Chapter 148: Proposal

Overnight, as if by some coordinated effort, numerous reports heaping praise on Martin Davis, the lead actor in the House of Wax film, surfaced across various gossip media outlets.

The film's first-week box office had exceeded all expectations, and Martin naturally aimed to secure his position as the unequivocal leading man.

He fought for justice.

In the villa's living room, Louise positioned herself in front of the bar, expertly pouring a glass of wine, and inquired, "What was the cost?"

Martin replied casually, "Those gossip newspapers didn't cost much, and they weren't featured on the front pages. These are just Hollywood essentials. As per reports, Thomas made resource requests through the company."

Louise slid a glass of whiskey over to him, remarking, "WMA provides a push to the male lead who becomes the number one box office star. It's standard procedure."

Martin raised his glass for a toast, saying, "Let's celebrate me."

Louise grinned playfully, "Celebrate you becoming a fledgling starlet."

Downing the contents of his glass, Martin inquired, "From a producer's perspective, am I worth a million dollars in salary now?"

Louise, always forthright, stated plainly, "No, not yet. The reason is simple. You're not the leading actor in 'House of Wax.' If 'The Hills Have Eye' can achieve such box office success, your salary will likely exceed a million dollars."

Martin knew that risks were directly proportional to rewards. The protagonist bore the heavy burden of failure but reaped the greatest rewards from success.

Louise refilled her glass, musing, "Tonight's wine tastes exceptionally good."

Martin chimed in, "Because this film's success is going to make you money." He chuckled mischievously, "Honestly, I envy Mene a lot. Once Paris agrees, he'll live a worry-free life with a wealthy woman supporting him. I'm tired of fighting."

Louise produced a box and pushed it towards Martin, insisting, "Take a look."

Martin was taken aback, "Do I need to sign an agreement?"

Louise shot back, "I don't think so. What's mine is yours..."

Martin began to say something but was cut off by Louise, who urged, "Shut up and take a look first."

Opening the black box, Martin found a mobile phone inside, with a battery on the back cover as thick as a brick.

He'd seen similar devices before, supposedly capable of a month-long standby time.

Martin wondered, "Is this for me?"

Louise, with a touch of playfulness, remarked, "It's no problem to have lengthy conversations on this mobile phone."

Martin grasped the implication, "You want me to call Kelly."

Louise extended a slender finger and playfully tapped Martin's chin, "The film you starred in just won the box office championship. You should call your former boss and share this joy together. Don't you think so?"

Martin agreed, "Alright, let's head upstairs and call Kelly."

A few minutes later, Kelly Gray, who was far away in Atlanta, begrudgingly switched on her phone to listen.

The following morning, Martin called Bruce and picked up Mene, heading straight for the prison where Paris Hilton was incarcerated.

Today marked Paris's release from prison, and the film crew wouldn't miss the opportunity.

"Boss, do you think I look okay?" Mene asked, clutching a bouquet of flowers.

Martin assessed him carefully, adjusted Mene's tie, and commented, "Very handsome, surely a heartthrob for middle-aged and older women."

Bruce chimed in, "We're almost there, but there are lots of people and cars. It's hard to get through."

In the open area in front of the prison, throngs of people had gathered, including media reporters, paparazzi, and several TV stations that had arrived with broadcast trucks.

Mene inquired, "Do you think she'll show up?"

"She'll definitely be here. Susan has arranged it all in advance," Martin reassured. "Trust me, she won't pass up this opportunity to make herself more famous."

Bruce honked the car horn, but the people ahead refused to budge.

Martin patted Mene and advised, "Lower the window and stick your head out. Those folks will clear the way on their own."

Mene rolled down the window, showed his face, and shouted, "Hey, guys, don't ruin my proposal, okay?"

Many reporters and paparazzi turned their heads and saw the fiery face of Mene. They quickly gave way, even helping to usher the people in front to clear a path. There was a collective effort to chant, "Marry him! Marry him..."

The momentum was electrifying.

