Chapter 13: A Role with Lines

"Who?" Winona Ryder turned to look at Matthew and asked, "What's your name?"

Presuming she wanted to remember his name, Matthew muttered under his breath but replied, "Matthew, Matthew Horner."

Winona Ryder nodded, "Matthew Horner? Good! I'll remember you."

Matthew forced a casual smile, trying to appear unconcerned, though he hoped Winona Ryder would forget about him the next day.

"I will find you an appropriate role," Winona Ryder said.

"It needs to have lines," Angelina Jolie had already discussed this with Matthew, "and it should offer higher pay!"

Winona Ryder's face turned sour, "All the characters with names have been cast already, and it's impossible to change them randomly. You know this."

Matthew hadn't asked for a major role with a name; that would be delusional. Besides, being thrust into a significant role with his current abilities would only embarrass him.

"Having lines will suffice," Angelina Jolie stated, as they had agreed upon. She glanced at Matthew, who was ambitious yet knew his limits. She was impressed by him; he had proved helpful this time and added, "And his name should appear in the end credits."

Hearing this, Matthew slapped his forehead, realizing he had overlooked something obvious.

That should have been his agent's job, but his agent... Matthew shook his head. With no leverage at the moment, he decided to settle for now and forget about his current agent, Dennis Kurt.

"That's all fine," Winona Ryder slowly regained her usual composed demeanor. "I can agree to these terms."

Bingo!

Angelina Jolie snapped her fingers, "Alright, that settles it."

She turned to leave, and Matthew also stood up, but Winona Ryder said, "Wait!"

"Is there something else?" Angelina Jolie stopped and asked.

"I've agreed to your conditions," Winona Ryder quickly stated. "But how can you guarantee you won't talk?"

"Why would I talk? What benefit would it bring me?" Angelina Jolie's mind was clear when she wasn't scheming, "I've already got what I wanted. Why would I stir up a scandal? Would a scandal affecting this film benefit me? Isn't everything I've fought for then just a joke?"

Winona Ryder thought about it and nodded slightly, "I can trust you."

Then she turned to Matthew, "But what about him?"

"I promise I won't speak of this!" Matthew quickly interjected.

"I don't trust you," Winona Ryder bluntly stated. "I don't trust people like you."

Matthew spread his hands helplessly, "I am a man of good repute! Miss Jolie can vouch for that."

"I can't vouch for anything!" Angelina Jolie kept her distance, "I hardly know you."

These celebrities weren't foolish.

Matthew furrowed his brow slightly and asked Winona Ryder, "What do you suggest?"

"It's simple!" Winona Ryder stood up, "I'll get a lawyer here, and you'll sign a non-disclosure agreement with me!"

Matthew considered it and then looked at Angelina Jolie. He had limited education and didn't understand American laws, so besides Angelina Jolie, he didn't know whom else to consult.

Aren't you worried about one more person knowing?" Angelina Jolie asked.

"I'll just specify in the terms that he can't mention anything related to me during a certain period," Winona Ryder seemed prepared. "We don't need to write down the specifics."

"That's one way to handle it," Angelina Jolie nodded.

Matthew had no objections. As long as Winona Ryder kept today's promises, he wouldn't be foolish enough to publicize the bookstore incident.

With both parties in agreement, the rest was easy to arrange. Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie each called their lawyers, and despite the smooth talk, they still signed a private agreement.

As for Matthew, with the help of Angelina Jolie's lawyer, he also signed an agreement stipulating that if he talked about the bookstore incident after getting a role in the crew, he would have to pay a substantial sum.

Leaving the office, Matthew looked back, wondering just how fierce the competition in Hollywood must be if even a drama crew with relatively simple interpersonal relationships was fraught with such intrigue.

The others left one after another, leaving Winona Ryder alone in the office. She pulled out her cellphone and dialed her agent's number, "It's me, go to the bookstore outside Universal Studios and buy all their surveillance footage. Remember! You go personally!"

After the call, Winona Ryder felt somewhat relieved. Turning to look outside the office, she remembered that wretch, a mere extra who had forced her into this situation!

Her usually pale face grew even whiter. Her phone suddenly rang; it was her boyfriend.

"Hi, Matt..." She listened for a while

 and then said, "I have to work late tonight, don't come to pick me up. Feeling bad? Yes, I've encountered a very annoying person, an extra named Matthew Horner. He upset me! I'll tell you more when I get back. How are you having dinner? With Ben? Alright, say hi to Ben for me."

