Chapter 12 |
After removing her makeup and changing into casual clothes, Winona Ryder left her private dressing room and returned to the producer's office. She poured herself a glass of water and settled behind her large, luxurious desk, looking relaxed and in a rather good mood.
The film "Girl, Interrupted" was her passion project, a perfect opportunity to boost her popularity without letting anyone else steal the spotlight. The scenes she'd discussed cutting with the screenwriters and other crew members were ones where the supporting actress was particularly striking but didn't significantly impact the main plot.
She was the producer, and as long as the other producer, Kathy Conrad, kept quiet, Angelina Jolie was powerless to fight back.
Footsteps sounded from outside, followed by a knock on the door. "Come in," Winona Ryder called out. Her assistant hurried through the doorway.
"What is it?" Winona Ryder asked, frowning slightly at the sight of her.
The assistant seemed to have run all the way here. Catching her breath, she said:
"Jolie and that guy are on their way."
Winona Ryder raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows. "And what do they want?"
The assistant whispered, "They're probably here to cause trouble."
Then a thought struck her, and a look of anticipation crossed her cool, composed features. "Don't tell me Jolie is here to stick up for that guy?"
The assistant nodded. "It seems likely. After all, he only got cast because Jolie personally asked Conrad."
"If that's the case..." Winona Ryder's expression grew even more eager.
"What am I going to do about it?"
Suddenly, she couldn't wait for Angelina Jolie to arrive.
Down the hall, Matthew trailed helplessly beside Angelina Jolie as she strolled unhurriedly toward the office.
"Seriously, why do I have to come with you?" Matthew protested, not wanting to be there at all.
Angelina Jolie shot him a look. "She cut your part. Don't you want to make her pay? Don't you want to rub her smug little face in it?"
Matthew did want to see the look on her face, but he was still worried that Winona wouldn't let him off the hook afterward.
"Hmph," Jolie snorted, seeing his hesitation.
Initially, Matthew had considered confronting Winona on his own. But then he recalled some of the things he'd seen from the bottom rungs of society and realized that having a powerful ally would be more effective. Given the vast difference in status between him and Winona, she could easily use some underhanded tactic against him.
The powerful always had plenty of ways to crush the powerless.
He suspected that Angelina Jolie knew perfectly well he was using her as a shield, but she wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to stick it to Winona. So she simply dragged him along, making it impossible for him to hide in the background.
When they reached the office door, Jolie pushed it open without knocking and strode inside. Matthew didn't hesitate, following right behind her.
"Yes? Can I help you?" came Winona's cool, crisp voice.
Angelina Jolie turned to Winona's assistant. "I'd like to speak with her alone."
Winona refused without a moment's hesitation. "I wouldn't."
Her gaze shifted from Angelina Jolie, who no longer wore a malicious expression, to the tall young man beside her with a forced smile on his face.
So, they're definitely lovers, she thought. Tsk, tsk, Jolie. A married woman, cheating on her husband. Winona was sure she'd guessed right, and a look of smug superiority settled on her pale, cool features for a moment.
"Miss Ryder, it would be best if you sent your assistant away," Matthew said, feeling that the fewer people who knew about this, the more room he'd have to negotiate.
"I don't think that's necessary," Winona Ryder said with a dismissive wave.
Jolie nudged Matthew. "Go on. Just tell the bitch what you came to say."
Matthew sighed. "Miss Ryder," he began, "I saw you at the bookstore near the studio the other day."
Winona Ryder lowered her glass, a faint blush rising on her pale cheeks. "What bookstore?"
"The one just outside the studio gates," Matthew specified, glancing at Winona's assistant.
"The one near the tourist area."
Winona's heart suddenly began to hammer in her chest. She shot a look at her assistant. "Get out and close the door. Now!"
The young woman scrambled out, shutting the door behind her.
"Hahaha!" Jolie burst out laughing, and Winona's heart pounded even faster. "What are you laughing at?"
Jolie took a long stride forward and loomed over Winona Ryder, who was now perched awkwardly on the edge of her chair. "Who would've thought? The great Hollywood star, Miss Winona Ryder, is nothing but a pathetic little thief."
"Don't you dare slander me!" Winona snapped.
Jolie leaned closer, relishing the panic in the other woman's eyes. "You know perfectly well I'm telling the truth."
Winona Ryder, of course, refused to admit it. "I'll... I'll sue you for slander!"
"Really?" Fed up with her act, Jolie slammed her hands down on the desk and glared at Winona. "You want me to call my lawyer? Let's do it!"
Winona shot to her feet and rounded on Matthew. "You, get out! No, both of you! Get out of my office!"
Matthew didn't back down. "I'm sorry, Miss Ryder," he interjected calmly. "But let me remind you, I was the one who saw you in that bookstore."
He glanced at Angelina Jolie. "Not Miss Jolie."
Now that he was here, he wasn't about to leave empty-handed.
Winona's eyes flashed with fury, but before she could speak, Matthew cut her off. "The store is on the corner of Fourth and Fifth. You took two books. I remember one had a red cover, and the other was green."
The words died on Winona Ryder's lips. An unnatural flush spread across her pale face once again.
"Oh, and that's not all," Matthew added. "You might have missed them, but that store has security cameras. We could always ask for the tapes and release them to the public. I doubt you'd face any real legal trouble, but your reputation would be ruined."
Winona's knees went weak, and she sank back into her chair. The flush on her face vanished, replaced by a stark, snowy white.
Winona's heart hammered against her ribs. "How is that possible? How could you have seen me?"
She'd always been a kleptomaniac, but her celebrity status had always served as the perfect cover. No one had ever suspected a thing.
"What's the matter, bitch?" Angelina Jolie perched on the edge of Winona's desk, a look of triumph on her face. "Not so high and mighty now, are you?"
Winona was at a complete loss, her defiance gone as she fell silent.
Matthew looked around, found a swivel chair, and sat down. It was Jolie's turn to take the stage.
Though stunned and flustered, Winona Ryder had spent years navigating the treacherous waters of Hollywood. Gradually, she regained her composure.
"You," Winona said, looking at Jolie. "What do you want?"
Her tone held no hint of surrender, as if everything Matthew had just revealed meant nothing.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to call the police or expose you." Angelina Jolie waved a hand dismissively in front of Winona's face. "It's simple. From now on, you're the lead actress, I'm the supporting actress. Just stay out of my way."
Winona looked surprised. "That's it?"
Angelina Jolie feigned surprise.
"Of course not. You didn't think I'd let you off that easily, did you?" Her playful expression vanished, replaced by a serious one. "You will restore every scene of mine that you cut. No reductions, no shortened screen time. And I get final approval on the theatrical cut."
Winona started to object, but Jolie cut her off with a raised hand. "I'll handle Columbia Pictures. You don't need to worry about them."
Under normal circumstances, these demands would have been outrageous, but now, Ryder found them perfectly acceptable.
She considered it for a moment before replying, "Fine."
Jolie smirked at her. "Such a good girl. Too bad you weren't this cooperative earlier."
Winona turned even paler with rage, but she couldn't manage a single word in response.
Angelina Jolie hopped off the desk.
"Ahem." Matthew cleared his throat pointedly.
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you." Angelina Jolie glanced at Matthew before turning back to Winona. "I have one more request, regarding him."