After all, if Paris agreed, the love story between the struggling young man and the princess would be headline news, with the story bound to make waves.

Paris suddenly caught on, scrutinizing Mene, the unknown actor from the film set. She smirked broadly, accepted the rose, and dropped it on the ground. "It's a tired cliché," she remarked before turning to head to her car, where her agent waited, parked in front.

Menei squeezed his eyes tightly, summoning tears that welled up, even if his acting skills couldn't quite match his oratory prowess. Two glistening teardrops traced down his cheeks.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind—what if he accused Paris of discrimination for not agreeing to his proposal?

Mene rose slowly, his head bowed, and walked toward the Volkswagen with tears still in his eyes. Surprisingly, many media reporters turned their cameras towards him.

Unrequited love!

A heart heavy with sorrow!

The spectacle finally came to a close as Paris entered her car and departed.

Not wanting to be engulfed by a throng of reporters and paparazzi, Mene hopped into the Volkswagen before they could surround him. The desired effect achieved, Martin instructed Bruce to start the car and swiftly drive away.

Wiping away his tears, Mene sighed, "My love ended before it even began."

Martin received a call from Susan, conversed for a while, hung up, and turned to Mene with a smile, "My friend, I've got some good news for you. Susan wanted me to convey that in her upcoming production, she's reserving a significant supporting role for you, equally crucial as the one in 'House of Wax.'"

Mene immediately perked up, "What's the project, boss? Will you be a part of it?"

Martin shook his head, "The lead actor is Robert Downey Jr., Susan's fiancé. I can't compete with him, so I won't be involved."

There was no need to strategize or attempt the impossible.

Mene quickly pushed aside the failed proposal from his thoughts and said to Martin, "Boss, ever since I met you, my luck has taken a turn for the better."

Martin reflected for a moment, "My luck isn't bad either, and you've brought some good fortune my way."

Indeed, although the ratings and reputation of 'House of Wax' had been declining, the film's box office remained steady due to continuous promotion.

As Halloween approached, a traditionally popular season for horror films, Hollywood released a slew of horror movies. The box office crown for 'House of Wax' was claimed by Columbia Pictures' "The Grudge" after just one week.

However, its $9.58 million was sufficient to secure second place at the box office for the following weekend. Including revenue from Monday to Thursday, the film's North American box office total reached $36.14 million.

Exceeding $50 million at the North American box office was entirely within reach.

Global distribution was a strength of the six major Hollywood companies, and Warner Bros. was launching the film in various overseas markets such as the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Germany that very weekend. The overseas box office for 'House of Wax' soon exceeded $15 million.

Silver Pictures, the producer, and Warner Bros., the distributor, jointly hosted a celebratory event for the film, complete with a brief red carpet ceremony.

This was all part of the regular promotional cycle.

As Martin stepped onto the red carpet once again, he was treated with a completely different level of respect by the reporters. There weren't many fans clamoring outside the hotel, but the camera flashes never ceased. Some reporters even actively approached him for interviews.

Martin consented only to interviews with his associates and spoke candidly before Warner TV's cameras.

"The success of the film at the box office is a credit to the entire crew, and every member worked tirelessly for it," he affirmed. Martin, known for his humility, continued, "Personally, I consider myself very fortunate. Silver Pictures provided me with an opportunity, Warner Bros. made sure the film reached the audience, and Susan and Jaume were tremendously helpful on set."

As he spoke, director Jaume Serra approached.

He opened his arms and warmly embraced Martin, fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie.

During his interview, Jaume didn't hesitate to sing Martin's praises, "I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with such an exceptional actor as Martin in my directorial debut. He's a genius in the craft of acting. I merely have to ask, and he delivers flawlessly. I never had to worry about his performance."

The two shared a strong working relationship and willingly complimented each other professionally.

Susan, who joined them later, also commended the contributions of Martin and Jaume.

With the film's success, everyone reaped the rewards. In front of the media, it was all about mutual admiration and shared success.