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"Anyone want coffee or donuts?" Charlize Theron asked as she walked into the CEO's office at Stark Pictures, carrying a large paper bag.
Brian Mills and Mark Casey, who were already inside, politely stood up.
Mark—no longer exactly a young man—quickly stepped forward. "I do! Yes, absolutely. This afternoon slump is killing me. Without some caffeine, I'm going to fall asleep."
Even though he said "coffee," the moment he grabbed the bag, Mark pulled out a donut first and took a blissful bite, looking utterly satisfied.
Only then did Brian greet her. "Ms. Theron."
"Brian, just call me Charlize," she said with a smile, handing him a cup of coffee. "When are you bringing Rena and Kim to the studio again? Maybe I can take them to Disneyland."
She leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, "Don't tell anyone, but I haven't even been there myself. Tell me—are all men as unromantic as you guys?"
Henry, who had just walked over, immediately realized he'd been caught in the crossfire. "Hey now, sweetheart—you're even more of a workaholic than I am. Is it really me not taking you to an amusement park, or you choosing more auditions instead?"
Brian chuckled. "Kim's only three. Maybe when she's older. And with the current situation around Henry, going somewhere like Disneyland might just invite trouble."
Henry slipped an arm around Charlize's waist, pretending to sulk. "Yeah, unless you're planning a girls' day and ditching us."
Despite the teasing, the two shared a sweet kiss.
Mark, mid-bite on his chocolate donut, froze. Suddenly, it didn't taste as good anymore. He muttered, "Maybe I shouldn't have taken the bag… at least then there'd be something between them."
Brian laughed. "If you hadn't, they'd just toss it aside. Then none of us would get anything." He reached into Mark's bag and grabbed a donut for himself.
---
Brian and his team had taken over Henry's security, and both the arrangement and its details had been shared with Charlize.
However, she tactfully didn't ask about the cause of the situation—only what she needed to be aware of and cooperate with. That alone spared Henry a lot of trouble in deciding how much to tell her.
Brian Mills truly lived up to his expertise in protection work.
He rotated between two vehicles to escort Henry to and from work. Under normal circumstances, one or two team members stayed close to Henry. During outings, all four operated together.
Their demeanor as former military personnel—distinct from ordinary people—was enough to deter many Continental contract killers looking for an easy score.
And those who still dared to try couldn't escape the keen eyes of Brian's team. Every trap and ambush was identified and neutralized.
Of course, with his own safety on the line, Henry didn't just stand by. On several occasions, his warnings prompted Brian to adjust plans on the spot, helping them avoid potential dangers.
After a few minor incidents, things around Henry noticeably calmed down.
This confirmed his earlier assessment—the Continental's bounty on him was half-hearted at best.
With a competent security team in place, most contract killers lost interest. The reward simply wasn't worth the effort required to break through such a well-prepared defense.
Still, Brian didn't lower his guard. He suspected the killers' reduced activity might be a smokescreen—waiting for them to grow complacent before striking.
Another reason for their diligence was simple: most of them had families in California. Brian himself lived in Los Angeles.
Henry's job didn't require 24/7 close protection, meaning they could go home after work—something they rarely had during overseas missions.
Because of this, Henry and Charlize had both met Brian's wife and daughter, Rena and Kim, and gotten along well.
From an outsider's perspective, Henry could see that Brian truly loved his wife. Their eventual divorce wouldn't come from lack of love, but likely from long separations due to work.
In short, just as Brian had initially judged—this was a relatively easy assignment.
---
Helping Charlize settle onto the couch in the office lounge area, Henry asked, "I thought reshoots would keep you busy for a few more days?"
"They went quickly. Nothing complicated—just adding a few more lines for me. The studio's in a rush too—they want it ready before the Christmas season."
They were referring to Jingle All the Way, set to release on November 22, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Filming had actually wrapped earlier in mid-April over five weeks.
But after Charlize gained major attention at Paris Fashion Week as the "tiger beauty," the production company—1492 Pictures, led by Chris Columbus—wanted to capitalize on the buzz and expand her role.
Neither Charlize nor her agent J.J. Harris would refuse such an opportunity. They cleared their schedules and completed the reshoots over the past few days.
With just over a month until release, time was tight.
For Charlize—who refused to play by Hollywood's unspoken rules—the best she could do was show professionalism and cooperation, ensuring no one could blame her if the film underperformed.
Despite the trouble surrounding Henry, she carried on as usual.
Which also showed that the Continental had exercised restraint—things hadn't escalated out of control.
After all, a failed bounty might damage their reputation, but offering an absurdly low reward to kill a clearly difficult target—and forcing compliance through internal pressure—would be worse. Assassins weren't disposable tools.
Back when Sony America's president, Mickey Schulhof, had considered placing a bounty on Henry, the Continental quoted a price of one million dollars—enough to scare him off.
And now?
The Arden family tried to put a mere hundred thousand on the head of a bulletproof "mutant."
Did they think the Continental had no pride?
No wonder most assassins gave up after one failed attempt. Killing wasn't free—bullets might be cheap, but they still cost money.
---
And so, this small gathering in the office felt relaxed—almost like a casual reunion among friends, filled with laughter and light conversation.
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