Chapter 13

The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Winona Ryder turned her head to Matthew and asked, "What's your name?"

Matthew hesitated for a moment before replying, "Matthew. Matthew Horner."

Winona nodded. "Matthew Horner? I'll remember you."

Matthew smiled, pretending to be unfazed, but he was secretly hoping Winona would forget all about him by tomorrow.

"I'll find a suitable role for you," Winona said.

"Make sure he has more lines and screen time," Jolie chimed in. "And give him the role that pays better."

Winona frowned slightly. "The important, named roles were cast a long time ago, and their scenes have already been shot. It's impossible to replace an actor in a significant role on a whim, as you well know."

Matthew wasn't asking for a major role—that would be absurd. And getting an important part that he couldn't handle with his current acting skills would only be a recipe for humiliation.

Jolie relented. "Fine. A supporting role with a few lines would be perfect."

She glanced at Matthew, a young man who was greedy but knew when to stop. He had made a good impression on her and had been a great help this time. After a moment's thought, she added a condition of her own: "His name should be in the final credits."

Hearing this, Matthew couldn't help but mentally slap himself—he was such an amateur.

This was something an agent should have fought for, but that agent of his... Matthew shook his head. He didn't have the capital to just fire him yet, but once things improved, Dennis would be kicked to the curb.

"Alright, that's not a problem." Winona's cool, clear-eyed gaze slowly returned. "I can promise you that."

Angelina Jolie snapped her fingers. "Good, problem solved."

She turned to leave, and Matthew stood up, but Winona called out.

"Wait!"

"Something else?" Angelina Jolie asked, pausing.

"I'll do everything you ask," Winona said. "But do you promise not to tell anyone about my... shoplifting?"

"Why would I tell anyone? What do I stand to gain from that?" When Jolie wasn't acting like a shrew, her mind was sharp. "I got what I wanted, so why would I talk? To start a scandal? To affect the film? Would it benefit me if the movie gets delayed because of a scandal?"

Winona considered this for a moment and nodded cautiously. "I hope that's the case."

Then she turned her head toward Matthew. "And you?"

"I promise I won't say anything," Matthew immediately replied.

"I don't believe you," Winona said bluntly. "I don't trust people like you."

Matthew spread his hands helplessly. "I'm a man of my word. Jolie can vouch for me."

"I'm not vouching for anything," Angelina Jolie declared, distancing herself. "I don't know you. We've known each other for less than a month."

Matthew frowned slightly and asked Winona, "What do you want?"

"It's simple." Winona Ryder stood up. "I'll call my lawyer, and you'll sign a non-disclosure agreement."

Matthew could only look at Angelina Jolie. With his limited education and ignorance of American law, he had no one to consult but her.

Angelina Jolie, however, asked Winona, "What kind of contract?"

"I'll just restrict him with certain terms, so he won't mention anything about me for a while," Winona replied, seeming prepared.

"That's acceptable," Jolie nodded.

Matthew couldn't object. He wouldn't be foolish enough to talk about the theft as long as Winona kept her promise.

Winona and Jolie called their respective lawyers, and the two women didn't shy away, negotiating with each other and drawing up a private agreement.

As for Matthew, with the help of Jolie's lawyer, he signed an agreement stipulating a hefty payout if he was offered a role on set, and he also agreed to remain silent about the theft.

Walking out of the office, Matthew glanced back. Just how competitive must Hollywood be when a production team with relatively uncomplicated relationships was already at each other's throats?

The other members of the crew left one by one, leaving Winona alone in the office. She took out her cell phone and dialed her agent's number. "Go to the bookstore near Columbia Pictures right now and buy all their security camera recordings."

Feeling a little calmer after the call, Winona turned to look out the window, thinking about the bastard who had pushed her into this corner.

Her pale face grew redder with anger when her phone suddenly rang. It was her boyfriend.

"Hi, Matt," she said, listening for a moment. "I'm working late tonight, so don't come pick me up. In a bad mood? Yeah, you're damn right I am. I met a really nasty guy named Matthew Horner, and he pissed me off. Just wait until I get home, we'll talk over dinner. Is Ben doing okay? Tell Ben I said hi."

