Seated in a booth at a café, Amber Heard's gaze drifted to her purse on the chair beside her. Though it contained a few peculiar items, it was clear that few men would ever bother investigating a woman's handbag.
Her eyes then settled on Harvey Weinstein across the table—a big, arrogant figure exuding an air as if he was untouchable, even by God himself.
"Miss Heard," Weinstein said, irritation layered over his usual condescension. "What was so urgent that you had to see me?"
The dismissive attitude irked Amber. Working under Matthew Horner was a hundred times more bearable than dealing with this arrogant man. And that face—greasy and bloated like a pig's—made him even less appealing.
Suppressing her irritation, Amber recalled Matthew's advice, channeling her limited acting skills as best she could.
"Mr. Weinstein," she began, purposefully lowering her voice and adopting a submissive tone. "Did you get the news I sent? I've successfully gotten Matthew Horner hooked on drugs. It's still early, and the addiction isn't too severe yet, but if it continues, he might just end up as another River Phoenix."
Weinstein's expression remained indifferent. "Is that so? I'm not interested in these trivial details."
Amber stole a quick glance at him, then added hastily, "Of course. It's all part of the plan—I lured him into this on purpose." She hesitated, feigning distress. "Matthew's asking for more, though. He doesn't have any other supply, so he needs me to keep providing it. But… I'm running low."
The mention of Matthew's increasing demand caused Weinstein to raise an eyebrow, a flicker of satisfaction briefly crossing his face.
This was the best news he'd heard since the New Year, even better than hearing about The King's Speech receiving multiple Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture. Over the past two years, Weinstein had encountered countless setbacks because of Matthew, unable to find any effective leverage against him.
Even with stars like Tom Cruise or Leonardo DiCaprio, if they crossed him, he could make their Oscar bids challenging.
But that tactic had no effect on Matthew, who didn't even bother campaigning for an Oscar nomination despite Warner Brothers' backing. It was clear he had no interest in the Oscars.
Without that leverage, Weinstein had been at a loss for how to control him.
Now, though, he had finally found a way. Drugs were a quagmire that, once fallen into, trapped stars, leaving them struggling to escape. Even in the best scenarios, recovering was as grueling as it had been for Robert Downey Jr.; in the worst, they might meet a tragic end, like River Phoenix.
This gave Weinstein a renewed sense of power, and he replied in a low voice, "I'll arrange for you to get more supplies."
Not only did he have Amber's report, but he'd also planted someone in the G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation crew, where some members had noticed odd behavior from Matthew. Occasionally, he would seem fatigued, only to disappear into his private dressing room and later emerge looking refreshed.
Such signs were all too familiar in Hollywood—anyone with a drug habit displayed this same pattern.
This subtle, debilitating strategy against Matthew would be slow, but it was also low-risk. After all, Matthew was not an easy target, unlike minor actors such as Rose McGowan or Amber.
"I assure you, Mr. Weinstein," Amber pledged confidently. "In two years, you'll see a completely different Matthew Horner."
Weinstein sighed; two years felt like an eternity.
But he knew it would take time to bring someone like Matthew down. He couldn't risk exposure too soon, or people might intervene to help Matthew break the habit before it fully took hold.
The longer it went on, the harder it would be for him to escape addiction.
Amber threw herself into her role, though in truth, it required little acting—she simply needed to act as herself.
"Mr. Weinstein," she said, probing carefully, "I've fulfilled my part. So…?"
Weinstein didn't respond immediately, pretending not to have heard her.
Amber gritted her teeth and pressed, "Mr. Weinstein, what about the role you promised?"
"Role?" Weinstein frowned slightly. "There's no rush."
"I…" Amber tried to object, but Weinstein cut her off. "Miss Heard, this is only the beginning."
It wasn't the first time Weinstein had manipulated people this way, and finding a plausible excuse came naturally. "I haven't seen any hard evidence of Matthew's addiction yet."
Amber wasn't naive; she sensed Weinstein was stalling.
"So, what else do you want me to do?" She allowed a hint of irritation into her voice.
"Get footage of Matthew using drugs," Weinstein instructed, a cold smile spreading across his face. "The clearer, the better—multiple angles, if possible."
Amber fell silent, and after a long pause, she replied, "I can't guarantee that. Matthew is cautious. If he senses something is off, your plan could fall apart."
Weinstein remained unperturbed. "I'm willing to wait." Then, in a tone of suggestion, he added, "Ideally, get footage of him acting wildly. You can work on gaining his trust and find opportunities to film him. I'll make sure you get a state-of-the-art hidden camera."
Amber bit her lip, falling silent again as if wrestling with herself before finally saying, "Fine. I'll try."
Weinstein chuckled, pleased. He knew these aspiring actresses inside and out—when it came to becoming a star, they'd do almost anything.
"But Mr. Weinstein!" Amber continued. "This might take months, even over a year. What about my role? I heard Step Aside, Let Me Embrace Happiness has already started pre-production, and it's officially titled Silver Linings Playbook now."
This news had been widely reported, so Weinstein couldn't deny it. Nor did he care to; he was the one pulling the strings.
"So I won't make it into that film?" Amber's face darkened. "Will the role wait for me?"
Before Weinstein could answer, she quickly added, "Don't lie to me, Mr. Weinstein. I've been in Hollywood for five or six years. I'm not some naive teenager."
Weinstein laughed, his tone smug. "Indeed, you won't make it. But you forget—I don't just control a single film; I control all of Weinstein Company."
Amber looked at him, her expression filled with confusion.
"Miss this role, and I can give you another one whenever I want," he said, relishing his position as the master of her fate. "Ever heard of Sin City?"
"Directed by Robert Rodriguez, adapted from Frank Miller's graphic novel," Amber replied. "It caused quite a stir."
Weinstein continued, "We're preparing a sequel, with a strong female lead. All other characters revolve around her." He pointed at Amber. "Sin City 2 will enter production soon, and I think you'd be perfect as the lead."
If not for the promise of that previous role, Amber might have been moved to tears. A starring role in the sequel to a hit film could bring far more fame than an indie film chasing an Oscar.
After all, even an indie film wasn't guaranteed an Oscar.
"Really?" Greed flickered in Amber's eyes. "Are you serious?"
Weinstein nodded. "Of course."
Amber's eagerness was evident. "Then it's a deal!"
"A deal," Weinstein replied, dangling the bait, then added, "Oh, and try to lure Matthew into hurting you. If you can capture that on camera, all the better."
Amber hesitated. "That will be even harder."
Weinstein's tone turned icy. "Take your time. I have patience."
Amber paused, seemingly conflicted, but inwardly she was laughing. It was just as Matthew had warned—Weinstein had no intention of honoring his promises; he was only using her.
"But think about it," Weinstein said, hinting again, "it's a starring role in a classic sequel."
"Fine!" Amber gritted her teeth and agreed.
Weinstein grinned, checking his watch before ordering, "Now, come with me to the hotel. I've prepared the script for you."
At the mention of a script, Amber's instinct was to agree, but she quickly gathered herself. Going with him could only mean trouble. She replied instead, "Matthew has a meeting with me; he's urgently waiting for more supplies."
Weinstein scowled, then reluctantly waved her off. "Fine. Go."
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]