America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 90: A Project with an Investment of 40 Million

Sherman Oaks, a satellite city of Los Angeles.

Martin drove into the courtyard of a detached villa on the south slope.

The car crossed the lawn and stopped beside the red-roofed, white-walled villa. Martin took the gift from the passenger seat, got out, and went over.

Louise, wearing a sundress and a silk shawl, hurried towards us. Before she even got close, she asked, "Where's my Italian cannon recipe?"

Martin handed over the gift box: "Drunkard, can't you have a little patience?"

Louise didn't stand on ceremony with Martin; she took the bottle and opened it directly, revealing a bottle of wine inside.

She understood immediately: "Baijiu (Chinese liquor)?"

Martin said, "Try them, they each have their own flavor."

The two entered the villa together, where a 40-year-old white woman was standing at the entrance.

Louise said, "This is Mary, my housekeeper." She then briefly introduced Martin: "This is Martin. Give him a key to the house; he can come anytime."

Mary responded with a reply.

After passing through the foyer and entering the villa's living room, Martin saw a long bar counter, behind which the glass wine cabinet was filled with countless bottles of liquor.

In the most conspicuous place at the bar, a crystal glass display case stands, inside which are several copper coin certificates.

Certificates of Creation awarded by the International Bartenders Association for three new cocktails: Penicillin, Expanding Screw, and Romantic Halo.

Louise warned Martin, "Don't laugh. What you traded to me is mine."

Martin pulled up a high chair and sat down: "I didn't laugh, nor did I say it wasn't yours."

Mary then brought the keys and left the villa on her own, going to the adjacent annex.

Louise untied her shawl, tossed it onto the sofa, and sat down opposite Martin. "I haven't settled accounts with you yet. Why did you call my cell phone when you were with Kelly? Do you know how upset I was?"

Martin cut to the chase: "Why didn't you hang up?"

Louise had no way to explain. This drunkard and lecherous woman, in a fit of rage, pulled out her phone and dialed Kelly's number. Once the call connected, she put it on speakerphone: "If you dare hang up, I'll disown you as a friend!"

Martin picked up the cocktail shaker and mixed penicillin and expansion screws.

When the female drunkard came over to get the drink, she shoved him onto the bar.

Martin said into the phone, "Kelly, long time no see. A saying just came to mind: Life's such a mess, you have to look good in it!"

Kelly's voice came through the phone: "Martin Davis, Louise Mayer, you two scumbags!"

After a long time, Louise's phone battery died and it shut down automatically.

The two quieted down and were finally able to talk properly.

Martin took out a pen and paper and wrote two notes, saying, "The Italian Cannon is an improvement on the French 75, and its taste is a bit picky."

"Hmm." Louise lay sprawled on the bar, too lazy to move.

Martin tore off a note and handed it to Louise: "The recipe for the Italian cannon. Remember the preparation process."

Louise picked it up with her fingers, stuffed it into a drawer next to her, jumped down, put on a sundress, and leaned on Martin's arm, which was resting on the bar counter: "How's Los Angeles?"

Martin smiled and said, "Everything is great except for missing you."

Louise knew he was just flattering her, but she was still pleased and asked, "How's your Hollywood accent practice going?"

Martin switched to a Hollywood accent: "I've been taking classes and practicing, and I'm much better than before. Listen to this, doesn't it sound like a big star?"

"Being a star is easy," Louise sighed deliberately. "Becoming a master bartender is really hard."

Martin supported Louise's lying body with his left hand and tore off a second note with his right: "This is a rocket. The raw materials will require some effort. You'll probably have to go to a specialized supermarket to buy them."

"Why do your cocktail names always remind people of other things?" Louise straightened up, walked out of the bar, picked up her black-rimmed glasses and put them on, her lewd, drunken air dissipating.

She opened a cabinet, took out a pre-prepared file folder, and handed it to Martin: "Take a look at this."

Martin noticed that the file bag was labeled Warner Bros., and inside were the script and project proposal.

"Look at me, I've been drinking too much and I've forgotten everything." Louise took the proposal and put it back in the cabinet, saying, "I came back on vacation this time, and I also took the opportunity to handle a new montage project initiated by Warner Bros., and my Pacific Pictures is preparing to participate."

The script had no title, only a code name, "House." Martin quickly flipped through it; it was a typical American horror story about a clueless young man on a trip.

The story mainly takes place in a wax museum in an abandoned town.

Louise simply stated, "It's a remake of Warner Bros.' 'House of Wax,' and Hilton's playboy daughter has secured some investment; she'll be bringing her own funding to the production."

At this point, she became inappropriate again: "You've seen her videotapes, haven't you? Honestly, how good is her technique?"

Martin had indeed seen it: "It seems like her eyes and breasts aren't the same size."

Louise was very curious: "Let me take a look when I have time, let's look at it together."

