341-345

*Chapter 341: Uh-oh, This is the Feeling of Falling in Love (Happy New Year, Best Wishes for the Year of the Tiger)*

"Strong, brave, elegant, kind, and compassionate—after his iconic role as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, Richard has once again delivered a classic screen presence," says The Los Angeles Times in its review.

"Following The Lord of the Rings, Richard and Orlando teamed up again, this time playing the royal brothers of Troy. Richard’s portrayal of the eldest prince is gentle, wise, and magnanimous, leaving a profound impact on the audience. He was even voted as the 'Best Big Brother of the Year' by fans. This is according to Variety magazine."

"Richard's portrayal of Hector is multi-dimensional and full of charisma, while Pitt's Achilles, in comparison, seems shallow and frivolous, more like something from a soap opera. That's what The Chicago Tribune has to say."

In the B-Plan office, agent Mr. Wilson was reading through several newspapers.

"Pitt, these reviews are piling up, praising one while putting down another. Something seems off. We need to take immediate countermeasures," Wilson said.

Pitt frowned slightly as he held a newspaper. "What are you planning to do?"

"This could very well be orchestrated by Richard's agency. I'll talk to his agent, Anthony, and ask him to stop competing through such underhanded means."

Wilson spoke resolutely.

Pitt put down the newspaper and shook his head. "This probably isn't coming from Richard’s side."

"Why not?" Wilson asked, puzzled.

Pitt smirked and lit a cigarette. "Does Richard even need to do this? In terms of global influence and popularity, who can really compare with him, aside from a few veteran entertainment and sports megastars? Besides, Richard is planning to retire, so he has no need for these petty tricks."

Pitt puffed on his cigarette and chuckled.

"Is that true?"

Wilson had heard rumors of Richard planning to retire, but he found it hard to believe. "Richard’s commercial value is at the top of the industry, and he commands the highest salary. Would he really retire in such a situation?"

"Why not? Don’t forget, he’s worth $2.9 billion, and he earns close to $100 million from a single fight. A movie paycheck of just a few tens of millions means nothing to him."

Pitt grinned.

When Pitt first heard of Richard, he found him quite annoying. A boxer meddling in the movie industry? Seemed absurd.

But then Richard swept through the light-heavyweight boxing world and even flew the banner of "seeking defeat," dominating the competition.

Moving to the heavyweight division, he defeated top fighters like John Ruiz, James Toney, Holyfield, Tyson, Lewis, and David Tua.

No one walked away from his fights unscathed.

And on top of that, Richard was a billionaire.

Over time, Pitt’s feelings about Richard evolved—from irritation, to envy and jealousy, and finally to admiration. That’s why he had pushed so hard to get Richard on board for the movie.

Initially, they paid $19.5 million to get Richard involved. Many people mocked the studio, saying it was a bad investment, too much for a supporting role.

But now, no one was saying that anymore. Troy had grossed over $120 million in just three days—a figure more convincing than any argument.

The studio investigated the reasons behind the film's box office success and found that Richard had contributed the most.

First, Richard's immense influence—The Lord of the Rings buzz hadn’t even died down. Second, the fight scenes in the movie were called iconic by many critics, surpassing even those in Gladiator in terms of historical accuracy and intensity.

All thanks to Richard.

Given Richard’s current influence, getting him to star in a movie now would cost no less than $50 million.

That $19.5 million? It was a steal.

Pitt puffed on his cigarette and chuckled again.

"So, if it wasn’t Richard’s side, who do you think is behind this?" Wilson asked, frowning.

"There could be many culprits. On the surface, these reviews seem beneficial to Richard, but overly praising someone can backfire and alienate audiences. It could be one of Richard’s rivals, or even one of mine."

Pitt paused and flicked his cigarette ash. "It could also be some clueless marketing strategist trying to stir up fan wars between Richard and me to promote the film."

"Look into it. I’ll call Richard later, and we can work together to tone things down."

"Got it."

"Oh, and one more thing."

Pitt rubbed his eyebrow with his finger. "Any word from New Century?"

"Yes. They said The Departed's investment budget is too high, and they’re sticking to smaller projects, so they rejected the partnership."

Wilson shrugged.

"Alright. I’ll talk to Richard myself."

"Understood."

Wilson left the office.

Pitt put his feet up on the desk, smoking as he stared at the ceiling for a while. He then picked up his phone and made a call.

Richard’s assistant, Anna, answered, saying Richard was in a work meeting and would respond later.

Pitt hung up and stretched.

"Pitt, time to go home," Jennifer Aniston knocked on the door and entered, frowning. "You’re smoking again? Weren’t you going to quit?"

"Heh, I’ll quit... eventually."

Pitt stubbed out his cigarette and fanned the air with his hand. "What brings you here?"

"I got a new script. I want the production team to evaluate whether it’s worth investing in," Aniston said, turning on the fan.

"You shouldn’t just focus on acting. You’re a woman—why not take some time to go shopping, relax, and take care of yourself? By the way, you hit it off with Gisele at the last party, right? Make sure to keep in touch with her. There could be future collaborations between New Century and B Plan."

"Yeah, yeah. Can we go now?"

"Let’s go."

The two left the office.

Bang!

The door closed behind them.

Creak!

Anna pushed open the door to the conference room.

Inside, more than a dozen people were seated. There was Tom Rothman, the president of 20th Century Fox, along with two of the studio’s senior executives, Richard Donner and Wayne Arad.

Also present were Ridley Scott, the director and producer of Kingdom of Heaven, screenwriter William Monahan, and two history professors from Cambridge and Harvard who were part of the scriptwriting team.

Richard sat in the middle, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and casual pants, with little Louis on his lap, while Anthony sat behind him.

Since Richard didn’t smoke, everyone was just drinking coffee.

Anna sat down next to Anthony with her notebook, listening to the conversation.

"Haha, Richard, not casting you as the lead in X-Men was the biggest regret of our production department," Richard Donner joked.

