Chapter 378: Martin Weakness

After their time in the studio, Martin, Nicholson, and Leonardo drove two cars to the hotel where the crew was staying. The latter two arrived at the hotel lobby first, while Martin joined them a bit later. They were about to head upstairs when a familiar figure walked through the hotel's revolving door. As soon as Christain Bale entered, he spotted the three Martins, and the excitement of recent days resurged.

Martin, embodying the spirit of a British gentleman, approached Christian Bale and introduced his friends, saying, "Chris, come here and let me introduce you to these two friends." Without the need of Martin's introduction, Bale had already recognized Leonardo and Nicholson. The latter was in charge of tearing up his backside.

Christian Bale's gaze fixed on the three men, with his attention particularly focused on Nicholson. His eyes appeared fiery, as if they could shoot heat rays, leaving no room for the three individuals on the opposite side to escape his scrutiny.

Martin attempted to ease the tension, saying, "We're all friends, and knowing each other can benefit us in the future." Nicholson, being more direct, smiled at Bale. The one responsible for the trio's bravado was right beside them, even playfully raising his hand as if launching a rocket launcher.

Nicholson even made a "bang" gesture with his lips. Christian Bale felt like he was hearing fireworks exploding in his ears, similar to witnessing Cate Blanchett slipping and experiencing a sudden sharp pain in his lower body. Michael Caine, another British actor, arrived on the scene, noting the situation.

Taking a few quick steps, Caine addressed Bale, "You promised to buy me a drink today, didn't you?" Christian Bale turned to Kane, his eyes still red, jaw muscles trembling. It was as if he were Batman, provoked by the Joker. Caine, with a reassuring tone, placed a hand on Bale's arm and suggested, "Let's go have a drink together." Christian Bale relaxed and followed Kane toward the elevator.

Kane offered some advice, "Don't stoop to the level of those vulgar Americans. They'll only drag our noble character down to their base standards and employ dull tactics to defeat us." Christian Bale nodded, "Those three jerks are total perverts." Kane patted his arm and said, "Ignore them."

Christian Bale took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself, but the accumulated negativity from the recent incident was not easily dispelled. He might have appeared composed on the surface, but his anger and resentment simmered beneath.

Instead of heading upstairs, Christian Bale and Kane opted for the hotel bar to grab a drink. As they entered the elevator, Martin pointed at Nicholson and teased, "Look what you've done. You scared him off. I wanted to have a nice chat with him."

Nicholson responded, "What are you talking about? Are you tearing something apart again?" Leonardo pushed the two of them forward, exasperated, "Can't you two act like decent human beings?"

In the lobby, Scott, sitting in a western restaurant with her legs spread, noticed Martin across the way. She came out of a connected side door and called out, "Martin and Leonardo."

Sofia swiftly walked a few steps past Scott, waved to Martin, and said, "I don't need to introduce these two."

Martin proceeded to introduce Leonardo and Nicholson to Sofia and others. When Leonardo shook hands with the others, he felt his hand being intentionally squeezed twice. The provocative gesture, made by a blonde, long-legged supermodel, had the power to set hearts racing.

When Sofia did the same to Leonardo, he felt as if his hand's bones were about to be crushed, and he winced in pain. Seeing this, Nicholson decided to skip the handshake and simply smiled and nodded.

Sofia extended an invitation, "Martin and I are friends. It's not every day we get to meet big stars like you here. Can I buy you a drink?" Leonardo discreetly hid his right hand behind his back, still in discomfort but feeling a bit better.

Nicholson cast a quick glance at Sophia's face and her well-built figure, which rivaled Tyson's, but politely declined her invitation, saying, "We have important matters to discuss with Martin." As he spoke, he exchanged a glance with Martin.

Nicholson was straightforward in his work, and Martin was equally clear, affirming, "It's a highly significant task."

"Then let's wait for another opportunity," Sofia replied graciously and headed to the hotel bar with Scott.

The trio entered the VIP elevator room and took the exclusive elevator upstairs. Leonardo couldn't help but inquire, "Is she one of your financial backers?"

There was no need for Martin to hide the truth, so he replied, "She has invested in several of the films I've starred in."

Nicholson sympathized with Martin's situation and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "It's not easy."

"It's been quite a challenge," Leonardo chimed in, recalling the imposing figure of the female King Kong, "You weren't exaggerating when you said things were tough in Atlanta."

Martin pondered and asked, "Do you think she fits my aesthetic?"

Leonardo responded, "It's hard to say for sure; your tastes can change..."

In the hotel bar, Michael Caine, feeling a bit old, bid his farewells after a drink and returned to his room. Bale, on the other hand, was feeling agitated. The inner turmoil he had been harboring was about to burst forth. He decided to continue drinking alone, not wanting to head back.

