HWI 234

Hollywood What If Chapter 234

"Ooh, you're kinda handsome, I like that." A woman in her late 40s giggled, looking at the fine specimen of a man in front of her. Even though her age was almost half of the man's current age, it didn't stop her from flirting with him. 

Elizabeth was confident in her beauty. She took care of her body and she was alluring in her knee-length sundress. Her beauty and youthful appearance betrayed her age. Next year, Elizabeth would be 50 years old yet her beauty never seemed to fade. 

"Ahem, Mrs. Cohen--"

"Miss Cohen, I prefer if you call me Miss. Better yet, just call me Elizabeth."

"Then, Miss Elizabeth," Harold Witsend took a deep breath... He admitted it but Kazir's Mother was indeed a beauty. It was amazing and scary at the same time as if the woman in front of him was not real at all. 

Harold knew the importance of Wanted and he felt like he had to do something to save it from possible downfall. He was confident in Kazir's filmography, his friend proved himself to be talented in making action movies. 

However, Harold understood that Kazir was just a man. Even if the movie was amazing, if people didn't watch it, then everything was useless. Their hard work was nothing. 

Harold witnessed how The Hangover almost flopped. It was a terrifying experience and he could not sleep at all. He was the Props Master at that time, yet the time and love he invested in that movie was something he cherished. So he was heavily affected when the allegations about Kazir's violence spread. 

And now, Harold was not a Props Master anymore. He was a bonafide producer. He invested more than time and love in Wanted, he put his life on the line. 

Only someone like Kazir and Grey Pictures would hire a person like him to be a producer. If Wanted failed at the box office, then Harold would return to being a Props Master and he might leave Hollywood overall... He had a house, cars, and a child's education fund to take care of. 

Hell no, he had to shut the Cohen's mother and daughter before something bad happened. From the looks of it, Harold had the thing they needed. A better connection. 

"Miss Elizabeth, I'm sure you know the reason why I'm here."

"I guess so. Unlike my clueless son, it seems that you know what I need. Fufu, perhaps I can give you something in return." Elizabeth's sundress slightly fluttered as she crossed her legs. 

Harold slightly nodded. He heard news that Elizabeth and her daughter intended to be part of this industry. He researched everything about them that he could find. Salvatore Barlowe helped him. 

The thing was... Salvatore Barlowe actually knew about Harold's plan. He agreed to help him, knowing that this was for the betterment of Kazir's mental health. 

Even though Kazir seemed fine and healthy, he was a fragile man. Even a strong man would fall if his weaknesses or insecurities were used against him. 

This was true in Kazir's situation two years ago. When Kazir met Elizabeth after a long time, the woman put a hole in his heart. Causing the man to drown in alcohol and have sex with Cameron Diaz. 

Harold Witsend put a Manila envelope on the table. 

"All I want is a simple agreement."

"If you're going to offer me money, then I'll be disappointed. My exes are providing me a lot."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrow and grabbed the Manila envelope.

"It's a script for a small-budget movie. They need a young woman to be the female lead. I believe your daughter needs experience and exposure."

"..." 

Elizabeth knew that Harold was right. For now, Mara had to understand how this industry works before working on big projects. This movie seemed okay for Mara as a starting point. 

"If you don't like the script, I can find another project for your daughter. Of course, I can't guarantee that you're daughter will be the female lead."

Actually, Salvatore was the one who found this project with his connection. 

"And this?" Elizabeth found another job application in the envelope. 

"It's a modeling job."

He heard that Mara Cohen had a beautiful face but her acting was horrible. Modeling might be better for her. 

"Pftt-haha!" 

Elizabeth suddenly cackled. Now, this was interesting. This was actually what she needed. A backer that would keep them safe and provide jobs for her daughter. As expected, using Kazir to threaten people was the best answer. 

Elizabeth was not stupid. Of course she would never sabotage Kazir. After all, she needed him to stay in power. How could they thrive if Kazir lost his status? So no, Elizabeth would never hurt her son. 

She knew that as long as Kazir was doing well, they had a chance in this industry. Connection was very important in Hollywood. Companies didn't hire actors/actresses because of their talent, at least it was not the most sought reason. They hire actors/actresses who have nice appearances that fit the roles. They hire actors/actresses who have connections that they could use or have favor with. 

And now, Elizabeth found a backer who had wide connections. 

"Thanks, Harold. You're a nice guy. I can return the favor if you want." She was now acting sexy, she didn't hide her intention at all. 

"No, I'm fine."

Harold knew that this vixen could destroy a family, in fact, she already did. So Harold would never endanger his family just for some pleasure. 

[Author's Note: I decided to use Harold as an instrument because I wanted to use a different PoV. Besides, Harold is a producer and this kind of stuff is usually his responsibility. I'm glad Harold the ex-Props Master is getting better at his job.]

[Shout out to David Karlsson for giving me an idea about Mara's possible modeling career, this might be the best job for a beauty with no acting talent. I'm too stupid and I didn't think about that, haha.]

[So yeah, tomorrow might be the premier of Wanted. I'll try my best to cook a nice summary for the movie.]