Chapter 277: Poster

The sky brightened outside the window, and Martin awoke. The room's floor was strewn with scattered items, and the sound of running water emanated from the bathroom, indicating someone was taking a shower.

He hadn't anticipated such rapid progress. He had assumed there would be a bit more back-and-forth.

Jennifer Aniston, on the other hand, had been impatient to lead him upstairs. Yet, he pondered, wasn't practicality expected from women Aniston's age?

Sitting up, Martin brimmed with energy despite having spent most of the night in repose. Just as he was about to step into the bathroom, the door on the opposite side swung open.

Jennifer Aniston emerged. Her performance from the previous night had demonstrated that an actress in her thirties could effortlessly switch between being charming, mature, and absolutely enchanting.

She adopted a posture more akin to a seasoned woman instructing a puppy, swinging her legs as she took a seat in a sofa chair. She then inquired of Martin, "I've got a question you haven't answered yet."

Martin, feigning innocence, responded, "Really? But I thought you already had all the answers about me."

Aniston crossed her legs and assumed an alternating posture, almost instinctively. "Tell me the truth," she insisted, "have you ever done anything to Rachel's poster?"

Martin hesitated, his expression indicating he found it difficult to answer. "Um, well... it's not easy to admit."

"Spill it!" Aniston displayed a wolf-like intensity, refusing to let the little puppy off the hook. "Share it, and I'll reward you."

Martin proved adept at cooperation, cupping his face. "It's just too embarrassing to articulate. How about I demonstrate it?"

Aniston tilted her head, humorously suggesting, "A demonstration would be more straightforward."

Martin felt rather self-conscious as he scanned Aniston, his eyes taking on a meaningful quality. "There isn't a Rachel poster here, and I can't get the feel for it or demonstrate."

Aniston held up the visage of America's sweetheart and proposed, "How about this one? Can it help you get in the mood?"

For all the appeal of paper posters, they couldn't hold a candle to real-life counterparts.

This was the tale of an unconventional "male fan" and his beloved star.

Just as the two were deeply engrossed in their exchange, Martin's phone in the living room lit up once more. Jolie's number flashed on the screen.

After a few moments, the call disconnected automatically due to no response.

There were as many as ten missed calls displayed on the screen!

On another floor of the same hotel, Jolie was overwhelmed by the unbearable agony. She stashed her phone away and cursed, "Damn it! Martin, you jerk, why won't you answer the damn phone!" Even though they were in such close proximity, she couldn't hear their conversation, and it drove her to the brink.

Jolie had little choice but to let her imagination run wild. Martin and Aniston, the couple, hadn't left their room the entire night. What were they up to?

Meanwhile, in a mansion in Beverly Hills, Brad Pitt, bearing heavy dark circles under his eyes, uncorked a bottle of whiskey and took swigs straight from the bottle.

Only after he had belched from his liquor did he pause for a moment.

Alcohol had the power to temporarily dull a myriad of troubles. Seated on the couch, he switched on the TV. The entertainment channel played the news.

"Last night, Brad Pitt experienced another outburst. After kicking other people's cars, he smashed his cell phone!"

Accompanied by the voiceover, a video from the parking lot the previous night showed paparazzi recording the incident.

"Since parting ways with Jolie, the Hollywood superstar has been wrestling with alcohol and struggling with emotional instability. Some speculate he may be grappling with psychological and mental issues..."

Brad Pitt took another sip and, with a raised middle finger, directed it towards the TV. "Nonsense!"

At that moment, the doorbell of the mansion rang. Brad Pitt answered the door intercom, and his manager made his way in.

After a brief wait, the manager entered the living room. "Why are you here so early?" Pitt inquired.

The manager retrieved two glasses, poured only a quarter of the liquor into each, and then handed one to Brad Pitt. "The lawyer couldn't reach you, so he reached out to me."

Brad Pitt asked, "What's the issue this time?"

The manager presented a newspaper to Brad Pitt, pointing at an article. "The car you kicked last night wasn't ours. The owner of that car called the police, and it might entail compensation."

"Foolish!" Pitt grumbled, feeling that nothing was going his way. "Fine, let them have the compensation they want."

The manager nodded and issued a reminder. "Don't show your face in public recently. The paparazzi and entertainment reporters won't let you be if they spot you. Your current state..."

Pitt's heart had been broken by Jolie and Aniston, and he waved away the advice. "I want nothing to do with the outside world at the moment. Tell me about the news, as always, keep an eye on Aniston."

"Of course." The manager left the room.

Brad Pitt regained his composure for a moment, picked up his drink, and began to sip. He also called the housekeeping service, saying, "Where's my housekeeper? Tell her to come over right away!" His wounded soul sought solace.

Approaching noon, Aniston found herself slumped on the sofa, lost in thought.

Martin emerged from the bathroom, swiftly dressed, and came over to gently pat her face. "Honey, I've ordered lunch, and it's on the dining table."

