The bar door swung open, and Margot Robbie was the first to step out. Though her steps were a bit unsteady from all the drinks, she was still able to walk on her own. Matthew followed closely but didn't reach out to support her. Despite being tipsy and on the verge of drunkenness, Margot wasn't at the point of needing help.
"How did you get here?" he asked. "Did you drive?"
Margot held her purse and made her way to the curb. "You invited me for drinks, so I didn't drive."
Matthew motioned toward the car waiting across the street. "Let me give you a ride home."
Margot watched a Mercedes sedan turn around and pull up in front of them. She didn't refuse and nodded. "Sure, I won't turn down a free ride."
The Mercedes pulled up, and Matthew opened the door, gesturing for her to enter first. Once she was inside, he walked around and got in on the other side.
The driver, who had worked for Matthew for many years, didn't rush to start driving.
With the door closed, Matthew asked, "Where to?"
Margot's eyes, slightly glazed from the alcohol, flashed with a hint of caution as she said, "I'm not going home with you, so don't get any ideas."
"Relax," Matthew replied calmly. "I don't take drunk people home."
Tonight, they had spent a good amount of time chatting, and he wasn't in a hurry.
If Margot had been easy to win over, she wouldn't have lingered in his thoughts the way she did. Unlike Jennifer Lawrence or Amber Heard, who he barely thought of when they were out of sight, Margot—especially the image of her holding that blood-stained porcelain teacup—left a deep impression on him. One he might not forget anytime soon.
"Westwood," Margot finally replied, giving him an address. "I'm renting an apartment there."
The address wasn't far from the area where Matthew had once rented a place. It was right by the little park he used to visit with Britney Spears regularly.
As they passed by the entrance to the park, Matthew glanced out, noting how the dim lights obscured the details. Yet, memories of those days in the park seemed as if they'd happened only yesterday.
In the blink of an eye, more than a decade had passed.
Margot had been observing him and asked, "You look a bit nostalgic."
Matthew, who'd had a fair share of drinks himself, felt unusually talkative. "About ten years ago, I lived near here," he said, nodding toward the park. "I came here a lot."
"What a coincidence," Margot said, glancing back at the park. "I go there for a morning run whenever I can."
She tilted her head, scrutinizing him. "You've lived in a lot of places. Why does this spot seem to make you sentimental? You were just lost in that feeling, right?"
Matthew didn't answer right away.
Margot, realizing she'd hit a chord, asked, "Got any drinks in the car? Pour me one."
"None here," Matthew said after a moment. "My first love happened right around here, actually. This is where I confessed."
Margot picked up on it immediately. "So, this is where you started dating Britney Spears?"
Anyone with even a passing interest in Hollywood knew who Matthew's first love was. Both he and Britney Spears had since become giants in their respective fields. Matthew was an undisputed superstar in the acting world, and Britney was a reigning queen of pop.
"It's a pity you two didn't end up together," Margot remarked bluntly.
Matthew sighed. "I was constantly taking roles, and Britney was touring the world. Time and distance are difficult to overcome."
Margot nodded in agreement. "Yeah, even the strongest love fades with time and distance." Then, with a hint of curiosity, she asked, "What about now? Britney's single, and you both have time and the means. Do you ever think about getting back with her?"
Matthew shook his head. "The past is the past."
Britney's fate had changed significantly because of him, and so much time had passed. It was impossible for them to go back to what they once had.
"Honestly, with the way I am now, it's better if I don't disturb her," he added.
Margot stuck out her tongue playfully. "So, instead, you're interested in bad girls who drink and fight like me?" She grinned, still emboldened by the alcohol. "A trashy woman wouldn't be interested in a trashy man."
Matthew, sharing her self-deprecating humor, replied, "Trashy men and trashy women—they're a natural match."
"Ha!" Margot replied, with a directness that left Matthew momentarily speechless. "Fine, then. Announce publicly tomorrow that I'm your official girlfriend, and I'll go home with you tonight."
Her challenge was bold, catching him off guard.
At that moment, the car stopped, and the driver spoke up. "Mr. Horner, we've arrived."
Matthew looked outside, opened the car door, and got out. Walking around to the other side, he saw Margot step out as well.
