophie had begun settling into Owen's apartment in a subtle but invasive way, gradually bringing over belongings, extending her stays little by little, and accelerating the pace of the relationship without really consulting him.
Owen ended up giving in more out of inertia than conviction. He spent much of his day locked away working in his office, so the forced cohabitation created a tension where they felt like they shared the same roof, but the actual amount of quality time they spent together was practically nonexistent.
Jenna paused briefly before continuing, "That wasn't the case with us. Every time we have free time, we choose to spend it together. That led to us having to pick an apartment, and most of the time we're at yours."
That mutual need had pushed an inevitable and practical transition in which Jenna had to bring some of her belongings to Owen's apartment.
As Owen listened, a series of images came to mind that confirmed it.
It was true. At exactly what point had a vanity table and a professional cosmetics setup appeared in his own bedroom?
When had the walk-in closet filled with rows of clothes, designer accessories, and perfectly organized women's shoes?
He even thought of Juan Antonio, Jenna's fat and lazy orange cat, peacefully sleeping on the couch in his living room. Just minutes earlier, both of them had said goodbye to him before leaving.
Jenna, however, made it clear that none of that had been a strategy on her part to invade Owen's space.
Owen agreed. With Jenna, he had never experienced the same problems of living under the same roof that he had with Sophie.
If, on any given Sunday, they both had the day off but Owen needed to lock himself in his office for two or three hours, she never complained about it. She simply used that same time to focus on her own things.
The compatibility test had already been done.
They were compatible in terms of organization, daily habits, and respect for each other's individuality. For Jenna, taking the final step and moving in together was simply formalizing something that already worked perfectly.
Owen let out a surprised chuckle. "Wow..." he murmured, amused and genuinely impressed by Jenna's arguments. "I have to admit, that was a great presentation. You're convincing me. But let's see, what else do you have in your proposal folder? What would the other advantages be?"
"I learned from the best," Jenna replied with a faintly smug smile, leaning her head back against the seat. "There are several advantages. The most obvious one is financial: we'll stop throwing away five thousand dollars a month each on two separate apartments. If we combine our budgets, we can rent something for ten thousand dollars."
Owen nodded as he turned a corner. That sounded good. With the same amount of money they were spending on their apartments, they could get something much better.
The building they currently lived in, in Studio City, was luxurious, yes, but it wasn't ultra-exclusive or fortress-like. If they put a ten-thousand-dollar monthly housing budget on the table, the range of options in the Los Angeles real estate market changed completely.
The fame both of them had now was massive compared to what they had when Owen moved into that complex back in October 2022.
Back then, Wednesday hadn't premiered yet or become the cultural phenomenon it eventually was, and Owen wasn't yet this Cannes-award-winning box office magnet with an Oscar under his belt, more than 17 million Instagram followers, and vlogs that attracted tens of millions of viewers.
In those days, they could move around relatively unnoticed. Now the situation was becoming more complicated.
With ten thousand dollars a month, they could move into a private house in one of Studio City's residential neighborhoods.
That would mean much greater privacy: no more sharing an elevator with strangers, no nosy neighbors recognizing them while taking out the trash, and, most importantly, they would get away from the paparazzi who had already started lingering around their current building waiting for any opportunity to photograph them.
Of course, considering both of their net worths, they could afford something far more expensive if they wanted to.
However, Owen didn't want a twenty-bedroom mansion they would never use, and he was sure Jenna didn't either.
They were both practical people and had no intention of wasting money renting something pretentious.
"I think a standalone house is much better than simply looking for a bigger apartment," Owen commented, weighing the security and space advantages as he accelerated down a straight stretch of road.
"Without a doubt," Jenna agreed. "So... is that a yes to moving in and living together?"
Owen opened his mouth to answer, but before he could say a single word, Jenna raised a hand, stopping him mid-gesture.
"Actually, think about it for a few days," she interrupted, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "I just threw this whole barrage of arguments at you in less than ten minutes. I don't want you telling me yes because of the adrenaline of the moment. Think it over on your own, calmly. You have... one week."
Jenna wanted Owen to think about it more carefully. She wasn't looking for an impulsive answer, but for a genuine and well-considered agreement.
Owen laughed. "I even have a deadline and everything. Alright. That seems fair," he accepted with amusement.
They finally arrived at the Ashford residence. A large property designed for a big family: it had five spacious en-suite bedrooms, an expansive backyard with a swimming pool, and an underground garage that could comfortably fit four cars.
'How much would this house be worth nowadays?' Owen thought as he got out of the car.
Since they had been talking about moving, the question suddenly popped into his head. Given the residential location and the size of the lot, he was completely certain that the market value exceeded five million dollars.
Though he didn't think it was worth more than ten million.
Buying a property was an option Owen could afford, but things became more complicated when Jenna entered the equation.
If they decided to buy together, fifty-fifty as would be appropriate, it would require a significant upfront investment.
