America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 834 Scam

After the day's training sessions concluded, the fifteen participants boarded a bus, escorted by two minivans, and returned to their hotel, the Grand Hotel Ukraine.

Erica sat in the car, clutching her handbag, thinking about Coach Olga's words, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt this was an opportunity.

There are only three winners in the final of the Saintess Team competition, but there are fifteen competitors. Can I really be the lucky one?

If we lose, going to Hollywood in Los Angeles is an option. Do we really have to go back to being a telephone operator?

"What are you thinking about?" Misha, who was sitting in the same row, asked when she noticed that Misha was lost in thought. "You've been absent-minded ever since we left the TV station."

Nastya, from the other row, cast a concerned glance at him.

Erica lowered her voice: "We'll talk about it when we get back."

Misha and Nastya had always taken good care of her, and when this opportunity arose, Erica felt she should tell them, regardless of whether they were interested or not, at least to honor their sisterly bond.

Nastya's gaze shifted to Nikia ahead, curious about what had happened when she went out with Martin Davis.

Could it be that kind of thing?

Not only Nastya, but the other girls' attention was also on Nikia.

Nikia is now the target of everyone's criticism.

The hotel wasn't far from the TV station, and amidst the myriad thoughts racing through the minds of the girls on the bus, the bus pulled up in front of the hotel.

As usual, Misha, Nastya, and Erika got off the bus together, forming a small group of three. They went upstairs to their room to shower and change clothes before coming out for dinner later.

The three of them went into the bathroom together, laughing and joking, rubbing against each other, and occasionally letting out a scream.

When they came out of the bathroom, the three of them, wearing bathrobes, curled up on the sofa and chatted.

"That Nikia, could she be hooking up with Martin?" Nastya couldn't help but think. "If so, she'll take one of the spots."

Erica said, "Martin seems very serious, haven't you noticed? He's very charming, good-looking, has a great presence, and doesn't have the airs of a big star. He's exactly what a dream lover should be like."

Misha snorted and said, "That's enough. Stop being a fangirl. I used to be in the modeling industry, and I've heard some models say that Martin and Leonardo used supermodel Natalia as their agent to host a Ukrainian and Russian party in Paris. Don't tell me you don't understand what that kind of party means."

Nastya worriedly asked, "How can we get in touch with Martin? We can't just go and knock on his door, can we?"

Misha said, "I think it's a great idea. Hollywood, I dream of going there..."

Erica, recalling the information and data she had received from Olga, quickly opened her bag and said, "There are many ways to get into Hollywood. I came across one today. Take a look at these."

She pulled out the information: "A talent scout from a Hollywood company is looking for new actors in Kyiv, preparing to create the next Milla Kunis or Milla Jovovich."

Nastya immediately took it and examined it carefully.

Erica added, "This is a backup plan; if we lose in the finals, this is still the path we can take."

Misha also came over to take a look.

Nastya looked through it for a while and found that it was detailed information about a film company. The company had been established for more than ten years, with its headquarters in Los Angeles. It had also participated in the investment of film projects such as "The Battle of Elah Valley", "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Stuart Little". At the back of the document, there was a detailed mailing address and contact number.

These all look real.

Nastya handed the documents to Misha and asked Erica, "Where did you get these?"

Erica said, "You know, Olga gave me this information because I'm a bit slow and often fall into self-doubt. Olga saw that and told me to take it easy. She also gave me this information and told me that there are many paths I can choose in the future."

Misha asked, "Didn't you ever think about why Olga gave it to you but not to me and Nastya?"

Erica, oblivious to her own limitations, tossed her blonde ponytail and puffed out her twin-peak-like breasts: "Because I'm kind and beautiful?"

Nastya rolled her eyes and said directly, "Because you're a naive and innocent girl!"

Erica was stunned: "Isn't this an opportunity?"

"Perhaps, but more likely not." Nastya picked up her phone and dialed the contact number on the form. The other end not only answered but also discussed some points to note regarding film roles and actor selection with her.

Erica felt she was about to rise to prominence: "See? Everything's fine, right?"

Nastya looked at Misha: "What did you say?"

Misha said very seriously, "We are Ukrainians, very beautiful and sexy Ukrainian women. What kind of work do women like us usually do after being taken away from Ukraine?"

Erica automatically replied, "Actress? Model?"

Nastya, though younger, saw things more clearly than Nastya: "No, the most common professions are prostitution, soliciting, and being sold back and forth."

Erica picked up the documents: "Really?"

Misha said, "Once we leave Ukraine, our fate will be in the hands of others."

Erica didn't know what to say; her companion's words seemed to make sense.

She was silent for a moment, then asked, "Should I throw all of these away?"

Nastya shook her head and said, "Wait, let me think."

Erica and Misha fell silent.

Nastya was considering how to make this situation most advantageous to her side.

She couldn't say for sure that this recruitment of actors under the guise of Hollywood was entirely fake, since she didn't know much about Hollywood, but the risk was too great.

