The richest actor in Hollywood.

After a day of military training, Matthew returned to the locker room to shower and change before heading down the corridor of the studio's work area toward the exit. The long corridor was lined with benches, which were crowded with people waiting. The crew was in a rush to cast for some of the less important roles, so there were many unfamiliar faces auditioning every day.

As Matthew walked by, those seated on the benches glanced at him, knowing full well that a single word from him could solve their problems, yet no one dared to greet him. The gap in status was simply too vast.

If it were small-time stars or ordinary actors, they might have pleaded for help, but facing a superstar like Matthew, the social divide was insurmountable.

Though the idea that "all men are created equal" was deeply ingrained, anyone with common sense knew that social hierarchies truly existed.

Matthew had no intention of lingering, and Brown Williams followed him closely, occasionally casting a wary glance around.

They soon passed through the corridor, and as they walked by the waiting room reserved for star-level actors, the double glass doors suddenly opened. A tall, slender blonde woman stepped out, accompanied by a shorter woman.

Matthew instinctively turned his head and saw a familiar face.

"Huh…" He stopped in his tracks, curiously looking in their direction. Though surprised to see Karolina Kurkova here, he naturally greeted her, "Hello, KK."

Karolina Kurkova had been looking down, but upon hearing the familiar voice, she immediately raised her head and saw Matthew. She forced a smile and said, "Good afternoon, Matthew."

She had always considered Matthew a top-tier client.

Matthew quickly took note of her appearance. Whether it was due to not wearing makeup or being in poor spirits, Karolina Kurkova no longer had that radiant glow, and she seemed slightly disheveled.

Additionally, she appeared to have gained some weight.

The last time Matthew saw Karolina Kurkova, he had paid a million dollars for her company, so the memory was particularly vivid. It was right after the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and she had been radiant, a perfect blend of devilish beauty and angelic innocence.

But now, the once shining star of the Czech Republic seemed to have lost much of her luster.

Matthew found it odd. It had only been a few months since they last met—how had Karolina Kurkova changed so much in such a short time?

Karolina Kurkova glanced at Matthew and said, "Matthew, I didn't expect to see you here." Her smile grew a bit more genuine. "It's great to run into you."

For some reason, Matthew immediately thought of the million dollars.

The last time, he had "boarded the train first, then paid for the ticket," so he didn't dwell on it much. But he certainly wasn't keen on spending another million dollars just to ride the same train again.

After returning from London, he had specifically asked List about Karolina Kurkova and learned that she had high standards for her clients—both money and looks were required. If she wasn't impressed, no amount of money could persuade her.

At her level, she certainly had the privilege to pick and choose her clients.

Matthew shook hands with Karolina Kurkova and said, "I'm glad to see you too."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Karolina Kurkova felt a light nudge from her agent behind her. The two had been working together for a long time and understood each other's cues.

"Matthew, it's been a while since we last met." Karolina Kurkova was somewhat familiar with the production's details and knew what her agent was hinting at. She immediately asked, "Are you done with work for the day?"

"Yes," Matthew nodded slightly.

Karolina Kurkova's face brightened with a sincere smile. "How about we find a place to catch up?"

"Catch up?" Matthew instinctively wanted to decline.

A million-dollar catch-up session was far too expensive. Even with his wealth, such extravagance was unsustainable.

After all, when had he ever relied on anything other than his good looks and star power to win over women? The idea of paying a million dollars, like he had with Karolina Kurkova, still left him feeling a bit bitter.

In such situations, anyone would feel awkward.

Karolina Kurkova seemed to sense Matthew's hesitation and quickly added, "There's a restaurant nearby that's supposed to be very nice. How about I treat you to dinner?"

Hearing this, Matthew glanced at her, then at the waiting room she had just exited. Over the past few days, the room had been used for star-level actors awaiting auditions.

It seemed that Karolina Kurkova was there to audition for a role?

Without revealing his thoughts, Matthew nodded, "Sure."

He made a mental note to check the production's audition list later to see if Karolina Kurkova's name was on it.