Owen could spend between five hundred thousand and eight hundred thousand dollars without thinking too much about it, but in Jenna's case, even with an estimated net worth of around five million dollars, she would think much more carefully before making such an expense.
Spending ten thousand dollars a month on rent amounted to one hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year. A house with the specifications they would probably be looking for could easily cost 1.5 million.
So buying meant putting on the table, in one single payment, the equivalent of more than ten full years of rent.
They rang the doorbell, and James opened the door for them.
They greeted him confidently and entered the house.
From the main hallway, they could hear a murmur of voices. Elizabeth was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on everything needed for dinner.
In the living room, completely oblivious to everything else, was Sarah. She was still living there while taking her first professional steps as an actress.
At that moment, she was sprawled across the couch with her phone practically glued to her face, her eyes shining as she scrolled nonstop, devouring every comment and reaction the internet was throwing at the Lights Out trailer.
It was no surprise. Although it wasn't the lead role, she played a vital supporting character: the protagonist's sister.
At last, after months of post-production, her first official feature film had a trailer out for the entire world to see.
Sarah was experiencing that unique shock of seeing herself in movie trailers she had always consumed as a viewer.
Jenna headed toward the kitchen to help Elizabeth and Emily.
Meanwhile, Owen settled into the large living room sofa, relaxing beside his father, brother, and sister.
He spent quite a while chatting with Edward and James about trivial topics and stories from the week before finally shifting all his attention to Sarah.
"Has she been like that for long?" Owen asked with an amused tone, nodding toward Sarah, who wasn't even pretending to pay the slightest attention to the men's conversation.
"Yes, she's been in that exact same position ever since the trailer was uploaded," Edward replied with a sideways smile.
James glanced at her. "You should be in the kitchen helping Mom and the other women, Sarah," he said, maintaining a perfectly serious expression.
Owen couldn't help laughing at the provocation.
Besides, it was the kind of comment that, in modern Hollywood and on social media, could get you publicly destroyed in two minutes for its sexist undertone. But coming from James, it was nothing more than an attempt to annoy his sister.
Sarah lifted her eyes from the screen without looking remotely bothered. "Make that same joke in front of Emily. I dare you," she said challengingly.
When James remained silent, Sarah smiled.
There was no need for her to say anything else. James's silence confirmed that, within their marriage, Emily was very much the one in charge.
Edward and Owen laughed.
To top off the moment and dig his brother into an even deeper hole, Owen clenched his fist and mimicked the rhythmic, unmistakable sound of a whip cracking through the air. "Whi-tsh!"
Sarah burst out laughing, celebrating the joke.
James grimaced in annoyance and shot Owen a murderous glare, "Don't exaggerate. It's not like that at all. She doesn't whip me or control me."
"James, your wife is five months pregnant, she's standing in there helping put together the entire dinner, and you're sitting here doing nothing. I'm completely certain you're going to have a very interesting conversation when you get home later," Owen said.
James's expression immediately worsened at his brother's argument.
Emily was five months pregnant, and with her hormones running high, her mood had become considerably more volatile over the past few weeks. Without a doubt, Owen's prophecy had a very good chance of coming true.
Letting out a resigned sigh, James stood up, adjusted his jacket, and hurried toward the kitchen to join the household work.
Seeing his retreat, Sarah refused to let him leave in peace and began loudly making the whip-cracking sound over and over again.
"Whi-tsh! Whi-tsh!"
Owen, of course, didn't stay behind and joined in.
Edward simply watched it all with a warm smile, shaking his head.
Now that the sibling argument was over, Edward looked at Owen and asked, "When are you getting a distributor for Lights Out?"
Sarah immediately paid close attention to this conversation and looked at Owen with great curiosity.
"I have my first meeting with Blumhouse on Wednesday," Owen replied. "Then on Thursday, first a meeting with the people from A24 and later one with Neon. Finally, on Friday, with Lionsgate. By next week at the latest, we'll already have an official distributor signed."
Although Second Take Films didn't need a publicity department within its structure, that didn't mean it didn't need publicity.
The distributor's job isn't just to get the movie into theaters. They handle all the major marketing, which can easily exceed the film's own budget.
Since so much money is involved, the promotional machine needs to be activated well in advance of the final release. It was going to be a campaign lasting three to four months.
Additionally, closing a deal with a distributor before the end of the month was vital for Fantastic Fest.
With Owen's current status in the industry and the tremendous impact the trailer was generating online within just a few hours, the film's selection for the prestigious genre film festival was practically a guaranteed bet.
However, in Hollywood, things weren't handled the same way if you entered a festival with or without the backing of a major distributor.
The distributing studio is responsible for paying for and organizing the red carpet premiere at the festival, bringing in the most influential members of the specialized press, inviting VIP guests, and coordinating the special events that follow.
They're experts at putting all of that together. It's not just about spending money.
That's why Owen preferred to leave that work to a distributor. He didn't have the desire, the patience, or the time to start spending money and trying to learn from scratch how to organize an operation of that scale.
"Do you have a favorite?" Sarah asked, looking at him curiously.
