The Box Office King of Hollywood

In the intense August sun of California, Matthew, drenched in sweat but seemingly unfazed, jogged around a flat expanse of land, his long legs carrying him swiftly forward.

Under a large sun umbrella at the center of the field, Hawk Breton stood like a javelin and bellowed, "Straighten your back, Matthew Horner! You are a soldier now!"

Hearing this, Matthew instantly straightened his spine, his posture resembling a spear even as he ran.

On the final day of the ten-day training, not only had Matthew's physique become more robust and his posture straighter, he even began to look a bit like a soldier.

However, it was only a semblance; ten days wasn't enough to effect a significant transformation.

As usual, after running, Matthew continued to work under Hawk's guidance to adjust his posture and walking style—habits deeply ingrained that required extensive practice.

These were the main elements of the training. Given the limited time, even an experienced ex-military officer like Hawk couldn't cram too much into Matthew.

Ultimately, the purpose was to prepare Matthew for the audition, ensuring he naturally fit the role of a tough soldier.

While Matthew practiced on the field, Helen Herman approached from a distance.

She went straight to where Hawk stood, removed her sun hat, and while watching Matthew intently practice, she asked, "How's his training progressing?"

Hawk turned to Helen and remarked, "Better than I anticipated."

"Oh?" Helen looked at him curiously.

"There wasn't much time, and I couldn't teach him a lot," Hawk explained. "But he's very diligent and puts in a lot of effort—much more than most of the recruits I've trained!"

Helen had never doubted Matthew's commitment. "And the results?"

Hawk gestured towards Matthew, "Put it this way, if you placed him among ordinary people, someone like me with professional training would notice him immediately. He'd stand out as having the most military demeanor."

Helen nodded, "That should be enough."

She agreed with Matthew's proposal because she knew from Eric that Tom Hanks would personally attend the audition for the role. Having undergone military training for over two months for "Saving Private Ryan" a few years back, Hanks was more familiar with military personas than the average person.

It was a gamble, but without taking risks, Matthew and Helen stood no chance, and disappointment would be the only certain outcome.

Helen intended the backup plan to remain just that—a backup.

"Alright, Matthew," Hawk called out as he checked his watch. "Take a ten-minute break."

Matthew jogged over, his walk noticeably different from before, his back straight as if ready to spring into action at any moment.

Helen took a bottle of water from a box on the ground and handed it to Matthew, noticing his skin had darkened to a light tan, enhancing his rugged physique—a quality that would undoubtedly add weight to his upcoming audition.

Matthew took the bottle, gulped down several mouthfuls, and poured the rest over his head to cool down.

The weather was hot, and the training exhausting, but it was all within his ability to endure. After all, it was nothing compared to the hard labor he had done on construction sites.

And then there was the thought of the glamorous lifestyle that fame could bring...

Such mundane thoughts dangled before Matthew like a carrot on a stick, urging him to push forward relentlessly.

"Your phone is ringing," Helen suddenly pointed out.

Matthew heard it too, and bending down, he fished the phone out of the box. An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen. He answered, putting the phone to his ear, and heard a formal voice.

"Hello, may I speak with Mr. Matthew Horner?"

Matthew, not recognizing the voice, replied, "This is Matthew Horner."

"I am calling from the Los Angeles County Courthouse..." the person briefly introduced themselves before continuing, "Mr. Horner, you are involved in a breach of contract lawsuit, and my colleague and I are preparing to serve you with a summons, which requires your personal signature."

Matthew immediately thought of the contractual dispute with the "Forbidden Tarot" production.

The caller's voice continued, "Where can we find you?"

As time passed, and having not received any lawyer's letters for a long time, Matthew had naively thought the other party had given up. He hadn't expected them to actually proceed legally.

"Hold on a moment," Matthew covered the mouthpiece, and seeing Hawk Breton nearby, vaguely mentioned to Helen, "It's about the breach of contract. The court wants me to sign the summons personally."

Helen immediately understood and turned to Hawk, "That's enough training for today. Matthew and I have some urgent matters to attend to."

Hawk, quick to grasp the situation, responded, "Alright, call me if you need anything else."

Matthew waved goodbye, "See you,

 Hawk. I'll transfer the rest of the fee to you tomorrow."

Hawk nodded with a smile and strode away.

In that brief moment, Helen had thought of a plan, "Have them send it to the agency."

"Are you still there?" Matthew heard the caller's response and gave them an address, "I'll be at Angel Talent Agency in an hour."

After hanging up, he cursed, "Those bastards!"

Helen beckoned to him, "Let's go, we need to head back."

Matthew followed her to the farm's parking area where Helen tossed him the car keys, "You drive, I need to handle this."

Taking the driver's seat, Matthew started the car and drove out of the estate while Helen, in the passenger seat, began making calls.

"Is this Wilson, the lawyer?" she spoke a name Matthew somewhat recognized, "I have a breach of contract case here. Yes, the client I referred to you a few months ago. They've initiated legal proceedings and are about to serve a summons. Can you come over? Great, I'll be at the office."

After hanging up, she made another call, "Mr. Clint, it's Helen. I need advice on a contract breach involving one of my clients. Yes, he's a union member. Can the union assist? You need documents? No problem, I'll send them over tomorrow."

On the drive back to Burbank, Helen made several calls, reaching out to numerous contacts.

When they arrived in front of the small office building of Angel Talent Agency, Matthew parked the car and followed Helen inside.

"Is it going to be a hassle?" Matthew asked, though less worried now with his agent handling things.

"Not particularly," Helen maintained her usual demeanor. "If it were really troublesome, I'd rather let you go."

Matthew understood her implication and shrugged, accepting the harsh reality.

In his view, it made sense—after all, why would Helen help him if the cost outweighed the benefits, especially since he wasn't a star yet?

Inside Helen's office, it wasn't long before Attorney Wilson arrived, and shortly after, two courthouse officials also appeared. With Wilson's assistance, Matthew personally signed the summons.

After the courthouse staff left, Matthew recounted the whole situation to Wilson.

"As I told you before," Wilson said directly, "you breached the contract first, and the other side has solid evidence. The best course is to negotiate a settlement out of court."

He handed back the scrutinized summons, "I'm confident I can get them to reduce the penalty by a third to a half."

The penalty was $50,000; even halved, it was still $25,000... Matthew felt a headache coming on as his recent earnings hadn't saved him much.

He had naively hoped to be ignored as a small fish but now realized how unrealistic that was.

"Alright," Matthew said seriously, "I'll leave it in your hands, Mr. Wilson."

"Let's discuss my fees first," Wilson was straightforward, "One-fifth of the amount I save you as my payment."

Matthew didn't respond immediately. Unfamiliar with American law, especially entertainment law, he looked to Helen, who nodded in agreement.

"Okay," he said.

Wilson stood, "I'll delay them for now and then apply for a settlement. Mr. Horner, be prepared; this could take months."

He bid farewell to Helen and then told Matthew, "Come by my office in the next few days so we can sign a formal representation agreement."

Watching Wilson leave, Matthew slumped on the sofa, his expression clouded with worry over the tens of thousands in potential fees, far beyond what he could currently afford.

After sitting for a while and thinking about the job he was vying for, he asked Helen, "How much could I earn for the role of Ronald Spears?"

Helen thought for a moment, "I estimate about five to six thousand dollars per episode. If the budget allows and I can leverage some favorable factors during negotiations, perhaps even more than eight thousand."

Hearing this, Matthew perked up. Even if Ronald Spears appeared in only five episodes, the role's compensation might just cover the settlement.

Matthew now had another compelling reason to secure the role!