Richard smiled. He had been quite upset when he wasn’t cast as Wolverine, but now it didn’t seem like a big deal. After all, he couldn’t expect the world to revolve around him.

"Richard, I heard you choreographed most of the fight scenes in Troy?"

Director Ridley Scott asked,

"I was involved in part of the action choreography and guidance, mainly for smaller fight scenes," Richard said.

"The fight scenes in Troy were fantastic, especially the ones you were in. The combination of strength and beauty was breathtaking," Director Ridley praised.

"Yes, particularly your duel with Pitt in front of the city gates. A three-minute fight scene, and everyone was watching with wide eyes, holding their breath. When you fell, many women shed tears—it was incredible," Wayne Allard exclaimed.

"Thank you, I'm quite good at these types of scenes," Richard said with a chuckle.

"Richard, you're actually very suited for historical action films. Your performance in The Lord of the Rings also showed that."

"In your portrayal of Aragorn, whether as a ranger, a general, or a king, you displayed distinct characteristics for each. That kind of growth in your performance was amazing. When you donned the crown and ascended the throne, the aura you displayed was unmatched by anyone," Richard Donner said with a smile.

"Yes, Aragorn was a great character; it gave me a lot of room to play," Richard laughed.

"Richard, the character Balian from Kingdom of Heaven is also excellent. He's a handsome, strong blacksmith, brave in battle, noble in character. The role was tailor-made for you."

"In the chaos of war, Balian slowly realizes the true nature of war—killing and looting—and starts to seek peace, justice, and true love. The script has a very positive message. Richard, why not give it a shot?" President Tom Rothman said with a smile.

Richard smirked, feeling conflicted. In the past, he had gone to great lengths for a lead role, sometimes lowering his standards and swallowing his pride.

But now, to get him to take the lead role, a whole group of people was trying to persuade him, trying to push him into this "pit."

It was hard to believe.

If he hadn't recalled the box office numbers for Kingdom of Heaven, he might have jumped in. But knowing it would flop, there was no way he'd get involved unless something was wrong with him.

Richard repositioned the little one in his arms. "Mr. Rothman, Balian’s character does indeed have its highlights."

"Haha, you think so? So why not collaborate once? I heard you’re planning to retire in a few years. Why not end it with a movie that will go down in film history?" President Tom Rothman laughed.

Richard almost laughed. If things went as expected, this movie would indeed go down in history—for its over $100 million budget and $40 million box office. It would have a place on the list of box office flops.

"I carefully studied the script after receiving it. It's very detailed and dense, much like The Lord of the Rings. But I have a question, Director Ridley—how long are you planning to make this movie?"

Director Ridley thought for a moment. "This is a historical film. If it’s too short, the story will feel shallow. The director’s script is designed to be three hours long, or it could be split into two parts."

"Is that a good idea? Kingdom of Heaven doesn't have the same large fan base as The Lord of the Rings, and Balian isn't a particularly famous historical figure. I’m not sure where the selling point of this movie is," Richard said bluntly.

"In historical war films, if we talk about love and inspiration, Braveheart is the best. If it’s battle scenes, The Lord of the Rings is number one. For large-scale conflict, Gladiator did well, and for hand-to-hand combat, Troy was decent. So what is the selling point of Kingdom of Heaven?"

Director Ridley frowned. There were many classic historical war films in movie history. With these shining examples, it would be hard for Kingdom of Heaven to stand out.

President Tom Rothman looked at the director and then at the producers and screenwriters. "What is our selling point?"

"Ahem, Mr. Rothman, well…" screenwriter William Monahan began, "We designed this script with reference to Braveheart, The Lord of the Rings, and Gladiator."

"You mean it’s a mishmash?" President Rothman frowned.

"Uh…" The screenwriter wanted to say no, but thinking about it, it kind of was. "Is that bad?"

Richard smiled. "As a producer myself, just from my personal opinion, yes, it is bad."

President Rothman’s face darkened. Even if he wasn’t a producer, he knew that wouldn’t work. A movie with no standout features and nothing to surpass the classics would only be mediocre.

An expensive, mediocre film? Even if it didn’t lose money, it certainly wouldn’t be a hit.

Anthony, standing nearby, smirked. Richard was going overboard. If he didn’t want the role, fine, but he was trying to sink the whole project—too bad!

Richard glanced at him. Well, this was your fault for meddling.

To reasonably turn down this role, Richard had spent the past few days doing a lot of research, reading several books, and consulting producers like Copeson, Moritz, and directors like Woody Allen.

By using the box office flop outcome, he had reverse-engineered these issues.

If these problems weren’t resolved, he had every reason to refuse a mediocre film.

He had worked hard to turn them down.

"Richard, you are our selling point," Director Ridley Scott suddenly said.

"Me?"

Richard was intrigued.

"Yes, Richard. In The Lord of the Rings and Troy, you weren’t the absolute lead. But fans loved your portrayal of ancient historical figures."

"They want to see you in armor, fighting, showing off your masterful swordsmanship. They also want to see your god-like physique charging into battle with a sword in hand, leading a cavalry charge. They’d also love to see you woo a beautiful woman in period clothing."

"Exactly!" Producer Richard Donner clapped his hands and laughed. "Richard, you're the perfect idol for countless young people. They want to see you on the big screen."

"For instance, after Troy, I heard many say it was a pity you weren’t the lead, that your screen time was too short. Fans were left wanting more."

"Richard, Kingdom of Heaven is tailor-made for you. It will showcase all your abilities and charisma."

"Richard, I heard you plan to retire. Don’t you want to leave the screen on a high note, fully displaying all your talents and skills?" Richard Donner asked.

Richard frowned slightly. That did sound pretty good.

"Richard, in The Lord of the Rings and Troy, there were too many characters, so you didn’t have much room to shine, which left fans with regrets."

"But in Kingdom of Heaven, the focus will be all on you. Your appearance, muscles, fighting, swordsmanship, horseback riding, and personal charisma will all be on full display. Trust us, this will be a classic," Producer Wayne Allard said.

