As night fell, Matthew drove to Angel Agency. Upon entering, he saw Helen Herman waiting for him at the reception.
"What's going on?" Matthew asked as he approached quickly.
Without any small talk, Helen Herman replied, "After our discussion a few days ago, I did some research, and our target should be in Los Angeles tonight. He's been invited to two events, but I'm not sure which one he'll attend."
"What events?" Matthew asked curiously.
"One is a business gathering in the IT technology sector," Helen Herman explained quickly, "and the other is a charity dinner in Hollywood."
She spoke swiftly, "We should split up; one of us should go to each event."
Matthew nodded, "That's fine."
Helen Herman continued, "The IT tech event has strict entry requirements, it's hard for outsiders to get in. You're a highly recognizable star; I'll go to that one, and I think I can find a way in."
"Okay!"
Although the formal negotiations with Frank Miller wouldn't start until late April, time was tight, so Matthew didn't hesitate. "I'll take the charity dinner."
"Here's the invitation," Helen Herman said, picking up a large envelope from the glass table at the reception and handing it over to him while advising, "The host is someone you know, Jennifer Aniston. If you meet the target, be sure to handle it well."
Matthew took the envelope and responded confidently, "Don't worry."
Helen Herman trusted Matthew; he had proven himself many times in the past.
After a brief exchange, they left Angel Agency together. Matthew opened the trunk of his Mercedes G-Class, took out a suit, changed in the first-floor conference room, and then drove toward Beverly Hills.
The charity auction he was heading to was being held at the Regency Beverly Hills Hotel.
In Hollywood, attracting investment sometimes seemed not too difficult—for mainstream commercial productions by the major studios like the sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean," Disney Studios could easily find venture capitalists or film funds lining up to invest.
However, for small film companies or individuals, securing seven to eight-figure investments was always a challenge, especially for Matthew and Zack Snyder, who didn't even have a mid-size production company behind them.
What to do in such a case? Based on Matthew's experience over the years, now was the time to—with the utmost sincerity—approach those new to the industry who had plenty of cash on hand.
In this era, like the Fox he had encountered, there were a few financiers who wanted to invest in Hollywood.
Last year, during auditions for the lead in "National Treasure," James Franco had given up the role of Ben Gates because a financier had invested in his script, giving him a chance to direct.
Although that movie, titled "The Ape King," had not yet been released, Matthew remembered the name David Ellison from that time.
After he mentioned David Ellison to Helen Herman, she had thoroughly investigated him, and Ellison's actions since entering Hollywood fit their needs perfectly.
He was a young heir with undeniable wealth, investing purely based on his interests.
Arriving at the Regency Hotel, Matthew showed his invitation and was immediately led by a waiter to the banquet hall on the second floor, where hundreds of Hollywood insiders had gathered.
The invitation indicated that the organizer of the charity dinner was Jennifer Aniston, a well-known figure across America.
As Matthew entered the banquet hall, he saw Jennifer Aniston near the entrance, greeting guests.
"Hi, Jen," Matthew approached her immediately, and Jennifer came forward, opening her arms for a brief hug, "Welcome, Matthew, I'm so glad you could come."
Before entering the hotel, Matthew had carefully read the invitation and now said grandly, "How could I miss out on contributing to children with leukemia?"
He lowered his voice, "Especially since it's your event."
It was as if he and Jennifer Aniston were old friends.
Jennifer stepped back a little after the embrace and said, "Thank you for your support." She gestured inside the hall, "Feel free to take a seat, we'll catch up later."
As more guests arrived at the door, Matthew didn't linger there any longer. He went to the check-in desk, signed his name, and like other celebrities, wrote down a donation amount—$100,000 as Helen Herman had advised.
At such charity dinners, failing to donate would make one a laughing stock in the industry. Even stars in financial difficulty would rather borrow money than appear stingy.
Of course, one could pledge and then renege since this wasn't an on-the-spot payment. However, that would be considered extremely poor taste.
Matthew found a seat with a clear view of the hall, scanned the room for the target without success, and then his gaze landed on Jennifer Aniston.
Jennifer appeared radiant, seemingly having moved on from her divorce, and Matthew had read in the newspapers that she might even have
a new boyfriend.
This was Hollywood, where no one hung onto the past, and a breakup or divorce wasn't the end of the world.
Post-divorce, Jennifer had not only maintained her popularity despite the end of "Friends," but she remained a beloved figure nationwide.
Tabloid stories were a direct indication of this; paparazzi, who are opportunistic, wouldn't bother with unpopular or disliked celebrities. In contrast, Jennifer was a constant presence in the gossip columns.
Just the rumors of her pregnancies were enough for repeated headlines and reports, whether true or speculated.
On the other hand, Brad Pitt, since his divorce from Jennifer, had tried to rehabilitate his image. Though he had fan support, his reputation had suffered, and his career wasn't going as well. Lately, he often mentioned Jennifer in interviews, shamelessly leveraging his ex-wife's fame.
Without "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," Brad and Angelina Jolie's life was not as easy as before, facing complex situations.
As footsteps approached the hall entrance again, Matthew looked over and saw a young man with brownish-golden short hair enter. This person went straight to Jennifer Aniston, greeted her, and then sat down not far from Matthew.
Matthew didn't rush to greet him; instead, he took out his phone and sent a message to Helen Herman, then patiently waited for the right moment.
These things required careful handling; being too eager could backfire.
He kept an eye on the young man, whom Helen Herman had shown him a photo of—this was David Ellison, son of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.
According to the information Helen had gathered, David had a profound love and interest in Hollywood's film industry, having attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He had been eager to break into Hollywood and left school early to pursue his dreams.
Rumors said Larry Ellison had given David $200 million as a startup fund.
These were just rumors, unverifiable in truth.
After arriving in Hollywood, David initially sought to invest in major projects with the big six studios but faced natural resistance from the Hollywood insiders. Over a year had passed with no suitable projects found other than James Franco's "The Ape King."
Like in financial investments, having money wasn't always enough to secure opportunities. David Ellison had hit many roadblocks in Hollywood.
This made him a perfect target for Matthew's needs.
From any perspective, David Ellison was a super financier.
Matthew patiently waited a while as the charity dinner began. After Jennifer Aniston, the host, finished her speech, he approached her.
"Can you help me with something?" Jennifer remembered Matthew had helped her last year.
Matthew gestured towards David Ellison and asked, "Jen, are you close with Larry Ellison's son?"
Jennifer replied directly, "Not really, just acquainted."
"Could you do me a small favor?" Matthew looked at David Ellison and said, "Could you introduce us?"
Jennifer wasn't sure what Matthew was planning, but it was a simple request. "Sure," she beckoned Matthew, "Come with me, I'll introduce you."
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