Chapter 257: Excitement

The two groups, the Foot Gang and the Face Gang, didn't cross paths again that night; they left separately in their cars.

Upon returning to his Cotis Community residence, Martin was greeted by Blake, who helped him with his coat and jokingly commented, "It smells so strong."

Martin replied, "Leo and old Jack asked Wes Craven and me to meet up at a nightclub."

Blake, with her usual expression, casually inquired, "Strip club?"

Martin proceeded to share some details about the club, explaining, "I was discussing a new project, and I received information from a British director. Leo had worked in his films, so I consulted Leo for more insights."

While pouring a glass of water and taking a sip, he added, "Wes Craven's experience can provide valuable advice to avoid potential pitfalls."

Blake playfully asked, "Having a hard time?"

Thinking she referred to his work, Martin said, "Compared to planning 'Wanted'..."

He couldn't finish the sentence as Blake knelt down, took out his belt, and exclaimed, "Indeed, it's quite hard to bear."

Martin was left speechless. The life of an idol sometimes meant fulfilling the desires of devoted fans. In Blake's eyes, Martin was a masterpiece, a work of art to be cherished.

An affectionate peck on her cheek and Martin stated, "I need to handle this when you return."

With a mischievous glint, Blake questioned, "How will you handle it?"

Deciding to demonstrate his intentions, Martin embarked on a journey to show the seriousness of the matter. Sometimes, education requires a strong approach.

An hour later, Martin personally drove Blake to the airport to meet her father, Ernie Lively. Blake took the opportunity to rest and nap during the journey.

At the international airport terminal, Martin met Ernie, who was concerned about his daughter's career. Ernie had secured rights to a script, convinced Warner Bros. to greenlight it, and rushed to New York to acquire film and television adaptation rights for another novel.

As they shook hands, Ernie said, "Let's talk when I return from New York."

With a nod, Martin replied, "No problem."

Blake gave him a farewell kiss and joined her father through the security checkpoint.

While driving back from the airport, Jolie called, having read online news about Martin seeing Blake off. She inquired, "You haven't broken up, have you?"

An annoyed Martin responded, "We have a strong relationship; we haven't broken up."

Jolie excitedly invited him, "Come to the hotel, our usual spot!"

Martin contemplated that taking a vacation wasn't so straightforward.

In a hotel near the Kodak Theater, three big stars of the Foot Gang, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck, dressed elegantly, prepared for the North American premiere of "Derailed" at the Weinstein Film Festival. The romantic thriller, starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen, was set to open in North America that weekend.

Harvey Weinstein had worked hard to secure distribution rights for the film, aiming to make a fortune with it. In contrast to his previous award-winning films, "Derailed" had a more commercial appeal.

To boost publicity, a strategic move was made—Brad Pitt attended the premiere of a movie starring Aniston, walking the red carpet with her.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck also lent their support as they prepared in the lounge.

Damon inquired, "Can your movie top the box office this week?"

Harvey, resting back on a sofa, replied with a hint of optimism, "There's a chance. Having Brad Pitt and Aniston has stirred up the buzz."

He could make an educated guess about what was going on in Damon's mind, as he was a relatively level-headed guy. Damon probably thought, "I may not like Martin Davis, but he's not easy to come by. He's the director of Pacific Pictures and a cash cow for Warner Brothers."

Matt Damon's feelings about Martin were far from amicable, but they weren't so intense that he'd stake everything on it.

Harvey chimed in, "Ups and downs are part of the game in Hollywood. When his star begins to wane, we won't be the only ones looking to push him off the cliff."

Damon turned his attention outside, where Brad Pitt was getting ready.

That afternoon, as Pitt graced the red carpet for the premiere of "Derailed," the scene was filled with excitement.

Pitt showing up at Aniston's premiere was quite the surprise.

Aniston, who was being interviewed in the media area, turned sour. She quickly concluded the interview and entered the theater to find her agent, Steve.

She asked, "Why hasn't the crew, producers, or distributors acknowledged my presence? Don't they respect me?" When a star reaches Jennifer Aniston's level, they've amassed considerable clout.

Aniston was fuming and didn't hold back, "Why did they let that trash, that awful person, appear at the premiere?"

Her agent tried to console her, "I'm not sure; perhaps it's a well-intentioned move to create buzz and attract audiences."

Aniston was about to explode, "Tell them that if that jerk comes within five meters of me, I'll leave immediately and hold a press conference. In the future, no matter what project or role, I'll reject anything from Dimension or Weinstein Pictures."

In this industry, there were plenty of actors who chose not to work with the Weinstein brothers, and she was adding to that list.

Aniston's recent experiences had taught her that, in Hollywood, being gentle was not necessarily a virtue and could leave one vulnerable to exploitation.

She was learning to adapt, "Steve, find out who invited him."

Steve was reluctant but couldn't resist her cold stare. He made the call and reported back, "Harvey invited him."

Aniston sneered, "In the future, I want you to turn down any offers from Dimension or Weinstein Pictures, no matter the project."

Seeing that Aniston was angry, Steve shifted the conversation, "I also inquired about the information you asked me to look into regarding Martin."

Aniston asked directly, "Did Martin Davis and Julie get together?"

Steve confirmed, "It seems so. Someone from the 'Wanted' crew saw Martin and Jolie getting into the same trailer more than once, and, well, the trailer was noticeably shaking. It couldn't have been anything else."

Aniston was not pleased, "Some people, even if they're not hurting, always find a way to stir up trouble. I've truly been hurt, and I can't even protect myself."

Steve was worried she might act impulsively, "If you decide to do anything, you need to let me know, and we'll discuss it together."

Aniston agreed, then asked, "Is there anything else about Martin Davis?"

Steve recalled, "There's the movie 'Wanted.' It premiered last week and has been a hit. Also, a friend at WMA mentioned that Martin Davis is working on a new project based on Alan Glynn's novel 'Dark Fields.'"

Aniston was intrigued, "Please get me a copy of that script."

Steve inquired, "Are you interested in Martin's project?"

Aniston replied, "I'm only interested in success. 'Friends' is over, and it's not coming back. Do I have to retire early?"

Steve couldn't afford to lose his most valuable client, Aniston, so he assured her, "Martin Davis has had several consecutive successes, and his career is on an upswing. Collaborating with him might be more promising than working with literary stars."

Aniston was known for choosing smaller, low-budget projects, like "Derailed," in which she was only paid $5 million. This was nothing considering her net worth from the dividends of "Friends," but she was far from concerned.

Aniston controlled her temper and said, "Keep a close eye on Martin. If you can get that script, get it for me first."

Steve agreed, "I'll find someone to help."

As Brad Pitt's red carpet appearance at the premiere continued to provoke Aniston, she decided to put it behind her and wait for time to heal her pain. It wasn't until Steve sorted things out with the film's distributor that Aniston entered the screening room for the premiere event.