America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 187 Happy Breakup

Annie woke up groggily when her phone vibrated, but she was too exhausted from last night to move a single finger.

As Martin left, she instinctively reached out her hand, raised it, and then lowered it again.

The sound of Martin answering a phone call could be heard from outside.

"What? There's a problem with the investments in Atlanta and Asia?" The matter seemed serious, and the person outside was quite surprised, raising their voice somewhat: "Old Bu, where are you? You're right outside the door, just a moment."

The door opened and closed again, and Bruce's voice came from the living room: "I just got a call from Atlanta. The IRS, together with the FBI, is investigating the investors' accounts. Their funds can't get through."

Martin was furious: "Damn it! How could this happen?"

"Uh..." Bruce, that scoundrel, suddenly forgot his lines. He gestured to Martin, pulled out a simple script from his pocket, stood in front of the camera he had brought, and said according to the script, "Asian investors somehow got this news and are also withdrawing their investment."

"Fuck!" Martin slammed his fist on the sofa, while secretly giving Old Brooks the middle finger with his other hand, showing his disdain for his incompetence, and said, "Are both of our projects going to fail?"

Bruce simply looked at the script and said, "You also need to quickly fix your accounts over there. It will be very troublesome once they investigate."

Martin seemed to be going crazy: "I have no money, how are we going to pay off the debts over there? What else can we use as collateral? The cars? That batch of jewels?"

Bruce followed Martin's lead: "Not nearly enough."

Martin's voice was filled with fear: "We're going to go bankrupt and become penniless!"

Bruce suggested, "Have your agent take on a few more gigs, a few more roles. There's no other way..."

Inside the bedroom, Annie opened her eyes but remained motionless, afraid of making a sound and alerting the people outside.

She was panicking, but her mind was unusually clear, and she managed to keep her body lying flat.

Martin's voice came in again: "Old Brooks, don't make a fuss yet, don't say goodbye to anyone else. We can handle it. It's just a crisis. As long as we get through it, we'll take off again."

Bruce put away the script, turned off the camera, picked it up, and left: "I'll wait for you downstairs."

The door opened and closed again amidst the footsteps.

Annie's mind went blank, and she couldn't think straight for a moment.

Martin's footsteps grew closer and closer, and soon he came in from outside.

Anne kept her eyes closed, as if she were fast asleep and knew nothing.

Martin changed his clothes, strode over, bent down and kissed Annie's fair cheek, whispering, "Darling..."

Anne's eyelids twitched, and she opened them with difficulty, looking groggy. "Good morning, Martin."

Martin kissed her forehead again: "I have something urgent to take care of. You can continue sleeping. I'll call you later."

Anne was in a state of confusion and needed time to sort out her thoughts, so she nodded and said, "Go ahead and get busy."

Martin quickly left the room.

Annie couldn't lie still any longer. She turned over and sat up, gripping the sheets tightly with both hands, as if venting her frustration.

"Why did it turn out like this?" She came out of the bedroom in a daze, suddenly losing control of her emotions, squatting down and letting out a scream.

After venting her emotions, Annie's chaotic mind finally cleared up a bit, and her first thought was: What should I do?

There is no doubt that Martin is facing enormous difficulties, especially financial ones, and is very likely to go bankrupt, or even attract the attention of the IRS and FBI.

Anne heard Martin say those words with her own ears!

Martin has no future or financial prospects.

Thinking about this, Anne remembered more things, things she had overlooked because she was attracted by Martin's handsome face and the so-called investment.

Martin comes from the slums of Atlanta, drives an ordinary Volkswagen, and rents a small apartment of about 80 square meters. Apart from the gemstone, the gifts he gave her were all based on added value. But were those added values ​​real or fake?

Aside from that broken rock, there were no luxury cars, no diamonds, and no mansions.

Anne's mind cleared instantly; Martin Davis had nothing but a vague and uncertain future!

Without investor support, he was just a poor kid from the slums!

This penniless fellow might also have legal issues, which could potentially implicate the princess.

Anne couldn't help but feel relieved that she hadn't invested her own money in Martin and that she hadn't gotten into any financial entanglements with him.

What should we do next?

Anne thought of the most important point, which was also a matter of course: it was only natural for Cinderella to marry a prince, but how could a princess suffer with a poor man?

The young Disney princess made a decision.

Annie took out her phone and called Laura: "Come over here right now."

Soon, Laura arrived at Anne's room and saw that Anne was pale. She asked, "What's wrong?"

"I want to break up with Martin." Annie's voice was cold and detached, yet unwavering. "Help me find the gift Martin gave me; I'll return it to him."

Laura was shocked: "Why...why?"

