America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Los Angeles Satellite City, Sherman Oaks.

Martin drove into the courtyard of a detached villa on the southern slope.

The car passed through the lawn and stopped beside the villa with a red roof and white walls. Martin took the gift from the passenger seat and got out of the car.

Louise, wearing a spaghetti strap dress and wrapped in a silk shawl, hurried to meet him. Before she got close, she asked, "Where's my Italian Cannon recipe?"

Martin handed over the gift box, "Patience, you lush, wouldn't kill you, would it?"

Louise didn't bother with niceties, taking the box and tearing it open directly, revealing a bottle inside.

She understood immediately, "Vodka?"

Martin said, "Give it a try, they each have their own flavor."

Together, they entered the villa where a 40-year-old Caucasian woman stood at the door.

Louise said, "This is Mary, my housekeeper." She briefly introduced Martin, "This is Martin. Give him a key to the house, he can come by anytime."

Mary acknowledged with a word.

Passing through the entry hall and into the living room of the villa, Martin saw a long bar. Behind the bar, the glass liquor cabinet was packed with all kinds of bottles.

Most prominently displayed at the bar was a crystal glass showcase with a few copper plaques inside.

They were creator's certificates for the Penicillin, Screws Lose, and My Romantic Halo cocktails, issued by the International Bartenders' Association.

Louise warned Martin, "No laughing, what you traded to me is mine."

Martin pulled up a bar stool and sat down, "I'm not laughing, nor did I say they weren't."

Mary came over with the keys and then left the villa of her own accord, heading to a smaller building next door.

Louise unwrapped her shawl, tossed it onto the sofa, and sat opposite Martin, "I haven't had the chance to settle scores with you. Why did you call my phone when you were with Kelly? Do you know how upset I was?"

Martin went straight to the heart of the matter, "Why didn't you hang up?"

Louise had no explanation; the drunkard and lecher in her gritted her teeth and dialed Kelly's number. Waiting for the other side to pick up, she turned on the speaker, "If you dare hang up, you're no friend of mine!"

Martin picked up the cocktail shaker and mixed up a Penicillin and a Screw Loose.

When the boozy lady came over to grab her drink, he pinned her directly onto the bar.

Speaking into the phone, Martin said, "Kelly, long time no see. Suddenly, I'm reminded of a saying, 'Life is a bitch, so we might as well look good living it!'"

From the phone, Kelly's voice came through, "Martin Davis, Louise Mel, you two are such a pair of dogs!"

After a long while, Louise's phone ran out of battery and automatically shut down.

The two quieted down, finally able to have a proper conversation.

Martin took out paper and pen, and wrote on two sticky notes in succession, saying, "The Italian Cannon was modified from the French 75, it has a picky taste."

"Hmm," Louise lay across the bar, too lazy to move.

Martin tore off one sticky note and handed it to Louise, "This is the recipe for the Italian Cannon, make sure you remember the process of mixing it."

Louise pinched the note with two fingers and tucked it into a drawer next to her. She jumped down, slipped back into her spaghetti strap dress, and leaned on Martin's arm casually strewn across the bar, "How's Los Angeles?"

Martin smiled, "Everything's fine except I missed you."

Louise knew he was sweet-talking her, but she was delighted to hear it and asked, "How's your Hollywood accent coming along?"

Martin switched to a Hollywood accent, "I've been taking lessons and practicing, it's much better than before. Listen, does it sound like a big star's?"

"Being a star is easy." Louise pretended to sigh lightly, "Becoming a master mixologist, that's hard."

Martin supported Louise's lying form with his left hand, and with his right hand, he tore off the second sticky note, "This one's called Rocket. The raw materials will take some effort to find; you'll probably have to go to a specialized supermarket."

"Why do the names of your cocktails always suggest other things?" Louise stood up straight, walked out from the bar, and put on a pair of black-rimmed glasses, her rascal liquor-loving demeanor fading away.

She opened a cabinet, took out a prepared file folder, and handed it to Martin, "Take a look at this."

Martin found the Warner Bros. logo on the folder and inside were a screenplay and a project plan.

"Oh look at me, memory fails when one's drunk," Louise snatched the project plan away, stored it back in the cabinet, and said, "I came back this time for a vacation and to deal with a new anthology project initiated by Warner Bros.; my Pacific Pictures is planning to participate."

The screenplay was untitled, only identified by the code name "House." Martin quickly flipped through it—a typical American horror story about young people traveling to an abandoned town.

The main story takes place in a wax museum in a deserted town.

Louise simply said, "It is Warner Bros.' remake of 'House of Wax.' The Hilton family's wild girl has gotten some investors to fund the project."

At this point, she reverted to her unorthodox ways, "You've seen her tape, right? Honestly, how was her technique?"

Martin had actually seen it, "Seems like her eyes and her breasts aren't the same size."

