Chapter 267: The Heat

Thirty minutes later, the Escalade arrived at Bel-Air.

Martin asked, "Can you handle it on your own without getting robbed?"

Nicholson, sporting his cool sunglasses and a USB flash drive with a copy of the video, replied, "When I first started recording these type of things, you weren't even born yet."

Martin couldn't argue with that.

Nicholson left the car and made his way to the west gate. There, he quickly spotted the woman described by Bruce.

Judy, spotting an elderly man approaching, greeted him with surprise. When he realized it was Jack Nicholson, she was left dumbfounded, "Are you the client Bruce mentioned?"

Jack Nicholson responded seriously, "Secret code! Yes. Password! If you don't tell me the password, how would I know it's you?"

Judy reluctantly gave the code, "Leonardo's rapid-fire water gun."

Nicholson nodded, "That's you, all right."

Judy gestured towards a nearby grove, "This deal is significant. I don't have that much cash with me, so I brought my new boss."

This arrangement had been discussed over the phone, and the passwords were reconfirmed. Nicholson gestured impatiently, "Have him come over quickly; I don't have time to chat."

A middle-aged man joined them.

"Harvey Levine!" Nicholson removed his sunglasses to ensure he recognized the right person.

This man had been an entertainment lawyer and an entertainment columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

Levine was also quite surprised, "Old Jack!"

Nicholson inquired, "Why are you here?"

Levine explained briefly, "I just launched a website dedicated to publishing entertainment gossip called TMZ. In the future, if you want to sell insider information for news, you can contact me or Judy."

Nicholson produced a USB flash drive, saying, "Exclusive footage: Martin Davis and Brad Pitt fought over jealousy for Jennifer Aniston at Avalon."

Levine's hands trembled with excitement, "Is this real?"

Nicholson assured him, "I shot the video myself. It's as real as it gets."

He recounted the story once more.

Judy fetched a pen and notebook, jotting down every detail.

Levine retrieved his laptop from the car, plugged in the USB flash drive, and began reviewing the contents.

When the video reached the point where Pete attacked Martin, Nicholson pulled out the USB flash drive, declaring, "Thirty thousand dollars, not a cent less."

Levine excitedly fumbled with his hands.

TMZ, a brand-new outlet specializing in celebrity gossip, scandals, and sensational stories, needed groundbreaking news to establish its reputation.

Brad Pitt, an A-list star.

Martin, one of the hottest newcomers of the year.

And in the midst of it all, America's sweetheart Jennifer Aniston!

Levine had no difficulty reaching a decision, "All right, thirty thousand dollars!"

A few minutes later, the deal was successfully concluded. Nicholson returned to the car with the check, and the trio of scoundrels promptly divided their spoils.

Of course, they couldn't forget about the IRS's share.

Martin suggested, "Shall we find a place for a little celebration?"

Leonardo proposed, "How about hitting a nightclub to unwind?"

Nicholson shook his head, "Not tonight." He glanced at his watch, "I've got a date in an hour and a half."

Martin and Leonardo exchanged puzzled glances. "Where's the date?"

Nicholson, recalling the fireworks incident, grew anxious, "I won't tell you." He instructed Bruce from the front, "Bruce, pull over to the side of the road and park the car."

As the car came to a stop, Nicholson quickly exited and hopped into his own car that had been trailing behind, speeding off into the night.

Leonardo, no longer interested, left the car, "Let's head home."

"Going home." Martin closed the car door, pondered for a moment, and then dialed Thomas on his phone.

In a hotel suite, Thomas entered with a beautiful woman in his arms. However, as soon as he entered, his phone rang.

"Give me a moment." Seeing Martin's call, he had to answer it.

The beauty took a seat on the sofa and waited patiently.

As Thomas stepped onto the balcony to take the call, he couldn't help but feel relieved. He had gotten smarter, opting for paying women rather than a committed relationship. This way, he didn't have to be as cautious as when he served the queen.

It was a more practical use of his resources—obedience, punctuality, and discretion were key.

Upon answering the phone, Thomas was taken aback, "You and Brad Pitt had a fight? TMZ? Understood, I'll monitor it tonight." After hanging up, Thomas returned to the suite's living room. He glanced at the beauty, who was still sitting there, and sighed, "That's it for tonight; we're done."

The beauty got up but extended her hand.

Thomas reluctantly reached for his wallet.

With a contented smile, the beauty left the suite.

Thomas collected his belongings and exited the room. He called Jessica and Emily as he entered the elevator, observing his receding hairline in the mirrored doors. Ignoring such minor details, he rushed to Davis Studio to stay updated on the developments of TMZ, a website dedicated to celebrity gossip and sensational news.