Richard clenched his fist. Uh-oh, he was tempted.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Little Louis looked up at him, his big eyes wide, the pacifier falling from his mouth.

Richard smiled, holding the little one. "Ridley, Richard, Wayne, you all made great points. But the script I have isn’t exactly what you’re describing."

"Richard, we’ll revise the script and give you a satisfactory answer," Director Ridley said.

"Alright, if the script’s good, I don’t mind working together again."

After chatting for a while, Richard left the meeting room with the little one and his team.

"Making Richard the highlight?" President Rothman frowned, looking at everyone. "That’s not what you said earlier."

"Mr. Rothman, I was thinking about the focus of the film before Richard raised the question. I couldn’t figure it out until he brought it up, and then it clicked—Richard is the key," Director Ridley said.

"And?"

"With Richard’s personal charisma and strong box-office appeal, along with his many fans, even if the script is mediocre and the production quality average, it will still be a profitable project."

"Not to mention, Richard is considering retiring. If this is his last movie, it will definitely be a huge hit. So right now, we must do everything we can to secure Richard."

"We’ll rewrite the script to focus entirely on Richard. Let him be the lens through which we witness the 12th-century battles. With his physique and fighting skills, he can carry half the film."

"Combined with the historical plot and big scenes, this film will become quite exciting," Director Ridley said enthusiastically.

"Yes, there are rumors that Richard is planning to retire. Several major studios are eager to work with him. He’s a box-office guarantee. If we can win him over with the script, the movie is half a success. We can’t miss this opportunity," Producer Richard Donner said.

President Rothman nodded. Richard’s films have been huge successes in recent years.

Any movie he’s in performs remarkably at the box office. People call him the "king of the box office." Some say he’s a box-office guarantee, while others say Richard has an uncanny ability to pick good scripts. If we can get him to agree, the project is half won.

That’s why the busy president came in person to oversee this.

"If Richard refuses the script, doesn’t that mean there’s a problem with it?" President Rothman asked.

"Yes, before we didn't find the main focus, so we presented everything, making it broad and comprehensive. It seemed like an advantage, but in reality, it was complicated and full of flaws.

If we focus on Richard and make all the historical plots serve to showcase his abilities, then the movie will have a clear focus and structure, and I’m confident I can make the best film," Director Ridley said.

President Rossman nodded slightly, "Focus on the script. We have to convince Richard to work with us."

"Got it!"

The others nodded.

—

*Chapter 342: Daring to Pee on Me*

"Richard, if they actually come up with a good script, would you take it?"

On a path in Central Park, Anthony asked.

"Of course! Why wouldn’t I? They're willing to spend a hundred million to make a movie with me as the main character. It’s practically like a personal promo for me. Why wouldn't I do it?"

Richard said while walking with baby Louis in his arms.

"Daddy~ Daddy~"

Little Louis pointed at the flowers and butterflies on the branches.

Richard lifted the little guy, letting him pick for himself. But Louis just stared at the butterflies, puffing his little cheeks, and blew a few times—puff puff.

The butterfly flew away, and Louis raised his little hand, still trying to catch it.

"You're a boy, you shouldn’t be chasing butterflies, that's not good."

Richard picked a clean pomegranate flower, placed it in Louis's hand, and kept walking.

"So, as long as the script is good, you'd take it?"

Anthony asked.

Richard glanced at him. "After all this time, you still pick up the conversation like that. That’s impressive. Back in the day, we used to talk about wine and women, but now all you talk about is work. Got nothing else to chat about?"

Anthony laughed. "Back then, we had nothing. Of course, we’d talk about dreams and the future. Now that we have everything, what else is there to talk about besides work? Unless you wanna talk women?"

He shot a glance at Anna with a smirk.

"Talk about whatever you want. Don’t mind me,"

Anna said expressionlessly.

Richard chuckled. "Anthony, you said we have everything? That's not right. I’ve got little Louis and little Annie. What about you? Aren't you planning on having more kids?"

"Eh, too busy. Michelle and I don’t have time. Maybe in a few years."

Anthony scratched his round face.

"Busy? You're my general agent, and Michelle’s my business rep. You both work for me. When you say you're too busy, do you mean I'm giving you too much work? So much that you don’t even have time to have a kid?"

Richard frowned.

"Haha, I didn’t mean it like that! You know Michelle and I just got married, and little Kris is only six. Having a baby now wouldn’t be good for her."

Anthony explained.

"Alright, a few years then."

Richard returned to Brad Manor with the little guy in his arms. Anthony had some work to do, and Anna mentioned a call from Pete before heading back to the office to organize Richard’s schedule.

When he got back to the villa, Giselle had also finished work and was typing away at her desk.

"Why'd you take Louis with you to talk business?"

Giselle adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and asked.

"It was just next to Central Park, not far at all."

Richard walked over, still holding Louis. "Honey, Louis has a gift for you. Louis, who's this workaholic?"

Giselle gave him a side-eye and took little Louis, smiling. "Louis, are you going to give the flower to Mommy?"

"Ma-ma~ Ma-ma~"

Louis giggled, holding up the flower.

"Haha, my Louis is such a good boy, way better than someone else."

Giselle laughed, holding the little one.

"Who's ‘someone’?"

"Pig!"

Giselle wrinkled her nose before handing Louis back to him. "Take Louis and go play. I need to work on my designs."

"Alright, alright. Come on, Louis. Let Mommy continue being a workaholic."

Richard lifted the little guy, placing him on his shoulder.

"Careful not to bump his head!"

Giselle called out.

"No worries, Louis. Let’s go ride a horse."

Richard was about to leave when he suddenly froze, standing silent like someone had pressed pause.

"What’s wrong?"

Giselle looked at him, noticing a dark wet streak running down from his neck to his back. Little Louis had peed.

"Hahahaha!"

Giselle covered her mouth, laughing so hard she collapsed into her chair.

"Giggle giggle!"

Louis grinned, showing his tiny teeth.

