Capítulo 558: Chapter 558: Lost Contact!
"What? Domestic violence? Beating someone to death?" the police officer questioned, staring intently at Harvey.
Harvey vehemently denied the accusations, his voice filled with urgency, "No, absolutely not! I didn't..."
Upstairs, Georgina broke into tears, racing downstairs and exclaiming, "You're finally here! Finally! Please, help me! I'm on the brink of being beaten to death!" Her face bore the unmistakable marks of a slap, and the vivid, purpling scars on her arms were chilling.
Harvey turned to look at Georgina, his disbelief etched on his face.
Whether she chose to continue being Harvey's wife or make other arrangements in the future, Georgina believed that involving the police was necessary to safeguard her interests.
The officer took notice of Georgina's injuries.
Before Harvey could react, Georgina sought refuge behind the police officer, her words choked with tears, "I request a medical examination. Please, take me away from here swiftly. If I stay, I fear I'll be killed, really killed! Officer, he's committing a crime!"
Dealing with matters involving the rich and famous was always a hassle. The police officer inspected Georgina's injuries and explained, "I'm sorry, Mr. Weinstein, but according to standard procedure, both you and Ms. Chapman need to accompany us to the station. It's just a formality."
Back at the station, Harvey's lawyer would sort things out.
Harvey fixed Georgina with an intense, predatory gaze, resembling a beast selecting its prey.
The police officer stepped between them, cautioning Harvey, "Mr. Weinstein, please don't create a scene here."
"I need to make a call first." Harvey reached for his phone and dialed his lawyer.
Downstairs, Georgina had already alerted her lawyer.
Two LAPD officers escorted the pair out of the house and to the police station.
Lombardo was left in a state of bewilderment.
Upon Georgina's arrival at the Beverly branch, her lawyer was already waiting.
Despite the unpleasant nature of her actions, Georgina proceeded with determination. She immediately accused Harvey of deliberate assault, presenting the photos and videos as evidence. She urged the police to take more severe measures against him to prevent any potential tampering.
The lawyer promptly followed up on the client's request.
The head of the Beverly Police Department received a call, briefly inquiring about the specifics, which involved violent injuries. Following standard procedures, the police decided to detain Harvey for 24 hours.
Harvey's cellphone was also temporarily confiscated.
...
Robert Rodriguez rushed over to Quentin's neighboring house, asking urgently, "What should we do?"
Quentin, reluctant to get embroiled in the situation but still linked to Harvey, pondered before suggesting, "Let me try calling Harvey first."
He dialed Harvey's mobile number, but there was no response.
He attempted the home landline repeatedly, but the servant informed him that Harvey wasn't at home.
Quentin made several more calls over the course of half an hour, but they all went unanswered. He sighed, "Robert, for now, there's nothing we can do. We'll have to wait and see how things unfold."
Rodriguez, similarly hesitant to wade into murky waters, concurred, "Then let's wait. We have no other choice for now."
Quentin suggested, "How about grabbing a drink?"
At the Brentwood mansion, Matt Damon was in a frantic phone call.
Without Harvey, he couldn't easily establish connections in the gay community.
Damon called an acquaintance who was an editor-in-chief at a media outlet and asserted, "The content regarding Harvey on your website is highly inaccurate. It's fabricated. You should thoroughly fact-check before posting rather than recklessly publishing such damaging information about an esteemed film artist and entrepreneur. This is irresponsible."
The other party bluntly rebuffed him.
Damon's voice grew more assertive, "If you persist with this, you'll lose out even more. You'll never have access to insider information from me, Weinstein Films, or the crew ever again."
These pressure tactics had often been Ben's domain in the past, but now, with Ben not being as convincing, Matt Damon had to take the reins himself.
In just an hour, Damon made over a dozen calls. Under his intense persuasion, some media outlets agreed to temporarily remove their Harvey-related news.
However, many others continued to proliferate it wildly.
Emily and Jessica, led by Martin, had operated seamlessly for years. By mid-afternoon in Los Angeles, their news had skyrocketed to the top of Google's trending topics.
...
San Francisco, City Hall.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom parked her car and headed towards the entrance of City Hall.
Like most days, there were usually protestors gathered near City Hall.
Regardless of the policy at hand, discontented individuals frequently made their displeasure known. Many brandished posters and banners, rallying at City Hall to voice their grievances.
This round of Teamsters protests seemed to have been dragging on, leaving protestors listless as they huddled together, engaged in conversation.
The veteran drivers tended to have robust, booming voices, with obscenities occasionally reaching Jennifer's ears.
Jennifer remained impassive and continued her stride towards City Hall.
Suddenly, a name caught her attention – Harvey Weinstein!
"Hollywood's in turmoil once more." A hefty truck driver, holding a Blackberry, informed those around him, urging them to watch, "TMZ just broke news about Harvey Weinstein's video, where he allegedly coerced an actress. It's an actual video! Weinstein's gone too far. He's towering and hefty, pressing down on people as if he's not afraid of breaking their bones..."
Onlookers from the general public observed the spectacle. Another person chimed in, "That's definitely Harvey Weinstein, the big-shot movie mogul! I've seen him in newspapers and on TV; he's a real hulk!"
The hefty truck driver commented, "Isn't Harvey Weinstein the head of a film company? Why would he need to force a female star? What's gotten into him?"
