"This is bullying!"
"I am bullying you!" Johnny Lee Miller advanced step by step towards Matthew, a stark contrast to his previous silence, "Not only do I intend to make you a submissive, but I also plan to let the entire United States know you are one. I'll record it and sell it to those companies in the Valley, making videotapes to be sold in every corner of America!"
"Videotapes!" Hearing this, Matthew suddenly had an idea and loudly said, "Miller! I have a videotape of yours!"
Johnny Lee Miller paused, "What videotape?"
Matthew saw an opportunity and continued, "The one about your divorce from Angelina Jolie!"
"It was you!" Johnny Lee Miller glared at Matthew, then countered, "That's not possible, there's only one copy of that tape!"
Tom Hardy, completely confused by the situation, looked from Matthew to Johnny Lee Miller, slowing his steps just like Johnny.
Matthew, using all his wits, improvised, "You think I broke into your mansion just to film one tape? The tape I gave to Angelina Jolie was indeed the only one, but I went back and recorded another! One that you..."
He purposefully paused, creating an air of unspeakability, given that he actually had no idea whether Johnny Lee Miller engaged in any special games that night.
"You actually recorded those things too!" Johnny Lee Miller roared.
Matthew immediately responded, "I didn't want to mention it, almost forgot about these matters. Mr. Miller, you've left me no choice." He pointed at Johnny Lee Miller, "The tape is hidden with my girlfriend. If you don't want it to become a meticulously produced videotape of the San Fernando Valley, you'd better stop now!"
Like magic, Johnny Lee Miller immediately halted, calling out to Tom Hardy to wait.
Tom Hardy, who had joined the crew through Johnny Lee Miller's connection, reluctantly stopped as well.
"Rachel, Venus, Jennifer, Bellas..." Matthew listed the names of the models from that night, deliberately asking, "Need me to elaborate? I still keep in touch with some of them; I can find them anytime!"
Johnny Lee Miller's face turned sour; those were indeed the names of the models.
Matthew breathed a sigh of relief internally. Physical confrontation was a last resort, and if he could delay even for a moment in this public bathroom, it might deter the two men, especially if someone were to come in for a shower.
"John!" Tom Hardy, catching a glimpse of the situation, said, "If we get the footage, why worry about those tapes?"
Matthew shrugged, "No need to worry. Johnny Lee Miller is a big star, and I'm just an unknown actor. Worst case, we both go down, but who stands to lose more?" He feigned a reckless attitude, "I wonder how the media will report this. Mr. Miller's career as a superstar might be over."
He warned, "The scenes in my tape are not just any ordinary male-female scenario. Even if the public has an open attitude towards Hollywood, they won't accept a star engaging in those acts, right?"
Tom Hardy loudly said, "We..."
Before he could finish, sudden knocks from outside interrupted him, followed by shouts.
"Matthew!" It was James McAvoy, "Matthew, are you in there?"
"I'm fine!" Matthew shouted back, "I'm just chatting with Johnny Lee Miller and Tom Hardy!"
Matthew pointed at the stun guns in their hands, "Gentlemen, you'd better hide those things away. Wouldn't want to cause any misunderstandings."
Johnny Lee Miller immediately put away the stun gun and retracted, also packing up the intimidating devices.
Tom Hardy, still holding the stun gun, seemed unsure of what to do next.
The knocking persisted, followed by James McAvoy's voice again, "I've asked someone to unlock the door. Just wait a bit."
Matthew watched Johnny Lee Miller and Tom Hardy, silent but with a sharp gaze.
"Tom..." Johnny Lee Miller, having packed up, called out, "Let's go."
Reluctantly, Tom Hardy put away the stun gun and went to grab the camera.
"Are you just going to leave like this?" Matthew tightened the towel around his waist, "I was hoping to chat more with you both."
Tom Hardy turned to Matthew, "We have nothing to discuss."
Ignoring him, Matthew addressed Johnny Lee Miller, "We should talk about how to handle that videotape."
As if he truly possessed such a tape, "Once I'm out, I might impulsively call my girlfriend to sell the tape to a company in the San Fernando Valley."
