Chapter 288: The Devil's Smile
When Wellington walked into Norton Eye's office, where Ethan was waiting, he had already prepared himself mentally.
He had been negotiating with Norton Eye's producers to increase his pay, but they had not agreed. Now, the matter had finally reached Ethan's ears, and he could talk to him face-to-face.
"Tap, tap, tap." The sound of leather shoes echoed from outside the door. Ethan quickly shifted his gaze away from the computer screen and looked at the handsome Greek actor.
Wellington, long time no see." Ethan spread his arms slightly, gesturing for him to sit.
Wellington took a seat across from the desk and smiled. "Good afternoon, Ethan."
"Not that good." Ethan shook his head and stared directly at him.
This statement made Wellington heart skip a beat. Under Ethan's sharp gaze, he awkwardly asked, "Why… not good?"
"Haha." Ethan suddenly laughed, rubbing his temples. "Because I usually take a nap around this time, but today I don't have time. What a shame. By the way, how old are you?"
"I'm twenty-six." Wellington was puzzled by the question, his expression showing confusion.
"Oh, not thirty yet. Then you wouldn't know—once a man hits thirty, his energy isn't what it used to be." Ethan spoke as if making small talk, completely avoiding the topic of pay. "But four years pass quickly, don't they? Just like how it only takes a year or two for someone to go from complete obscurity to instant fame."
Wellington nodded. "You're absolutely right."
"If I remember correctly, before filming Lucy, you were a model, right?" Ethan pulled out a cigar and used a cutter to snip off the tip.
"Yes. And I have to thank you for choosing me." Wellington also felt nostalgic. Back then, he had only come to audition for a minor role, but Ethan had spotted him immediately and cast him as the Royal Knight, Reese. Now, his Hollywood career was soaring.
However, his salary was indeed lower compared to others.
Even Rob Sari, who played a mostly faceless villain, was getting paid eight million dollars.
Yet he, a leading actor, was earning less than a short guy. It felt unfair.
His agent had been persuading him to take on higher-paying roles, but he had stayed out of gratitude to Ethan.
So even though Ethan was playing the emotional card now, he remained rational about the matter.
"But business is business, Ethan. I believe my current status warrants a higher… you know what I mean." Wellington didn't spell it out, but Ethan understood exactly what he was implying.
"Business is business… very well." Ethan chuckled. "If I remember correctly, we gave you a 20% raise last year."
"That's right." Wellington Edu didn't deny it. "But my salary was low to begin with, so 20% isn't much."
Ethan tapped his fingers on the desk. "How much do you want?"
"Another 25% increase." Wellington slightly lowered his demand. In reality, based on calculations with his agent, a 30% raise would only be a tiny fraction of the movie's budget. Ethan had no reason to delay Lucy: Curtain War over a mere two or three million dollars.
As for replacing him?
Wellington thought that was nearly impossible—unless Ethan planned to shelve Reese's character entirely.
That's why he had decided not to back down.
But Ethan remained calm in the face of his demand. Sitting with his legs crossed, he took a slow puff from his cigar and said, "Contractual obligations—you've heard of them, haven't you?"
"I will honor my contract and finish the remaining films, Ethan. But compared to others, my pay is significantly lower. It's unfair."
"Unfair?" Ethan pursed his lips as if he was smiling, yet he didn't actually smile.
Wellington didn't understand why Ethan had that expression, and for a moment, he felt uneasy.
"Will, you think the studio is being unfair to you. But have you been fair to the studio?" Ethan exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes unreadable in the dim light behind him. "On the afternoon of the 13th, you and your agent went to Warner Bros. That was for an audition, wasn't it?"
"Uh…" Wellington hesitated, opening his mouth to explain, "I just went to audition for a drama film."
"Batman v Superman. Hmm… in a way, I suppose it could be considered one." Ethan mused. "But I don't really care whether you auditioned for Batman or Lex Luthor. I just want to remind you of something—it's clearly stated in your contract, isn't it? You are not allowed to act in other studios' superhero movies."
This was a non-compete clause common in Hollywood.
If an actor playing a superhero suddenly appeared as a villain in a competing franchise, their heroic image would be compromised. It could even upset fans, causing a drop in box office revenue.
For film studios, that meant massive financial losses.
That's why every superhero actor had to sign such agreements.
Wellington was no exception. Yet, behind Ethan's back, he had secretly gone to Warner Bros., clearly trying to secure a backup plan for himself.