They were all giants in the industry, but if she had to choose based solely on the name and the vibe they projected, she would pick A24 without hesitation.
Although many people still associated them with the concept of an independent studio, the reality was that they had already become one of the most important production and distribution powerhouses in modern cinema.
Their brand was world-famous, they moved millions of dollars in budgets and box office revenue, and they were definitely far from being a small company.
"Whoever offers me the best deal will be the chosen one," Owen replied, interlacing his fingers.
Sarah let out a small laugh and pointed at him. "That's scary. You sound like some kind of tycoon."
Instead of being stressed or nervous about having such major studios competing head-to-head for the rights to distribute his movie, Owen was only thinking about how to squeeze the maximum value out of every proposal.
He wanted to turn the whole situation into another bidding war, repeating the exact same strategy he had already used with Good Will Hunting.
Owen smiled to one side. "Well, in a way, I am. My movie is going to pass two hundred and fifty million dollars this very weekend," he said, showing off a little.
The number wasn't an exaggeration.
From Monday through Thursday, Good Will Hunting had added another $15.4 million, reaching a cumulative box office total of $241.5 million.
Knowing that weekends always performed far better than weekdays, it was practically guaranteed that it would break the $250 million barrier this weekend.
Sarah fell silent, unable to argue with that.
On top of that, both she and Edward stared at Owen in amazement. Even though they already knew about the film's success, hearing the number spoken aloud felt different.
It had already been absolutely insane that Owen's first feature film had grossed $144 million the previous year, but for his second film to be on the verge of surpassing $250 million was a completely ridiculous level of success.
"By the way, you have your audition for the second season of Wednesday next week, right?" Owen asked, changing the subject.
At the mention of the series, Sarah's eyes lit up and she nodded several times excitedly.
"Yeah, the audition is on Thursday. Mom and Larry are coming with me," she said, letting out a nervous little smile as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Just the thought of stepping into the universe of Netflix's biggest success, while also having the opportunity to work on the same project as her brother's girlfriend, left her torn between excitement and inevitable anxiety.
"Mm," Owen nodded without adding anything else.
Owen knew that Sarah would be competing for the role of Agnes DeMille, an extremely important supporting character to the story.
In fact, her importance was far greater than Bruno's, the character Jenna had offered him.
Bruno was a fairly flat character, whereas Agnes established herself as a fundamental pillar in advancing the season's criminal investigation.
For this type of new character, Netflix always looks for an emerging talent or a rising prospect: someone with proven acting ability and a decent résumé, but not an overwhelming one.
Sarah fit that mold. Although her experience was limited to a short film and a feature film that hadn't even been released yet, she had the acting skills to stand toe-to-toe with anyone.
Her performance in One Minute Time Machine had been highly praised for its freshness and, above all, for the comedic timing and screen presence she managed to bring to the role.
But where Sarah truly had the greatest advantage wasn't in her hours on set, but in her level of visibility and fame.
Her frequent appearances across Owen's social media, combined with their competitive sibling dynamic, had helped her grow by leaps and bounds online.
Thanks to her brother's mentions, glamorous photos from Cannes, and viral videos, her Instagram account had already reached 1.2 million followers.
While being a recognizable face might force Netflix to stretch the budget for her contract a little more, it certainly wouldn't be an amount that would scare the platform away.
Owen was convinced that Sarah had a very good chance of landing the role.
Not 100%, but she definitely had advantages. The right amount of experience and a very attractive level of fame from a marketing perspective.
And then, of course, there was that invisible factor that tilted the scales, not blatant nepotism, but a network of subtle connections that made the competition a little less clean.
For one, there was Jenna. As Owen's girlfriend, she naturally wanted to build a close relationship with Sarah and get along with her.
Although she would never commit the unprofessional mistake of demanding Sarah's hiring blindly, the reality was that if Sarah delivered a good audition and demonstrated strong chemistry with her during screen tests, the scales would immediately tip in her favor.
Unless Sarah gave a truly disastrous audition, Jenna would much rather have Sarah working alongside her.
And then there was Owen himself. During the meetings he had with Netflix when they offered him the role of Bruno, he ultimately turned down the project, but he ended those discussions on good terms. During that final call, he casually mentioned that his younger sister would be auditioning for the role of Agnes.
They weren't stupid. They knew Owen had a series currently in production and that, based on the quality of the scripts he had shown so far, everyone expected it to be another success.
As a result, it was highly likely that Black Mirror would spark a bidding war among the streaming platforms.
Giving the role to Sarah wasn't just a good acting and business decision because of her social media numbers, it was also the perfect excuse for Netflix to keep Owen happy and build a preferential relationship with him for the future.
Owen looked at Sarah with a neutral expression.
He knew she wanted to earn the role on her own, without anyone saying that her brother had bought her career for her.
But this was inevitable. He wasn't giving her the role, but it would be a small push from the shadows.
"Dinner is served!" Elizabeth's pleasant voice called out to them.
The three of them stood up and began walking toward the dining room.