The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 367

At one in the afternoon, inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, the press lounge was ablaze with the blinding light of camera flashes.

Matthew signed his contract and graciously stepped aside, allowing Cindy Crawford, who had joined him for the ceremony, to exchange her own contract with the Rolex marketing director first. Only after they had shaken hands did Matthew step forward to shake the director's hand, and the two then formally exchanged their signed documents.

This was the Los Angeles signing ceremony for Rolex’s new global ambassadors. With Roger Federer away at the French Open, only Matthew and Cindy were in attendance.

Helen Hermann had been in final negotiations with Rolex on Matthew's behalf since early June, and after multiple rounds of discussion, the deal was finally sealed.

As Helen had previously explained, Rolex had offered Matthew a five-year contract totaling $15 million. However, through her negotiations, she had managed to secure another valuable provision for him.

The $15 million endorsement fee did not cover television commercials; if Rolex wanted Matthew to star in a TV ad, they would have to pay an additional fee.

The contract primarily covered print advertising and required Matthew to wear Rolex watches at public events like red carpet premieres, the Academy Awards, and other media functions. In return, Rolex would supply him with a complete collection of their high-end timepieces.

As far as Matthew knew, Cindy Crawford's contract was similar to his.

After exchanging the contracts, Matthew and Cindy stood before a massive Rolex logo and posed for the press to take pictures.

Next, they gave a short interview, both expressing how delighted they were to be working with Rolex.The signing ceremony concluded shortly thereafter. Matthew and Cindy didn't linger in the press lounge but headed straight to an upper floor of the Four Seasons, making their way to temporary dressing rooms to prepare for the Rolex print ad photoshoot.

The tight schedule was primarily at Matthew's request. He had other commitments and a packed calendar, as he was scheduled to fly out to the Dominican Republic with a film crew in just a few days.

Fortunately, Helen had already coordinated with Cindy's agent. Furthermore, Cindy had met Matthew before and he had even helped her daughter once, so she had no problem with the arrangement.

After the makeup artist finished, Matthew changed into a dark, formal suit, strapped on a classic Rolex Submariner, and was escorted by a crew member to a temporary studio that had been set up nearby.

A large conference room at the Four Seasons had been temporarily converted by a professional team hired by Rolex into a photo studio for Matthew and Cindy's photoshoot.

Since Cindy's preparations were taking longer, the team decided to shoot Matthew first.

Matthew stood before the backdrop, following the photographer's instructions and striking various poses, ensuring the Rolex on his left wrist remained the central focus of every shot.

"A little more to the left, that's it." Standing before a backdrop resembling a starry night sky, the photographer continually adjusted Matthew's posture through the lens. "Lift your left hand a bit. Angle the watch face toward the camera."

Listening to the photographer, Matthew patiently adjusted his posture, settling into the pose of a deep thinker against the dark backdrop.

"Good! Hold that for five seconds!"

The photographer focused his lens and clicked the shutter several times, capturing the image.

Cindy entered with her assistant and a little girl, following a crew member to an area set back from the main shooting space.

The little girl glanced around the set, her eyes blinking in confusion for a moment before she asked hesitantly, "Mommy, have we seen that man before?"

Cindy pulled over a chair, lifted the little girl onto it, then took another chair for herself, sitting down beside her. "Have you forgotten, Kaia?" she said. "We saw him at the art gallery."

The little girl leaned forward, her legs dangling over the edge of the chair. "I remember now," she declared. "I met him when we were playing hide-and-seek."

Cindy reached out and gently touched her daughter's face. "You're so clever."

Just then, a crew member approached them. Knowing it was her turn, Cindy said to her daughter, "Kaia, Mommy has to work now. Will you go with your auntie?"

The girl nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, Mommy."

Cindy exchanged a few words with her assistant, then followed the crew member onto the set.

Matthew saw Cindy approach and nodded to her. "Hey, Cindy."

Cindy offered a small smile. "Hello, Matthew."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got straight to work, posing together for a series of classic duo shots under the photographer’s direction.