As far as Nastya knows, the French modeling agency Karin has come to Ukraine many times to recruit models. This company is very famous and has produced models such as Monica Bellucci and Milla Jovovich. Its founder and chairman, Brunel, is even known as the godfather of the fashion industry.

But when she participated in the previous talent show, she heard a model who had returned from France say that the number of Ukrainian models that Karin Models Agency always showed in Paris was seriously inconsistent with the number recruited in Ukraine.

Where did the missing people go?

Nastya couldn't worry about any of that; all she could do was ensure her own and those around her's safety. She came up with a plan: "We're fully focused on preparing for the finals. Although we haven't officially signed a contract yet, we're essentially a valuable asset to the organizers. Now that someone's trying to poach us, what will the organizers think?"

Misha said, "Reacting to Alexandrovich? That would definitely improve his impression."

Nastya shook her head: "No, we'll go to Martin Davis through Alexandrovich! You might not have noticed before, but what did Alexandrovich call Martin?"

"I was so excited to see Martin! He was a living legend!" Misha said. "They weren't talking loudly, so I didn't hear them at all."

Erica chimed in, "I didn't hear it either."

Nastya said, "Maybe I have good hearing, and I was close to them, but I clearly heard Alexandrovich call Martin 'BOSS'!"

Even Erica, whose English is the worst, knows what this word means.

"I've been looking for a reason or excuse to see Martin." Nastya picked up the documents and waved them around. "These are the best reasons and excuses."

Misha's eyes lit up: "That's right, when it comes to Hollywood matters, asking a Hollywood star could also mean asking the big boss behind the scenes..."

Erica looked at Misha, then at Nastya, her face full of confusion: "You've made this too complicated, I'm totally confused."

Nastya stood up abruptly, urging, "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! I remember Martin is also staying at this hotel. We contacted Martin through Alexandrovich, and I feel this is a reliable plan that can get Martin to meet us in person."

Misha also sensed this was an opportunity: "Let's take action."

Only Erica remained silent, saying, "I'll listen to both of you."

The girls didn't have Martin's contact information, but they did have Alexandrovich's. Nastya immediately picked up the phone, called Alexandrovich, briefly explained the situation, and directly stated that this matter involved Hollywood and that she wanted to meet Martin.

…………

Martin was having dinner with Alexandrovich and Rebrov.

The latter discussed the possibility of 1+1 TV entering the European and American markets after its satellite launch, and Martin offered to introduce him to relevant people in the industry.

It sounds like Rebrov is very ambitious and wants to start an English-language channel.

In this situation, Martin naturally offered a few words of praise.

The dinner was a pleasant one for both the host and guests.

Just as Rebrov left, Alexandrovich received a phone call. After saying a few words, he turned his gaze toward Martin.

Martin asked, "What's up?"

Alexandrovich briefly recounted the requests made by Nastya, Misha, and the other two.

Martin considered for a moment and said, "Find a meeting room or a reception room and see what their situation is." He shook his head slightly: "It sounds unreliable for Hollywood talent scouts to come to Kyiv to poach talent."

Alexandrovich made the call, then led the way: "The production crew has a meeting room over here."

The group arrived at the conference room and waited for a short while before the security guard at the door opened the door and brought in three women.

The three were dressed in professional suits, with long blonde, brown, and black hair respectively, and all had very distinctive and beautiful features.

As for her figure, she has long hair and big breasts.

The selection process for the "Holy Girls Group" requires not only high singing ability but also outstanding appearance.

The three moved to the other side of the conference table. Nastya saw Martin sitting opposite her and visibly relaxed, smiling as she said, "Hello, Martin, we're sorry to have troubled you with a small matter."

Martin nodded slightly: "It's alright."

"My name is Anastasia Rekhvnikova," Nastya said, knowing her name was a bit of a mouthful in English. "My friends call me Nastya."

"I'm Misha." Misha tugged at Erica, who was still in a daze, and the latter quickly said, "I'm Erica Normanova."

Martin looked them over one by one, from the black hair to the brown hair to the blond hair. With his observation, he could tell at a glance that the majority of the three had black hair. He said, "Nastya, Misha, and Erica, right? Please sit down and tell me in detail about what happened today."

These three people looked somewhat familiar, as if they resembled people from videos he had seen in his previous life.

A live performance video of "Stop Stop Stop".

Martin couldn't be sure. First, too much time had passed, and his memory couldn't be that clear. Second, the three women were only wearing light makeup, which was different from wearing heavy makeup.

Nastya wasn't in a hurry to show off, and nudged Erica, saying, "You go ahead and say it, Misha and I will add to it."

Erica recounted Olga's account in detail.

Nastya and Misha added some clarifications on points that were unclear.

Martin quickly figured out what was going on: before the finals even started, some people had already set their sights on the players who were about to participate in the competition.

Considering Ukraine's reputation worldwide, one can roughly understand the purpose of this group; they certainly weren't talent scouts.

Hollywood doesn't have talent scouts like that.

Let's put it this way: Hollywood is never short of actors; there are hundreds of thousands of actors in Los Angeles waiting to rise to the top.

Even good looks and acting skills are not considered assets; many roles would be no different if played by someone else.