Before long, he had emptied half a bottle of whiskey. Bale's phone rang, and it was a call from his lawyer. Although it was still relatively early, the bar suddenly grew silent as he answered the phone. He learned that Heebie had returned to Los Angeles and filed for divorce.

Bale, who had a short temper, felt deeply hurt by Heebie's provocations. Without saying a word, he abruptly hung up the phone. When he looked up, he noticed a woman approaching with a friendly smile.

"Hi, Chris," Sofia greeted him with a hint of surprise in her voice, observing his state. "What's going on? Are you feeling tired?"

Bale assumed she knew Martin and didn't want to engage in conversation. Sofia pulled up a chair, sat down, and asked, "Are you feeling emotionally drained?"

Bale remained silent but inquired, "Are you a friend of Martin Davis?"

"Friend? Haha," Sofia responded with a prepared smile. "I used to be his boss. He was my source of income. When he was in Atlanta, he worked as a Stripper for me."

"Stripper?" Christian Bale raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.

Sofia shrugged and clarified, "He was a bartender and gigolo. Where do you think he honed his stripping skills for 'Zombie Stripper?"

Christian Bale was intrigued to learn more about Martin's past. After all, knowing more about his adversary couldn't hurt. He poured a new glass of wine for Sofia and asked, "I saw your interaction that day. Your relationship seems unusual."

"Because I wanted to get to know you," Sofia said confidently. "So, he had to introduce me to you."

This contradicted Bale's understanding of their relationship. He took a new wine glass, poured a drink for Sofia, and inquired, "Does he respect you, or is he afraid of you?"

Sofia smiled, her confidence evident, "Of course, he's afraid of me. To the world, Martin is a big star, but to me, he's still a stripper."

She took a sip from her glass, making a deliberate statement, "I hold a lot of information about him. Even now, he doesn't dare to cross me."

Hearing about the potential information Sofia possessed about Martin, Bale's interest was piqued, and he became a bit more animated. "Surprisingly, you also supported a big star."

Sofia added, "I never expected that a man who's done so many questionable things would rise to stardom in Hollywood."

In this shared revelation, the two found common ground and engaged in an enthusiastic conversation.

Bale's mind was spinning as he tried to figure out who this mysterious Martin was. Sophia laughed and continued to tempt him with more drinks. However, Christian Bale soon realized that compared to Martin, he was a stranger to Sophia, and to uncover valuable information, he needed to get closer to her. But how could he quickly forge a connection with a woman?

As he pondered this, Bale felt a sudden discomfort below and lost interest in the conversation. Sophia shifted the topic back to fitness, rekindling Bale's enthusiasm. He was well-versed in this area. After consuming a bottle of wine, the fitness discussion became even more engaging. Sophia extended an invitation, "I have a fitness club on Peach Tree Street. Why don't we visit together and exchange experiences on the spot?"

Bale had imbibed a bit too much and felt he couldn't hold on any longer, so he declined, "Let's plan for another day. I've had enough to drink today."

Facing a prominent Hollywood star, Sophia didn't want to push further in public and responded, "That sounds like a plan. We'll arrange it another day." She handed Bale a business card, saying, "This card has the address of the fitness club. Feel free to reach out to me anytime."

Bale pocketed the card, paid the bill, and stumbled out of the bar. Upon returning to his room and before even finishing his shower, he received a call from his wife Sibi Blažić, who informed him about the divorce. This led to a heated argument during which Bale hurled accusations at her, including terms like "disgusting shit stirrer."

Meanwhile, Nicholson and Leonardo had visited the team and stayed in Atlanta for just two days. On the day when Michael Caine's character was released, they too prepared to leave and return to Los Angeles. Leonardo, who had a penchant for collecting art, had learned about Joker statues and requested some original clown statues from Martin to add to his collection, which spanned North America and Europe. Martin also gave many of them to Nicholson, whether for fun or simply to enjoy, it was a welcome gift.

As the two departed, Martin didn't see them off. Nicholson, however, loitered around the studio's entrance, attracting a swarm of entertainment reporters. One of them inquired, "Jack, have you seen the crew filming Martin's new Joker? How do you feel?" Nicholson's response surprised everyone. He departed from the expected and conventional praise and said, "When God favors a person, he not only gives them exceptional looks but also extraordinary talents."

Another reporter questioned, "What do you mean?" Nicholson replied, "I'm eagerly awaiting Martin Davis's version of the Dark Knight's Joker. When you see it, you'll understand the remarkable character he's created."

With that, he got into his car and left the studio. The news of Nicholson's statements quickly spread throughout the studio. During a break, Nolan contacted the screenwriter, saying, "The script should include real footage."