Chapter 70: A Crucial Step

"Pleasure doing business with you!"

"Pleasure's all mine!"

In the hotel conference room, after exchanging contracts, Murphy and Jones Butler received a copy of "Hard Candy" from Paul Wilson, symbolically handing it over to Jones Butler. Apart from being labeled as a production of Stanton Studios with Murphy Stanton as director, writer, and producer, there was little connection to Murphy.

The relevant personnel from the festival committee ensured the fairness of this transaction.

After several rounds of tough negotiations, Murphy chose to sell the rights to "Hard Candy" to Miramax.

With the contract signed, Jones Butler showed no intention of lingering. She reminded, "Director Stanton, please deliver the original film as soon as possible."

Murphy wouldn't dodge his responsibility in front of Miramax. "Once I return to Los Angeles, I'll make sure the film is in your hands promptly."

Jones Butler smiled and gestured to her companions to pack up. She extended her hand to shake Murphy's, "When you're ready to produce your next film, give me a call."

Murphy responded with a polite smile, "I will."

This successful deal connected Murphy with Miramax, and if "Hard Candy" performed well in the market, there was a possibility of further collaboration.

Besides the buyout fee, this could be considered another major gain for him.

Seeing off Jones Butler and her team, Murphy breathed a sigh of relief. Although his lofty dreams had proven to be mere illusions, selling the rights to "Hard Candy" had achieved the purpose of this trip. More importantly, he now had the funds to kickstart his next plan.

One million dollars, the final deal price, temporarily placed Murphy among the ranks of millionaires.

In just over half a year, he had transformed from a recently released ex-convict living in poverty to someone with a modest fortune. It was fair to say luck had been on his side.

Even considering all the expenses for "Hard Candy," the total cost was just over three hundred thousand dollars. Doubling the investment to one million dollars in a few months left Murphy feeling more than satisfied.

Back at the hotel, Murphy packed his bags, preparing to return to Los Angeles. However, before leaving, there were a few things to take care of.

First, Murphy and Bill Ross went to the festival committee office to handle the follow-up matters for "Hard Candy." Since the film participated in the festival screenings and was sold, a three percent commission fee, totaling thirty thousand dollars, needed to be paid.

Moreover, since Miramax was brought in through Bill's connections, according to their previous agreement, he was entitled to a five percent commission.

Although this portion of the money could be delayed, Murphy set it aside. As a result, the remaining amount in his hands would be less than one million dollars.

Additionally, Murphy planned to give Paul Wilson a bonus. The amount wouldn't be high, just around two to three thousand dollars. He liked this hardworking and insightful intern and wanted him to continue working for him. It wasn't fair to expect him to work without compensation.

With these matters settled, Murphy and Paul Wilson boarded a flight back to Los Angeles.

After arriving at Los Angeles International Airport, Murphy hailed a taxi. He first dropped off Paul Wilson at school before heading to Robert's law firm. Tax season was approaching, and despite his extreme dislike for the IRS, he needed to have a good understanding of which expenses could be saved and how to avoid taxes reasonably.

The transaction for "Hard Candy" was conducted under the name of Stanton Studios, registered in tax-friendly Delaware. According to Robert, there were also a series of tax benefits such as investment deductions, which most Americans didn't understand, let alone Murphy, as an outsider. He left it to the lawyer and accountant to handle.

It wasn't until late in the evening that Murphy returned to his house in the Latin community. He closed the door, tossed his luggage aside, and collapsed onto the old sofa. After a busy period, especially the mental tension, he felt like all the bones in his body were about to fall apart.

However, thinking about the numbers in the company's account, a smile involuntarily appeared on his face, and he clenched his fist, waving it a few times with force.

Whether on the other side of the Pacific or now in America, Murphy had never experienced such success before. He felt the chaos ahead gradually dissipating, as if he could already see the bright future.

He had taken a crucial first step, and this step could be considered successful, laying a solid foundation for his future plans.

The road was always taken step by step.

Unlike his calm demeanor in front of others, Murphy no longer suppressed the excitement in his heart as he hid at home. Opening his phone, he ordered takeout from a relatively upscale Chinese restaurant nearby and also requested a bottle of wine.

He had never told anyone, but from the start of planning, he had carried a tremendous amount of pressure. After all, if the project failed, everything he gained from Bill and Kobe would be in vain, and it would be hard to come by such good luck again in the future.

With his personality, he wouldn't share his pressure with others or his excitement with outsiders.

The restaurant quickly delivered the takeout. Under the dark night, Murphy sat by the window, savoring the wine in his glass. Outside the dilapidated community, people passed by from time to time, and the chaotic sounds couldn't be blocked by the shabby house.

Listening to these sounds, Murphy sat quietly here. The previous excitement gradually faded, and his face returned to calmness. However, his brow furrowed slightly. The joy of success was not shared with anyone, and this feeling wasn't very good.

He couldn't show these emotions in front of Paul Wilson and Bill Ross.

After finishing a glass of wine, Murphy put down his phone and dialed Ross's number. The cold, mechanical voice on the other end said, "The user has turned off their phone."

Putting down the phone, Murphy couldn't help but shake his head. In the vast expanse of Los Angeles, he could only stay here alone, in this dilapidated, chaotic, crime-ridden Latin community.

Perhaps it was time to change houses? Murphy couldn't help but entertain the thought.

Living in downtown Los Angeles didn't feel good, and now that he had a fair amount of money, buying a suitable house wasn't wise considering the big money needed for the upcoming plans. Renting in a relatively better area was still an option.

Besides, Stanton Studios couldn't stay in the slums forever. They needed their own office space, and they couldn't conduct every interview in places like Milton Coffee House.

Moreover, his crew had already scared Old Lynch last time, and he probably wouldn't support him as much as before.

Murphy was a man of action. He immediately called Bill and asked if he knew any real estate agents.