Another person quipped, "Maybe he's into this sort of thing. Celebrities always have peculiar fetishes."
These words reached Jennifer's ears. She paused briefly, said nothing, and quickly continued on her way.
As Jennifer entered City Hall, the hefty driver told his companion, "I need to use the restroom."
He then turned to an inconspicuous man nearby and reported, "I did what you asked."
The man merely nodded in acknowledgment and handed him an envelope, saying, "This is your final payment."
The hefty driver opened it and checked its contents, then proceeded to return the Blackberry.
The man waved him off, "Keep it."
Inside City Hall, Jennifer, with tearful eyes, looked skyward to prevent her tears from smudging her eye shadow.
Her recent encounter had reminded her of 2005 when she was an obscure actress, landing minor roles in a handful of movies. It was then that she had crossed paths with Harvey Weinstein.
Jennifer made her way to a nearby lounge, powered on the computer, and accessed the TMZ website.
The news and videos of Harvey Weinstein were undeniably captivating. As Jennifer watched the actress in those clips, she couldn't help but draw parallels with her own experiences.
However, she was no longer a young actress; she was already a mother of several children.
In the past, she had endured it for the sake of her husband's campaign.
Now, it was time to settle the score!
Jennifer picked up the phone and dialed her husband's number, "Can you come here?"
Gavin arrived promptly, concern etched on his face, "Honey, what's wrong?"
Jennifer pointed to the computer screen, "Remember when I told you about the misfortune I faced? You asked who it was, but I never told you because I was worried it might affect your career."
Gavin saw it clearly, "Harvey Weinstein?"
"That's him! Someone exposed him, and others are coming forward!" Jennifer closed her eyes and recounted, "In 2005, he lured me to the Four Seasons Hotel under the guise of discussing my acting career, only to subject me to a horrifying experience."
She confronted her painful past, "He had the power to ruin my career. After the incident, I didn't report it to the police or share it with anyone."
"It's not your fault; he should pay for his actions!" Gavin reassured her. He then picked up the phone and dialed a number, "It's me, Gavin. There's a news video about Harvey Weinstein on TMZ's homepage. Reach out to media outlets that support us and ask them to help spread it. Forget political connections for now; let's focus on building public opinion."
Jennifer expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, thank you for doing this for me. I heard he has supporters in Washington..."
Gavin responded solemnly, "You must get a fair and just outcome."
Jennifer couldn't detect something amiss, but Gavin sensed an opportunity to enhance his reputation.
...
Burbank, Davis Studio front room.
A young woman handed a box to Martin and said, "Georgina Chapman asked me to give this to you. She said that if you can't reach her by eight o'clock in the evening, you should find a way to rescue her."
Martin accepted the box and nodded, "I understand."
The young woman left promptly.
Martin returned to his office, leaving only Thomas and Bruce.
He opened the box, revealing a storage disk. Martin connected it to the computer and played the video it contained.
It depicted Harvey's domestic violence towards Georgina and her call to the police.
Thomas inquired, "Has Harvey been taken to the police station?"
"He's been temporarily detained by the LAPD on suspicion of violent assault," Martin replied thoughtfully. "I had a brief conversation with McClain. LAPD won't hold him for more than 24 hours. He's currently in temporary isolation, given that this is a domestic violence matter involving a couple. Others shouldn't intervene recklessly."
Bruce chimed in, "Have you considered Harvey's brother, Bob Weinstein? He's another key figure at Weinstein Films."
Martin remarked, "Sometimes, brothers may not always see eye to eye..."
...
Washington, following her chat with Erica and Kelly Gray, Hilary drove home.
She was content with the interview's outcome.
In the car, her assistant seated beside her informed her, "Ma'am, something big happened today. Many online media outlets are buzzing about Harvey Weinstein and actresses."
Hilary, unimpressed, retorted, "Isn't this Hollywood's usual drama? Politics is more interesting than Hollywood."
Her assistant handed over her phone, saying, "He forced an actress."
Hilary accepted the phone and played the video. Her expression turned increasingly grim.
What Harvey had done ran contrary to her principles!
Hilary hesitated briefly, then said, "Call him."
The assistant attempted to reach him via mobile, landline, and office phone, but no one answered, mirroring the situation from earlier.
"Can't reach him," the assistant reported after the failed attempts.
Hilary directed, "Call Bob."
The assistant contacted Bob Weinstein and inquired about the situation. After a brief conversation, she informed Hilary, "Bob assured me that the situation is under control, and the brothers can handle it."
Hilary had no interest in getting embroiled in this scandal and chose to put it behind her.
...
New York, The Weinstein Films.
Bob sat in his brother Harvey's office, his cell phones turned off. On the TV screen across from him, the Warner TV news channel was broadcasting about Harvey.
The younger Weinstein sibling, perpetually overshadowed by Harvey, perused a phone book listing the Weinstein Films board of directors. He contemplated rallying allies for an upcoming board meeting.
However, Bob ultimately shut the phone book. It was still too early; they could afford to wait.
He retrieved two cell phones, powered them down, and left the office. Instead of returning home, he headed to his Upper East Side apartment. Once inside, he disconnected the landline.
Much like Harvey, Bob was temporarily incommunicado.
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