One can imagine how furious Faaris became after watching the NBC program. He never expected someone could be foolish to such an extent. With such a mind, do they still want to achieve success? No wonder Laila always slapped him in the face.
"Now what? Will the police find me?" Cooper had lost the ability to think; fear had completely overwhelmed him. He only knew that the person in front of him was his only savior, the only one who could help him sort out this mess.
"Do you think they will find you? Did you hide well when you bribed them?" Faaris sneered, "Once people discover that their resistance activities were bought, it's hard to say when they will trace it back to you. And if they find out about you bribing them to commit arson, how many years do you think you'll be sentenced to?"
Cooper shuddered violently, pleading, "Mr. Faaris, save me! You're my only hope now!"
"How do you want me to save you? With the foolish things you've done, what else can I do?" If it were Faaris's nature, he might have already disposed of Cooper as waste to avoid any connection.
But he didn't forget that his standing in Hollywood was partly due to this man's judgment. Though he might lack courage, his insight into the industry was exceptional. Eight out of ten films recommended by him could make money, and even the other two would likely receive awards.
Faaris knew his weakness in the film industry, and to continue earning praise from Dawud and making money, he had to rely on this man's judgment.
So, despite being annoyed and almost wanting to throw him into the sea, Faaris had to find a way to keep him.
Cooper was unaware of this. All he knew was that if Faaris abandoned him, Laila would undoubtedly find him and throw him into jail. Considering his past actions, he believed the Moran family would be delighted to make his prison life uncomfortable, even going so far as to influence some individuals in jail to make things "interesting" for him.
"Mr. Faaris, as long as you can save me, I'm willing to serve you forever!" At this point, he had discarded all dignity and ideals. His only thought was to extricate himself from the arson case. Once he was imprisoned, he could imagine the ridicule from the outside and the burden on his family.
This was precisely what Faaris had been waiting for, wasn't it? He wasn't a compassionate deity or a kind-hearted philanthropist. If you wanted him to save you, you had to offer something sincere.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure! I can swear to God, or you can make me sign any terms you want!" Cooper anxiously bowed before him, "As long as I'm by your side, the company will keep making endless money. I guarantee that in the U.S., there are very few people like me who understand the rules of Hollywood!"
His pride lay in his understanding of Hollywood rules, a weapon he had used in his previous film reviews. Watching a movie, he could gauge its chances of winning awards or becoming a surprise hit at the box office. Not a foolproof method, but it was accurate about 80% of the time.
Now, this "ability" became his lifeline. Even if he had to stay by Faaris's side forever, he didn't mind. Despite using ruthless methods, at least his boss was generous, right?
Faaris made a call, and soon a contract was brought in. The terms were domineering; once signed, it meant he had no chance of escaping Faaris's control until death.
Under normal circumstances, Cooper would have rejected such a contract outright. But now, faced with conditions he couldn't bear, he couldn't refuse or even summon the courage to negotiate. Between going to jail and becoming Faaris's subordinate, he chose the latter.
He had some cunning, though. Contracts containing overbearing and unfair terms like this often had a good chance of being deemed invalid in court. Once he crossed this hurdle, he believed he could find an opportunity to terminate the contract.
So, he happily signed the contract.
Faaris glanced at it and stored it in his drawer. Initially, he hadn't planned to take this approach; he believed that keeping Cooper with money was better than forcing him with a contract. But now that the opportunity presented itself, he wouldn't refuse. Money could solve everything, after all.
And what changed was perhaps only his status. Before, he could be considered a subordinate and advisor. Now, he was just a dog by Faaris's side.
"Cooper, I know you must be unhappy right now. But it's okay; I believe our relationship will become even closer in the future." The kind of closeness between a master and a pet.
Cooper met his gaze, and for some reason, the eyes sent shivers down his spine. Those black eyes, like black holes, sucked in all light, causing an almost suffocating feeling. Looking into those eyes, he felt a fear that he could be killed at any moment.
"O-of course," he quickly lowered his head, unable to maintain eye contact.
At this moment, he was already questioning if he had made a wrong decision. Was he trapped for life?
Faaris patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. As long as you work well for me in the future, I won't skimp on the rewards you deserve. And don't let this contract bother you. You must believe that if I really want you to do something, even without this contract, you'll still have to do it."
He smiled, but there wasn't much warmth in his voice. The meaning behind his words was crystal clear—he didn't care much about the contract. If he wanted Cooper to do something, there were plenty of ways to make him do it, whether through coercion or temptation.
Even if this contract was completely illegal, even if the court ruled it void, Cooper would still be under his control.
Understanding this, Cooper almost collapsed. At this moment, he finally realized his situation. Under absolute power, all his scheming and tricks were useless. The other party could kill him with a sneeze!
If there was regret, he definitely regretted it. But regret was useless. His only thought now was to defeat Laila and make her taste his pain. If it weren't for her, how could he end up in the hands of this terrifying man?