Martin was still looking through the script when he asked, "There are two important male characters."

"Go apply for whichever one you like." Louise gave a brief overview of the project: "The publicly announced cost of the film is $4000 million, but the actual investment... You've worked on 'Zombie Dancer,' and those kinds of films don't cost much to produce. You have the experience of being the male lead in a film that grossed nearly $700 million at the North American box office, so you're very competitive."

Martin closed the script: "The key is having you."

Louise cautioned, "Pacific Films is only the fourth investor, after Warner Bros., Fox, and Vixen. I'm working on an epic production in Morocco, and I won't have the energy to manage this production when I'm back in North America. If you want to get the role, you'll have to work hard."

She wouldn't give Martin unrealistic fantasies: "I can't guarantee you'll get the role, but you're definitely the strongest contender."

Martin picked up the script and asked, "Should I discuss this with my agent?"

"Okay," Louise agreed.

Martin recalled Louise's earlier words: "You invested in an epic film? A collaboration with Warner Bros.?"

Louise said, "That film is almost finished, so don't even think about it."

“That’s not what I meant,” Martin explained. “I heard that Warner Bros. and Brad Pitt have collaborated on a new Trojan Horse movie.”

Louise shook her head: "You're talking about Troy. I invested in another one, about Alexander the Great."

Martin wasn't beyond redemption yet, and asked, "All the money's in?"

"Of course." Louise went to get a glass and poured one for herself and one for Martin. "So, I'll be keeping an eye on things on set."

Martin didn't know what to say; in fact, nothing he said would be appropriate, as he had no qualifications whatsoever.

Louise toasted Martin and said, "Come on, let's take a shower first, then we'll check out the Hilton family's sluts together."

Martin picked her up immediately: "You have the videotape?"

Louise clung to Martin: "I got it a while ago, I just haven't looked at it."

Not long after, a special film was shown in Louise's private screening room.

Louise took out Martin's phone and dialed Kelly's number.

The call connected, and Kelly yelled, "You two bastards, if you're going to play it on speakerphone, hurry up!"

Martin turned on the speakerphone on his phone.

Louise was going to have dinner with her family in Brentwood that evening. As it got dark, she got into a Bentley and left the villa.

Martin took the script and headed straight to Century City.

Agents are essential in the competition for such crucial roles.

Although it was completely dark, Martin had always believed that Thomas was a very professional agent.

I certainly wouldn't mind coming out to discuss work at this time.

He made a special phone call to Thomas midway through the journey.

…………

In a high-end restaurant in Century City, Thomas very gentlemanly pulled out a chair for his girlfriend and waited for her to sit down before going to sit across from her.

He arranged a reservation through someone and came specifically to apologize: "Amanda..."

Amanda turned to look at the night view outside the window and said softly, "I'll give you a chance and see how you perform."

Thomas loosened his tie and laughed.

The waiter brought the menu, and Thomas asked Amanda to order. Just as they finished ordering, Thomas's phone suddenly rang.

Amanda's face fell.

Thomas hardened his heart and hung up the phone.

But less than ten seconds later, the phone rang again, and the caller ID showed the name Martin Davis.

"An emergency might occur," Thomas quickly explained. "I'll only ask one question, just one."

Amanda wasn't an unreasonable person, and nodded slightly.

Thomas answered the phone, extinguishing the fuse that was burning in his chest: "Get to the point."

Martin is a very meticulous person. Without any nonsense, he went straight to the point: "It's a very important job to discuss. I want to play the male lead in a $4000 million project, co-produced by Warner Bros. and Fox, with Pacific Pictures involved. This is an opportunity that Louise Mayer secured for me."

He emphasized, "I just got the script from Louise, Thomas, we've already gained the upper hand!"

Thomas immediately realized the importance of this opportunity to Martin, and to himself, and without hesitation said, "Where are you? Let's meet now..."

At this point, he suddenly realized his mistake.

Things shouldn't be like this. I made sure to take time out tonight to apologize to Amanda before going to the hotel.

Thomas covered the phone's microphone: "Amanda, let me explain..."

Across from them, Amanda put on her coat and, disregarding their upscale restaurant, gave Thomas the middle finger: "We're finished."

Thomas looked at the phone in his hand, then at Amanda who was quickly leaving, and hesitated.

Martin's voice came through the phone again: "A $4000 million production, and the lead actor! We can't miss this!"

Thomas cursed Martin a thousand times in his heart. If he could kill with his mind, Martin would definitely explode on the spot.

Love versus career, being a simp versus success—which choice should you make?

Thomas was still hesitating when Martin's voice came again: "Where are you? I'm coming to find you."

Thomas, whose outstanding new talent, nurtured by a veteran entertainment agency, made a man's choice, punched the armrest of the sofa and said, "I'm in Century City, come over right away."

This damn life, these damn customers.

(End of this chapter)