Chapter 362: How to Break Up

The grand banquet hall was silent as dozens of guests stood inside, watching the Hollywood stars on stage about to become an engaged couple.

The engagement ceremony was held in the form of a cocktail party, with no designated seating or dining arrangements.

A cameraman moved from the side of the stage to a position directly in front of it, shouldering a camera. The lens first zoomed in for a close-up of the pastor, then switched to a wide-angle shot that included Matthew Horner and Charlize Theron.

Matthew didn't follow a faith, and inviting a pastor was partly a formality and partly out of consideration for Charlize Theron.

Not everyone was like him, without a clear faith.

Matthew stood to the left of the pastor, glancing at the cameraman below. The cameraman was from TMZ, which had agreed to pay $1.5 million for exclusive video and image rights to the engagement ceremony after negotiating with Matthew and Charlize Theron.

Of course, neither Matthew nor Charlize Theron were foolish—they wouldn't take this money. Once TMZ's reports were published, they planned to issue a public statement donating the $1.5 million to the UN Refugee Agency.

This way, they could achieve their initial purpose of publicity while being generous on someone else's behalf, earning a good reputation—a very profitable transaction indeed.

With Helen Herman orchestrating behind the scenes and Matthew thick-skinned and shrewd enough, they naturally sought to maximize their benefits.

Otherwise, wouldn't the show be in vain?

The engagement ceremony was simple, mainly consisting of the pastor's exhortation and the exchange of rings.

The well-known Beverly Hills marriage pastor stepped forward and spoke aloud, "In the presence of God, I exhort you both to remember that love and fidelity are the cornerstones of joy and eternity. You must forever honor the solemn vows you make today, steadfastly seeking and following the Father's will. Your lives shall be forever blessed, harmonious, and joyful; the home you build will withstand any change."

Matthew stood solemnly, appearing to listen attentively.

Charlize Theron, in a white dress, stood quietly, her thoughts unknown.

The pastor's enunciation was clear, his tone varied, "Remember, you are not stepping into this new journey of life alone. When you face hardships, do not hesitate to ask for help from your friends, lovers, and the church you believe in. Accepting help is not shameful but a sincere act. Around us, the Lord extends his helping hand, and the hand of Jesus Christ is everywhere."

Finally, the pastor said, "Most importantly, we are all here to witness the union of this couple. Amen."

Stepping back, he adeptly added, "You may now exchange rings."

Matthew and Charlize Theron stepped forward to the center of the stage, where Michael Fassbender quickly followed, handing a ring box to Matthew.

Matthew took out a lady's diamond ring and placed it on Charlize Theron's finger.

Then, Charlize Theron's mother came forward, hugged her daughter briefly, and then handed her a delicate ring box.

Charlize Theron took out a men's ring and put it on Matthew's finger.

The banquet hall burst into enthusiastic applause, all the guests clapping vigorously. Matthew took the opportunity to kiss Charlize Theron, marking the end of the simple yet solemn engagement ceremony.

Below the stage, Elena Boyar quietly approached the cameraman and asked, "All good?"

The cameraman nodded, "All smooth."

Following Matthew's instructions, Elena said, "That's it, no need to record the rest."

With the boss's command, the cameraman didn't hesitate, immediately turning off the camera. Elena added, "Now head back to the office to handle the footage. We'll discuss when to release it once I'm back."

"No problem," the cameraman began packing his gear.

After he had packed up and was leaving through the side door, he glanced back at the stage, where Gerta Theron, speaking on behalf of the bride's side, was finishing her brief speech and walking down from the stage.

"It's your turn," said Michael Fassbender to James McAvoy, who straightened his tie, "I know."

He strode to the center of the stage.

James McAvoy had been very good friends with Matthew before he became famous, knowing many of his affairs and that he had no family, so when Matthew asked him to represent the groom's side, he readily agreed.

Aside from Michael Fassbender, he didn't think anyone was more suitable.

