On a Friday evening, just after finishing work, Ted swiftly packed his desk, slung his bag over his shoulder, and dashed out.
A colleague, known for his love of Coke, caught up with him and inquired, "Why the rush?"
Ted explained, "I pulled an all-nighter last night and missed the early show. If I don't catch 'Wanted' today, I might spontaneously combust."
His colleague pulled out a sealed Coke bottle featuring Martin's image and handed it to Ted, saying, "Let's go together."
The elevator was packed with people. Ted glanced at his watch and suggested, "It's only the sixth floor. Let's take the stairs."
They veered into the stairwell and descended. They didn't have to go far; this was Manhattan's business district, and a cinema was just a few hundred meters away.
Upon entering the theater's lobby, Ted noticed it was unusually crowded, with a long queue snaking from the ticket counter.
His colleague quickly pulled him into line.
Another line ran parallel to theirs, and a group of girls arrived together. The brunette among them asked, "What movie are we watching?" The blonde chimed in, "We're here for the handsome guy!" She pointed at the 'Wanted' poster and added, "Handsome guy plus beautiful girl; I'm in!"
The shortest girl shared, "I heard about 'Wanted.' Reviews have been great. Online news outlets are raving about it." A boy nearby confirmed, "Absolutely! It's a fantastic movie with a stellar reputation."
Though the girls remained quiet, they decided to purchase tickets for 'Wanted,' especially since there were promotions. Each ticket came with a small bottle of Coca-Cola, which influenced some people's choices.
A large poster in the theater proudly proclaimed, "Watch 'Wanted,' Martin Davis invites you to enjoy Coca-Cola!"
After securing their tickets, Ted clutched his complimentary Coke and raised it towards the Martin poster, eliciting cheers from the colleagues around him.
Simultaneously, at the AMC theater near Atlanta's Northville community:
Elena, Lily, and Hall entered the screening room together, albeit a bit late due to Hall finishing his homework.
The theater was quite full, so they settled for seats towards the back.
Hall swiftly opened his Coke and downed it in one gulp, eyeing his sisters' Cokes.
Elena tossed one to him, remarking, "If you don't want to gain weight, drink less."
Lily, on the other hand, stayed focused on counting the heads.
Hearing her mumbling, Hall inquired, "What are you counting?"
"Don't distract me, you idiot!" Lily threatened Hall with a raised fist, keeping her count going.
As the film's screening time approached, a large group of people rushed in, causing Lily to lose count. She sighed, uttering, "I just wanted to be a saint."
Hall couldn't resist gloating, "You couldn't even count them!"
Elena chimed in, "No need to count. Based on the theater's attendance, this movie is bound to do well."
"It's a blockbuster!" Lily exclaimed, full of excitement.
Elena calmly took a sip of her Coke, her confidence in the film's success unwavering.
On Friday, as moviegoers flocked to the theaters and the number of user ratings met the requirement, 'Wanted' on IMDB received an official rating, boasting an impressive average user score of 8.2 points.
The extent to which this score was influenced by manipulation remained a mystery, even to the outsourcing navy company responsible for it.
Based on CS theaters' audience ratings, directly impacting the top-tier market, 'Wanted' received an overall grade of 'A,' indicating strong commercial potential.
...
In Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles:
The sun had just risen on Saturday when Blake, dressed in shorts, a T-shirt, and flip-flops, stepped outside to retrieve the mail. She gathered a stack of newspapers and headed back inside.
Leafing through the newspaper, she found the statistics page of the 'Hollywood Report.' Upon seeing the North American box office figures, she excitedly called out, "The 'Wanted' posters are flying off the shelves! My dear, they're selling like hotcakes!"
Martin, emerging from the kitchen with a plate in hand, was cooking, with Bruce assisting.
After flipping a few eggs, Bruce turned and inquired, "Did it surpass 20 million on its opening day?"
Martin, eager for the news, turned to Blake.
She nodded enthusiastically and smiled like an eighteen-year-old, "It made $21.67 million! It's the top-grossing film from yesterday!"
"What wonderful news!" Martin set down the plate and headed to the wine cabinet, declaring, "We must celebrate with a drink!"
Blake eagerly declared, "We must celebrate with a drink!"
