America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 221 Another Beauty Trap

"What happened yesterday?"

At the beverage station in the film studio, Shelmer grabbed a bottle of iced cola, took a big gulp, and asked, "Didn't you ask him out?"

Parat said helplessly, "He was very busy and had something to do last night, so I couldn't force him to go."

Shelmer gripped the Coke bottle tightly: "Find another opportunity to ask him out, but be careful with your words, so as not to offend or arouse his suspicion."

Pratt patted his broad chest: "I'm an actor."

Shelmer finished his cola and left.

Parat wiped the sweat from his brow and grabbed a bottle of Coke to drink.

Atlanta may not have much else, but it has plenty of Coke.

Before he had even finished the bottle, a hand, almost washed white, reached out from the side and, just like recently, put its arm around Pratt's shoulder.

Menez came up from behind and said, "Buddy, all the pressure? Tired?"

Upon seeing that the visitor was Martin's underling, Parat mustered a smile and said, "I saw Martin was busy, so I came out for some fresh air."

Menne patted him on the shoulder and went to get a Coke. Watching the departing black man, she casually asked, "You've been whispering with the people in the next group lately, what are you discussing?"

Pratt's heart skipped a beat, his smile froze slightly, but he quickly recovered: "You mean Shelmer? He's from Atlanta. I'm asking where the best nightclubs are."

Menez said, "Call me if anything fun happens."

Parat replied, "I will definitely call you."

In fact, Menez had been keeping an eye on him ever since Parat started trying to curry favor with Martin.

When someone jumps out to take over from the boss, the younger brother is the most anxious.

At noon, the crew members left the studio one after another and went to the restaurant for lunch.

Menne walked alongside Bruce: "That overly attentive fat guy, there's something weird about him."

Bruce asked, "Worried he'll take your place? Didn't I tell you? He can't compare to the bond between us."

Menez said, "No, just this morning, I chatted with him casually for a few minutes, and it felt like he was acting."

Having spent a lot of time with Martin and Bruce, he'd also developed a sense of being a scoundrel: "Old Bruce, he wouldn't be teaming up with someone to secretly sell Martin's news to outside media, would he?"

Bruce couldn't help but think of the shady things Martin had done, how he had cheated his way up and down the business multiple times, and said, "You should keep an eye on him."

These kinds of things are inevitable. Recently, a gossip newspaper reported that Martin and Julie are having an affair.

However, the production team denied it, and Martin and Julie also denied it, saying it was just gossip.

Many male and female leads in film and television productions have been involved in similar scandals.

After lunch, Bruce mentioned it to Martin. Martin didn't pay much attention at first, but when he finished work in the afternoon, Pratt approached him again, wanting to treat him to dinner that evening.

"There's no need for that." Martin cut off all other avenues: "I also worked my way up from small-time actors, so I know how difficult every step is. You don't need to specifically hire me."

Parat wanted to say something, but for a moment he didn't know how to start.

Martin deliberately said, "I'll give you a chance if I get the chance."

Upon hearing this, some words almost spilled from Parat's mouth, but he held back when he thought of the videos.

Martin nodded to him: "That's settled then."

Parat could only say helplessly, "Thank you, Martin."

Watching Martin get into his car and leave, he could only leave the film center alone, walk half a block, and get into Shermer's car.

Parat quickly recounted the situation, explaining, "I tried my best, but he never goes to nightclubs, so there's nothing I can do."

He didn't want to continue: "Martin has already said this much; if I invite him again, it's very likely to arouse his suspicion."

"We'll have to find another way." Shelmer took out his phone and called Fred.

Fred told him to wait.

A few minutes later, the phone rang back: "The boss said to activate the second plan."

Shelmer hung up the phone and said to Pratt, "Go back and try to track or find out Martin's whereabouts, and provide information on his possible locations as soon as possible."

Parat softened his stance slightly; this was better than personally taking Martin to that nightclub.

Shelmer gave him a few more instructions and then drove him back to the hotel.

Not far away, Mene came out of a roadside cafe and called Bruce: "Seems like nothing special, the fat guy got into his black friend's car."

At the Hyatt Hotel where the film crew was staying, Martin went back to his room to shower and change into casual clothes. He glanced at the time and then called Bruce to go to the Peach Tree Hotel together.

Both sides are on Peach Tree Street, not far apart.

Martin called Elena from the car; they had just returned to the hotel after looking at houses earlier that day.

Elena said, "Lily and Hall are getting really excited and making a lot of noise. There's a quiet bar downstairs, go there and wait for me, I'm going to take a shower first."

Martin said, "Okay."

In less than ten minutes, Bruce drove the car into the hotel parking lot.

The two entered the lobby, and Old Bu answered a phone call. After saying a few quick words, he told Martin, "Duke and Murphy spotted a car that has been following us from the Hyatt all the way here."

Martin went into a quiet bar, found a peaceful spot, and asked, "Who's there?"

