Chapter 149: That Lump

After a few drinks, Albert Hoffman was getting along well with the sexy woman. His years of experience in Hollywood made him adept at seduction, and his status as a DreamWorks executive always worked in his favor.

He took the woman's hand, "Shall we go somewhere more private?"

"Where to?" The sexy woman, with her exquisite makeup comparable to a Hollywood star, responded seductively, though her voice was a bit husky.

With his large nose, Albert Hoffman replied, "Come with me, you won't regret it."

But the woman didn't move, rasping, "Let's go to my place. I'll show you something fun."

Albert hesitated, but the woman grabbed his hand and led him away with a double entendre, "Come, let's go through the back door."

Watching her swaying figure, Albert couldn't resist. He had seduced many women over the years and was confident in his skills.

Following her out the bar's back door into a quiet alley, devoid of people, he felt a mix of excitement and caution.

"How about we try it here?" The woman's allure was overwhelming.

Albert was tempted but the cold December night in London made him shiver. For the sake of his health, he slapped her butt and urged, "Let's go to your place."

The woman led him out of the alley and to a slightly shabby apartment building. They entered a small apartment, showing that her financial situation wasn't great.

The woman quickly cozied up to him, and Albert didn't hold back. They started making out, and under her guidance, Albert tore off her clothes and played light bondage games.

Listening to her excited screams, Albert's blows grew heavier, leaving some bruises and marks.

"Don't move!"

The woman knelt in front of Albert, unbuckled his belt, and went down on him, commanding, "Don't move!"

A few minutes later, she ran to the bathroom, covering her mouth. Albert, satisfied, sat on the sofa, thinking she was quite something.

In the bathroom, she spat what was in her mouth into her hand, took off her skirt, and used the handle of a toothbrush to self-inflict some injuries. Repeating the process several times, she cleaned up, broke the toothbrush, and flushed it down the toilet. She then picked up her phone and called the police.

After making the call in a low voice, she checked everything carefully, ensuring nothing was amiss despite the burning pain in her rear.

"You okay?" Albert asked, noticing she hadn't come out for a while.

"I'm fine," she replied, stepping out, her naked back visible to Albert.

The curves of her body made Albert aroused again.

"Do you want a surprise?" Her voice was even huskier and raspier now.

"What surprise?" Albert asked, "Show me, I love surprises!"

She slowly turned around, and Albert's eyes widened in shock. Between her legs was a lump that shouldn't have been there.

His stomach churned, and he felt an overwhelming urge to vomit.

How could this be? This was a man? No, a woman? Neither?

Oh God, Jesus, what have I done?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The door was suddenly knocked on, followed by high-pitched screams from the person, "Help! Help—"

The individual, who was neither clearly male nor female, crouched at the bathroom door, clutching their chest and screaming, "Help me!"

Boom—

The door was kicked open, and two policemen barged in. The person, filled with hope, shouted, "Officers, help me!"

Pointing at Albert Hoffman, they cried, "He raped me!"

Albert was stunned, never having encountered such a situation, unsure how to react.

Quickly, both the person and Albert were taken away. The police collected evidence, including the torn clothes and injuries, and conducted a forensic examination, comparing DNA samples.

At the police station, Albert finally calmed down, realizing he had been trapped by this androgynous individual.

He hadn't personally experienced it, but Hollywood movies and scripts had similar plots—targeting a big shot like him, frequenting the same bar, looking to extort money.

Albert felt nauseated, wondering if he could ever get aroused again.

The police informed him he could call a lawyer. Humiliated, Albert didn't dare contact Spielberg or DreamWorks, fearing becoming a laughingstock and losing his status.

What should he do?

Albert thought of a DreamWorks crew filming nearby. He called the producer, a friend, asking for the legal counsel.

First, he needed to get bailed out. The rest could be dealt with later.

By the next day, around noon, the lawyer arrived.

Albert asked directly, "When can I get out?"

The lawyer, feeling repulsed by this highly controversial man, patiently explained, "Mr. Hoffman, the situation is very unfavorable for you. The victim's torn clothes are covered with your fingerprints, and the injuries match your fingerprints. The bodily fluids match your DNA. All evidence is against you."

"Can we settle?" Albert wanted to end this trouble quickly.

The lawyer said, "I've inquired, but they refuse to settle and insist on pressing charges."

Albert lost his temper, "This is a setup! I was framed! He seduced me!"

"Calm down! Calm down..." The lawyer advised, seeing Albert slightly calm down, "The problem is the evidence, which is very damning."

Injuries, torn clothes, bodily fluids—all damning.

Albert took a deep breath, "Can you get me out on bail?"

The lawyer said, "I've applied for bail, but the other party's lawyer is arguing you might flee to the US. Unless you find a high-profile guarantor in the UK, it will take time to process the bail."

Albert thought of a few British celebrities, including some actresses he had been with, but said nothing. If they bailed him out, they'd want to know the details, and the news would spread like wildfire in the entertainment industry.

He asked the professional, "What do you suggest?"

"Raise the bail money; I'll get you out as soon as possible. But the police might formally charge you anytime. Even if you get bail, you can't leave London unless the charges are dropped." The lawyer said, "I'll also negotiate with the other party for a settlement."

The lawyer gave a lot of advice, telling Albert not to speak recklessly before leaving the station.

Albert could only wait patiently.

At the Hilton Hotel, Robert rushed out of the elevator, down a long corridor, and knocked on Michael's door.

Entering the room, Robert closed the door, speaking in a low voice, "Just got news, Albert Hoffman has been arrested by the London police on rape charges."

Michael remained calm, seeing no direct connection to himself, asking, "Is he out on bail?"

"No," Robert replied, "The victim has solid evidence and quickly hired a professional lawyer. It won't be easy for Hoffman to get bail."

He looked at Michael, "Even if he gets bail, as long as the charges aren't dropped, he can't leave London."

Michael quietly gazed out at London, vaguely seeing Big Ben, and said, "I've arranged for Alan Albert and Danny Donald to watch the Christmas match in Manchester. If there's no interference from DreamWorks in the next two or three days, I'm confident I can secure them in Manchester."

On the phone, Alan Albert's attitude had clearly shifted, thanks to Tom Cruise's call.

"Don't worry," Robert knew the critical importance of the overseas distribution channel, "Hoffman won't leave London!"

Michael walked over, lightly patting Robert's arm, "We have no background, no financial backing, and no foundation. It's not easy to grow."

Robert deeply felt this. From their first trip to Abu Dhabi, they had been, metaphorically speaking, dancing on a knife's edge under Michael's leadership.

"Keep an eye on things in London," Michael said, preparing to pack, "I'm heading to Manchester this afternoon."

Everything was for establishing an overseas distribution channel. With both North American and overseas channels, Relativity Entertainment wouldn't easily fall.

As for whether DreamWorks would fall early, that was not his concern.