Louise was very curious, "I'll have to take a look sometime. Together."

Martin kept browsing the script, asking, "There are two significant male roles."

"Whichever you like, go audition for that one." Louise outlined the project, "The film publicly announces a $40 million budget, but the actual investment... You've been through 'Zombie Stripper'; these kinds of movies don't cost much to make. With your leading man cred from a North American box office of nearly seven million US dollars, you've got strong competitive power."

Martin closed the script, "The key is having you."

Louise reminded him, "Pacific Pictures is only the fourth investor besides Warner Bros., Fox, and the prodigal girl. I'm involved in an epic production in Morocco; I won't have the energy to deal with this production team when I return to North America. If you want the role, you'll have to put in the effort."

"I can't guarantee you the role, but you're definitely the strongest contender," she didn't give Martin any unrealistic fantasies.

Martin picked up the script and asked, "Can I discuss it with my agent?"

"You may," Louise agreed.

Martin recalled what Louise had said earlier, "You invested in an epic blockbuster? In collaboration with Warner Bros.?"

"That film is almost finished shooting. Forget about it," Louise said.

"That's not what I meant," Martin explained. "I heard that Warner Bros. and Brad Pitt are collaborating on a new movie about the Trojan War."

Louise shook her head, "You're thinking of Troy. I invested in a different one, about Alexander the Great."

Martin wasn't beyond redemption yet and asked, "All your money is in it?"

"Of course," Louise said as she went to get glasses and poured wine for herself and Martin. "That's why I need to keep an eye on the production."

Martin didn't know what to say. Actually, anything he said wouldn't be appropriate; he was completely unqualified.

Louise clinked glasses with Martin. "Let's go take a shower, and then watch the Hilton family's wild child together."

Martin picked her up right away, "You have the tape?"

Louise, hanging on Martin's body, said, "I got it a while back but haven't watched it yet."

It wasn't long before Louise's private screening room was playing a very special film.

Louise pulled out Martin's phone and dialed Kelly's number.

When the call connected, Kelly shouted, "If you're going to put it on speaker, hurry up, you adulterers!"

Martin activated the speakerphone on his phone.

In the evening, with the sky turning dark, Louise left for a family dinner in Brentwood in a Bentley, leaving the villa.

Martin took the script and headed straight for Century City.

Securing such a crucial role, an agent was indispensable.

Although it was dark, Martin always believed Thomas was an extremely professional agent.

He definitely wouldn't mind discussing work at this hour.

He called Thomas on the way.

......

In a high-end restaurant in Century City, Thomas very gentlemanly pulled out a chair for his girlfriend and waited for her to sit before taking his place across from her.

He apologized after getting someone to reserve a spot, "Amanda..."

Amanda turned to look out the window at the night view and said softly, "I'm giving you a chance, let's see how you do."

Thomas loosened his tie and smiled.

The waiter brought over the menu, and Thomas allowed Amanda to order. Just as they'd finished ordering, Thomas's phone suddenly rang.

Amanda's face fell.

Thomas steeled his heart and hung up the phone.

But in less than ten seconds, the phone rang again; the caller ID showed the name—Martin Davis.

"There might be an emergency," Thomas quickly explained. "I'll just ask one question, only one."

Amanda wasn't unreasonable and nodded slightly.

Thomas answered the call, pressing down on the fuse burning towards his chest, "Speak if you have business."

Martin was a very particular person, no nonsense, and went straight to the point, "A very important job to discuss. The lead male role in a 40 million US dollar investment project, co-produced by Warner Bros. and Fox, with Pacific Pictures joining the co-production, and Louise Mel fighting for the opportunity on my behalf."

He emphasized, "I just got the script from Louise, Thomas, we've taken the lead already!"

Thomas immediately realized the importance of this opportunity for both Martin and himself, without a second thought, "Where are you? Let's meet right now..."

He caught himself mid-sentence.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go; he had specifically made time to apologize to Amanda tonight, and then they were to go to the hotel.

Thomas covered the phone's mouthpiece, "Amanda, hear me out..."

Across from him, Amanda put on her jacket and, regardless of being in a high-class restaurant, gave Thomas the finger, "We are done."

Thomas looked at the phone in his hand, then at Amanda, who was quickly walking away, torn.

The voice of Martin came through the phone again, "A 40 million US dollar production, the lead male role, we can't miss out!"

Thomas cursed Martin a thousand times in his mind; had he been able to kill with his thoughts, Martin would've definitely exploded on the spot.

Love or career, a sycophant or success, what choice to make?

Thomas was still hesitating when Martin's voice came through again, "Where are you? I'll come to you."

An outstanding newcomer trained by a veteran entertainment agency made a man's choice. Thomas hit the armrest of the sofa and said, "I'm in Century City, hurry over."

This goddamn life, this goddamn client.