The elevator descended with creaking sounds, as if it were heading straight to hell. Dim lighting illuminated the basement, where the surrounding walls were a dark red. From time to time, scarlet liquid oozed down from them, as though one were inside the body of a demon. These walls resembled living flesh, yet they exuded a sense of death.
Thomas Sharpe supported the severely injured Alan McMichael—stabbed twice—and temporarily hid him in the deepest part of the basement.
"Lucille took Edith to sign the documents. Once she signs them, she'll have to die! I have to go. I'll bring her down here—I'll find a way. There's a passage in the basement that leads to the ground level. From there, you can get out. Got it? Can you hold on?"
Thomas Sharpe was more flustered than the wounded Alan McMichael. His speech was disjointed as he watched Alan bleed out, visibly anxious. His earlier stab had clearly wounded the man too severely. Right—he needed to take the knife with him. He'd need it again soon—his sister would have to stab him with it.
"Please… promise me you'll spare her!"
Alan McMichael grabbed Thomas Sharpe's arm. Even though Thomas had just spared him, Alan still couldn't fully trust that he would do the same for Edith Cushing.
"I will. Because I love her."
Thomas Sharpe didn't shake off Alan McMichael's hand. Instead, he gently patted him, trying to reassure him.
"Go," Alan said.
He released Thomas and slumped weakly beside the sink. The bleeding from his wounds seemed to have slowed. Though he was still in pain, his medical knowledge had just saved his own life.
It was clear that this was a performance orchestrated by Regulus Black—slightly different from the original script, but more in line with the character's personality. It also highlighted Thomas Sharpe's transformation more effectively.
"Cut! Good! Very good. Next scene, get ready. Black, can you keep going?"
Regulus Black still looked weak but gave a thumbs-up.
"Great! Then let's continue. Bring Edith Cushing down."
The elevator resumed operation, bringing Edith Cushing down as well. Judging by her appearance, she had just been through a struggle. Clutching a kitchen knife tightly, she hadn't walked far before spotting the weakened Alan McMichael. She immediately rushed to embrace him.
"She tried to kill me. But I'll get us both out of here. Trust me—I will make it."
"Don't risk it! There's a conveyor belt behind us—you can crawl out that way. Go get help first."
At this moment, Edith Cushing had become remarkably strong. She hid the weakened Alan McMichael in a corner, preparing to face the pursuing Lucille Sharpe alone. What followed would be a fierce showdown between the two female leads—no longer involving Regulus Black.
"Cut! That's a wrap for this scene. Let's head upstairs and rehearse the scene with all four characters."
Director Guillermo del Toro clapped his hands to urge the crew along—but was met with resistance.
"Director! Can we break for lunch first?"
Covered in fake blood, Regulus Black pulled out his pocket watch and showed it to the director—it was already past noon.
"All right! Clean up and eat first. We'll shoot the four-person scene in the hall this afternoon."
Director Guillermo del Toro was eager to keep filming. As a portly man himself, he was completely immersed in the production and didn't even feel hungry. The actors were in such good form that he feared delaying the shoot would ruin the momentum. Still, since the cast had been going strong for over a month—thanks to a shared dream from earlier—he relented. It was better to eat now.
Regulus Black's character, Dr. Alan McMichael, only had a few scenes left. They would definitely finish shooting before summer break. In the remaining group scenes, he would mostly appear in the background.
Regulus Black had also promised the director he'd be available at any time, so for him, the film Crimson Peak was effectively complete.
Now, the focus would shift to Sirius.
"Madam Cook, may I ask something, if you don't mind? Over the past few days, you seem to be getting younger."
After much hesitation, Jennifer Connelly finally asked Madam Cook. Everyone in the crew had noticed the change. Most believed it was the result of Regulus Black's heartfelt devotion.
However, the main cast all knew that Regulus Black didn't have that kind of time.
Since everyone was in great condition, director Guillermo del Toro didn't waste a single moment — if they weren't sleeping, they were filming. Robert Downey Jr. could confirm that he and Regulus slept in the same room every night. Although being questioned about such topics by the two leading ladies was a bit awkward, he still admitted that the two of them shared a bed.
Mrs. Cook gave a mysterious smile and then whispered something into Jennifer Connelly's ear.
"What? Regulus Black is already 32 years old?"
Jennifer Connelly had always thought Regulus Black was a few years younger than her. She was surprised to learn he was actually older — she was born in late 1970, while Regulus was born in late 1961, making him nine years her senior.
"But what does that have to do with him looking so young?"
Charlize Theron leaned in as well, and the three women began whispering among themselves.
The Black family had a legacy spanning over a thousand years, including some magical knowledge passed down from the witch-hunting era.
Among them was a potion capable of preserving youth — taken once a year, it would maintain one's current physical state for that entire year. However, once the potion was no longer taken, aging would catch up rapidly until the person returned to their true biological age. Its effects were as striking as the mythical Fountain of Youth, but not without a steep price.
"The potion can be taken once a year to maintain your current physical state. But if you stop after ten years, your body will age rapidly to what it should be after those ten years. Do you understand now?"
Mrs. Cook gestured with her hands as she explained to the two actresses.
"It won't extend your lifespan, nor will it keep you from getting sick or injured. It only keeps you from aging for that year. In your case, Charlize, it would stop you from growing — after all, you're still a child."
That last line immediately annoyed Charlize Black.
"Hey! I'm already 17!"
"In any case, what I've told you has been approved by Regulus. These are things only close individuals are allowed to know. If outsiders were to learn about it, they'd be excluded from the circle. Now that I've told you, if you're interested, talk to Regulus directly. If you don't believe it or aren't willing to join this small circle, then please don't share this information. That way, we can still remain friends."
Mrs. Cook's words left Jennifer Connelly and Charlize Theron deep in thought. Whether the youth-preserving potion was real could only be proven over time — but by the time it was proven, they might already be old.
As for whether the potion worked, one only had to look at Jennifer Connelly. Born in 1970, she was already 22. For people of European descent, signs of aging become noticeable without makeup after five or six more years, especially as they near 30.
"I can wait a little longer. After all, I still look like a kid. From the first time we met, I could tell — that look in his eyes was filled with hope for my future. That means Regulus values who I'll become, not just how I look now."
Charlize Theron quickly made up her mind: as long as she kept this a secret, she could approach Regulus Black in the future when the time was right to join this exclusive circle.
"In that case, I should probably go speak with Mr. Black first. After all, Once Upon a Time in America was filmed only a few years ago, and I already look quite different from the girl I was back then."
Jennifer Connelly had made up her mind. The fear of aging is strong for all women — even more so for actresses.
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