Burbank, Davis Film and Television Studios.
Many employees were surprised to see their usually reclusive boss, Martin Davis, arrive at the office early that morning. He had instructed someone to set up a conference call system.
Martin drew the newly installed curtains in his office, connected his computer to a projector, and displayed the homepage of TMZ's website on the curtains.
The homepage now featured a prominent section for trending news.
Among the news items on the trending list, many were closely related to Martin. The top-ranked news video was about the paternity testing scandal, followed by the footage of Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt getting arrested by the LAPD and placed into a police car.
Scrolling further down, the sixth-place news concerned Martin. A paparazzi had captured a photo of him and Charlize Theron leaving together late at night.
Martin refreshed the webpage, but there were only minor changes on TMZ's homepage.
Bruce checked the time and remarked, "It might take a bit longer. Judy will release relevant news before she leaves work at noon. She's the deputy editor-in-chief of TMZ, with the authority to feature articles on the homepage and pin them to the top independently. Only the editor-in-chief and Harvey Levin, the boss, can remove her articles. Deputy editors don't have that power."
Martin nodded and pondered, "So, if TMZ faces unexpected pressure and can't withstand it, the news will stay at the top for longer?"
Bruce clarified further, "Every noon, Harvey Levin goes home to have lunch with his family, and the editor-in-chief takes a lunch break at a nearby hotel. They won't be in the office."
Martin inquired, "Is Ivan prepared?"
Bruce confirmed, "He's ready." He added, "Jessica and Emily escorted people to Washington and London last night."
Martin, known for his preparedness, handed Bruce a card, saying, "This is an anonymous card I arranged for. If things get serious, give it to Judy immediately, tell her to lay low in Hong Kong City, and if that doesn't suffice, head to the nearby port city."
"I've already given her an advance." Bruce responded promptly, without any further discussion.
His phone buzzed, and after a brief conversation, he informed Martin, "Léa Seydoux has checked into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel." Martin called Léa Seydoux and instructed her to rest since she was jet-lagged; her audition for "Gone Girl" would take place in a few days.
"Gone Girl" featured several key female roles, and Léa Seydoux's suitability for a particular role would depend on her audition performance.
Thomas knocked on the door, entered the room, fetched a bottle of water from the refrigerator, took a sip, and reported, "I've just received news that the Los Angeles District Attorney has decided to prosecute Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, and Brad...the three Petes."
Martin inquired about the likelihood of them going to jail. He held no sympathy for these three instigators of the illegitimate child scandal and hoped they would end up behind bars.
Thomas replied frankly, "If our next move succeeds, those three will almost certainly end up in jail."
Martin turned to Bruce and asked, "I recall that Mene comes from the black community. It seems like many of his black friends are in jail, right?"
Bruce affirmed, "Among Mene's childhood friends, very few haven't taken the criminal path. Just like your experience in the Clayton Community, they've had an unconventional upbringing."
Martin remarked casually, "Once the results are confirmed, let Mene face the consequences among fellow inmates. My friends even sent me some soap."
Thomas silently mused that Brad Pitt might as well continue filming in the Sacred Valley.
Martin inquired further, "What's the latest on Toni Fairman?"
"She's reached a plea agreement with the police and the district attorney. She'll testify against Ben and Brad Pitt," Thomas informed Martin. "Toni's lawyer has also filed a civil lawsuit against Stuart Townsend, requesting a paternity test."
Bruce interjected, "It's likely that the child is Townsend's."
Martin nodded, saying, "Let them fight it out, and let's find a way to publicize this test."
According to Charlize Theron, if the child wasn't Townsend's, she promised to compensate him generously.
Martin cared deeply for his friends and believed that people like Townsend, who had left home, possessed the determination and spirit needed to succeed.
This principle had nothing to do with anything except being straightforward and encouraging Townsend to strive for success.
Thomas added, "Most of Aisha's people have experienced this bizarre incident and are preparing to leave Los Angeles to return to their hometowns in pursuit of stable jobs and lives."
Martin issued a reminder, "Make sure they receive the compensation I promised them. It's crucial for them."
Bruce assured him, "The compensation has been distributed."
A knock at the door preceded Martin's invitation to enter. Louise, dressed in a dark professional suit, pushed up her black-rimmed glasses and joined the conversation.
After taking her seat, she said, "Kelly emphasized that building public opinion is of utmost importance. Once public opinion is on our side, everything will become easier."
Martin expressed his concerns, "I've made various arrangements, but I'm worried about the influence of certain Jewish groups. They're trying to suppress us."
Louise reassured him, "Even among Jewish communities, there are different factions. Take Hollywood, for instance. A group led by Spielberg doesn't hold Harvey Weinstein in high regard. Harvey's reputation is in tatters, and they're more than willing to applaud his downfall."
