Chapter 25: **Chapter 25: The Opponent Fell Before I Even Went All Out**
"Just call me Wayne. Sorry I'm late," Wayne said apologetically as he walked over quickly.
"No, I'm the one who came early. Just call me Sally then!"
As she spoke, Charlize Theron naturally reached out and hooked her arm around his, pulling him towards the bar. Her demeanor was noticeably more humble than during her audition earlier.
It wasn't surprising, though. During auditions, with so many people around, she had to maintain her public persona and presence; being too humble might have been seen as weak.
But in private, when facing a potential "benefactor," her attitude needed some adjustment.
Moreover, Charlize Theron's lowered stance was also because she needed Wayne's help. The movie she was part of, *Men of Honor*, starring Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, was set to premiere next week.
Although her screen time wasn't much, she was still the female lead.
If the film performed well, 20th Century Fox, the distributor, would surely ramp up its promotion efforts. She might have to fly around with the crew for promotions.
After *Men of Honor*, another movie she participated in, *The Legend of Bagger Vance*, a sports drama starring Matt Damon and Will Smith, was also set to release.
Her schedule for the next two months would be incredibly tight, and with no definite timetable, she would have to be on standby at all times, waiting for Fox's call — a rather inconvenient situation.
Originally, she planned not to take on other work during this time and focus entirely on promoting the two films, especially since she was working with one of the "Big Seven" studios.
But Wayne's offer was just too tempting.
Previously, she had taken pay cuts to star in *Men of Honor* and *The Legend of Bagger Vance*, essentially riding on the coattails of Oscar-winner Robert De Niro and the equally popular Will Smith. For each film, her salary was only $1.3 million.
Both movies combined didn't even make $3 million.
But Wayne, on the other hand, was offering $3 million for just a few minutes of screen time, and with Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins also starring. How could she refuse that?
No one in Hollywood says no to money.
Even if you were the president of one of the Big Seven studios, you'd be happy to cameo in a movie if they offered you a few million dollars.
After all, these presidents are just high-level employees. If a film loses too much money, they could lose their jobs at any time.
"I see. I'll discuss it with Director James Wan when I get back and see if we can schedule your scenes when you're available. If it really can't be worked out…"
Wayne took a sip of his cocktail but didn't finish his sentence.
After all, they hadn't officially signed a contract yet. If scheduling really became an issue, he could always replace her.
Charlize Theron was his first choice, but she wasn't indispensable.
"Thank you, Wayne."
Charlize Theron wasn't the least bit upset. In fact, her smile grew even more charming.
After all, $3 million is a lot of money. What's a smile compared to that? Even selling herself wouldn't be out of the question.
To put it in perspective, $3 million could get you hundreds of top-tier actresses in the San Fernando Valley.
The two didn't talk about work anymore and instead chatted about various Hollywood gossip while watching a strip show on the stage.
Yes, even in a so-called upscale bar, the content of the performances was the same; only the quality of the performers was different.
After a few drinks, Theron was slightly tipsy.
Seeing Wayne still with a clear look in his eyes while she herself was stirred up by the alcohol, the music, and the dance, Charlize, who had a certain fierceness in her bones, didn't want to waste any more time. She was about to invite Wayne to go somewhere more private.
But just as she was about to speak, a man with a drink in hand walked over.
"Hey, Sally! Long time no see! I didn't expect to see you here!"
Charlize Theron instinctively frowned at the voice but then put on a friendly smile and turned to look at the newcomer.
Across from her, Wayne keenly noticed this detail, making him more curious than before.
His heightened senses had already noticed this guy approaching. The key point was that he recognized him.
"Hi, Keanu! Long time no see!" Charlize greeted warmly. When the newcomer moved in for a cheek kiss, she leaned forward.
Yes, the person was none other than Keanu Reeves, who had shot to fame overnight with last year's release of *The Matrix*.
At 36 years old, Keanu Reeves wasn't yet the "greasy uncle" he'd later become. He still looked like a handsome, rugged man.
Most importantly, if Wayne remembered correctly, according to outside reports, the two had become good friends after co-starring in *The Devil's Advocate* a few years ago.
But judging by Charlize Theron's earlier reaction, that didn't seem to be the case.
"Sally, I heard your movie *Men of Honor* is premiering next week, right? I'll definitely come to support you at the premiere," Keanu Reeves said enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Keanu!" Charlize responded just as warmly. However, her performance seemed somewhat insincere to Wayne.
"Oh, Sally, who's this?" Keanu finally turned his attention to Wayne, his gaze carrying a hint of superiority, as if he thought Wayne was some unknown actor trying to network.
Wayne gently swirled his drink, a playful glint flashing in his eyes.
Sudden fame can easily make a star lose sight of who they are. Leonardo DiCaprio was like that, and it seemed Keanu Reeves was, too.
However, the much-anticipated moment of a showdown didn't happen. Keanu Reeves was a bit arrogant but no fool. At 36, he understood who held the power in Hollywood.
Charlize first glanced at Wayne, then introduced him, "This is Mr. Wayne Anderson, the leading actor in my upcoming film and the new owner of Hermora Pictures."
