Matthew Carter held it to his ear, and a very professional voice came through, “Hello, may I speak to Mr. Matthew Carter?”

“Yes, this is he.” He had a bad feeling about this.

“Mr. Carter, I am attorney Chris Walker.” The person introduced himself, “I am the legal counsel for the crew of ‘Forbidden Tarot Cards.’ I am now officially notifying you, on behalf of the crew and the company, that you have violated the contract signed by both parties…”

Then he rattled off a bunch of legal jargon and contract clauses, which ultimately boiled down to one sentence: “You need to pay a fifty-thousand-dollar penalty! Please provide your address, and I will send you a formal lawyer’s letter this afternoon…”

“Hello? Hello?” Matthew Carter suddenly shouted loudly, “What did you say? I can’t hear you! Damn phone, acting up again!”

After saying that, he immediately took off the phone’s back cover and removed the battery.

It was the only thing he could do in the moment. When that guy signed the contract with the ‘Forbidden Tarot Cards’ crew, he had used all real information. The new millennium was almost here, and in such an information-driven society like America, if they kept pursuing the breach of contract, even running back to the countryside in Texas probably wouldn’t help.

“Fifty thousand dollars is no small sum.” Matthew Carter frowned. “Should I get a lawyer too?”

If he hired a lawyer, it would be easier to reach an out-of-court settlement, and maybe he wouldn’t have to pay the full fifty thousand, but the legal fees would still be a significant expense.

Matthew Carter knew very well that, in the end, it was all about money. If he had money, none of these problems would be problems at all.

When would he ever be able to live as carefree as Johnny Lee Miller?

Thinking of this, Matthew Carter put down his phone, picked up the newspaper and a book, and started reading seriously again. If he didn’t even have the ability, even if an opportunity appeared right in front of him, he wouldn’t be able to seize it.

He read for several hours in the apartment, then went out for a run in the afternoon, grabbed a quick dinner, and headed out again. For now, acting was just a side gig—his real job was as a driver for Red Penguin Company.

He went to Lester Grant to get his work assignment and car keys, endured some teasing from the Black guy and the fat guy, waited for a while in the drivers’ lounge, and then Matthew Carter drove the Ford van out, first heading to Westwood to pick someone up, then taking them to nearby Orange County.

After picking up the blonde girl named Rachel Adams in Westwood, Matthew Carter drove onto the freeway toward Orange County. Just like last time, this girl was sunny and cheerful, chatting nonstop from the seat beside him.

“Hey handsome, have you thought it over?” she said boldly. “There’s a company urgently looking for male models lately, and you’re a perfect fit.”

Without even thinking, Matthew Carter shook his head. “Not interested.”

“This job doesn’t pay much, you know.” Rachel Adams took out a mirror to touch up her makeup. “Can you even support yourself?”

“I found another part-time job,” Matthew Carter replied.

Rachel Adams looked at him curiously. “Don’t tell me it’s that acting gig you mentioned last time?”

“Yeah!” Matthew Carter nodded. “I’ve already landed a job with a crew.”

“Pfft!” Rachel Adams waved her hand dismissively. “One of those background extras with no lines?”

“Yeah!” Matthew Carter responded.

Rachel Adams snorted and said, “When I first got to LA over a year ago, I landed several roles like that. They’re useless, no opportunities at all.”

She shrugged, her tone light. “For a long time, I was so desperate I even thought about killing myself.”

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Matthew Carter quickly glanced at her.

It was hard to imagine such a sunny, cheerful girl ever wanting to end her life.

“You have no idea what it’s like to be so broke you can’t pay rent or even afford food…” Rachel Adams put away her smile. “That kind of despair, where you look up and can’t see any way out.”

“I’ve been there,” Matthew Carter smiled. “I’ve thought about suicide too.”

“Huh?” Rachel Adams laughed again. “So why didn’t you do it?”

“Never found the right way,” Matthew Carter said, half-joking, half-serious. “Knives hurt, jumping in a river is too wet, acid would ruin my clothes, pills cause convulsions, guns are illegal, hanging is unreliable, and gas smells terrible. So, I figured I might as well just keep muddling through.”

“You… haha…”

Rachel Adams pointed at Matthew Carter and burst out laughing.

Just like last time, the two of them chatted to pass the time. After getting off the freeway, Matthew Carter picked up three more girls in Orange County and dropped them off at their destination before dark.

It was another mansion, but this time it seemed to be a proper party.

But none of that had anything to do with him. As usual, he parked the car somewhere out of the way outside the mansion, reclined his seat, and took a nap. At dawn the next day, he drove the tired girls back one by one.

After finishing work and before he even got home, Matthew Carter received a call from his agent, Dennis Cooper, telling him to report to the crew that afternoon.

Matthew Carter hurried home, took another nap, tidied himself up a bit to look presentable, ate a little early, and headed to Universal Studios. When he arrived, it wasn’t even noon yet.

At the entrance to the soundstage, Matthew Carter saw the familiar chubby figure again. Unlike last time, Dennis Cooper looked full of energy, as if something good had just happened.