After hanging up, she picked up the office phone and dialed Director James Mangold's number to start coordinating the shooting details.

Just outside Universal Studios' photography area, Angelina Jolie's driver had already parked the car.

Her assistant, Vanessa, opened the door for Angelina Jolie. Seeing Matthew walking towards the bus stop, she called out, "Where are you headed?"

"Hollywood Boulevard." Matthew was headed to Red Penguin Company; he still had to continue his regular job as a driver at night.

"Get in," Angelina Jolie beckoned and climbed into the car. Matthew hesitated briefly before opening the door and getting in.

"Thank you," he said politely.

The luxury car's back seat had two separate seats, and Angelina Jolie, sitting on the right, already had a magazine out, not even glancing at Matthew as she absently replied, "You're welcome, you helped me too."

Matthew smiled, "I had to help myself."

Angelina Jolie opened her magazine, "Your kind fits well in this industry."

"Really?" Matthew confidently replied, "I think so too."

"I don't want to owe favors," Angelina Jolie finally revealed why she had Matthew get in the car, "Tell me, what do you want?"

Matthew immediately understood that Angelina Jolie saw this merely as a small transaction.

He couldn't expect a Hollywood star like Angelina Jolie to treat a small-time extra as an equal. Today's events had made it very clear that the people in this industry wield considerable influence.

"I need professional training," Matthew knew the opportunity was rare, "Miss Jolie, as a veteran in the industry, I hope you can recommend a good acting school."

Angelina Jolie was somewhat surprised; she had expected him to ask for money or another job opportunity, not realizing the importance of professional training. It seemed he had some brains.

That wasn't difficult. She thought for a moment and nodded lightly, "Okay, I'll have Vanessa notify you if something suitable comes up."

With that, Angelina Jolie's attention returned to her magazine, not speaking another word to Matthew, who also didn't try to make further conversation. He turned to look out the window until the car neared the company on Hollywood Boulevard and asked the driver to stop early.

"Goodbye," he said politely to Angelina Jolie.

Angelina Jolie just nodded.

After getting out of the car, Matthew walked to the Red Penguin Company, collected his keys and assignments from Lester, and as the sun set, he drove out the Ford nanny van, continuing his nightly routine of picking up and dropping off people.

As night fell and Hollywood Boulevard lit up, Dennis Kurt, weighed down by his hefty physique, squeezed into a nightclub and sat at the bar ordering a dark beer. Remembering the afternoon's events, he felt gloomy and took a big swig of beer.

The lead actress and producer, Winona Ryder, clearly had a bias against that fool. Dennis had just started to make some connections within the crew and worried about being implicated.

Dennis Kurt took another big gulp of beer, feeling more depressed.

Suddenly, his phone rang in his pocket. Dennis Kurt irritably pulled it out, glanced at it, and stood up to place a dollar bill on the bar, then rushed out of the noisy bar to a quieter spot to answer the call.

"Dennis!" Casting director Rubin's voice came through the speaker, "Matthew Horner is your actor, right?"

"Ah..." Dennis Kurt wanted to disassociate himself to avoid fallout, but he had already registered him with the crew, so he had to say, "Yes! But, Director Rubin..."

He quickly disentangled himself, "I left early this afternoon. Did something happen to Matthew Horner?"

Dennis Kurt was slightly nervous, afraid that the afternoon's events might sever his connection with Director Rubin.

"What happened?" Rubin's voice seemed casual, "I just wanted to inform you to bring Matthew Horner to the crew tomorrow to sign an updated agreement. His role has changed, he now has two lines, and his pay has been increased to $200 per day..."

"What..." Dennis Kurt couldn't believe his ears, "What did you say?"

"Didn't you hear me?" The voice on the phone suddenly raised, "Bring Matthew Horner tomorrow! We'll shoot that scene right after signing the contract, don't be late!"

"I... I understand," Dennis Kurt said, stunned.

After hanging up, he stood there, unable to grasp the situation. Had things really changed that quickly?

He took out his phone and dialed Matthew's number, but no one

 answered. He kept dialing until he finally got through. Matthew seemed busy, and after a brief exchange, they agreed to meet at the crew the next day before hanging up.

Dennis Kurt stood on the street for a while, dazed. Did that small-time extra have an unknown side?