The building was an ordinary apartment complex, probably a bit old. In Los Angeles, places like this were typically meant for rental housing.
"What floor are you on?" he asked. "I'll walk you up."
Margot quickly shook her head. "No need, there's an elevator." As she headed toward the entrance, she glanced back and said, "I'm afraid if you come up, you won't want to leave."
Matthew held up his hands in mock innocence. "Do I seem like that kind of guy?"
Margot waved at him dismissively. "You know better than I do."
Seeing him wave back, she opened the door to the apartment building and went inside.
After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and looked back out. The black Mercedes was pulling away from the entrance, disappearing from view.
A wave of nausea overcame her, and she couldn't hold back any longer. The alcohol churned in her stomach, rising up. Kicking off her high heels, she dashed to the restroom on the first floor, gripping the sink as she threw up.
In between heaves, she felt grateful. At least she hadn't thrown up in Matthew's car, or her image would have been completely ruined.
Meanwhile, Matthew returned home to find Amanda and Helen Herman waiting for him in the living room.
"What brings you here?" he asked as he walked in. "It's so late. Something urgent?"
Amanda replied first, "Yes, it's urgent. We received word from New York that Bob Weinstein just called and expressed extreme dissatisfaction with Harvey Weinstein. He hinted at wanting to take Harvey down and asked for your help."
Matthew frowned thoughtfully. Could this be because of his encounter with Harvey earlier tonight?
To provide Amanda and Helen with full context, he briefly recounted the evening's events.
Helen nodded. "It could be the growing sense of powerlessness and frustration within the company that's making Bob Weinstein more intolerant of Harvey's domineering approach."
Amanda added, "If the time is right, I could arrange to meet with Bob Weinstein."
"It's not the right time yet," Matthew said, his expression firm. "Bob Weinstein isn't at his breaking point."
He added, "And we also need to wait for Ronan Farrow's side."
Helen agreed. "Now isn't the time for a full-scale offensive. Amanda, if you could, encourage Bob Weinstein to endure a bit longer. The more he tolerates, the more explosive the backlash will be when it finally erupts."
Matthew nodded. "Helen's got a point."
Harvey Weinstein might think time would wear Matthew down, but in truth, Matthew was using time to gather more evidence.
Amanda and Helen left shortly afterward, having confirmed Matthew's decision.
"Have you tried advising him?" Amanda asked Helen as they drove away. "Having a steady partner by his side would save him a lot of trouble when dealing with potential attacks from someone like Harvey Weinstein."
Helen sighed. "I've mentioned it, but you know Matthew. He hates it when people interfere in his private life."
Amanda asked curiously, "Didn't you say he was interested in Gal Gadot?"
"The appeal of the unattainable," Helen said with a shrug. "But Gal Gadot isn't interested in him. I spoke to her once and am quite certain of that."
"What about Charlize Theron?" Amanda asked.
Helen shook her head. "That's old news. No use bringing it up."
Amanda leaned in with a grin. "I heard Charlize adopted a daughter. She's still quite young, isn't she?"
Helen nodded. "Yes, her name is Amira Miller. Matthew had me look into her, and there's no connection between her and him."
"Glad it's not his love child," Amanda sighed in relief. "If news broke about a love child, that would be a disaster."
She added, "You should keep pushing him. Even a stable relationship for a short while would be better."
Helen looked exasperated. "I'll try again, but Matthew's stubborn to a fault on this."
Both women shook their heads, realizing there wasn't much more to say. With Matthew's reputation, they could spend all night discussing his romantic entanglements.
But meddling in someone's private life, especially as friends, required caution.
Helen had some leeway as his agent. In Hollywood, managers often played a big role in their clients' relationships. Some celebrities' romantic involvements were even orchestrated by their agencies.
But for a star of Matthew's caliber, it was challenging
for an agent to have much influence in this area.
So, Helen stuck to gentle reminders and suggestions.
After the Oscars wrapped up, Matthew spent March preparing for the filming of The Martian, while juggling investments in several projects. In addition to his ongoing franchises, he had also invested in The Hobbit, which was already filming in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, he occasionally promoted The Hunger Games, which was about to hit theaters.
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