If his negotiations with Ethan fell apart, he might just break his contract and sign with Warner Bros. instead.
But when he heard the two roles Ethan mentioned, his expression shifted repeatedly. He had not expected Ethan to be so well-informed—even knowing exactly which roles he had auditioned for.
He immediately regretted following his agent's plan. He never should have gone to Warner Bros. first!
But Ethan probably didn't have any evidence, right?
Just as he was thinking this, Ethan took out a camera and placed it on the desk. "I know some people won't believe in death until they see the coffin. So take a look."
Wellington swallowed hard, picked up the camera, and flipped through the images. Sure enough, there he was, "fully disguised" as he entered the Warner Bros. building.
He stared at the "delete" button on the camera screen, tempted to press it. But his rational mind told him Ethan must have backups.
So he obediently placed the camera back on the desk.
"I only spoke with Warner Bros.—I never confirmed anything." Wellington could only cling to this point. "I don't think these photos prove anything, and they don't conflict with my request for a pay raise."
Ethan took a couple of puffs from his cigar and nodded slightly. "Of course, I understand. But,I can only offer you a 10% raise. That's it."
"Sorry, that's too little." Wellington refused without hesitation.
Though he worried Ethan might have more cards to play, he reassured himself that he had maintained a clean record lately—no scandals, no personal issues. Even if Ethan wanted to blackmail him, there was nothing he could use.
He believed he had seen through Ethan's tricks—first, a little intimidation with the photos to shake his confidence, then a lower-than-expected pay raise.
As long as he held his ground, Ethan had no choice but to agree.
However, just as he thought this, he saw Ethan shrug and put on a helpless expression.
"What a pity, Will. I always thought you were a very smart man. But… oh well, take a look at this."
Ethan swapped out the memory card in the camera and handed it to Wellington.
Then, he smoked his cigar leisurely while watching Wellington face grow increasingly pale.
Until the moment Wellington clenched his teeth and said, "This is a crime!"
"Sorry, but this was provided by someone else. If there's a crime, it's theirs." Ethan set his cigar down, took the camera back, and scrolled through the various… compromising photos.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at that fair skin and those toned muscles. Who would've thought that the actor playing Reese used to be a male escort? That's quite the headline. I bet your fans would be heartbroken to hear this. But hey, it's not all bad news—if they work hard enough, maybe they can book your services one day."
Ethan, smirking, put the camera back in his drawer and looked at Wellington, whose face now bore a mix of anger and sheer terror.
"Will, how do you think the media would feel about this little gift?"
"I don't need a pay raise anymore. Just give me the photos." Faced with images of his scandalous past, Wellington immediately abandoned his original stance.
Ethan's smile faded as he spoke in a serious tone.
"Do you think I'm joking, Wellington? Do you think I brought this out just to pressure you over salary?"
"What… do you mean?" Wellington, who had been at Ethan's mercy since stepping into the office, was utterly lost. He had no idea what Ethan truly wanted, and panic crept into his heart.
Ethan crossed his arms.
"What I mean is—you're finished, Wellington. Your career ends here."
"No!" Wellington pleaded. "You can't do this! I… I'll lower my pay! I won't ask for a raise ever again!"
"I gave you a chance, but unfortunately, you didn't take it." Ethan shook his head. "Yuffie, escort the soon-to-be-deceased Reese out."
Right on cue, Yuffie appeared at the door. "Yes, boss."
"No! No!" Wellington lost control and shouted in desperation. "Ethan, let's talk! I'll agree to any conditions! Please don't destroy me!"
But Ethan ignored him and stood up as if he were about to leave.
Meanwhile, at Yuffie's signal, the security guards entered the office, ready to drag Wellington out.
Seeing this, Wellington finally realized Ethan wasn't bluffing. He truly intended to release those photos and ruin him completely.
The thought of his career collapsing—of losing his mansions, his women, and of having to sink all his money into paying off his debts—made him feel like the sky was falling.
In that instant, he abandoned all thoughts of resistance. Struggling against the guards, he shouted desperately, "Ethan! There has to be another way, right?! I'll work for free! I'll play Reese without pay! Just don't release the photos!"
Ethan stopped in his tracks.
After a moment of silence, just as the guards were about to drag Wellington out, Ethan called them back.
"Perhaps I can give you one last chance."
Ethan smiled at Wellington.
But to Wellington, that smile was more terrifying than a demon's from hell.
Because a demon only takes your soul after death—while Ethan would take everything from him while he was still alive.
.....
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