Bruce's phone rang again, receiving a multimedia message. He opened it and handed it to Martin: "Fatty."

The photo is of someone who has just gotten off a car. It's a bit blurry, but you can tell it's Chris Pratt.

"Why are you following me? Is someone doing this on your behalf?" Martin carefully considered the possible situations he might have encountered recently: "Taylor Perry? Or is it related to the Russians?"

Bruce asked, "You brought a gun?"

Martin, who had a Georgia gun license, nodded: "I brought it."

"Let's sit separately. Be careful, Duke and Murphy followed him in." Bruce went to the vicinity of the bar entrance, forming an angle with Martin.

Martin carefully observed his surroundings while taking out his phone to call Elena and tell her not to come down yet.

Not long after, a tall, sexy, and hot blonde girl entered the bar.

She sat down at the bar and ordered a drink.

Martin glanced at her from behind and felt that her figure and back view were somewhat similar to Lily's.

The girl took a sip of her drink, glanced around the bar, and when she saw Martin, her gaze lingered for a few seconds before turning to surprise and delight. She then strode over quickly in her high heels.

Martin put one hand inside his coat.

Bruce's clothes had a slight bulge.

Before the girl even reached Martin's table, she excitedly waved her hands and feet, pulling out her phone and waving it at him: "Hello, Martin! I...I'm...your fan!"

"Hello," Martin said calmly.

He didn't believe a word of this, because he himself had said it countless times and had a deep understanding of the tone, intonation, and accompanying actions.

"My name is Lina, and I absolutely love The Hills Have Eyes and summer in jeans!" Lina tossed her blonde hair, showcasing her stunning figure. "Martin, can I take a picture with you?"

"I'm waiting for a friend, so it's not convenient." Martin had been working tirelessly these past few days, so he was confident and spoke with unusual assertiveness.

All that talk about women is just a bunch of pink skeletons.

Lina hadn't expected this answer. She paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's okay, it's okay."

She looked around and took a tissue from the tissue box: "Could you sign this for me? I didn't bring my autograph book..."

Martin, as usual, didn't play by the rules: "Sorry, I didn't bring a pen."

Lina forced a pretty smile: "It's alright." She pulled out a chair and sat opposite her: "I'm so lucky to have met you here. Can I treat you to..."

The smell was too obvious. Martin had witnessed firsthand how Adrian had been framed by Paris's honey trap.

Even if it wasn't a honey trap, there must have been some other motive.

Martin tapped his head.

On the other side, Bruce dialed a number with one click.

Before Lina could finish speaking, Martin's phone rang. He took it out and answered, asking, "What happened? Did Lily fall? Wait for me, I'm coming right away."

He hung up the phone: "Sorry, something urgent has come up on my end."

Since the script was completely off, Lina hadn't made any contingency plans for it, so she could only smile and say, "It's okay."

Martin quickly left the bar.

Meanwhile, Bruce had already made a phone call: "Duke, keep an eye on the blonde woman in the bar. Murphy, watch that fat guy."

Upon seeing Martin, the two tacitly moved to the deserted emergency exit.

Martin said, "They're probably not Russians, but they're suspicious." He asked Bruce, "Calling the police probably won't do any good, will it?"

"Calling the police is useless. They didn't do anything. The APD will just take a statement at most." Bruce was an expert at handling these kinds of things: "I'll call Vincent and Sophia and have their people take care of it. This is the end of it. You leave, and the rest is none of your business."

If they went through the proper procedures, this mess would drag on indefinitely, so Bruce decided to deal with it quickly.

Martin said, "Let me know if anything happens." He remembered the man Menez had mentioned, the black man from the film crew next door, and reminded him, "Don't forget Pratt's friend."

Bruce nodded, took out his phone, and dialed Sophia's number directly. As soon as she answered, his legs started shaking, but he forced a steady voice: "Someone is trying to sabotage your investment project and make you lose all your money."

With the wanted warrant involving tens of millions of dollars in investment, Sophia, disregarding her teasing of Bruce, asked, "Which bastard is so bold?"

Bruce spoke quickly and concisely.

Sofia didn't waste any words: "Keep an eye on them, don't let them get away."

Bruce exited through the emergency exit and entered a coffee shop connected to the hotel. He walked around the side road from the main entrance of the coffee shop and found the car Pratt had arrived in from a distance. A black man was sitting in the driver's seat.

Duke's car pulled up, and Bruce, who was more familiar with Atlanta, got into the driver's seat.

Parat and the woman haven't come out yet, clearly they haven't given up.

Meanwhile, at the Wild Beast House Club on Saijo Street.

Ivan and the blond-haired man each led three men out, shouting, "Hurry! Hurry! Go support Old Bu, or he'll get his ass blown off!"

These guys took their guns, got into two cars, and drove towards Peachtree Street.

(End of this chapter)