Given that he had the right to suggest actors for the main roles, he had reviewed the list, but Karolina Kurkova's name wasn't on it. Could it be that she wasn't auditioning for a major role but was instead looking to make a brief, glamorous appearance in the film?

That didn't make sense. If it were a major role, Karolina Kurkova, even as a supermodel, would need to audition. But for a minor role, someone of her stature wouldn't need to audition at all.

Several supermodels had appeared in Hollywood films in minor roles. For instance, Gisele Bündchen had a cameo in *The Devil Wears Prada* a few years back.

Such cameos benefit both the production and the model, and the production wouldn't require a supermodel to audition for a minor role.

Matthew agreed to Karolina Kurkova's invitation, dismissing Brown Williams, and drove her to a nearby restaurant.

After they had ordered and were seated, Matthew got straight to the point.

"KK, are you auditioning for *G.I. Joe*?" he asked.

Karolina Kurkova didn't deny it. "Yes, I'm planning to be part of this film."

Matthew followed up, "Which role are you aiming for?"

"Cover Girl," Karolina Kurkova replied, knowing that Matthew was the film's lead actor. "It's a small role with only a few scenes."

Matthew remembered the character—an impressive figure in the animated series but relegated to a minor role in the movie script, mainly serving as General Hawk's secretary before being taken out by Zartan.

"A role like Cover Girl…" Matthew continued, "Do you really need to audition for that? Isn't that a bit redundant?"

Karolina Kurkova hesitated, as if she had something to say but decided against it.

Noticing her subtle change in demeanor, Matthew pressed further, "KK, you're a supermodel. I've heard from Adriana Lima that when you Victoria's Secret Angels appear in films, Victoria's Secret usually helps you get the role."

That was what puzzled him the most. A top Victoria's Secret Angel auditioning for a minor role in a Hollywood film didn't align with the usual rules of the game.

It was like asking him to audition for a small part in a commercial film—it just didn't make sense.

Although modeling and acting are two different industries, Karolina Kurkova wasn't trying for a major role like the Baroness or Scarlett but rather for a low-profile character like Cover Girl.

"I'm not just auditioning for Cover Girl," Karolina Kurkova said, sidestepping the question. "I'm also trying out for Scarlett."

Matthew raised an eyebrow at the mention of the Scarlett role. "KK, are you planning to transition into acting like Sienna Miller?"

For a supermodel, there's a world of difference between making a cameo and taking on a second lead role.

Sienna Miller had started as a model but didn't find much success in that field, so she transitioned to acting and had already played several lead or supporting roles in various films.

Clearly, something had happened to Karolina Kurkova recently that Matthew wasn't aware of.

Karolina Kurkova looked at Matthew curiously—hadn't he heard?

In reality, Matthew didn't follow the fashion world closely. Besides, his last experience with Karolina Kurkova had left a sour taste in his mouth. Combined with his extremely busy schedule over the past six months, he hadn't kept up with events in the Victoria's Secret world or the fashion industry.

What had happened to Karolina Kurkova was actually old news.

"I've encountered some issues in my modeling career," Karolina Kurkova said, knowing that her situation was no secret and could be easily discovered. She didn't try to hide it. Moreover, during their last transaction, although Matthew had been a bit confused, he had paid readily, which gave her some hope. "So I'm trying my luck in Hollywood."

Matthew was puzzled. "Issues with your modeling career?"

In his memory, Karolina Kurkova had once been nearly on par with Gisele Bündchen, though the latter had since surged ahead, leaving Karolina far behind.

"Switching to acting could be interesting," he mused. "What kind of issues?"

During last year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Karolina Kurkova had walked the runway with the largest wings in Victoria's Secret history—a true career pinnacle.

"Victoria's Secret terminated my contract," Karolina Kurkova said, revealing the shocking news. "I'm no longer one of the Angel models."

Matthew nodded in mild surprise.

Karolina Kurkova continued, "It wasn't just Victoria's Secret. Chanel, Dior, and all the other brands I represented also terminated their contracts. My modeling career…"

Her expression turned sorrowful as if

 she were deeply pained.

Matthew, however, found it hard to muster any sympathy.

_________________________

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