In the small building where Pacific Pictures was located, Martin had Jessica take the finance director and the accountant to reconcile the accounts while he went alone to Louise's office.
"The Boss is in the reception room," said Nikki, Louise's assistant. "She said you can go straight in when you arrive."
"Thank you." Martin went to the reception room across the hall, knocked gently on the door, and pushed it open.
Inside, besides Louise, there was Sophia.
The latter's attire took Martin by surprise.
Sophia was wearing a crisp ladies' business suit that seed to be a specially tailored handmade version. Her bulging muscles stretched the fabric to the point where it seed as if it might burst into shreds at any mont.
Perhaps to match the suit, she also put on a pair of non-prescription glasses.
Louise wearing professional attire and glasses would give soone a sense of sexy combined with intellectual beauty.
Sophia's similar get-up, however, made her look like King Kong from Skull Island had snuck into the human world.
"What's the matter? Don't recognize ?" teased Sophia, imitating Louise's manner as she pushed up her glasses. "I'm a female president, too."
Martin, considering his own behind, rarely told a complete falsehood: "You really have the presence and deanor of a female president, a true powerhouse of the workplace at first glance."
Sophia burst into laughter, the flesh on her face bouncing up and down incessantly.
Martin quickly grabbed a chair to sit down, intentionally placing Louise between himself and Sophia, and only when his behind was firmly on the plush sofa, did he feel at ease.
At that mont, he suddenly understood why Old Cloth always leaned against a concrete wall whenever he saw Sophia.
That sense of solid security was too important.
Louise, lightly adjusting her black-rimd glasses and with Sophia as a contrast, appeared even more intelligent, elegant, and sensuously charming. "You've co at just the right ti. After the New Year holiday, Warner Bros. settled the earnings for 'Limitless' with us. Your share, after we finalize the accounts today, will soon be transferred into your respective accounts."
Sophia's flesh jiggled like it was electrocuted: "Investing with you guys was such a wise decision. A guy I know set up a foundation all by himself, ca to Hollywood to invest in films, and lost all his money in a string of failures over the past few years... it's a real tragedy..."
Louise glanced at Martin: "It was Martin who introduced you to us, so it's only natural we get rich together."
Sophia smiled at Martin again, the muscle fibers tense under her skin vibrated like plucked guitar strings.
Fortunately, Martin was ntally strong and could face Sophia's intimidating laughter head-on, saying, "Your support is what granted the status and influence I have today. I do believe I have a keen eye for movies, and I look forward to making more money together in the future."
He couldn't face such a vast network alone. His smooth operations over the years were closely linked to the formidable support from behind.
Without Louise, Warner would have dug his grave long ago, and without the tiger skin of Warner, people like Harvey Weinstein wouldn't have hesitated to move against him.
They might have targeted him when he was still weak.
Martin needed money, fa, influence, and support from power.
Only with these could he live carefreely, have fun, and boldly stir things up.
Louise inquired, "What about that action movie project you have?"
Martin replied, "It's in the early stages of planning. I will definitely include you in the investnt once the project is officially launched. The production cost is estimated to be around 40 million US dollars."
Sophia didn't hesitate and said, "Count in for the investnt."
Martin wouldn't put all his money into a movie project, saying, "Wait for my project proposal and script; it will soon be in your hands."
Louise didn't respond; she knew Martin well. The son of a gun was indeed a son of a gun, but unquestionably loyal to those who had helped him.
Sophia prepared to leave, asking Martin: "I heard there are quite a few interesting clubs on Sunset Boulevard, want to go check them out together?"
Martin shook his head: "I never go to those places."
Sophia adjusted her suit jacket, presenting a rarely seen genteel deanor: "Ladies, goodbye, I'm off to the male model club."
Louise walked her out, closed the door, and turned to Martin with a tilted head: "Do you have a sort of psychological fear of her?"
"It's not fear, it's profound respect for the financier," Martin stated matter-of-factly: "I treat you, the major financier, the sa way—wholeheartedly dedicated to making you satisfied, right?"
Louise invited: "Kelly's arriving in Los Angeles at five this afternoon. Will you co over to my place tonight?"
Martin understood another tough battle awaited him that night and complied: "I'll co over for dinner. Make sure there's plenty of at."
As a man, one must never back down from a challenge.
But first, you've got to fill up.
After chatting awhile longer, Jessica called Martin to co over and sign so docunts.
Martin left Louise's office for the finance office of Pacific Pictures.
The financial statents that needed his signature were primarily for the investnt shares of "Limitless," under the na of Davis Studio.
Over two years ago, when the project was initiated, Martin didn't have much money. The cost of acquiring the rights to The Dark Domain novel plus the initial investnt were inflated by him and Louise to an investnt scale of three million US dollars when establishing the "Limitless" studio.