Martin promptly poured three glasses of champagne and stood ready. Bruce, having shed his apron, joined them and proposed a toast, saying, "To our success, everyone!"
Blake leaned over and gave Martin a kiss before clinking glasses with him. She exclaimed, "Congratulations, honey!"
She then clinked glasses with Bruce, and the three of them raised their glasses in unison, taking a celebratory sip.
After the toast, Blake's excitement began to show. She set down her glass and the newspaper, leaped directly onto Martin, and sought a kiss.
Bruce was less than pleased, remarking, "Hey, hey, let's maintain some civility and principles here. No need to serve dog food during breakfast."
Martin, carrying Blake over to her seat, instructed, "Let's eat first, and then we'll go out together."
This weekend, Martin's mission was to accompany Blake to various crowded places in Los Angeles for publicity. Blake's new film needed significant exposure.
Following breakfast, the two of them climbed into Bruce's Escalade and headed straight to Rodeo Drive for some shopping. There was no need for Bruce to make any special arrangements; a group of paparazzi automatically trailed behind.
Martin had grown accustomed to the constant attention, paying it no mind. Blake, on the other hand, seemed born to thrive in the spotlight. The more paparazzi and reporters gathered around her, the more exhilarated she became. She frequently showcased the affection between her, the female fans, and her male idol.
On a nearby street corner, a female paparazzo named Judy couldn't hold back her disgust after snapping a photo of Blake feeding Martin ice cream mouth-to-mouth.
"You guys who can't control yourselves will definitely suffer once the honeymoon phase is over!" she vented. "Which celebrity who overhypes their love and marriage ever ends up in a peaceful breakup?" Another paparazzo nearby chimed in, "That's right! It's all sweet now, but it'll be bitter when they inevitably part ways. I wish them all the best in transitioning from lovers to enemies!"
Several others among the paparazzi joined in, saying, "We wish them well!"
"May they be together forever!"
Meanwhile, across the road, Martin seemed to notice something. He turned his head and waved warmly and amiably at the paparazzi before returning his attention to Blake, engaging in a passionate embrace.
The 'Wanted' posters were flying off the shelves, and here he was, holding a beautiful young woman in his arms. How could he disappoint the paparazzi by not flaunting it?
In this winner-takes-all game of fame and fortune, the paparazzi might curse the couple in secret, but they faithfully raised their cameras to capture shots of this attractive duo.
Martin's phone rang at this moment, and Sophia answered the call.
King Kong Sophia words were direct, "Did we succeed again?"
Martin replied, "The first week in North America has to exceed $50 million!"
Sophia laughed, "A new record has been set! In that case, I want to celebrate."
Martin inquired, "How do you plan to celebrate?"
Sofia suggested, "Nicholson is a good choice. See if you can get him to meet me for a drink."
Martin, foreseeing what she might do, and since his life was secure, offered a reminder, "The old man is almost seventy; he might not survive!"
Not giving Sofia the chance to make further requests, he added, "I have something to attend to here; let's talk another day."
In her hotel room, Sofia heard the dial tone but wasn't upset at all. She was in a great mood today because the investment posters were selling like hotcakes.
Scott strolled over with his arms folded and asked, "Is the old man coming?"
Sofia replied, "Let him go for Martin's sake." She dialed a number in Atlanta, saying, "Vincent, it's me. Have you seen the latest box office figures? Martin's film is another hit. What do you think?"
Vincent didn't hesitate and said directly, "Of course, invest again. Does he have any new movie projects?"
Sofia shared, "Probably. I asked him the day before yesterday, and it seemed like it's in the thriller, suspense, and action genre, similar to 'Wanted.'"
Vincent concluded, "Based on the track record, Martin is reliable and worth the investment. You just need to make the decision."
Feeling better and better, especially with the desire to exercise, Sofia headed to the fitness room attached to her suite. She glanced back at Scott and beckoned, "Come here."
Scott obediently followed, used to what was to come. Besides enduring it, he enjoyed the perks of Sofia's generosity, including ample pocket money. For someone his age with no skills, finding such a job was a stroke of luck.
Over a year ago, Scott had decided to enjoy a comfortable life. Occasionally, he even bought gifts for his children, considering himself a reasonably decent father compared to his estranged wife, Emma, who had run off with someone else.
In his view, the manor of Emma's departure made him look quite respectable.