Chapter 2: Trending Documentary

At the end of June, a documentary suddenly shot to the top of the trending charts.

You could practically feel the buzz. Social feeds everywhere flooded with the same link, friends tagging each other in group texts: “Hey, isn’t this the studio you used to intern at?”

As soon as the video was uploaded, it attracted widespread attention.

The director, who had passed away ten years ago, had quit his job after being diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Carrying a big duffel and a camera, he set off on the last journey of his life, recording the people and events he encountered. He asked his friends to edit and upload it ten years later, as his final message to the world.

The first two episodes mostly drew comments of regret and admiration, with people online praising his openness and courage in the face of death.

But when the third episode was released, the documentary suddenly exploded in popularity.

I thought the internet would move on by lunch. Instead, by dinner, my phone was still buzzing—something bigger was brewing.

At thirteen minutes and twenty-two seconds into episode three, someone appeared on screen whom no one expected—

—Ryan Caldwell, now a household name in film.

Back then, he was just another extra in Silver Hollow Studios, his face still showing traces of nervousness and inexperience.

But the real focus of the episode wasn’t him. It was me—Natalie Cross, his girlfriend at the time.

The twenty-three-year-old Natalie Cross, eyes brimming with unmistakable love, boldly declared to the camera:

“I guarantee it: Ryan will definitely become a movie star. If not, I’ll do a handstand and crawl around the Statue of Liberty!”

The comments went wild for that one. Some joked about organizing a flash mob at the Liberty Island ferry. Others clipped the quote, overlaying it with TikTok memes. It was a very New York sort of dare: public, brash, and just a bit reckless.