Richard sighed, setting the little guy down. "You little rascal, you're the only one in the world who dares pee on me. If anyone else tried it, I’d KO them with one punch."

"Ba ba~ ba ba~"

Louis kept giggling.

"What are you laughing at? You're ten months old and still peeing everywhere. Don’t think just because you’re my son, I won’t spank you. Do it again, and I'll smack your butt."

Richard scolded playfully.

"Don’t scare him, Louis didn’t do anything wrong. It’s your fault."

Giselle pushed him aside, hugging Louis with a smile. "You didn’t put a diaper on him. If he doesn’t pee on you, where else would he pee?"

"Diapers are too hot and uncomfortable."

Richard took off his clothes and went to take a shower. After coming out, dressed in sportswear, he noticed Louis was gone, and Giselle was typing away again.

"Where’s Louis?"

"Helena’s teaching him how to walk. The experts said you shouldn’t always carry him—it’s bad for his development." Before Richard could say anything, she sternly added,

"And by the way, I’m working. Don’t disturb me, or I won’t be so nice."

Giselle shook her fist.

Richard chuckled. "Alright, I won’t bother you. But you better watch out tonight. I’ll show you what ‘not so nice’ really means."

"Pervert!"

Giselle blushed, tossing a stuffed toy at him.

Richard laughed, caught the toy, and left her office.

In the living room, he brewed some tea and called Pete.

"Hey, Richard, done with your meeting?"

Pete asked over the phone.

"Not yet. Just discussed a film project with Fox. You called for something?"

"Yeah, it’s also about a movie project. Have you heard of a Hong Kong film called Infernal Affairs? Did I pronounce that right? Have you seen it?"

Pete asked.

"Actually, I have. I was planning to buy the adaptation rights, but you beat me to it."

"Ha ha, really? How about we collaborate again? This time, it will be co-produced by Plan B and New Century," Pete asked.

"Sounds pretty good, we can talk about it," Richard replied.

The next day, Richard received the script for The Departed and thought it was decent.

On the third day, the two met at an outdoor tennis court in Manhattan to play while discussing the collaboration.

In the end, they decided that Plan B, New Century, and Richard's personal film studio would co-produce the project, but they still needed to finalize the investment details.

"Richard, how about we work together again?" Pete, holding a racket, wiped his sweat and said, "I mean, the two of us can play the lead roles. You’ll be the main character, Billy, and I’ll play Colin. We’ll have a showdown—people will love it."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like it could be fun."

"Yes, absolutely. In Troy, you stole my spotlight in a supporting role. This time, I’m taking it back. How about that?" Pete laughed.

Richard frowned, "You know I’m planning to retire from acting."

"Yeah, I know, but you’re planning that for 2006, right? One more movie next year won’t hurt."

"Em... I’ll think about it. Let’s finish the game first."

"Alright!"

They picked up their rackets and started playing again.

Thwack thwack.

Richard thought it over for two days, reading the script five or six times.

The script had a more artistic style and even had Oscar potential. He sent the script to Anthony and Kopelson Productions for their advice.

Anthony said it was a great role, and if played well, it could be an Oscar contender.

Kopelson Productions said the script was good and worth investing in, but the budget needed careful review.

After some consideration, Richard decided to take the role. They tentatively planned to start filming The Departed next year, but the Fox project would have to wait until the script was ready.

"Anthony, with The Departed in hand, I won’t be taking any other scripts. I want to spend more quality time with my kids," Richard said.

"Alright, alright, what a shame. I just got two excellent scripts: Superman Returns and Hitch. The roles are perfect for you."

"Stop. If you push any more scripts on me, I’ll block your number," Richard said, hanging up the phone immediately.

He checked the time, changed into his workout clothes, and started boxing in the training room.

Troy had been in theaters for ten days, grossing $160 million—a staggering success.

But Richard wasn’t too happy about it. He hadn’t signed a revenue-sharing deal for this film, so he lost out big time.

The success of the historical epic caught the attention of producers, and many studios began taking historical war dramas more seriously.

Fox was working overtime to rewrite the script, even inviting Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace to join the writing team. They had revised the script twice in one week and were still making changes.

But Richard wasn’t in a rush. He spent time playing with his kids at home and, in mid-July, flew to South Africa to visit his sweetheart Annie, bringing the little one back with him.

---

(End of chapter)"

Chapter 343: Seeing You Makes Me Want to Sleep

At the South African estate, under the sun, on a grassy lawn.

"It's been almost a month since you've been here. I thought you forgot about little Annie."

"Haha, how could I? Even if I forgot myself, I wouldn't forget my little sweetheart."

Richard held the soft bundle that was little Annie, and then looked at Ms. Theron. "Of course, I wouldn't forget my big sweetheart either."

"Hmph!"

Ms. Theron rolled her eyes and continued practicing yoga.

After more than two months of practice, her figure had gradually recovered. With blonde hair, blue eyes, long legs, and a tall, stunning physique, her body had undergone some changes—her chest and hips were even fuller than before.

"Are you sure you want to take Annie back to live in Los Angeles?"

"Yes, I've rented a private jet. We can leave anytime," Richard replied.

"Aren't you worried someone might find out?"

Ms. Theron batted her long eyelashes and smiled. "Like your lady back home?"

"It's fine. Gisele knows about little Annie."

"She knows?! And she didn't kill you?"

Ms. Theron was shocked, her posture faltering.

"No, Gisele even said that if you agree, we could take Annie back to the Bündchen estate so she could play with Louis."

"Is that so?"

Ms. Theron crossed her long legs and gave a cold smile. "Rumor has it that Gisele is a very clever woman, and now I see it’s true."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

Ms. Theron scooped up little Annie. "Annie is my daughter. I’ll take care of her personally. No one is going to take her from me."

Richard was momentarily stunned. "No one's trying to take her. Louis is ten months old, Annie is three months old—they could grow up together. Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Not nice at all. Do you think I don't know what Gisele’s trying to do?"