Within ten minutes of Thomas arriving at the studio, news and videos from the newly launched TMZ website had taken center stage on the front page.

"Jealousy over Aniston led to a brawl between Martin Davis and Brad Pitt at the Avalon bar, resulting in a brutal knockout for Brad Pitt," read the headline.

The accompanying picture depicted Peter, pinned down on a bar table by Martin with a glass Coca-Cola bottle on his head.

Upon clicking the webpage, a somewhat blurry video revealed the skirmish between Martin and Pitt.

Brad Pitt made the first move and was defeated swiftly by Martin.

The detailed news description suggested that because Aniston had a role in Martin's new film, "Limitless," Brad Pitt suspected a romantic connection between them, leading to their altercation.

TMZ's article encouraged other media outlets to reprint the story while giving proper credit.

In response to the news, Emily entered the office and informed her tired colleagues, "The boss said, if you work overtime tonight, you'll receive five times your regular salary."

This announcement energized several employees, who promptly began sharing the TMZ story online, leaving comments and engaging in discussions.

"Martin took Pitt down with ease, even though he initiated the fight."

"With his behavior, it's no wonder why both Aniston and Jolie had enough of him."

"I bet he's always been a pushover."

"Did anyone notice? It's Coca-Cola again. Martin is unstoppable with a Coke bottle in hand!"

"After all, he's the leader of the Coke Cult."

"Coke in glass bottles is timeless!"

The news quickly gained popularity, making Martin, Pitt, and Aniston trending topics on Google.

Additionally, the buzz around the film "Limitless" soared with this newfound attention.

Seizing the opportunity, Martin skillfully promoted his new project amidst the controversy.

As the news spread, more websites joined in reposting it, while traditional media, particularly newspapers, struggled to keep up.

Cotis Community

Upon returning home, Martin spotted the news on the TMZ website. After a moment's contemplation, he dialed Aniston's number.

Jennifer Aniston, upon receiving the call, expressed her concern, "Martin, are you alright?"

Martin recounted the evening's events, including the fact that someone had potentially recorded the scene and posted it online with exaggerated claims. He took responsibility for involving her, saying, "I must apologize for dragging you into this."

Jennifer Aniston, having already examined the news, confirmed that Brad Pitt had initiated the altercation and offered her apologies, "I should be the one apologizing because it was that idiot who attacked you." Martin suggested that she inform her team and be prepared.

Grateful for his concern, Aniston replied, "Thank you, Martin, for calling me personally."

After hanging up, Aniston's smile vanished, and she couldn't suppress her frustration any longer. She retrieved a spare phone, dialed Peter's number, and unleashed her anger upon him.

Brad Pitt was bewildered by the scolding and attempted to understand what had happened. Aniston continued to berate him and eventually hung up the phone before turning it off.

Upon his arrival home, Brad Pitt faced a barrage of criticism. After contacting various people, he soon realized the extent of the situation. He quickly checked online and grew increasingly furious.

Following this incident, Brad Pitt's household would require substantial updates to furniture and appliances.

Meanwhile, at their Beverly Hills mansion, Jolie had just finished tending to her children.

Despite having numerous nannies, ensuring the three children's well-being was a challenging task.

Unexpectedly, her agent called, "Check out TMZ for the latest news. There's a breaking story about Martin, Pitt, and Aniston!"

Knowing what it meant, Jolie promptly headed to her study.

As she turned on her computer and visited TMZ, she watched the video and read the news. A surge of emotions swept through her, setting her ablaze from the inside.

Jolie was more than thrilled; she was ecstatic. She grabbed her phone and, leaving the nanny in charge of the kids, headed out of the villa. Without waiting for a response from the nanny, she hopped into her red Ferrari and sped off toward her destination in Sherman Oaks.

Upon her arrival at the Cotis community, Jolie parked her car in front of Martin's house. She knocked on the door with urgency, and Bruce answered.

Surprised to see her, Bruce asked, "What brings you here?"

Jolie nodded at him and said, "Bruce, I'm here to find Martin."

Bruce pointed to Martin at the villa's door, signaling her to enter through the small gate.

Julie sprinted toward Martin, unbuttoning her women's shirt as she ran, throwing it aside. She loosened the waistband of her pants.

Bruce quickly retreated to a nearby building.

"Aniston!" Jolie tossed her jeans into the courtyard's swimming pool. "Call Aniston!"

Upon entering the living room, Jolie noticed that Martin hadn't called Aniston yet. Frustrated, she decided to call Brad Pitt instead.

"Is everything okay? I... just wanted to let you know that I'm returning your gift!" Pitt was confused, and Jolie continued, breathing heavily, "Why the heavy breathing, you ask? I'm exercising!"