He bluffed, "Don't doubt my connections. You know, some models from Red Penguin come from the Valley, and I often drive them around. I'm acquainted with some people from those companies; they'd be very interested in your tape."
As someone approached the bathroom door from outside, combined with Matthew's persuasive fabrication, the situation gradually turned in his favor.
Johnny Lee Miller packed up and slung his backpack over his shoulder but didn't leave.
He couldn't let such a tape circulate, as it would engulf him in scandal and potentially ruin his already precarious career.
"Miller." Matthew smiled at him, "Let's talk."
After a second of silence, Johnny Lee Miller directly asked, "What do you want?"
Tom Hardy, recognizing the familiarity of the phrase, realized the situation had completely reversed in just two minutes.
Matthew looked at the camera placed at the shower's entrance, "Leave it behind."
"Fine." Johnny Lee Miller agreed without hesitation, "It's yours now."
"Bring it here." Matthew, wary of any tampering since it contained his indecent images, signaled to Tom Hardy, who reluctantly threw the camera over.
Matthew caught the camera, removed the tape, and placed the camera under a showerhead, effectively ruining any remaining content. He planned to take the camera's remnants with him.
"Good!" Matthew then turned to Johnny Lee Miller, "Let's discuss the second item."
Johnny Lee Miller, barely concealing his impatience, said, "Speak."
Matthew purposefully made a demand Johnny Lee Miller could accept, "During the filming of 'Black Hawk Down,' stop bothering me! Besides work-related matters, we don't know each other."
Johnny Lee Miller, uninterested in interacting with Matthew, agreed, "No problem! Unless our roles require dialogue during filming, I won't speak to you."
"That's best." Matthew paused, then turned to Tom Hardy, "There's one more simple condition, Mr. Miller. It should be easy for you."
Without waiting for Johnny Lee Miller to respond, he added, "If you agree to this, once you fulfill it, I'll immediately have my girlfriend return the tape to you. If not, I'm sorry, but I'm short on money and could probably get a good price for it."
"Speak!" Johnny Lee Miller fixed his gaze on Matthew, "Don't go too far!"
Matthew smiled, "Absolutely reasonable! It won't harm Mr. Miller's interests."
Relieved, Johnny Lee Miller preferred not to pay a high price if possible.
Matthew got straight to the point, "I want you to find a way to make Mr. Tom Hardy voluntarily leave the crew!"
"What?" Tom Hardy couldn't believe his ears.
"Impossible!" Johnny Lee Miller's first instinct was to refuse.
"Then there's nothing to discuss."
Suddenly, footsteps approached, and the door unlocked. Matthew spread his hands, "The door's opening. I'm leaving."
He sighed dramatically, "Mr. Miller, soon you can buy the tape in stores, and my copy won't matter."
Tom Hardy looked at Johnny Lee Miller, "We..."
Click—
With the door now open, footsteps entered. Matthew shook his head, picked up the washed camera, holding the videotape in one hand and the camera in the other, and walked towards the exit without looking back at Johnny Lee Miller and Tom Hardy.
In less than three seconds, Johnny Lee Miller made a decision, "Fine!"
Tom Hardy, panicked, yelled, "Johnny Lee Miller, have you gone mad?" Pointing at Matthew, he shouted, "For this jerk, you..."
"Shut up!" Johnny Lee Miller cut him off, reminding him, "Don't forget, you joined the crew through me!"
Although both were represented by the same agent, the agent prioritized him. Tom Hardy, merely a promising actor, could be sacrificed for his future.
Tom Hardy, pointing at Johnny Lee Miller, was at a loss for words, seemingly devastated.
Johnny Lee Miller ignored Tom Hardy, glanced at James McAvoy who had rushed over, and told Matthew, "Don't forget your promise!"
Matthew assured, "Don't worry, I'm very reliable!"
"Are you okay?" James McAvoy stopped at the door, "I heard from Ben..."
"I'm fine!" Matthew interrupted, "Let's talk back in the dorm."
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