"As soon as Annie moves back with you, there'll be no need for you to come visit me often anymore."

"Hmph, she’s smart, but I’m not stupid either. Let me tell you, Richard, if you dare take my daughter from me, you’ll regret it."

Ms. Theron spoke angrily.

Richard's lips twitched. Is this some sort of palace drama?

"My dear, no one is taking Annie. Didn't I say I plan to retire soon?

Once I’m no longer acting, I’ll have more time. I could take Louis and Annie on walks every day. Wouldn't that be great?

With Louis around, Annie won’t feel lonely.

And besides, you said you're going to keep acting. If you go back to the set, are you going to take Annie with you? If not, will you leave her with a nanny? Could you really feel at ease doing that?"

"Enough! No matter what you say, I’m not leaving Annie with Gisele."

Ms. Theron’s face turned cold.

"Not with Gisele, with me. Gisele’s a workaholic—she barely has time for the kids."

"It’s all the same."

"Alright, alright. Then Annie can stay in Los Angeles. I can always bring Louis over to visit. Now, how about letting me hold little Annie?"

Richard took little Annie back into his arms. She was sucking on her pacifier, her big eyes gazing up at him obediently.

"Look at her, isn't my little sweetheart so beautiful?"

Richard smiled.

"Of course she’s beautiful. I gave birth to her," Ms. Theron said. "Stop teasing her—Annie needs to sleep."

"Okay, I’ll help my little sweetheart fall asleep."

Richard gently rocked the baby in his arms. Before long, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. He carefully removed the pacifier and placed her in the cradle.

"Sally, we should get some rest too."

Richard grinned.

"It's only four in the afternoon, and you want to sleep?"

"Yes, seeing you makes me want to sleep. Come on."

"No way. I still need to work out."

"You can work out when we get back."

They pushed the stroller back to the villa.

After staying in South Africa for three days, Richard and Ms. Theron said their goodbyes to Mrs. Martinez and returned to Los Angeles with little Annie and two nannies.

To celebrate Annie’s arrival, Ms. Theron threw a small party at the villa, inviting a few friends over.

"Little Annie is so beautiful," Sandra Bullock remarked.

"Of course, she takes after me," Ms. Theron said, holding Annie and smiling.

"Her nose and eyes look a lot like Richard's," Sandra Bullock said, glancing at Richard beside her.

"Yes, Annie inherited the best features from both Sally and me. She’s going to grow into a beautiful girl," Richard said, laughing.

"Richard, aren't you worried people will find out?" asked Levi.

"No worries. I’m about to retire from acting soon anyway."

Richard laughed nonchalantly.

"Well, you’re a real piece of work," Levi remarked.

"I couldn’t agree more," Johnny Depp nodded with a grin.

"Ha! I know you're all just jealous that I have such a lovely little sweetheart like Annie, so I won’t hold it against you," Richard said, shrugging and laughing.

After two days in Los Angeles, Richard returned to New York to focus on other work.

The third version of Kingdom of Heaven from 20th Century Fox was released, with the protagonist Balian at its core. It followed his growth and journey, narrating an epic slice of medieval history with grand scenes and a lot of potential.

If the screenplay were filmed as planned, it would definitely be a spectacular historical drama.

There was talk of a fourth version, but Richard didn’t comment. He decided to wait until the fourth draft came out.

In between, Murdoch called twice to discuss their collaboration.

Richard didn’t beat around the bush with the old man. He said that as long as the script was good, everything was negotiable.

"Richard, the budget for The Departed has been finalized. You and Pitt will star. Without upfront salaries, the total investment is 60 million.

This funding will mainly come from Plan B and New Century, with each contributing 30 million. As for the box office revenue, Plan B will take 45%, New Century 30%, and your studio 25%," Anthony explained.

Richard reviewed the documents. "Including Pitt's and my salaries, the total investment will be at least 130 million. With that level of investment, we'd need over 200 million at the box office to break even. Isn't that a bit risky?"

"No worries. When the project is announced publicly, the budget will be increased to 180 million. Any losses can be written off as a failed investment, which is also a legitimate way to reduce taxes."

Anthony chuckled.

Richard shook his head. "These are my last few films. It’s best if they don’t lose money, or my reputation might not hold up."

"Don’t worry, it’s going to be a great movie."

Anthony chuckled again.

"Mr. Brad!"

The nanny, Helena, ran in excitedly. "Louis is walking!"

"Really?"

Richard dropped the documents and quickly walked into the nursery.

There, he saw Louis stretching out his little hands, taking small, wobbly steps, toddling forward unsteadily. One nanny was nearby, ready to catch him, while another was recording the moment.

"Haha, Louis, you’re amazing! Come to Daddy."

Richard squatted by the door and clapped his hands.

Louis saw him, giggled, and called out, "Daddy, Daddy!" He took one step and then—thud—fell onto the foam mats.

"Wahhh~"

The little guy opened his mouth and cried for a moment.

"Don’t help him. Louis can get up on his own."

Richard stopped the nanny from intervening, clapping and smiling, "Come on, Louis. Daddy’s right here."

Louis pushed himself up from the floor, sticking his little butt in the air. He tried to stand but fell over again because his head was too big. On the second attempt, he slowly got to his feet.

"Daddy~"

Louis blinked his big eyes and toddled over to him, falling into Richard’s arms.

"Haha, Louis, you’re amazing! You really are my son."

Richard lifted the little guy, proud that he could walk at just ten months old, a sign of good health.

"Son, Daddy’s going to take you for a walk."

Richard carried the little one to the lawn, holding his hand as they walked slowly, helping him get used to the movement. A few dogs came over to join the fun, circling around Louis.

"Giggle, doggy~"

The little guy reached out to grab a dog’s tail but missed and fell onto the grass again. This time, he didn’t cry. He got up and started chasing the dogs, his cheeks flushed pink.

Richard chuckled, sitting on the grass, watching his son play with the dogs in the golden evening sunlight.

Beep beep~

Two cars drove into the estate; Giselle was home from work.

