Upon arriving in France, Matthew made his way to the luxurious suburban Paris home of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. Instead of visiting directly, he first contacted Lily-Rose Depp, who skipped school to come meet him.
The moment she saw him, Lily started crying again. Matthew, not particularly skilled at comforting others, felt a bit helpless.
"My dear," he said, doing his best to console her, "it's okay. If you keep crying, you won't look pretty anymore."
Lily's eyes were swollen and red from crying. She wiped her tears, still sniffling, and managed to say, "Godfather…"
Before she could finish, she broke down again.
Matthew hurriedly opened a packet of tissues, pulling one out to hand to her. "What's wrong? Tell me, okay?"
Hearing his words, Lily finally stopped crying for a moment, took the tissue, and wiped her face. "Dad wants to break up with Mom."
Matthew rubbed his temples. As he had suspected.
"Dad met a woman this year, another actress." At twelve years old, Lily already understood a lot more than most would expect. Her explanation was coherent and to the point. "That horrible woman somehow bewitched Dad, and now he wants to break up with Mom. He also wants me to stay with Mom…"
Tears welled up in her eyes again as she spoke.
Though Lily hadn't gone into great detail, Matthew pieced it together. Johnny Depp had found a new girlfriend and planned to break up with Vanessa Paradis, leaving Lily to stay with her mother.
How could anyone intervene in such a private matter? Matthew felt a headache coming on. Unlike him and Leonardo, who openly enjoyed their libertine lifestyles, Depp was neither a saint nor a serial monogamist. Even excluding his casual flings, he had a string of formal relationships.
However, unlike Matthew's pragmatic approach, Depp was a hopeless romantic.
Over the years, Depp had shown a pattern of intense infatuation. He'd tattooed Winona Ryder's name on his body, matched Kate Moss's drug-fueled lifestyle, and moved to France for Vanessa Paradis. Depp truly embodied the term born romantic.
"Godfather…" Lily looked up at Matthew, her eyes full of hope. "Can you help me?"
Matthew nodded. "I came to Paris just to help you."
A glimmer of hope shone in Lily's tear-streaked face. "You're Dad's best friend. Can you talk to him?"
"I'll try my best," Matthew reassured her with a nod.
This was all he could promise. Whether it would work was another matter entirely.
Matthew sighed inwardly as he looked at Lily. He recalled reading an article somewhere that said children around ten years old are the most affected by their parents' divorce. Younger children don't fully comprehend the situation, and older kids are more independent, making them less reliant on their parents.
At Lily's age, she understood too much but couldn't detach herself from her family.
Matthew escorted Lily back home afterward. He briefly met Vanessa Paradis but found Johnny Depp absent. While he didn't know Vanessa well, her demeanor struck him. Though she seemed sad and a little angry, she maintained her composure.
Being in the entertainment industry, she'd undoubtedly seen her share of breakups. This wasn't her first heartbreak either.
If Lily hadn't pleaded with him repeatedly to help, Matthew might have considered staying out of the situation altogether. This was a deeply personal issue, even for close friends.
After leaving Lily's home, Matthew called Johnny Depp, informing him he was in Paris and wanted to meet for coffee.
Depp readily agreed.
Half an hour later, the two met at a café in a hotel by the Seine.
"What brings you to France?" Depp asked curiously. "Last time we spoke, you mentioned heading to Australia for a new film."
"Lily called me yesterday," Matthew said bluntly. "I came here because of her."
Depp's expression shifted slightly as he understood what Matthew meant. "It's nothing. She'll get over it soon."
Matthew rubbed his face, trying to shake off his fatigue. Having stayed up all night, been woken abruptly, and flown straight to France without adjusting to the time difference, he was utterly drained.
"Depp, this is your private matter, and I wouldn't normally interfere," Matthew said after a sip of strong coffee. "But as Lily's godfather, I have to tell you—she called me, crying her heart out."
Depp opened his mouth but seemed unsure of what to say.
Matthew put down his cup and asked, "Is this woman really worth it? Worth giving up your family and your daughter?"
Without hesitation, Depp nodded. "We're in love."
"I…" Matthew stopped himself mid-sentence, reconsidering his approach. "Are you sure?"
Depp answered firmly, "I'm planning to get engaged to her next month. We'll marry by next year at the latest."
"What?" Matthew was shocked.
Depp had been with Vanessa for over a decade. They had Lily, yet he had never married her. Now he wanted to marry someone new?
Curious, Matthew asked, "Who is she?"
"A French actress. She's pretty ordinary," Depp replied.
Matthew sipped his coffee, trying to stay alert. "How old is she?"
"She's twenty," Depp admitted in a low voice.
Matthew fell silent. Youth was indeed an advantage. Who wouldn't be drawn to someone young and beautiful? After a moment, he probed cautiously, "Are you sure this is love? Not just an impulse?"
The question was a bit harsh. Depp raised an eyebrow and said, "Matthew, I know you care about me, but I've made up my mind."
Seeing Depp's resolve, Matthew knew further persuasion would be futile. "Just be mindful of Lily's feelings," he said after finishing his coffee.
Depp seemed to take this to heart. "I will," he promised, lightly patting Matthew's arm. "I know you're worried about me and Lily. But I've truly found my soulmate this time. I'm certain she's the one to spend my life with."
With Depp so adamant, Matthew had nothing more to say. "Just take care of Lily," he reiterated.
Depp nodded again, though his mind seemed elsewhere. He then added, "Will you still be in Paris for a few days? She's coming back soon—I'd love for you to meet her."
Matthew declined. "I'm leaving tomorrow. The crew has already moved to Australia, and I need to join them."
"Another time, then," Depp said.
They chatted a bit more, but Matthew couldn't suppress his yawns. Depp suddenly asked, "There's a rumor in the industry that you've been using drugs. Is it true?"
Matthew was about to respond but yawned again.
"I've tried that stuff. It's deadly," Depp cautioned. "If it's true, quit while you can."
Matthew smirked at the misunderstanding. "I'm just exhausted," he explained. "I've been deliberately spreading those rumors."
Having known Matthew for nearly a decade, Depp understood his calculating nature. "I get it. Don't worry—I won't say a word."
Feeling his eyelids growing heavier, Matthew excused himself. "Let's talk later. I need to get some sleep."
Depp called a driver to take Matthew back to his hotel. Upon returning, Matthew, though utterly exhausted, took a cold shower to refresh himself.
As for the drug rumors, they were part of his plan. He'd been deliberately feeding the Hollywood grapevine with tales of his supposed addiction to mislead Harvey Weinstein. The more Weinstein believed that drugs would ruin him, the longer he'd wait to act. Meanwhile, Ronan Farrow and Bob Weinstein needed more time to prepare.
After his shower, Matthew called Lily, letting her know he had spoken to her father and was trying his best to handle the situation. However, he doubted Depp would change his mind. Divorce seemed inevitable. Matthew only hoped Depp would handle it in a way that minimized Lily's pain.
Before hanging up, Lily mentioned that her godmother, Keira Knightley, was also in Paris.
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