Chapter 171: Christmas

On Christmas Eve, most of the remaining tenants gathered on the rooftop for a party. Bruce had ventured into several men's discussions and noticed that many were talking about the mysterious events in Nevada.

Mene, known for his eloquence, chimed in, "With my twenty years experience of closely following Washington news, there's definitely more to this story than meets the eye."

He glanced at Martin and Antonio before continuing, "Boss, Anthony, here's my theory: Could the Pentagon be conducting some kind of biological weapons experiments there? Creating humanoid weapons with no pain sensitivity, only programmed for relentless killing?"

Martin raised his wine glass and teased, "You're wasting your talent by not becoming a screenwriter."

Mene chuckled, "I've been influenced by Brandt, the one who adapted 'Wanted.'"

Antonio, patting his rotund belly, asked Martin, "Are you going to be the lead actor again?"

Martin nodded confidently, "Absolutely, early February next year. A new movie is coming out, and there's another film in the pipeline where I'm the undisputed star."

Antonio, showing concern, commented, "Once you become a big star, it might not be suitable to stay here. Not that I'm chasing you, but if paparazzi offer six figures to install pinhole cameras in your room, it's hard to refuse."

Mene said, "You're so straightforward."

Antonio glanced at Bruce, who had just returned, and jokingly remarked, "I want to make money, but I'm wary of getting corrupted."

Martin took a sip of wine and reassured him, "Don't worry, I won't go around blowing people's heads off."

Antonio chuckled and added, "What I'm concerned about isn't people's heads." Then he offered, "If you're ever thinking of changing residences, come to me, and I'll find something for you."

Curious, Martin asked, "Do you have any properties for sale?"

Antonio replied, "No, but I know plenty of wealthy people."

He emphasized, "Don't forget, when I became a millionaire, you were all licking lollipops ."

Mene observed Antonio, who resembled a rotund ball, and then looked at himself, who exuded youth and vitality. He couldn't help but reflect on the unfairness of society, wondering why wealthy older men like Antonio seemed to attract good fortune.

Martin accepted Antonio's offer, "No problem, I'll come to you when I need to buy a house."

Bruce rejoined them, and soon Jessica and Emily followed, clinking glasses with Martin and exclaiming, "Merry Christmas!"

Martin raised his glass and replied, "Merry Christmas!"

Jessica informed him, "I have an express package for you from Atlanta. I'll fetch it for you."

Martin nodded, "I'll pick it up later."

Around ten o'clock, Mene decided it was time to return to his place.

Before leaving, he addressed Martin, "Boss, you paid my fine. Whatever you need, just say the word, and I'm at your service!" Martin playfully pushed him, "Get going, what do I need you to do?"

Bruce, in a light-hearted manner, hugged Mene from behind and quipped, "As long as you have your mouth and tongue."

Mene replied with seriousness, "I'll lick whoever you ask me to lick." He gave Antonio a sly glance, adding, "The chubby landlord seems okay."

Martin waved it off, stating directly, "I won't be polite with you when I need your help."

Mene took the lead in departing from the rooftop.

After a while, Martin and Bruce descended the stairs together.

Jessica and Emily followed suit.

Martin went to retrieve the express package and stood by his apartment's door. Jessica went into the living room to get it, while Emily, who was petite, stood in the entrance hall and looked up at Martin. She suddenly asked, "Martin, don't you have a date tonight?"

Martin casually replied, "No."

Emily lowered her voice and suggested, "You know, you can stay here; Jesse won't mind."

Jessica heard the remark but neither agreed nor disagreed.

Martin shrugged, "Annie drained me dry when she returned to New York."

He accepted the express package from Jessica and returned to his apartment.

Emily closed the door behind them and inquired, "Doesn't he like us?"

Jessica, younger but more astute, explained, "Both of us got our jobs on the set of 'The Hills Have Eyes' thanks to his recommendation. Technically, we're his employees."

Emily was puzzled and didn't quite grasp the implications.

Jessica sighed and patted Emily's chest, saying, "This is where you need to use your brains!"

Meanwhile, Martin was back in his apartment.

Bruce was surprised, "You're back already?"

Martin located a wallpaper knife, opened the package, and raised another topic, "You're my manager, responsible for handling the dirty work." The first sentence sounded pleasant, but the second one seemed to make Bruce contemplate reaching for a gun, "Because you're a guy who specializes in dirty deeds."

"So, I need an assistant to manage my blog, interact with fans, and handle day-to-day matters." Martin asked, "It's an important role. Who do you think is suitable?"

Bruce thought about Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, how one thrived after her scandal and the other's fame waned.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I think Jessica would be a good fit. She has a modest social circle, some brains, and she's easy to manage."

Martin agreed, "She attended art school and worked her way up in Hollywood. She's got some smarts. She's better than hiring a stranger."

"Keep it professional, especially when it comes to relationships between men and women," Bruce added, was suddenly reminded of something disheartening.

Wasn't that what he was? His former boss had taken advantage of him when he was drunk, and then... he had to leave abruptly.