Louis stopped and turned his head to look back—thud—falling onto the grass again.

"Haha, Louis fell again."

"Richard, didn’t you see Louis fall? All you do is laugh on the sidelines."

Giselle hurried over in her high heels.

"Haha, don’t worry. Louis, get up and show Mommy what you’ve learned."

Richard held her back with a grin.

"Mama~"

Louis pushed himself up again, sticking his little hands out as he toddled toward Bündchen.

"Wow, Louis is walking! My Louis, you’re amazing."

Giselle happily scooped up the little guy.

—

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 344: A Despicable Fighting Style*

Troy has been in theaters for two weeks and has grossed $203 million.

In the third week, Spider-Man 2 and Will Smith's I, Robot hit theaters, causing a sharp drop in Troy's box office performance. It's estimated to reach around $240 million, with a global total of approximately $500 million.

"Richard, you had a chance to invest in this project back then, but you turned it down. Any regrets now?" David Ellison asked with a smile, sitting in the audience at the Garden.

"No regrets. Investing in big projects doesn't align with the company's current strategy, so rejecting it made sense," Richard shrugged.

"Alright, you're rich enough not to regret it. But Frank's pretty annoyed—he was the one who initially took on this project."

Richard chuckled and looked at him. "So, what are you trying to say?"

"You know what I'm getting at. Stealth is in the casting phase. We could offer you the lead role—$25 million plus 15% of North American box office and 5% overseas. That's a pretty sincere offer, right?" David Ellison said.

"Yes, that's an S-tier deal—very generous. But I honestly don't have the time. I was planning to retire this year, but I had two roles I couldn't turn down. Now my retirement has to wait another year."

"Alright, alright. Just don't regret it when my film makes hundreds of millions," David said with a grin.

Richard laughed. "Do you know how many major projects I’ve turned down recently? Twelve, and they all offered over $50 million."

"Impressive!" David fell silent for a moment before asking, "Richard, what do you think of Stealth?"

"If you think the script is cool and you've got the funding, then stick with it and make the best film you can. Remember, this is your debut. I hope it’s a great start for you."

"Thanks. I was really excited when I first got the script. You know, I'm a huge fan of air combat films. My favorite movie is Top Gun with Tom Cruise. As a producer, I've always wanted to make a similar film, and Stealth fits the bill perfectly. But now that we have the funding and are about to start filming, I’m worried—what if it doesn’t perform well?" David Ellison frowned.

"That's normal. I had the same worries when I invested in my first movie. I was so stressed I couldn’t sleep for days. It wasn’t until the film was released that I finally relaxed."

"Really? Which movie was your first investment?" David asked after thinking for a moment.

"Have you seen Rock ‘n’ Barbie?"

"Rock ‘n’ Barbie? That one with a total budget of less than $5 million?" David frowned.

"Yes."

"..."

David’s mouth twitched. Why get so worked up over a $5 million indie project?

"You're terrible at comforting people."

"I know. I’m a boxer; I don’t need that skill," Richard laughed.

"Wolf King Paul!" The fighters entered the arena, and Paul emerged from the tunnel with confident strides. His presence elicited cheers from the crowd of tens of thousands.

Last September, Paul defeated Chris Byrd here and claimed the IBF belt. In March, the two fought again, with Paul emerging victorious, boosting his reputation and establishing him as a top-tier champion.

Tonight, he faces off against 'Dr. Ironfist' Vitali Klitschko, the older of the famous Klitschko brothers. Back in 2001, Paul had challenged WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko but lost.

Vitali Klitschko, from Ukraine, is 33 years old, stands at 202 cm (6'7.5"), and has a record of 36 wins and 2 losses—defeats coming from Chris Byrd and Lennox Lewis.

Vitali is the most educated heavyweight boxer, holding a PhD in Sports Science, boasting an IQ of 160, fluent in five languages, and skilled in strategic games like chess. This fight between two hard-hitting boxers has garnered significant attention, with everyone eager to see who will come out on top.

"Richard, do you think Paul can win?" Norman asked as he sat down.

"Not sure. The Klitschko brothers are tall. Even I’d feel a bit nervous going up against them. I don’t know if Paul can pull it off," Richard said, arms folded.

"Someone that makes you nervous?" Mayweather quipped.

"I don’t buy it," a few guys nearby shook their heads.

Richard shrugged. "Did you guys place bets?"

"Yeah, we hope Paul wins. If he does, his fight earnings will definitely exceed $15 million."

Paul's rematch with Chris Byrd earlier this year earned him $12 million, setting new records.

"Let’s hope so. Go, Paul!"

"Go, Paul!" the group cheered, and the thousands of boxing fans in the stadium joined in the chant.

Paul stood in the ring, throwing a few punches in the air.

Ding, ding, ding~

The fight began, and both fighters immediately went on the offensive. Vitali Klitschko employed his trademark straight punches, constantly targeting Paul.

Klitschko’s physical attributes are exceptional. Aside from Nikolai Valuev, no other top-tier boxer is taller. In fights, he often towers over his opponents, raining blows down on their heads.

Additionally, his ability to absorb punches is impressive. His fists are massive, and his punches are incredibly vicious.

Out of his 36 fights, he has won 32 by KO.

His KO rate is even slightly higher than Richard’s. He holds the record for winning 26 heavyweight matches by KO in the fewest rounds, a record previously held by Mike Tyson.

Richard, on the other hand, often went the full 12 rounds in his fights, so that record never belonged to him.

Pow~

Vitali Klitschko unleashed over ten punches in succession, finally landing one on Paul’s cheek, causing him to stumble.

"This guy’s pretty fierce," Richard commented, rubbing his chin.

"Don’t tell me you couldn’t beat him," Norman teased.

"I don’t know, I’ve never tried."

Roar~

Paul, now enraged, went all out, swinging his massive fists furiously at Klitschko.

One fighter stood at 202 cm (6'7.5"), and the other at 196 cm (6'5"), but their arm lengths were almost identical.

