The sun was high in the sky, and Ben Affleck woke up from a hangover, patting his head that felt like it was about to explode. He opened his eyes and looked at the wall clock—it was almost ten in the morning.
He hurried out of bed, quickly washed up, slung a shoulder bag over his arm, and left. When he reached the elevator, it arrived just in ti. After stepping in, he discovered that there was also a woman inside.
The woman's belly protruded, her hands protectively in front, obviously a pregnant woman, the sa one he had encountered yesterday.
Seeing her wary expression, Ben withdrew his gaze and, as soon as the elevator stopped, he exited first.
He drove northward, and shortly after leaving Burbank, he arrived in the San Fernando Valley, where the scale of the film and television industry was equally vast.
Ben had been here before, and after driving around, he arrived at a cafe in the valley area and walked in after parking his car.
Brad Pitt, with long hair and a beard, wearing a baseball cap, was sitting in the corner drinking coffee.
When Pitt saw Ben, he showed a slight discontent, "You're late."
"Traffic," Ben found an excuse, ordered coffee and desserts, and sat across from Pitt, asking, "Why did you move here?"
Pitt made excuses as well, "Los Angeles, that place full of trouble—I've had enough. I wanted so peace and quiet over here."
Ben looked out the window at a studio complex across the street and suddenly thought of a possibility, "Brad, don't tell you're considering a career change?"
Pitt hesitated, then the forced smile that followed was full of misery, "I haven't made the final decision yet, I'm talking with people to see their sincerity and their model."
He rubbed his face, "What can I do? The bank won't lend money. I still have so shares in Fannie Mae, but it's delisted and can't be traded directly. So company told that with a preliminary fee of 10 million US dollars, they could help get my hands on tens of millions of assets in Fannie Mae. I can only find a way to earn money."
As he shared his plight, it wasn't going to make Ben feel any better, "And you? I heard you've had a rough half a year?"
Any slight joy Ben felt from Pitt's misery vanished instantly, "Don't get started. I've been through a divorce, compensation, and attacks by all the won of Hollywood led by the Too movent. I'm not doing any better than you."
The sorrow in Pitt's smile visibly diminished seeing a friend worse off than himself, oddly soothing his mood.
But he could not bear to see a friend in pain, "Have you thought about changing careers?"
Ben's face darkened—Pitt may not have had children, but he did.
What would his daughter think seeing him in those kinds of films on screen? What, cheer him on?
"I still have so money," Ben had just sold a house.
Pitt, who just monts before had been in a better mood, suddenly felt sullen again, finding Ben displeasing no matter how he looked at him.
Ben didn't co today to talk about these issues, "We shouldn't be in the situation we're in today. Our issues aren't that big a deal in Hollywood. So you blackmailed so housekeepers, and I got with so acting-class students. What of it?"
Pitt lifted his coffee and took a sip, murmuring, "Tis have changed, those won have all gone mad! I also experienced the most shaful betrayal, viciously stabbed by the wife and girlfriend."
Ben asked him, "Who's behind Jolie and Aniston? Who's urging them on from behind?"
Pitt could answer with his eyes closed, gritting his teeth, "Martin Davis!"
Ben stared at him and asked, "My situation is kind of similar, and it also involves Martin Davis."
"How so?" Pitt's first reaction, "Martin got with your wife, Jennifer Garner?"
Ben felt a surge of anger stuck in his throat, wanting to grab the coffee cup in front of him and smash it on Pitt's head! He held back his temper and said, "Stop talking nonsense! What I an is, these sses that happened to are not unrelated to Martin."
Seeing Ben's frustration, Pitt's mood lifted and he asked, "What happened?"
"Martin stole the adaptation rights to a novel I was interested in…" Ben explained from his perspective how Martin snatched a project first and then suppressed him and his brother.
For so reason, Pitt felt both relieved and incensed—relieved about the predicant of the Affleck Brothers and incensed at Martin Davis.
He downed his now-cold coffee in one gulp, "Everything that we've done, Martin does none of it!"
Ben had reached out to Pitt to find a temporary alliance, "I'm selling my last valuable property to prepare to deal with Martin. Pitt, you're also a victim of Martin—haven't you thought about retaliating?"
Pitt said, "What can I do without money? I plan to revitalize my assets after…"
Ben shook his head, "I can't wait that long."
Pitt asked, "What do you have in mind?"
"Find Martin's Achilles' heel." Ben had learned his lesson and didn't want to waste ti and energy on people close to Martin; it was Martin himself he was after: "We need to be patient. If we move, we have to hit Martin so hard he won't be able to recover!"
Pitt had been thinking about how to liquidate his assets, not just for money: "With the power that Martin Davis has now, just the two of us can't take him on."
Ben reminded him, "Have you forgotten about Harvey?"