Martin understood her point, "Even when fighting the war of love, one should use tactics like smearing the enemy's reputation. I heard Spielberg was quite furious at the time."
Louise, whose mother was also Jewish, chimed in, "I convinced my father, a veteran billionaire and a staunch supporter of the California Democratic Party."
Martin regretted, "I should have relied on you from the beginning and just played dead."
Louise pondered it for a moment. Martin had made such half-joking comments more than once in the past, but she had always found them inappropriate.
By the time she thought differently, Martin had transformed into a full-fledged playboy.
Did she regret it? Louise had some regrets, but not many.
Martin inquired, "Did your father agree?"
Louise responded, "His only daughter was mistreated by a repugnant man. The company could go bankrupt, and he could become destitute. How could he not support me?"
Martin praised her, "Every daughter is a princess in her father's eyes."
Louise fetched a bottle of water and continued, "Do you remember what Sofia said when she had a confrontation with Harvey Weinstein in Atlanta, and when you first arrived in Los Angeles? Back then, we discussed how to handle this overweight man with caution. Little did we know that we'd face him head-on this year."
Martin remarked, "Unfortunately, Sophia can only intimidate people."
Bruce, at the mention of her name, instinctively pressed his back against the wall and commented, "She tends to use force, making situations harder to manage."
Curious, Louise asked, "I wonder what Harvey is up to?"
Martin made a random remark, "Perhaps he's fooling around with a woman and got caught up in a scandal."
Bruce looked at Martin in surprise, thinking he probably shouldn't react to such comments.
...
At the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Georgina and her assistant entered the lobby. Her assistant felt somewhat uneasy, asking, "Boss, can we just go up like this?"
"Ruth," Georgina exclaimed, "you came from England with me, don't you understand one thing? I'm the one paying your salary, not that cheating bastard!"
The assistant ceased her contemplation and followed Georgina into the elevator room, where they both boarded the elevator.
At the Four Seasons Hotel, Harvey had a long-term private room, often inviting actors to the hotel for script and role discussions, particularly actresses. Georgina had received news that Harvey had been having an affair with a famous actress here recently and had come specifically to catch them.
In the past, such rumors didn't concern her much, as she had married Harvey for what he could provide, not for love. Today, however, Harvey's value had significantly diminished in her eyes.
Georgina realized that the truth couldn't remain hidden, especially as she enjoyed thrilling situations. So, what should she do now? Seize the moral high ground!
Upon reaching the hotel's upper floors, Georgina quickly located Harvey's long-term private room. She retrieved the suite key card she had found at home and nodded to her assistant.
The assistant opened her bag, checked the hidden camera, and confirmed, "Everything's ready."
Georgina swiped the card, unlocked the door, and entered the room quietly. Upon turning the corner from the hallway, she saw Harvey wearing a short pajama set lounging on the couch, receiving a massage from Nicole Kidman, who was also in short pajamas. The scene was unsightly.
Suppressing her anger, Georgina yelled, "Harvey, what on earth are you doing?"
Both Harvey and Nicole Kidman noticed her. Harvey stood up and asked, "Why are you here?"
Pointing at Nicole Kidman, Georgina demanded, "What is she doing? What are you doing? Is this what you call a negotiation? Where does our marriage fit into this?"
She interrogated harshly, "Is this your promise to me?"
Nicole Kidman remained silent. Despite her stature, her career had struggled in recent years, and she was eager to win another Oscar. So when Harvey mentioned a project about the Princess of Monaco, she didn't hesitate to seize the opportunity.
Harvey attempted to calm the situation, saying, "Honey, let's calm down."
Georgina had come to stir up trouble deliberately, and she made quite a scene. Harvey grew irritated by the commotion and retorted, "You have to understand, this is Hollywood, everyone cheats!"
Georgina sneered, "You betrayed me and justified it with ridiculous excuses. We are done!"
Harvey, suffering from a headache, tried to say something conciliatory, but Georgina was having none of it. Soon after, an enraged Georgina stormed out of the room with her assistant.
...
As the sun arched southward, noon approached.
At TMZ, many employees had left their desks for lunch.
An assistant gently knocked on the door of the deputy editor's cubicle office, opened it, and inquired, "Boss, aren't you going out for lunch?"
Judy reached into her wallet, retrieved two dollars, and handed them to the assistant. "Get something for me and bring it back. I'm not feeling well, so I won't go out."
Concerned, the assistant asked, "Are you okay?"
Forced to smile, Judy replied, "It's just a few days every month."
The assistant said no more, took the money, and left the office.
Judy waited a while until it was completely quiet outside. She retrieved a storage disk, connected it to her office computer, uploaded the edited video, copied and pasted the written script, and clicked "upload."
As the deputy business editor, Judy had substantial authority. She passed the news review and prominently featured the video news on the homepage, also pinning it to the top!
Breaking news had just occurred.