After hanging up, she picked up the phone on her desk again and dialed director James Mangold's number to start fulfilling her promise.

Meanwhile, as soon as Matthew stepped out of the Columbia Pictures lot, Jolie's driver was already pulling up to the curb.

Her assistant, Vanessa, opened the door, and Jolie was about to get in when she saw Matthew heading for the bus stop. She called out, "Where are you going?"

"Hollywood Boulevard." Matthew was ready to head to Red Penguin to continue his driving duties for the evening.

"Get in." With that, Jolie slipped into the car. Matthew hesitated for a moment, then walked over, opened the door, and got inside.

"Thanks," he said politely.

The back of the luxury car had two separate seats. Jolie sat on the right, already flipping through a magazine without even looking at Matthew. "You're welcome," she replied casually. "You helped me out too."

Matthew smiled. "It was more like I was helping myself."

Jolie calmly flipped through her magazine. "People like you will fit right in in Hollywood."

Matthew answered confidently, "I think so too."

She shot him a quick glance before returning to her reading, but a moment later she said,

"I don't like being indebted to you."

Just then, Jolie revealed the real reason she had asked Matthew to get in the car. "Go on, what do you want?"

Matthew understood immediately that Jolie saw this as settling a small debt.

He never expected a Hollywood star like Angelina Jolie to treat a minor, unprofessional actor as an equal. After what had happened today, it was clear that the people in this circle weren't just your average snobs.

"I need professional training," Matthew said, knowing such an opportunity was rare. "You're a veteran in this business. I hope you can recommend a good acting school."

Hearing this, Angelina Jolie was slightly surprised. She had thought he would ask for money or another job opportunity, but she hadn't expected this.

But his request was simple enough to fulfill. She nodded. "I'll have Vanessa let you know if she finds a suitable option."

After that, Jolie's full attention was on her magazine, and she didn't say another word to Matthew. He wasn't planning on talking either, so he turned to look out the window until the car approached the office on Hollywood Boulevard, where he asked the driver to stop.

"Goodbye," he said.

Jolie just nodded.

After getting out of the car, Matthew walked over to Red Penguin, got the keys from Lister, waited for the sun to set, and drove the Ford out to resume his night shift.

...

As night fell, Hollywood Boulevard was brightly lit. Dragging his corpulent body, Dennis Coulter squeezed into a nightclub, sat at the bar, and ordered a stout. He replayed the day's events in his mind with a sense of dejection and couldn't help but take a long swig of beer.

The actress and producer of the film, Winona, clearly had a bias against that fool, so he hadn't interfered.

Dennis was crestfallen and took an even bigger gulp from his glass.

Suddenly, the cell phone in his pocket rang. Dennis fished it out, stood up, dropped a bill on the counter, and quickly exited the noisy bar, finding a quieter spot to answer.

"Dennis." It was the casting director, Ruby. "Matthew Horner is your actor, right?"

Dennis was tempted to say no, but there was no denying it, so he said, "Yes, but I'm no longer—"

Ruby cut him off. "You left this morning. Did something happen?"

Dennis Coulter grew a little nervous, afraid that the afternoon's events would sour his relationship with Director Ruby.

"Why are you so quiet?" Ruby's voice sounded normal. "I'm calling to let you know that you and Matthew Horner should come to the set tomorrow to sign a retroactive agreement. His role has been changed to a supporting character, and his pay has been increased to two hundred dollars a day."

"What?" Dennis Coulter couldn't believe his ears. "What did you say?"

"Weren't you listening?" the voice on the phone suddenly grew sharp.

"Bring Matthew Horner tomorrow and don't be late! He has scenes to shoot."

Dennis Coulter stood frozen for a moment before managing, "I understand."

After hanging up, he stood there in a daze. Everything was changing too fast.

He took out his phone and dialed Matthew's number, but there was no answer. He had to keep trying, and eventually, the call went through. Matthew, on the other end, seemed very busy. After a brief, casual exchange, they agreed to meet tomorrow before he hung up.

Dennis stood on the street for a while, stunned. Could it be that this minor actor had some kind of powerful backer?