America: Child stars start with The Shining

Charles answered the phone: "Feed?"

"It's me, Judy. How are things going on your end? Are you alright?"

A familiar voice came through the phone, and for some reason, Ciel felt much more at ease after hearing it.

"It's nothing. Ovitz and I have already discussed a solution, so don't worry about me."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a soft sigh from Judy. She then said:

"It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been targeted by Sinclair Oil Company..."

Charles responded very calmly:

"No, there's no need to say that. You've helped me a lot before."

These words were not just meant to comfort the other person.

Although the incident was caused by Judy, the compensation she gave him was actually more than enough.

Whether it's in terms of money or the Oscars red carpet...

Judy said softly on the other end of the phone:

"I will also contact some reporters and media outlets to speak up for you as much as possible, and not let them just throw all the dirty water on you."

"Thank you, Judy..."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then, Judy whispered something:

"Take care of yourself, Ciel."

The call ended quickly, and the two didn't talk much more.

Following that, Charles returned several more calls, most of which were expressions of concern, including those from Jennifer and Tupac.

Of course, he also had a brief argument with Drew on the phone; the guy was clearly very concerned about the photo.

After finishing all that, he sat on the sofa and took a deep breath.

Next, all he needs to do is wait patiently.

......

In the evening, as expected, a call came from Reagan's team.

The other party didn't reveal much information over the phone, only leaving a brief address.

At 7:20 p.m., the night had already fallen.

Charles changed into a dark coat and went downstairs with Ovitz and Jackal.

As expected, the area downstairs was already packed with reporters from various newspapers and television news outlets, practically blocking the way.

As soon as these guys saw that Charles had finally shown up, they excitedly rushed over.

"Ciel! What do you think of those recent reports? Are they all true?"

"Ciel, have you truly severed ties with your guardian? Would you be willing to tell us the reasons?"

"Hey, someone's reported that you're in deep debt trouble. Is that true? What's your response?"

Charles paused only slightly before continuing on his way as if nothing had happened.

The jackal immediately stepped forward, his expression cold and hard as he pushed aside the reporters who were trying to get close to him, making way for him.

Charles's expression remained calm throughout.

He wouldn't reveal his true thoughts in front of the camera.

Especially in situations like these, it's crucial not to show the slightest sign of panic.

The three of them quickly got into the black van, and the door slammed shut, instantly shutting out all the shrill noises and flashing lights outside.

The car started quickly and drove smoothly away from the entrance, leaving the group of reporters who had come up empty-handed standing there, unwillingly taking pictures of the departing car.

......

A standalone office building located near Beverly Hills.

There were no obvious signs around, and even the doorplates were deliberately blurred, indicating that the security measures were very good.

Jackal got out of the car first, glanced around to make sure no reporters had followed them, then turned back and nodded to the car, signaling that Charles could get out.

The receptionist at the door seemed to have been waiting for a long time. After confirming their names, he immediately led them upstairs.

The second-floor corridor was covered with a thick, dark carpet. At the end of the corridor, the door to the innermost conference room was ajar, letting in a sliver of light.

Jackals stood guard at the door. Charles and Ovitz exchanged a glance, then pushed the door open and went inside together.

Several people were already sitting inside, but Charles did not see that very familiar face.

Reagan obviously wouldn't personally appear at such an event. For him, the nomination campaign had reached a fever pitch, and he didn't have time to make a special trip to Los Angeles for anything else.

Therefore, the person who will actually come to discuss the specific details with Charles will be the one in his campaign team who is most skilled at handling this kind of matter.

"Mr. Charles, Mr. Ovitz, hello."

A middle-aged man with neatly combed hair stood up first and shook hands with both of them, behaving very politely.

"I'm Kevin, the temporary manager here, and this is Baker, our team advisor."

He turned slightly to the side and looked at the tall, thin man beside him.

Charles nodded, greeted the two men, and then sat down on one side of the conference table.

Immediately afterward, Baker didn't beat around the bush and spoke first:

"With all due respect, we are very familiar with Sinclair Oil's tactics. After all, this kind of thing happens frequently in Washington and Sacramento, and we have to deal with a lot of related reports every day."

He looked at Ovitz, subconsciously assuming that the other was the main person he was talking to today.

The other person simply sat there, showing no intention of speaking, and instead glanced at Ciel.

Charles leaned back in his chair and said calmly:

"Let's be honest with each other. I know you guys need to use this to your advantage, and I don't mind that, but I don't want it to affect my situation in Hollywood."

Baker suddenly paused.

His prepared line of probing questions was clearly intended to be directed at Ovitz.

To his surprise, the person who spoke was the young child star in front of him, and he spoke very clearly and logically.

Kevin, sitting to the side, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

This Hollywood child star is clearly different from what they originally envisioned.

He showed no sign of panic, but went straight to the point from the beginning, remaining calm and composed.

This doesn't seem like a child.

Baker paused, then continued:

"Here's the thing, our team's perspective is..."

After that, the pace of the conversation between the two sides noticeably quickened.

Reagan's team didn't keep things to themselves any longer. Instead, they clearly explained to Charles the general situation they had grasped and their next steps.

Of course, this was Charles's first time dealing with a campaign team like this, and it was completely different from the people he usually encountered in Hollywood.

Fortunately, Ovitz interjected a few times during the conversation, clarifying some key details for him, thus preventing the conversation from being subtly swayed off course.

In conclusion, after repeatedly confirming each other's positions and bottom lines, both sides finally reached a consensus here.

Kevin nodded and said:

"Well then, Mr. Charles, our conversation tonight can come to a temporary close."

"Next, we will compile all the existing data, complete the assessment overnight, and give you a more specific plan by tomorrow morning."

"It's a pleasure working with you!"