Harvey was the real leader of the Foot Clan, and he had already reached out to Harvey: "Harvey has invited Martin many tis, and every ti he's been ruthlessly rejected. Martin even poached Wes Craven, Harvey's been wanting to get back at him. As long as we can find Martin's weak spot, Harvey can launch a targeted strike."
Pitt didn't trust Harvey and asked, "What's your plan?"
"Harvey will bring Quentin's film head-to-head with Martin's new film at the Cannes Film Festival in May." Ben held great hope for Harvey, "Brad, I believe you and I both still have so connections in the industry. Let's mobilize our last networks to find Martin Davis's vulnerability."
This wasn't hard for Pitt, who after a mont of thought, nodded slightly, "Okay."
"Take down Martin!" Ben extended his hand.
Pitt grasped his hand firmly.
…
Beverly Hills, Davis Estate.
The black Escalade stopped in the fountain square, and the driver, Lily, lifted the trunk, very consciously helping Bruce to take the luggage down.
Elizabeth carried the two bags that Martin had with him and told the butler to inform the kitchen to prepare lunch.
On the contrary, Martin, empty-handed, walked into the villa's main gate like a lord.
Martin took a package and pulled out a gift box for Lily, "Your gift."
Lily, very aware, took the gift box and winked at Elizabeth, "I'm leaving now."
Bruce, as always, disappeared from the villa without needing a reminder.
Martin watched with surprise as Lily walked out the villa's door. What had happened during this ti? She used to never leave without being asked.
Elizabeth asked, "Where's my gift?"
Martin took out three gift boxes and handed them to Elizabeth, "These are for you."
Elizabeth opened them and looked pleased, "A Hers new bag, a Chanel perfu set, and this Cartier watch, it's like a couple's style to the one you love wearing."
Martin smiled, "I picked them out especially for you."
Elizabeth gathered them all up and headed upstairs, "I'll keep these safe."
As she walked up the stairs, she looked back at Martin, "Aren't you coming?"
Martin had just returned from South Korea, having endured interrogations from a nine-mber girl group, which made his will particularly strong.
But in monts like these, it wasn't the ti to be tough.
A boy at heart, he could not refuse the Scarlet Witch.
Martin followed without hesitation, deployed his complete arsenal of techniques, and once again molded Elizabeth into his shape.
As their emotions settled, Elizabeth asked, "Are you able to stay in Los Angeles for a while this ti?"
Martin replied, "Until mid-May, I'll first go to Cannes for the film festival, then join Director Nolan in Morocco for the shooting of his new film. I expect I'll be traveling all around the world."
Since Martin returned, Elizabeth had not ntioned the hot gossip that was rampant in the entertainnt dia, not even asking about it as if nothing had ever happened.
This also gave Martin a sense of warmth and comfort returning ho, insulated from the outside noise and enjoying his own space.
Elizabeth added, "Lily and I have agreed to visit the set often."
Martin nodded, "Good."
Approaching noon, the two showered and changed clothes, then went downstairs for lunch.
Apart from Lily and Bruce, Thomas was also there, chatting with Bruce about girlfriends.
"I'm sure I've found true love. Victoria has moved in with ." He saw Martin and Elizabeth descending the stairs and said, "Martin, Liz, you guys should co to my new place for a party soday. I've got a lady of the house now."
Martin smiled and said, "Then I must go."
Elizabeth said, "Congratulations."
Martin invited everyone, "Let's have lunch together."
Walking into the dining room, the five of them chatted while eating. Bruce even shared so experiences from South Korea, "I developed face blindness there. Many won look incredibly similar, as if cast from the sa mold. I couldn't tell who was who at all."
Martin said, "That's normal, I can't tell them apart either."
Thomas asked, "I heard that Koreans want to invest in your movie?"
Martin roughly explained, "I plan to use their funding to make a biographical film about Marcus. Keep an eye out for suitable directors."
Then, the conversation shifted back to "John Wick."
The film had been released in North Arica for three weeks, accumulating a box office of 141 million US Dollars.
In addition, it was screened in over 30 foreign markets, bringing the international box office to nearly 60 million US Dollars.
Starting this weekend, one of Hollywood's backyard markets, Latin Arica, would also begin screenings in full swing.
Just after finishing lunch, Martin received a call from Leonardo.
"Heard you're back?" Leonardo said, "There's a fun event. Let's go together."
Curious, Martin asked, "What event?"
Leonardo laughed, "Hugh Hefner is having his annual pajama party, Jack and I are planning to go."
Martin beca interested, "Can you get an invitation?"
"Jack and Hefner go way back," Leonardo exaggerated. "A few dozen invitations are no problem."
Martin said, "Great, give a few more, I have plenty of friends over here."
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