Keanu, who had looked so arrogant just a moment ago, instantly changed his expression upon hearing "new owner of Hermora Pictures." His lips twitched, and his haughty smile immediately became humble and cordial.
He hadn't actually heard of Hermora Pictures.
But he knew that any production company that could afford Charlize Theron wasn't lacking in resources, and its owner certainly wasn't a simple person.
When dealing with an unknown actor, he could be as arrogant as he liked and burn bridges without worry. Even if that actor suddenly became famous later, it wouldn't affect him much.
But with a production company owner—one of the power players in Hollywood's hierarchy—no matter how popular he was at the moment, he couldn't afford to offend.
"Hello, Mr. Anderson, I'm Keanu Reeves. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Keanu quickly adjusted his posture, leaving Wayne with a sense of disappointment, like he was expecting a good fight only for the opponent to concede before it even began.
It only proves that very few people who make it in Hollywood's cutthroat world are fools.
"Hello, Keanu. I watched you in *The Matrix*. I have to say, you were really cool in it!"
Wayne wasn't just being polite.
Say what you want, but Keanu Reeves' performance in *The Matrix* was indeed pretty impressive.
"Thank you for the compliment!"
Keanu's smile became even warmer, but after exchanging a few pleasantries and business cards, he wisely excused himself.
Seeing this, Charlize Theron seemed eager to leave too, as if afraid Keanu might come back. She quickly said, "It's getting late, Wayne. Shall we go? My assistant drove me here and left, so could you give me a ride back?"
"Of course, Sally. It would be my pleasure."
Theron immediately got up and took Wayne's arm, leaving the bar with him. Not far away, Keanu Reeves, now back at another table, couldn't help but frown slightly, a trace of annoyance flashing across his face.
However, he quickly put the matter—and Wayne—out of his mind, turning his attention back to his friends at the table, enjoying the company of women drawn by his fame and indulging in some DM.
"So, is that why you turned him down?"
Wayne had always had a thing for Charlize Theron. She was the epitome of his desires: strong, independent, and fiery. He had seen her in movies, of course, but it wasn't until he saw her in person that he realized just how much he wanted her.
As soon as they were inside, Wayne pulled Charlize close, his hands roaming over her curves. He kissed her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth.
Charlize moaned, her body responding to Wayne's touch. She ran her hands over his muscular chest, feeling the heat of his body through his shirt.
Wayne pulled off Charlize's dress, his eyes taking in her naked body. She was even more beautiful than he had imagined. He kissed her neck, his lips leaving a trail of fire down her body.
Charlize moaned, her body arching towards Wayne. He sucked hard on her nipple, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. Charlize cried out, her body trembling with pleasure.
Wayne moved down Charlize's body, his lips and tongue exploring every inch of her. He spanked her ass, leaving a red mark on her pale skin. Charlize moaned, her body responding to the rough treatment.
Wayne entered Charlize, his cock filling her completely. She cried out, her body trembling with pleasure. Wayne thrust hard, his hips moving in a primal rhythm.
Charlize moaned, her body responding to Wayne's rough treatment. She screamed his name, her orgasm washing over her in waves of pleasure.
Wayne followed soon after, his body trembling with release. He collapsed on top of Charlize, his body spent.
Two hours later, in the master bedroom of a standalone villa near Sunset Boulevard, Wayne was admiring Charlize Theron's smooth, milk-like back as he stroked it, asking in admiration.
"As far as I know, this kind of thing is quite common in Hollywood, right?"
"You're right; it's very common in Hollywood," Charlize agreed, running her fingers over Wayne's well-defined abs.
"But to mess up a tight filming schedule because you've been up all night on DM and can't shoot the next day, forcing the whole crew to change plans—that's pretty rare in Hollywood."
Charlize's words reminded Wayne of some of the Hollywood rumors he'd heard in his previous life.
Apparently, Keanu Reeves started as quite a troublemaker, as bad as the notoriously wild Johnny Depp.
The difference was, it seemed Keanu later straightened out, while Depp continued his reckless behavior, which led to very different career trajectories.
Interestingly, Johnny Depp's portrayal of Jack Sparrow in *Pirates of the Caribbean* was almost like a real-life performance. His antics during filming were so outrageous that the director and producer wanted to shoot him.
But Depp's unique charm as an actor was irreplaceable
. That's what Hollywood is like: as long as you can make money, people are willing to tolerate your nonsense.
So as Wayne listened to Charlize's explanation, he wasn't too surprised.
Instead, he asked curiously, "Then why haven't I heard about it?"
"Oh, they wouldn't make it public. But anyone in the industry knows," Charlize explained, her fingers tracing light circles on his chest.
"In fact, while shooting *The Matrix*, his role wasn't set in stone. Even after the film was released, they kept this information under wraps to avoid negative PR. After all, Keanu Reeves was popular at the time, and they didn't want to tarnish that."
Hearing this, Wayne chuckled.
Hollywood had its own dark corners, and Charlize's little secret wasn't the worst of them. If Keanu hadn't been talented, he would've been ousted much sooner.
In this city, nothing is black and white. Everything operates in the shadows.
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