Naturally, the primary focus of the photos was to showcase the Rolex watches on each of their wrists.

After just a few shots, Matthew realized that even though Cindy had more or less retired from the runway, her professional aura was as powerful as ever. Photoshoots were clearly a model's home turf, and he could feel his own presence being gradually overshadowed by hers.

"Relax. Trying too hard will just make you look stiff."

During a break between takes, Cindy advised him in a whisper, "Try to return to your natural state. Just pretend I'm not even here."

Matthew nodded. "Thanks."

Compared to a supermodel of Cindy's caliber, he was a complete amateur at this kind of work.

As the shoot progressed, perhaps thanks to Cindy's reminder, Matthew's performance improved noticeably. A photoshoot with a partner is a world away from a solo session, and the skill of one person can easily elevate the other.

Cindy may have been thirty-nine years old, but she was still stunning and alluring. Perhaps because she maintained herself so well, she didn't look her age in the slightest. With her nearly flawless physique and skin, she could have passed for someone in their twenties.

Even now, she was one of the world's most sought-after cover girls, appearing in fashion magazines far more frequently than any other model.

Even though Matthew didn't follow the modeling world closely, he knew that today's Victoria's Secret Angels couldn't compare to the original five supermodels in their prime.

Of course, admiration was one thing, but Matthew had no other designs on Cindy, who was thirty-nine and happily married.

As with Diane Kruger, he had no intention of trying to break up a marriage. There were more than enough single women in Hollywood and the modeling industry—why would he risk the kind of scandal that could seriously tarnish his reputation?

A playboy sleeping around with beautiful women might earn envy and a little hate, but a man who interfered in someone's marriage would only earn disgust.

Angelina Jolie’s primary public image was still that of a homewrecker. Especially online, the fallout from Mr. & Mrs. Smith had led to countless people trolling her relentlessly.

The rest of the shoot went smoothly, and by four in the afternoon, Matthew had completed all of his shots. Cindy, however, still had to film some separate print ads on her own.

This was only the initial campaign and required relatively little work. According to Helen Hermann, if the print ads were well-received, Rolex would follow up with a television commercial deal for the duo.

In the past, Rolex hadn't frequently used Hollywood stars in its advertising—Sean Connery, the original James Bond, had been a notable exception—but had more often featured figures from the world of sports.

This aligned with Rolex's brand positioning, which, beyond its luxury status, emphasized ruggedness and durability.

While many people might associate a Rolex with the flashy watches mobsters use for one-upmanship, there was a saying in Hollywood: there are only three types of watches in the world—Patek Philippe, Rolex, and everything else.

Matthew headed for the exit. As he passed by the lounge area, he spotted the familiar little girl.

"Hello, Kaia," he said, remembering she was Cindy Crawford's daughter. "We meet again."

The little girl gestured to the assistant sitting beside her. When the woman drew near, the girl took her hand and hopped down from the chair. "Hi," she said to Matthew. "I remember you. We met at the art gallery."

Matthew couldn't help but smile, crouching down to her level. "That's right, we met at the gallery," he said. "And you've gotten taller since then."

"I'm four years old now," the little girl announced, clasping her hands behind her back and rocking on her feet. "Of course I'm taller."

Matthew smiled and instinctively reached out to ruffle the little girl's curly hair, but he stopped himself midway, realizing it might be inappropriate. He pulled his hand back and said instead, "You're definitely going to be as tall as your mom someday."

In her heels, Cindy was almost as tall as he was.

"Thank you," the little girl replied, her manners impeccable.

"You're welcome," Matthew said as he slowly stood up. "I should get going now. Goodbye, Kaia."

The little girl waved. "Bye-bye."

Matthew left, heading to the improvised dressing room to have his makeup removed. Afterward, he would return to Horner Manor to meet with Charlize. They hadn't had much time together lately, and by the mutual, unspoken agreement of everyone involved, it was time for them to announce the end of their engagement.