"I'm just worried we might accidentally sign a bad contract. You just need to keep an eye on things for me."
As expected, Anson is still Anson. His words always carry a sense of ease and calmness, something Edgar, who is constantly on edge, feels he could never achieve. Every time Edgar looks at Anson, he feels both amazed and full of admiration.
Since Anson said so, Edgar saw no need to decline further.
"I talked with Warner Records. They've shown enough sincerity and have basically agreed to all the terms. They just want to move quickly and capitalize on the momentum to release the album. They'd be happy to share the risk with you; naturally, they have no objection. However, they still hope to sign you for two albums. Warner has its own concerns as well."
Anson understood immediately, "Haha, they're worried I'll release one album and then vanish, right?"
Edgar shrugged, "The success of 'Spider-Man' has given them more confidence in you, but it also means that with your acting career taking off, there might not be a second album. The record industry has been in decline for a while now, and labels often don't start making real money until the second or third album. Their request isn't surprising."
Anson replied, "Alright, I get it. I'll discuss it with the band members. We need to reach a consensus; otherwise, nothing will move forward."
Seeing Edgar nodding decisively, Anson suddenly grew curious, "Captain, what about you?"
"Me?" Edgar responded.
Anson nodded, "Yes, what do you think? How do you feel about the band?"
"They're great."
"Is that all?"
Edgar saw Anson's enthusiastic expression and organized his thoughts before speaking seriously, "Honestly, I think you're just doing this for fun. Johnny Depp has a rock band, and Will Smith has released a few albums. Actors playing in bands or singers making cameos in movies is common, so there's no need to make a big deal out of it."
"Moreover, the success of 'Spider-Man' owes a lot to the surprise you brought in terms of fashion and music, so why not?"
"It's like you said before, being an actor is about trying new things and breaking boundaries. When an actor confines themselves, it also means their vitality is being stifled."
"So, even if it's just for fun, it's worth trying."
"Or maybe you'll surprise everyone again, like you did on 'The Tonight Show.' That would be perfect."
Edgar shared his thoughts at length.
Currently, the mainstream opinion in Hollywood is to focus on specialization. An actor is an actor, a singer is a singer, and even stage actors should stick to the stage. This was also why Edgar and Eve didn't push Anson's "fashion image" too hard at the beginning.
But as time went on, Edgar was evolving step by step.
Anson nodded solemnly, "I knew I had a good eye."
Edgar: ... Are you sure?
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang, interrupting the conversation. Edgar looked at Anson with exasperation.
Anson, however, remained particularly calm, "On your way out, could you open the door for me?"
Edgar actually laughed out loud. Their collaboration was becoming more and more seamless and harmonious. In the end, he didn't complain, got up, and left.
As he reached the door, Edgar turned around. After hesitating, he finally spoke.
"Anson, about Hayden and Brad... don't take it to heart."
"It's true that everyone says there's only absolute interest and no absolute sincerity in Hollywood. That's a fact; but nothing is absolute. Maybe you're just on different paths, moving in different directions."
"But, on this road, you're not alone."
Anson was taken aback—
Usually, Edgar kept his distance, always maintaining a clear line between personal and professional matters, never crossing boundaries, perfectly upholding the professional image of a Hollywood agent.
But today, Edgar uncharacteristically crossed that line, sharing a bunch of words unrelated to work.
Brad had moved out.
Unlike Hayden, Brad didn't leave without a word, but neither did he leave with a big fight. Since the premiere of "Spider-Man," the atmosphere in the house had become strange.
Brad wandered around the house like a ghost, not intending to talk to them, and they didn't initiate a conversation either, maintaining a mutual silence.
Until one day, Brad chose a time when both Anson and Chris were home, packed his bags, and left. He neatly placed the keys and the remaining rent on the coffee table in the living room, and without saying goodbye, left under the corner of Anson and Chris's watchful eyes.
Later, it was heard that Brad had moved to Venice Beach.
Hayden's room remained empty, and now Brad's room was vacant too. Anson hadn't found a new roommate yet. It was unclear whether it was because the promotion period was too busy, or if he was intentionally avoiding it. The large villa suddenly felt a bit empty this summer.
It had been some time since Brad moved out, and Edgar hadn't said much, but today, he couldn't hold back anymore.
However—
Edgar himself wasn't used to this. Clearly, this wasn't his usual style. After dropping so many words, he didn't wait for Anson's response. In fact, to some extent, he didn't want Anson to respond, and in his embarrassment, he turned around quickly, ready to leave.
"Thank you."
A clear voice came from behind him.
Edgar's hand, which was about to open the door, paused slightly. He reflexively wanted to turn around, but his shoulder muscles suddenly stiffened, making his head tilt back slightly, stuck in an awkward position, which only made him more embarrassed.
He wasn't good at handling such situations.
So, Edgar straightened up a bit, and with a firm grip on the door handle, he quickly pulled the door open.
Then, he saw Lily and the others standing neatly at the door.
As soon as Lily saw Edgar's serious expression, even without saying a word, the coldness on his face radiated a chilling aura that made people want to keep their distance.
Instinctively, Lily took a small step back and accidentally bumped into Connor.
This startled Connor and Miles, who also hastily averted their eyes, stepping back slightly to clear the way.
Their reactions were like they'd seen a ghost.
Edgar immediately realized that his expressionless face must have looked a bit scary. He had a few words of explanation ready, but after a second thought, he swallowed them back.
If they were afraid of him, maybe that was a good thing. He didn't need to be friends with them. He was always on Anson's side, and his only concern was protecting Anson's interests. This way, if anything like Hayden and Brad's situation happened again, he could handle it instead of Anson—
He didn't mind getting his hands dirty.
"Anson's inside."
Edgar nodded slightly, maintaining his expressionless demeanor, then looked forward, indicating he was about to leave.
Clatter.
The way was immediately cleared.