Chapter 185

Back to Los Angeles.

Martin received a package at his Beverly Hills mansion.

Inside, he found several mini videotapes.

He immediately instructed Gordon to buy a small Sony camcorder.

Half an hour later, Gordon returned with the camera. Martin inserted one of the tapes, turned on the display, and pressed play.

The video revealed a short film starring Harvey.

Most of the women in the tapes were second- and third-tier actresses, though occasionally a first-tier star could be seen.

Several actresses appeared to have resisted, but after being threatened by Harvey, they reluctantly complied. Some were clearly drugged—dilated pupils, dazed expressions.

From "Chinese Martin's" memories, Martin knew that Harvey had a habit of recording such encounters, but he hadn't expected Matt Damon to be involved in making these tapes.

(Note: In the original timeline, when Harvey was arrested, over 300 videotapes were found in his home, involving dozens of female stars.)

Martin tucked the tapes away for later. It wasn't the right time to use them.

Harvey had spent years in Hollywood, building a broad network. He hadn't made many enemies yet. It would be difficult to take him down with just these tapes, so it was better to wait for the right opportunity.

Still, Martin appreciated the effort. He called Matt Damon to thank him.

"Matt, I received the package. Well done."

"It's an honor to serve you, Mr. Martin."

"Haha, just keep doing things for me. The lead role in The Bourne Supremacy is yours."

There was a brief silence before Matt's excited voice came through the phone. "Thank you, Mr. Martin."

After a moment, Matt hesitated before speaking again.

"Mr. Martin... there's something else. I want to ask a favor... for Ben Affleck."

Martin was taken aback. Didn't I have someone blacklist him?

Then, he thought of Grant and Linda—likely their doing.

Ben Affleck had always been impulsive and violent, a trait Martin didn't like, but once used correctly, Ben could be powerful. It wasn't a bad idea to give him another shot.

As for Ben sabotaging Martin's autograph session for Harvey, it was insignificant—Harvey was the mastermind, and Ben had simply been his pawn.

"I'll give him a chance, but since he's aligning with me, he better be all in. And remember—have fun, but you should know my boundaries."

"I understand, sir. I'll remind him."

"Good. I'll get him a role in The Bourne Supremacy."

"Thank you, sir! I'll make sure he appreciates it!"

Matt Damon was overjoyed.

For Ben, landing a role in a Martin-produced film would send a clear message: Martin's ban on him was lifted. It meant other crews might start offering him roles again.

After hanging up, Matt Damon immediately drove to Ben's apartment.

Their apartments were only a ten-minute drive apart.

"Ben, open the door. It's me, Matt."

Matt Damon knocked repeatedly.

After a few moments, the door creaked open, and a strong smell of alcohol hit him.

Matt frowned, resisting the urge to cover his nose, and looked at the disheveled man before him.

"Ben, go clean yourself up. I need to talk to you."

Ben spread his arms wide, grinning with an exaggerated smile, and spoke dramatically.

"Welcome to the dumpster! Don't bother, I'm just a bum—Ben Affleck."

Matt Damon could see through the joke. Beneath that bravado, there was loneliness. He sighed but didn't back down.

"Go wash up. Shave. Where's your image?"

Ben shrugged. "Image? Who needs it? No one wants to hire me anymore, Matt. No one! That bastard Harvey lied to me. I got someone to mess up Martin's autograph session, and he promised me a chance, but now he won't even take my calls. Damn it, I'm finished."

"No, I've found an opportunity for you."

Ben's eyes widened, and he grabbed Matt's shoulders. "Really? You're not lying?"

"I'm not lying."

"What chance?" Ben asked eagerly.

"Go clean yourself up, and I'll explain. You're reeking of booze and self-pity."

"Ha! I'll be right back."

Matt Damon waited forty-five minutes before Ben returned, looking freshly showered and sharp.

"Okay, now you can talk!"

"Alright, listen up. The movie is The Bourne Supremacy. Martin's the screenwriter, I'm the lead, and you're going to play a supporting role. The important thing isn't the movie—it's that your role will show everyone that Martin's unblocked you."

"You went to him? You took refuge with him?" Ben's excitement was palpable.

"Calm down. It's not just me. It's us. Understand? It's normal to rely on someone with power and resources like Martin. Why wouldn't we?"

"But this is all his fault!" Ben objected.

"No, the real culprit is Harvey."

The words silenced Ben.

In truth, Ben had been looking for a way to rationalize his situation. He hated Harvey more than Martin—at least Martin had power, whereas Harvey had just used him as a pawn.

"Wait!" Ben suddenly snapped his head up. "Did you mess with Harvey?"

Matt didn't hide it. "Yes. If you want to rely on Martin, you have to be sincere."

Ben didn't ask the details. Instead, he laughed. "That's good! Damn Harvey! You're right—Martin's got the power, the resources, the connections. Why not join him?"

"F*ck Harvey!" Ben laughed. "You should've called me earlier!"

"With the way you looked before, who would have dared call you? I thought you were going to wreck something!"

Later that night, on the way home,

Gordon, who was driving, suddenly spoke up.

"Matt Damon is very crafty. Do you really want to use him?"

"Why not? Someone's got to do the dirty work. And he's perfect for it," Martin replied calmly.

The "seed" of loyalty he'd planted in Matt Damon's mind had already taken root. No matter how crafty Matt was, he couldn't escape Martin's grasp.

Gordon, unaware of this, said, "Okay, use him, but don't let him know too much. On the other hand, Ben Affleck, though impulsive, is easier to control."

Martin smiled. "It's the same to me."

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