Annie, of course, wouldn't reveal the specific reason: "He and I have irreconcilable conflicts, that's all. Don't ask any more questions, go and help me find my things."

Laura wanted to speak, but she was ultimately just an assistant, so she could only go find the gifts Martin had given to Anne.

Anne picked up her phone, pressed a number key, and dialed Martin's number.

Can we break up today?

Anne suddenly remembered a neighbor from her high school days who was in agony after being targeted by the IRS. Even those who had financial disputes with him were exhausted by the ordeal.

We need to be quick!

Laura then carried a box out of the room and placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Inside the box were a few gifts.

Actually, there were only three items in total: the bull horn carving and tusk pendant, the star map register, and the jade piece.

Annie picked them up one by one and looked at them, cursing herself for being stupid. What kind of man gives a woman so little after only two months of dating?

Being poor is one thing, but being a miser is another!

A penniless pauper and a miser?

Anne grabbed a handbag and tossed the horn carving, tusk pendant, and star chart into it.

She picked up the rosewood gift box containing the jade pendant, opened it, and glanced inside; the colors were vibrant…

Annie put it away and said, "I accidentally lost this."

Laura was speechless, feeling it was inappropriate, but didn't know what to say.

Anne handed the handbag to Laura: "Go to Warner Bros. Studios this afternoon and return these things to Martin or Bruce."

Laura couldn't understand why Annie was being so heartless, and tentatively asked, "Is it beyond repair?"

Anne shook her head slowly but firmly: "That relationship is in the past."

Seeing that she was in a bad mood, Laura stopped talking.

Annie ran her fingers through her hair, hugged her head, and closed her eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, she suddenly opened her eyes, picked up her phone from the sofa, and pressed the button again to dial.

…………

In a small office in the Warner Bros. Studios.

Bruce turned on the camera, connected it to the computer, copied the video taken at the hotel, and played it.

After watching for a while, he asked Martin next to him, "My acting is pretty good too."

Martin scoffed, "You can't even remember your lines? I really wanted to kick you out back then."

Bruce muttered, "Forgetting lines is normal. Look at those NG shots, many of them are caused by actors forgetting their lines. At least I have the script with me, so I can read it as I go."

"Are you planning to just recite 1234567 on the spot, and then I'll find you a voice actor?" Martin scoffed directly. "Where's your so-called professionalism?"

Bruce sighed, "I thought it would be simple, but..." Knowing he was in the wrong, he changed the subject, "Annie hasn't called you yet, looks like you're going to propose."

Martin didn't respond, but reminded me, "Save the video carefully, and don't forget the scene we've set up. I have an audition today, and you're coming to the hotel to rehearse with me and help me familiarize myself with the lines and my role."

Bruce said, "You've completely lost your humanity."

Martin said, "Just in case, the video will never be released unless she comes forward to attack me."

Bruce exclaimed with deep emotion, "True love is so damn great!"

Martin's phone rang at that moment, displaying Annie's number.

Bruce took a data cable and plugged it into Martin's phone.

"Hi, Annie." Martin answered the call, but before he could say anything else, Annie said, "Martin, I've thought it over and over, and I just can't think of us. Let's break up."

Martin was shocked: "A breakup?"

"Yes, I'm going back to New York. I'm at the airport now."

"Why, Annie? Everything was fine when I left!"

"Stop talking, Martin. Let's just leave it at that and part ways amicably."

"Why?" Martin pressed, like a foolish man hopelessly in love: "Why? Why did you do this?"

Annie suddenly raised her voice: "Are you accusing me? Fine, I'll tell you why!"

She had a bellyful of grievances but nowhere to vent them: "Because you're a penniless wretch on the verge of bankruptcy!"

Martin said urgently, "Listen to me..."

The call was disconnected, and when I called back, there was a busy signal.

Martin unplugged the data cable, looked at Bruce, and said helplessly, "Poverty is an incurable disease."

Bruce saved the video and audio recordings onto the same USB drive, unplugged the drive and tossed it to Martin: "You and Annie should be together forever, you're a match made in heaven."

“Yeah, right,” Martin retorted. “At least I never coveted Anne’s sister.”

Bruce was speechless after being refuted, and then his phone rang. It was Laura, Annie's assistant, calling.

"Annie is quite nice; she returned all the gifts you sent." Bruce went out to get something and quickly returned with a handbag, which he handed to Martin.

Martin took the contents out and placed them on the desk.

Bruce glanced at it and said, puzzled, "Something's missing."

Martin put it away again and set it aside: "It doesn't matter."

Because Martin had given away so little, Bruce quickly recalled: "The most valuable gem was missing."

He slapped his forehead: "I take back what I just said, she's just as awful as you!"

(End of this chapter)