Pow~

Paul retaliated with a few aggressive strikes, landing an uppercut on Klitschko's chin, knocking his mouthguard out.

"Wolf King Paul!" the fans erupted with excitement.

Paul glared at Klitschko, breathing heavily, exuding a menacing aura.

Once Klitschko had his mouthguard back in place, the fight resumed.

Boom, boom, boom~

The two continued exchanging heavy punches in a fierce battle.

After five rounds, Paul’s left brow was swollen, glistening with ointment under the lights. Klitschko had been hit twice in the jaw and had blood at the corners of his mouth.

"Come on, Paul!" the crowd shouted.

As round six began, Paul pressed on, landing punch after punch on his opponent.

Klitschko retreated while aiming his punches at Paul’s swollen brow, repeatedly targeting it.

This underhanded tactic seemed oddly familiar to Richard.

"That’s not good. He needs to defend better," Richard said just as the referee paused the fight. Paul’s brow was cut, and they had to stop the bleeding.

Thirty seconds later, the match resumed.

Paul followed his coach’s advice, using his left hand to guard his brow, fighting more defensively.

Seizing the opportunity, Klitschko abandoned defense and relentlessly targeted Paul’s left brow, landing punch after punch from above.

Paul’s brow was hit again, leaving him with a blood-soaked face.

"F***, this bastard is shameless," Norman cursed.

The crowd also erupted in boos and curses.

"Heh, doesn’t that style seem familiar to you guys?" Mayweather grinned.

"Does it?" Norman and David Ellison asked, curious.

"Go check out Richard’s old tapes. In his breakout fight against light heavyweight champion Montell, it was the exact same tactic," Mayweather said with a laugh.

"Richard, is that true?" they all looked over in surprise.

Richard blushed, the memory an embarrassing one.

"It’s true. Ever since Richard became a super champion, everyone in boxing has studied and mimicked his techniques. I’ve watched his tapes at least 50 times. The only one who didn’t study them is probably Paul. If he had, he wouldn’t be in this position," Mayweather sighed, shaking his head.

"..."

Ding, ding~

The fight was over. Paul had bled too much, and the match was called.

Vitali Klitschko won by TKO.

"So, Richard helped Klitschko beat Paul?" Norman joked, not sure whether to laugh or cry.

"It had nothing to do with me. Klitschko has an IQ of 160—he's a smart fighter. Come on, let’s go check on Paul," Richard said, standing up.

---

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 345: New Century Facing Bankruptcy?*

“Paul, is the injury serious?”

Inside the medical room, Paul was leaning back in a chair while the doctor treated his wound. It looked pretty severe.

“I’m fine,” Paul said with a grim expression.

Richard smiled and patted his shoulder. “It’s okay to lose. You’ll win next time.”

“Yes, Paul. If it weren't for that bleeding on your forehead, you might not have lost this match,” Norman added.

Paul shook his head. “Vitali Klitschko is really good. His punches are just as heavy as mine, and he’s faster too. I don’t blame myself for losing to him.”

“It’s good that you understand that,” Mayweather said with a grin. “But didn’t you think Klitschko’s tactics looked familiar?”

Paul frowned and winced at the pain. “Familiar? What tactics?”

“The same tactics Richard used in his 1997 fight against Montell.”

“Oh, fuuuck! Now that you mention it, no wonder I felt like I’d seen that match before,” Paul said, his lips twisting as he looked at Richard. “So Klitschko used your techniques to beat me?”

Richard shrugged. “That has nothing to do with me. You already admitted he was better than you.”

“Yes, it’s your own issue. Have you even studied Richard’s matches? How many times have you watched his fight tapes?” Mayweather asked.

“Watch Richard’s tapes? Why? I spar with him every day. What’s the point of watching those?”

Paul seemed puzzled.

Mayweather chuckled. “You probably don’t read magazines either. A lot of boxers are learning from Richard, and there’s even a boxing style named after him—'Richard Style.'”

“Richard Style?” Paul asked, confused.

“Yes, the key to Richard Style is strategy. His main tactic is extreme control of the ring. If you watch his fights, you’ll notice one common theme—he controls the rhythm and direction from start to finish. Even when there are slight changes, he quickly brings the match back on track and ends up winning.”

“He doesn’t chase quick wins but focuses on honing his skills and giving a great performance. This style has influenced countless up-and-coming boxers. If you have time, check out some amateur matches. You’ll see Richard’s influence on many fighters.”

“It’s not just amateurs; professional boxers are also studying Richard. Some are trying to emulate him, aiming to become boxers like him. Others are looking to beat him, working hard to find his weaknesses. Klitschko clearly studied Richard’s style thoroughly, which is why he could use it so effectively. But you, as Richard’s sparring partner, haven’t even studied his fights? You’re something else,” Mayweather teased with a raised eyebrow.

Paul blinked. “So Richard’s started his own boxing style?”

“It’s just the effect of fame. Once you become a star, people start studying you under a microscope, turning you into a subject for research. Just like during Tyson’s era, when everyone was trying to copy Tyson. We got a bunch of 'White Tysons,' 'Mini Tysons,' and 'Tyson II's.' It’s natural for people to learn from me,” Richard said nonchalantly.

“Fine. I guess I’ll have to study your fights more,” Paul said with a grin.

——

“Richard, over ten people have signed up this year to challenge for the WBA-WBC-IBO championship belt. This time, we’ve selected Hasim Rahman. He’s got both the fame and the skills, and the price is right—just a 15% cut of the pay-per-view revenue,” Andy said.

“Sounds good. Have the Klitschko brothers challenged me yet?” Richard asked while flipping through some documents.

“Haha, are you looking to avenge Paul?”

“No, it’s normal to lose a match. There’s no need for me to avenge him. I just think those brothers are pretty good and would be decent opponents.”

“No rush. Our plan is two or three matches a year—one against a second-tier boxer, one against a top-tier opponent, and one match abroad. How does that sound?”

“Perfect!”

After leaving the arena, Richard returned to his Brad Manor.