Aniston was thoroughly content with the little puppy in every respect. She raised her head and inquired, "Aren't you joining me for lunch?"

Martin spoke softly, "Ari Emmanuel has a noon appointment with me, and I can't miss it."

Aniston recognized Ari and didn't press Martin further. She said, "You go ahead. I'll rest a bit and then head home directly."

Martin kissed her forehead and exited the suite.

Before reaching the elevator, the door of a nearby suite suddenly opened, revealing Jolie.

She bestowed Martin with an enigmatic smile and inquired, "Why didn't you answer my calls?"

Martin casually provided an excuse, "My phone was on silent, and I didn't hear it."

With a nod, Jolie gestured toward her door with her eyes. "Would you like to come in and sit down?"

Martin replied firmly, "I have something important to attend to, so I won't come in. We can talk when there's time."

Jolie accepted the answer but had no intention of letting Martin slip away. "I'll be waiting for you at Cotis Community when you return."

"Whatever you wish." Martin was a man of principles.

Jolie retreated into her room, closing the door.

Martin took the elevator downstairs, where he met Bruce. Together, they headed to Century City to meet Ariel Emmanuel.

As Bruce got into the car, he handed Martin a newspaper and said, "Brad Pitt's in a tight spot."

Martin read the article and asked, "Were you caught on camera last night? Was it your doing?"

Bruce shrugged. "I was concerned that our friends in the media were going broke. I paid their rent, bought them food, and called them. Sacrificing Brad Pitt alone could offer many people a better life. It's worth it." He added, "Judy also specifically reminded the car's owner about the potential for a substantial settlement."

Martin commended him, saying, "Brother, those entertainment reporters should award you a 'Friends of Journalists' medal!"

Bruce thought of the gold avocado Sofia had given Martin and exclaimed, "It must be pure gold; I wouldn't take anything less!" He then asked, "Did you keep the gift I sent?"

Martin replied, "I've left it for Aniston."

Bruce questioned, "Is that alright?"

"Aniston is a true billionaire," Martin acknowledged. "No matter how expensive the gift is, she might not take it to heart. Why not give her something more sentimental?" He emphasized, "It's something I personally hunted and killed."

Bruce raised his middle finger in a playful jest, with countless crocodiles and bison in Australia likely commiserating.

...

Back at the Hotel Marmont on the luxury suite floor, Aniston finished her lunch alone. She tidied up and noticed that Martin had left a gift for her on the living room coffee table.

She opened the mahogany box, revealing two not particularly expensive gifts.

One was a fang pendant.

The other was an ox horn carving, a little over twenty centimeters in size. The carving depicted Martin as a clown with a large head and outstretched hands, side by side. Every detail, from his face to his hair to his clothing, was meticulously rendered, creating an uneven surface.

Aniston picked up the clown figurine and noticed something odd.

Under the gift box was a note that read, "Last night, it suddenly occurred to me that I wanted to give you something with special significance. The raw materials for both of these items are from the crocodiles and bison I personally hunted during my work in Australia. They may not have high monetary value, but they're precious to me. I hope you like them."

Aniston wasn't lacking in wealth or expensive possessions. However, this seemingly simple gift made her feel that the little puppy's gesture was particularly thoughtful and lacked any taint of extravagance.

She reached for her phone and sent a text message to Martin, reading, "I love your gift."

But she couldn't help but ponder whether she should give Martin a gift in return.

Seeing that Martin's gift was unique, Aniston felt that the gift she gave him shouldn't be excessively ostentatious. Martin likely wouldn't appreciate it.

As she contemplated her options, Aniston grabbed her bag and exited the room.

...

Later that day, after Martin's meeting with Ari Emmanuel, he renewed his contract with WMA, securing a reduced brokerage commission of 8% instead of the standard 10%.

This marked a unique distinction, as Martin was the first WMA client born in the 1980s. He fell under Ali's purview, and even Natalie Portman, famous for her role in the "Star Wars: Prequels" trilogy, hadn't enjoyed the same treatment.

The contract signing went smoothly, and afterwards, Martin accompanied Thomas to his office.

Thomas inquired directly, "The tabloids are stirring up rumors about your involvement with Aniston. What's the story?"

Martin responded, "I was with Aniston last night, but the tabloids have largely ignored it."

Thomas was cooperative, asking, "Do we need to address this in any particular way?"

Martin replied, "It's not the right time to respond. I'm simply adding an extra layer of insurance for the movie. Success is hard to come by, so we should leverage all the favorable factors."

In truth, he was no different from Pete. He too used relationships with women to boost his career.

Thomas understood that Martin wasn't just courting women but was also creating publicity for "Limitless."

After all, movies were commodities heavily reliant on publicity and marketing. A film that combined guaranteed quality with a marketing sensation was more likely to find success.