Nastya, whose English was good, asked, "I felt there was something wrong with this matter, so I contacted Mr. Alexandrovich as soon as I heard about it."

Martin stated directly, "It's definitely a scam. I can tell you, the company listed is probably real, the contact information is from Los Angeles, and even the investment projects listed by the company are real, but no film company would look for actors like this."

Erica suddenly realized, "No wonder I felt something was off; it really was a scam."

Nastya and Misha both stared at her intently.

But the naive girl didn't realize: "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Nastya, having been defeated, simply said, "Erica might not be the only one to receive these messages; there could be others as well. Hopefully, the finals won't be affected."

Martin glanced at her; the twenty-year-old dark-haired girl had left a deep impression on him. He said, "You can continue your rehearsals without worry; the finals will proceed smoothly."

Alexandrovich exchanged a glance with Martin and said, "Don't spread this around yet. We'll investigate, understand?"

Erica looked puzzled and was about to speak when Nastya pulled her back, saying first, "We absolutely won't tell anyone."

Nastya and the other two got up and left the meeting room.

Turning into the elevator lobby after passing through the corridor, Misha asked with some disappointment, "No reward at all?"

Erica said, "We avoided a trap."

Nastya, however, saw things clearly: "Don't worry about the present. Today we've made an impression on Martin and Alexandrovich. If someone is behind this, or if other forces are interfering, we'll definitely be rewarded in the future."

Erica asked, "The way you're saying it, it's getting more and more confusing!"

Nastya pushed her into the elevator: "Those people wouldn't do this just for a naive and innocent girl like you."

Misha turned her head and said, "How can you think of so many things?"

Nastya shrugged: "When you participate in two talent shows in a row, and you're eliminated not because of your own ability, you'll think a lot about it."

Erica said, "I wouldn't think that way even if I failed ten times."

…………

Inside the meeting room, Martin and the others reviewed the materials brought by Nastya and the other two, and then had Bruce take a closer look.

Bruce said, "I've heard of this company. It's been around for a long time, but it only invests and never produces films independently."

Alexandrovich wasn't a novice either, and upon hearing this, he made a guess: "Using film investments to launder money?"

Bruce shook his head: "I'm not too sure about that. I've only heard about it before, but I haven't paid much attention to it."

Martin said, "Let's get the Los Angeles team thoroughly familiar with this company." He then looked at Alexandrovic: "Even if the finalists don't win, you have a plan, right?"

Alexandrovich said, "These people want to steal our assets—they're going to become contracted actors or singers! I'll push for those contracts as soon as possible."

Martin wasn't concerned about the signing; instead, he said, "Even if they sign, what can you do if they run off to Western Europe or Los Angeles with someone?"

Alexandrovic was no ordinary man: "We'll take a two-pronged approach. On one hand, we'll sign contracts to bind the players. On the other hand, we'll secretly launch an investigation to find all the bastards who want to steal our assets!"

The key is the next step. Martin said, "The dance teacher Olga is the breakthrough point. Have someone keep an eye on her 24 hours a day to see who she contacts."

He thought for a moment and then said, "Let Rebrov know that we may need more manpower."

Alexandrovich immediately called Rebrov to discuss the matter, and instructed that in addition to Nikia, Olga should also be monitored.

Soon, Rebrov arrived at the hotel. The "Saintess Idol Group" audition was the most important program on 1+1 TV this year, besides "Servants of the People," and it could not afford to fail.

The three discussed these recent events and decided to coordinate the two sides together.

Beautiful women in Ukraine are like hyenas—too easy targets.

…………

Upon receiving the notification, Nikia changed into sportswear that was easy to run in, took the elevator downstairs, and quietly walked out of the hotel's main entrance alone, heading towards a nearby hamburger shop.

Along the way, she kept looking around, seemingly not wanting to be recognized.

Two people quietly followed them, one of whom was even taking pictures with a camera.

Another person said, "Should we make a move?"

The person taking the photo shook their head and said, "There are too many people. She went to McDonald's."

Nikia had already pushed open the door to McDonald's and gone inside, while the two of them stood guard at the entrance.

Just a few minutes later, Nikia came out again carrying a paper bag and walked quickly toward the hotel entrance.

The two sides were too close together, and it was the most bustling commercial area, so the two people never dared to make a move.

As Nikia entered the hotel through the main entrance, the person with the camera said, "You stay here, I'll go tell them."

Before the man could reply, he walked toward a BMW parked to the left front of the hotel, cautiously looking around to make sure no one was watching him before gently knocking on the driver's side door.

The car door closed.

On a small building just 30 meters away, someone used a high-powered lens to take photos of people inside and outside the car.

Inside the BMW, the bearded Victor said, "You stay here and keep watch. I'll go check the other side."

He started the car, left the main street where the hotel was located, and headed towards Olga's house.

Today, Olga handed over the information to two relatively simple-minded players, preparing the information for those players.

Victor parked his car by the park near Olga's neighborhood and waited for a while before Olga got in.

The moment the car door opened and closed, it was also captured on camera.

(End of this chapter)