——

In early August, “Batman Begins” entered production.

The movie tells the story of Bruce Wayne, the wealthy heir who becomes disillusioned with Gotham City after the death of his parents. He decides to go incognito, traveling the world to find ways to fight crime. During his travels, he meets a mysterious man named Ducard, the head of the League of Shadows. Bruce Wayne decides to train with him.

After becoming highly skilled, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham, determined to clean up the city’s crime and corruption. With the help of his loyal butler, he takes over his family’s business and, with assistance from the company’s scientist, acquires the Batman suit and a high-tech car.

Bruce Wayne begins fighting crime in Gotham, ultimately defeating the main villain, Ducard.

This movie, produced by Warner Bros., is directed by Christopher Nolan, and the supporting cast is full of veteran actors.

Michael Caine plays Batman’s butler, reprising their collaboration from "Miss Congeniality." They’re quite familiar with each other.

Morgan Freeman plays the scientist who creates all of Batman’s high-tech gear. Batman’s equipment comes entirely from him.

British actor Gary Oldman plays the mayor of Gotham.

Liam Neeson plays Batman’s mentor and the main villain.

Kate Beckinsale plays the female lead, Rachel.

Rachel is Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend and lifelong love. She’s Gotham’s assistant district attorney—intelligent, educated, and thoughtful.

For this role, Gwyneth Paltrow would have been a good fit, and Katie Holmes could also have played it. However, the producers wanted to appeal to the British market, so much of the cast is British, including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, and Kate Beckinsale.

Filming mainly took place in New York and London. Once production started, Richard often traveled between the two cities.

The filming lasted more than three months, and Richard stayed busy throughout. He occasionally took breaks to spend time with his kids and attend a few movie premieres.

In mid-August, “Hotel Rwanda” was released. It opened in 823 theaters nationwide, earning $3.31 million at its premiere and $6.57 million in its first week. The box office performance was average.

The film, which centers on the Rwandan genocide, had a niche subject matter, so the numbers were expected.

After four weeks, it grossed $33.82 million in North America.

With an investment of $17.5 million, the returns weren’t bad. They made over $4 million in profit, and with the global box office, the total profit was close to $10 million.

Richard and the top executives at New Century were fairly satisfied with these results.

However, in recent years, New Century has repeatedly produced surprise "dark horse" hits.

Movies like Crash, The Butterfly Effect, Saw, and Lost in Translation brought in box office revenues that were several times, or even over ten times, their production costs.

But this year’s releases, Crash 2 and Hotel Rwanda, had more mediocre box office performances.

Once the box office results came in, a wave of negative news about New Century started appearing in the media.

Reports claimed that Richard had lost money and that New Century was on the verge of bankruptcy.

They said that the huge hits New Century had produced before were purely due to luck.

In a report, The Baltimore Sun compared New Century to countless other movie companies that had gone bankrupt. It claimed that like those companies, New Century had an initial few years of smooth sailing, but would soon collapse after failing the test of the market, predicting that they wouldn’t last three years.

Some even blamed the supposed "failure of New Century" on Richard himself.

The Chicago Tribune mocked him for juggling too many things—boxing, making movies, and running a film company—and called him scattered and overconfident.

Even The Wall Street Journal ran a sarcastic piece saying, "After creating one fortune after another, Mr. Richard Brad made a failed investment. He should read more of The Wall Street Journal to learn how to invest properly."

Some media outlets also brought up the past industrial espionage incident, claiming that New Century was being squeezed out by Hollywood, and that its box office failures were inevitable, with bankruptcy being a foregone conclusion.

Entertainment Weekly rehashed an old interview from June where Weinstein said, "Do I need to be jealous of him?"

This year, Miramax had several box office successes with films like Kill Bill 2 and Fahrenheit 9/11.

So, in conclusion, the editor of Entertainment Weekly stated that when it comes to film investment and production, Mr. Weinstein indeed has no reason to be jealous of Richard, and that Richard should instead humbly learn from Mr. Weinstein.

"Haha, this article is written pretty well. I could eat three burgers!"

After reading the reports, Weinstein laughed heartily.

Bob chuckled, "Boss, does this make you feel better now?"

Weinstein, with a cigar in his mouth, took a puff and said, "Not quite. If New Century collapses and that bastard Richard gets booted out of Hollywood, then I’ll really feel satisfied."

"No need to rush. Based on the tone of these reports, we’re not the only ones hoping for New Century to fold. Other film companies are also putting the squeeze on them.

The major studios didn’t act openly before because they were still hoping to work with him and make money. But now there are rumors that Richard is planning to step back from acting, so what value does he have left?

Once he stops acting, the big studios will absolutely swarm in and devour New Century."

Bob clenched his fist as he spoke.

"Exactly. That bastard may have some money, but this is Hollywood. If he wants to make money here, he has to play by our rules."

Weinstein chuckled, patting his large belly.

"Cheers!" Bob raised his glass, smiling.

Ding~

"Hehe, Richard, I saw in the papers that New Century is about to go bankrupt?"

On a film set in London, Jude Law smiled broadly, holding a cup of tea.

Richard glanced at him. "Why are you so happy if New Century goes bankrupt?"

"Haha, I’m not happy. I just think the reports are amusing. You’re a billionaire—why would you care about that little investment in New Century? Even if it goes bankrupt, it’s a trivial matter for you."

"You’re wrong. New Century is my passion. If it goes bankrupt, I’d definitely be upset."

Richard sipped his tea as he spoke.

"A lot of media outlets are predicting the downfall of New Century. Why haven’t you fought back?" Jude Law asked with a grin.

"The poor box office is a fact. If people want to mock us, we have to take it. What good would it do to argue?"

Richard swirled his teacup, smiling.

Jude Law looked at him carefully. "You’re smiling in a way that seems a bit suspicious. Are you plotting something?"

"Don’t overthink it. I’m not as complicated as you imagine. Come on, have some tea."

Richard poured some tea, smiling.

(End of Chapter)