A black rcedes SUV drove past the Beverly Hills Hotel, turned onto Rodeo Drive, and picked up Helen, who slid into the back seat next to Matthew.
Bella turned, and the SUV started up the road leading to the southern slopes of Beverly Hills.
“Your contract requires us to inform your sponsors about your new relationship,” Helen began. “After I spoke with the advertising director at rcedes-Benz, they ca back with a proposal.”
It was standard for endorsent deals like Matthew's to include clauses with reasonable restrictions on a celebrity's personal life, though brands rarely chose to interfere without cause.
“What kind of proposal?” Matthew asked, intrigued. “Surely they don't think my relationship with Charlize will hurt their brand?”
“Of course not.” Helen explained, “Quite the opposite, in fact. rcedes-Benz is eager to see you and Charlize take the next step. They believe an engagent would be highly beneficial for their brand.”
Matthew shrugged. “Wasn’t getting engaged our original plan anyway?”
“I t with Charlize's agent the other day,” Helen continued. “She ntioned that Dior also has so thoughts on your relationship. We ca to a few constructive conclusions, and I want to be clear—there was no pressure from either Dior or rcedes-Benz to follow through.”
Helen had no intention of letting rcedes-Benz push her number one client around as they pleased.
Matthew raised his eyebrows. “Why would Dior and rcedes-Benz suddenly want to get involved?”
Helen answered without a mont's hesitation. “It's simple. It’s about the nature of your respective sponsors and the target demographics for the products you’re endorsing.”
She laid it out simply: “Dior, which Charlize endorses, is aid at a mature female demographic, twenty-eight and older—an age where won tend to seek stable relationships. The main consur group for the rcedes-Benz G-Class is mature n, and most of them also want the support of a strong family.”
“So...” Helen concluded, “your engagent will resonate strongly with their core demographics and significantly boost brand recognition in a short amount of ti.”
A bad feeling crept over Matthew. “Dior and rcedes don’t actually expect
to marry Charlize, do they?”
He had a soft spot for Charlize; she was the first woman he'd genuinely liked since Britney. But sothing as terrifying as marriage? That was out of the question.
Hollywood marriages were often mutually destructive, and it was best to stay far away to ensure neither of them got hurt down the line.
“No, Charlize's agent and I have been in communication with both Dior and rcedes. They never suggested an actual marriage.”
She collected her thoughts before adding, “As for rcedes-Benz, they'll be launching your G-Class ads globally starting in May.”
Matthew was already aware of the ad campaign; rcedes-Benz had worked out the transition with Arnold Schwarzenegger and tid the May launch to coincide with the release of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," maximizing its reach and impact.
Helen continued, “Dior originally planned to launch two new True Ego fragrances in late June or early July, but now they're looking to move the launch up and release Charlize's new ad campaign in May.”
“Everyone’s trying to ride the movie’s coattails,” Matthew remarked.
“That’s the gist of it from Dior and rcedes.” Helen glanced over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of a paparazzo on a motorcycle tailing their car. “During May and June, when the ad campaigns are in full swing, you and Charlize need to be the picture of a loving couple. It would be ideal if you could get married after the engagent, but if not, a peaceful breakup is the next best thing.”
Matthew nodded. “We already agreed on the engagent. Marriage is out of the question.”
“Good,” Helen added. “Dior and rcedes have also offered to sponsor most of the expenses for the engagent party.”
Matthew nodded, then asked, “And what does Charlize say about all this?”
Helen shifted. “Her agent called just before I picked you up. Charlize is on board.”
That didn't surprise Matthew. He'd known since the Academy Awards that Charlize was just as ambitious as he was—she wanted to be a superstar.
There's no set formula for becoming a superstar, but one ingredient is essential: fa.
...
The rcedes SUV reached the southern hills of Beverly Hills. “We’ve got a lot of paparazzi on our tail,” Bella warned from the driver's seat.
Matthew glanced at the rearview mirror. “Ignore them,” he said.
Today's outing was designed to be a spectacle. Without paparazzi and entertainnt reporters to docunt it, the entire exercise would be aningless.
Two minutes later, the rcedes SUV stopped before the iron gates of a mansion. “I'll wait in the car,” Helen said.
Without another word, Matthew pushed open the door and stepped out. A middle-aged man in a business suit was already approaching the iron gates, a wide smile spreading across his face as he called out, “Hello, Mr. Horner.”
“Hello.” Matthew nodded to the real estate agent. “Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
Flashes erupted from behind him and across the street. Matthew didn't need to look to know the paparazzi and reporters were capturing his every move.
Just then, another black car pulled up and parked across from the entrance. The door opened, and Charlize erged, walking over to join him.
As she joined Matthew's side, the flurry of cara flashes intensified.
“They're house-hunting again!” an entertainnt reporter muttered. “Are they planning on getting married?”
“Wouldn't be surprised,” soone else replied. “That place is on the market, and I heard the asking price is over ten million dollars.”
This wasn't the first ti Matthew and Charlize had been seen house-hunting together; the dia had already run several stories on the subject.
Following the real estate agent through the iron gates, Charlize and Matthew remained composed.
“The mansion was built eleven years ago,” the agent began, launching into his well-practiced pitch. “It was renovated just last year by Bruce Developnt and Design, and the total square footage is—”
At that mont Matthew cut him off. “Ms. Theron isn't accustod to the imperial system.”
The agent quickly corrected himself. “My apologies. The living space is just over twelve thousand square feet, on a property of nearly two acres.”
The estate was undeniably massive. It stretched out before them, long and narrow, and from his vantage point by the entrance, Matthew felt like he couldn't see where it ended.
In fact, “mansion” didn't quite do it justice; “estate” was a more fitting description.
The entrance was marked by a set of tall, solid iron gates that promised complete privacy once closed. A high, white stone wall extended from either side, enclosing the front grounds. Just inside, a ticulously landscaped garden was filled with tall evergreens, their dense foliage serving both to fra the view and shield the heart of the estate from prying eyes.
A granite driveway, wide enough for two cars, cut through the center of the garden, stretching for over a hundred feet from the gates. At the end of it stood the main house: a two-story, European-style building in shades of beige and white, fronted by a row of exceptionally tall palm trees.
“Let's head up to the house,” the agent said, gesturing for them to follow. As they walked, he pointed to the beige structure. “This is the main residence. It includes eight bedrooms, three dressing rooms, and ten bathrooms. There are both indoor and outdoor pools, a wine cellar on the ground floor with a capacity for hundreds of bottles, and an eight-seat private cinema, complete with a ninety-inch high-definition screen.”
“Sounds perfect,” Matthew said, turning to Charlize with a grin. “What do you think?”
Charlize agreed. “But I'd like to see it from the inside,” she said.
The agent imdiately took the lead. “Of course. Mr. Horner, Ms. Theron, if you'll follow
inside.”
The trio quickly entered the mansion.
The house was, of course, outrageously expensive, with an asking price of twenty-eight million dollars.
Of course, Matthew couldn't actually afford such an extravagant property. The primary goal of the visit was to leverage the staggering price tag to generate even more dia buzz.
Though, if he did happen to fall in love with the place, he might just consider finding a way to buy it.
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