In other words, he had been a good person, and Vincent had treated him well, so he hadn't targeted his former employer.

Martin unwrapped the package. Inside was a gift from Harris, a crystal star, a copper plate with a star map adorned with rhinestones, and an elegant certificate.

The cost of making this set, including postage, was well over $100.

Bruce examined it with growing interest, "Give me a set, and I'll give it to Kim."

Martin agreed, "Sure, I'll get one for you."

Bruce had another thought, "Did she ask you to make a movie when she got all excited?"

Bruce wore a serious expression as he declared, "I've made up my mind to go along with her for the shoot, and then it's goodbye."

Martin had no doubt in his mind when it came to Bruce's potential for global stardom. After all, Kim Kardashian, post-awakening, was undoubtedly a master of self-promotion. Martin admired, "She might even become more famous than the other Bruce, a globally renowned top celebrity."

Bruce assured, "Of course, I'll keep it under control. I won't show my face."

Martin, however, didn't find this prospect interesting at all. "Not showing your face? That sounds boring."

Bruce then handed Martin a star-themed gift before saying, "You should get some rest. I'm off to find Kim and spend Christmas with her."

Martin sadly realized that he was becoming a loner.

Fortunately, before bedtime, he received a call from Louise, who thanked him for the Christmas gift.

Martin replied, "You're welcome, it was specially prepared for you. A master bartender can not only create original concoctions but also refine existing recipes. I've improved three classic cocktail recipes to better suit modern tastes."

Louise appreciated the gesture, but she wasn't the only one to receive a gift; Martin had sent presents to friends in Atlanta, including Kelly Gray, Elena, Lily, Vincent, Sofia, and others.

Realizing she hadn't prepared a gift for Martin, Louise decided to offer her support in return. She told him, "I'll take over the initial preparations for 'Wanted.' You can focus on your role and leave the rest to me. Our trip to Hong Kong City is scheduled the day after tomorrow is on me."

Martin smiled, "It feels great to be taken care of."

Louise added, "It's not just for you and me; it's for Angelina Julie too."

Martin was surprised, "Is Julie attending the Bartenders Association's annual meeting? Is she considering becoming a bartender?"

Louise clarified, "Julie is heading to Cambodia and connecting flight is from Hong Kong City."

Martin vaguely remembered that some of Julie's adopted children were from Southeast Asia. After a moment of thought, he suggested, "Since you're personally handling the 'Wanted' project, and you've invited Julie to star in it for Fox, considering Brandt's script outline, I think she'd be perfect for the role of a cool, capable girl."

Louise expressed concern, "Are you sure you want to invite her? 'Tomb Raider 2,' 'Beyond Borders,' and now this, the market response to her recent movies has been average at best. Are you sure she can turn it around?"

Strictly speaking, Jolie had faced three consecutive movie flops, and if "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" failed, her career in Hollywood would be in jeopardy. However, Jolie had managed to make a comeback thanks to her scandal with Pitt. What's even more remarkable is that Jolie doesn't rely on PR; she manages her public image herself.

Martin commented, "Her salary will definitely take a hit, right?"

Louise confirmed, "Definitely. I offered her $5 million, and she was grateful, but her star power..."

Martin brought up an interesting point, "I heard Jolie's involvement with Pitt started during the filming of 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Scandals aren't always a bad thing. If Jolie takes control and collaborates with the studio to hype it up... audiences often only care about the buzz, not whether it's scandalous."

Louise directly stated, "You're taking a risk."

Martin countered, "I'm the lead in the movie. If she becomes popular, she'll be a great addition. If not, she won't be a burden. Besides, even if she doesn't cause any controversy, we can still shine."

Louise had witnessed many such incidents in Hollywood and thought with a Hollywood perspective, "If Jolie steals Pitt and you become the third party by stealing Jolie, that would create quite the buzz..."

She grew excited, "Just thinking about it is fantastic. The film will definitely make waves."

Martin inquired, "Do you think it's feasible?"

Louise thought it through and concluded that it was indeed feasible. She said, "I'll discuss it further when I meet with jolie."

Meanwhile, at a party in Century City, Thomas had a meeting with Anne Hathaway's agent, Maha.

They found a quiet spot to discuss the budding relationship between Anne and Martin, considering the increased media attention they were receiving due to their youth and rising careers.

Maha stated, "Anne and Martin are closely linked now. They've garnered a lot of media attention. They're both young and on the rise, so there are certain things we need to be cautious about."

Thomas, confident in his abilities, agreed, "I've spoken with Martin, and he's willing to cooperate."

Maha was relieved, emphasizing, "Anne is still very young, and so is Martin. They're both ascending in their careers. You must convey to Martin the importance of protective measures. I don't want Anne to become pregnant."

Thomas assured her, "Martin will handle it. Next, we need to discuss the timing and strategy for their public appearances. We must strike a balance between media attention and public perception."

The two agents shared concerns about their clients' budding romance.