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With his salary for the part counted as an investnt, the total investnt amounted to 6 million US dollars, which constituted one-sixth of the project's 36 million US dollar production budget.
After more than two years of preparation, filming, promotion, and both online and offline distribution, it was finally ti to reap the rewards.
"Limitless" ultimately grossed 176 million US dollars at the North Arican box office and 386 million US dollars worldwide.
By the end of last December, the North Arican DVD sales of the film amounted to 59.95 million US dollars. Including television rights and other various North Arican and overseas offline revenues, Martin's share ca to 19.25 million US dollars.
Although the process of investnt return took a long ti, the returns were quite considerable.
At the sa ti, the studios that produced the other films starring Martin also settled last year's investnts or due shares. Thanks to the sustained performance of "Wanted Order" and "Infernal Affairs" in the disc market, the total inco from this part also reached 3.52 million US dollars.
An annual inco of 20 million US dollars was easily within Martin's reach.
His next goal was naturally to reach a single film salary of 20 million US dollars!
Entering the Twenty Million Club is no easy feat, as Hollywood to date has barely a dozen mbers.
......
"Congratulations, millionaire," Louise said, as she poured wine for Martin and Kelly, then raised her glass, "Kelly, let's toast to the millionaire."
Kelly laughed and lifted her glass, "Today I want to taste whether the flavor of being a millionaire is any different from the past."
Martin steadied himself on the bar and clinked glasses with the two of them, "To you both."
The three drank together.
As Kelly poured wine for Martin, she asked, "With so much money earned, any plans?"
Martin confessed his most genuine thoughts, "I want to find a hundred beauties from different countries, rent a luxury yacht over a hundred ters long, and enjoy a month of wild pleasure at sea."
Louise snorted coldly, "Give it three days, and you'll be coming out all blood, not a week would pass before you'd die at sea, and your body would feed the fishes."
Kelly, a woman with political aspirations, couldn't help but shake her head, "Martin, you're really lacking in ambition, way too vulgar!"
"That's what true ambition is about. I hone my acting skills, I work hard, and why do I earn so much money?" Martin didn't wait for anyone to answer and went straight on, "Of course, it's for pleasure-seeking!"
He took a sip of his drink, "Am I supposed to watch my account numbers grow while living a puritan's life? I refuse."
Louise, having been in the industry for over a decade, had seen the rise and fall of many stars and didn't want Martin to end up like Marlon Brando. She specifically reminded him, "Living like this, you'll have a hard ti when the money's gone."
Martin appreciated the kindness in her words and explained roughly, "The money I've got is divided into three parts: one-third for investnt, another as a reserve, and the last third for eating, drinking, and having fun. That will ensure a life full of joy."
In fact, he didn't even need so much for his pleasures.
Kelly raised her eyebrows at Louise, "You see, I told you, he thinks a lot more than the average person." She leaned on Louise's shoulder, "You worry too much about him."
Louise's lips curled into a smile, "I'm afraid he'll end up broke in his old age, and we'll have to take care of him."
Kelly was surprised, "You're thinking that far ahead?"
Martin steered the conversation away for Louise, "Co on, we're drinking. Whoever drinks the most gets a reward."
Kelly asked, "What's the reward?"
Martin said with a laugh, "The reward is her in the middle."
When the bottle of whisky was finished, the hall was as chaotic as a battlefield.
The following morning, Martin, not usually one for the kitchen, personally cooked breakfast for the two of them.
Kelly was still deep in sleep, while Louise, wrapped in a bathrobe, ca downstairs alone and leaned against a kitchen pillar, asking, "Were you serious about what you said yesterday?"
"Of course," Martin knew what she was referring to and plainly stated, "Investnts and consumption are tax-deductible. Without investing or spending, that part of the money would go to the IRS anyway, so most of the money I earn will continue to be invested, or into practical assets."
Louise warned, "Be careful, the economic situation isn't too optimistic right now, don't make a loss."
"I'll be cautious," Martin replied, his mory of this era's most vivid being Apple, and naturally, he would buy the stocks he rembered most firmly.
He plated up the fried eggs, bacon, and ham into three dishes, poured three glasses of milk, and as he carried a plate into the dining room, he gave Louise's behind a pat, "Go call the lazybones upstairs down for breakfast."
Louise quickly dragged Kelly downstairs.
After breakfast, Martin drove to Burbank, had a brief eting with Chad Stahelski and Bradt, confird the script and shooting schedule, and then had the script and project plan sent to Louise, Kelly, and Sophia respectively.
With Davis Studio, each of the four parties contributed 10 million US dollars to join forces on this project.
Martin, as an individual, joined the project simply in the capacity of a producer and lead actor.
The salary would definitely match his market value.
Thomas was eager, laying out an initial contract with a basic salary, plus a cut of the profits, and additional compensation clauses.
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