"Ladies and gentlemen,"

Standing center stage, James McAvoy displayed the unique seriousness of a British individual, "I was pleased and surprised when my good friend Matthew Horner asked me to represent the groom's side."

Matthew watched James McAvoy, unsure what his friend would say.

"Who is he?" Elena Boyar curiously asked

 Helen Herman, "Matthew has such a good friend?"

"Very close friends," Helen pointed to Michael Fassbender at the side of the stage, "Those three have been friends for years, Matthew is much closer to them than to Johnny Depp."

Elena nodded lightly.

On stage, James McAvoy continued, "I am honored and was almost moved by his trust to some extent."

Matthew chuckled, murmuring, "This guy."

Charlize Theron remarked, "Even the British can be quite humorous."

"Matthew is a very special person," James McAvoy turned his gaze towards them, "He's not a traditionally good person, but he is the best friend. Being friends with Matthew has always felt like a great fortune to me."

He laughed again, "I remember once chatting with him and Michael, asking if $100,000 was enough to find a wife. I told him it needed to be $200,000. At that time, Matthew prayed he would quickly make $200,000."

James McAvoy called out to Matthew, "Have you made your $200,000 yet?"

Matthew smiled but didn't respond to the joke.

Such speeches couldn't be too long or stinky; after cracking a couple of jokes, James McAvoy got serious, "Ladies and gentlemen, today we are here to celebrate the upcoming adventure of Matthew Horner and Charlize Theron."

Once he became serious, he was a quintessential British gentleman.

James McAvoy looked at Charlize Theron, "Charlize, this man, Matthew Horner, is worth having!"

Charlize felt an urge to roll her eyes at those words but knew it wasn't appropriate. She forcibly held it back and instead turned to look at Matthew.

Matthew also looked back, their eyes meeting in a heartfelt gaze.

The banquet hall erupted into applause again.

Matthew and Charlize Theron, along with everyone else, applauded for James McAvoy.

As James McAvoy left the stage, the engagement ceremony's formalities concluded. Matthew and Charlize Theron changed into lighter attire and each carried a glass of wine, mingling in the banquet hall to thank the guests for their well-wishes.

"Let's toast together," Johnny Depp said to Matthew, signaling to Keanu Reeves, "To congratulate Matthew and Sally."

Keanu Reeves raised his glass to Matthew, "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Matthew responded with a smile.

Charlize Theron nodded, and together with Matthew, they took a light sip.

As Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron were leaving, Zack Snyder and David Ellison approached.

After congratulating them, Zack Snyder said to Matthew, "When can you wrap up work on 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith'? David and I are waiting for you guys."

David Ellison added, "Matthew, I invested in this film because of you... and Zack. Aren't you going to take care of it?"

Matthew was somewhat helpless, explaining, "Please, you two. I'm just an actor. Let me be the lead, no problem, but I don't understand film production. I can't help there." He explained further, "I have to report to the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' crew by June, and the shoot might last more than half a year."

Zack Snyder and David Ellison knew this was true; their words stemmed from concern, as the success of 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' was now a given, and Matthew's future film offers were likely to overflow. They feared a scenario where Matthew might breach his commitment to not star in the film.

It wasn't out of the question. After the failure of 'Kingdom of Heaven', many media outlets were pessimistic about epic films. Although Matthew had a contract with Skydance, his commercial appeal was so strong now that some crews might prefer to pay a huge breach of contract fee to have him as the lead actor…

Matthew, not being foolish, assured them, "Zack, David, we have an agreement. I will definitely play this lead role."

Reassured by Matthew's promise, Zack Snyder and David Ellison were relieved and soon left.

"Is that the adaptation of the graphic novel you were talking about?" Charlize Theron asked curiously.

Matthew nodded lightly, "Yes, '300 Spartans.'"

"Let's not think about that now," Charlize Theron abruptly changed the subject. "Let's think about how we're going to break up instead."

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