Threat Emerges

The two sat down, one still angry, the other looking apologetic. Charlize spoke first, "Actually, I wanted to ask you tonight, but Jane insisted on coming over now to get to the bottom of it."

"So, what exactly happened? What made you so angry, Ms. Harris?" Henry still didn't know the situation.

JJ Harris then said, "For the past month or so, my work has encountered unprecedented obstacles. Some projects that I was confident about were rejected by the people I was in contact with without explanation."

"Even for jobs that were already agreed upon, if no contract had been signed, the other party would find someone else to replace them. And for those jobs that had been signed, they were all trying to terminate the contract unconditionally."

"Not to mention that there are many big stars who shouldn't be competing with us for small resources, and they all take turns trying to snatch my jobs. I really doubt whether they even care about the jobs they've managed to get."

"Only today did I learn from someone I know that the reason lies with you. So I wanted to ask you, who exactly did you offend to be able to do such a thing?"

Henry tapped his fingers on the table as he asked, "Just sniping?"

"That's all? This is already very serious! And it's not just Charlize who's affected; my other clients are also implicated because of me."

Julianne Williams, the chubby little girl, just brought the coffee and placed it in front of the two guests. But she just stood there with the tray, looking like she didn't want to leave.

Henry didn't want to reprimand the plump, dark-skinned woman. He simply said, "Miss Williams, please close the office door when you leave. If anyone needs to see me, please notify me via the internal phone."

"Okay, boss." Although she agreed, she left reluctantly.

The CEO's office door is made of solid wood; it's not only thick but also fits tightly, providing excellent sound insulation. At least when the door is closed, no one outside can hear anything coming from inside unless they're pressed against it.

Henry then said, "I think I know who's causing trouble."

"Who is it?" JJ Harris asked hurriedly.

"But I don't know if you've heard this name before: Gitano Dragonetti."

"Ji..." JJ Harris gasped, "How did you get involved with this person?"

"It seems you already know, so I should be able to explain less."

Charlize was completely baffled by the two men's cryptic conversation, and naturally quite dissatisfied. However, since it concerned her, this wasn't the time to throw a tantrum. She calmly asked, "Who is this person?"

Henry gestured for JJ Harris to speak first. His girlfriend's agent then said, "I heard the name by chance; most people wouldn't know them."

"They control a lot of resources and have a wide influence; they can even speak for the Big Eight Hollywood. Most importantly, these people operate in a somewhat unsavory way; those who offend them can easily disappear without a trace. And..."

Charlize asked curiously, "And what?"

Although not entirely sure, JJ Harris blurted it out anyway. "I heard they're Vampires."

"Vampires! How is that possible?" Charlize Theron smiled wryly. But seeing her manager and boyfriend, both with equally serious expressions, she asked in astonishment, "Is it true?"

Henry pointed to himself and said, "Mutants are everywhere, everyone's used to it. So what's news about Vampires and Werewolves? Captain America's Howling Commandos had all sorts of monsters back then."

Although he wasn't Mutants but an alien, Henry didn't want to get involved in the Mutants slump. However, using a Mutants persona was quite useful when talking to ordinary people.

It can save you from explaining a lot of things and can also mislead others.

At least Mutants are native to Earth. But where did aliens come from? No matter how many explanations are given, who can understand it immediately?

"Vampires really do exist. I thought I only saw them in movies and novels," Charlize Theron exclaimed. Then, she added worriedly, "What if I go somewhere now and accidentally walk into Vampires's lair and never get out?"

Henry shook his head and said, "As far as I know, their current activity areas are all closed off. You need someone from inside to escort you in. Ordinary people won't encounter them."

When Henry first arrived in Los Angeles, he traveled all over the Los Angeles, big and small. Although he was looking for good restaurants, he was also scouting locations.

There's no such thing as a nightclub that openly uses its fire extinguishers to create a bloodbath, biting and killing all the ordinary people inside. If this happened every few days, how could it not attract the attention of ordinary people?

When scouting the way, he didn't keep running to remote places or deliberately trespassing into areas that were blocked off by others. This is why Henry only officially encountered the Vampires today.

JJ Harris then asked, "Do you know what they're going to do?"

"Their real target is Tony Stark and Stark Industries. You and I are just side projects," Henry answered honestly.

"This is troublesome." JJ Harris immediately understood the crux of the matter.

Charlize, however, a girl who hadn't seen much of the world, asked in bewilderment, "How troublesome is it?"

Henry explained, "What I mean is that this isn't something that can be resolved by us cooperating or bowing down to them. As long as we back down, they will keep pressing forward without end."

"In the end, they'll force us to do things we don't want to do, even things that are illegal. Didn't I say their target is Tony Stark and Stark Industries? In the process, we're just expendable cannon fodder."

Charlize Theron finally understood. What If...? simply bowing her head and apologizing could resolve her troubles, then there was still room for negotiation.

But if the other party has bigger intentions, whether it's death or being forced to break the law, that's not what Charlize Theron wants. Even if it's not her, but her boyfriend.

JJ Harris, of course, had no right to ask Henry to undermine Stark Industries or betray the young master just to make things easier for himself.

But the feeling of gods fighting while mortals suffer is really awful.

After analyzing the stakes, Henry asked, "That's why I asked if it's only work-related issues that are being targeted. As long as there are no concerns about our personal safety, in terms of work, we can only try to break through, not compromise."