Chapter 20

Locking the car door manually, Murphy walked out of the parking lot with his briefcase, looked up, and saw that the architectural style here was very different from the low-rise buildings in downtown Los Angeles. Skyscrapers and luxurious business centers dominated the area. This was Century City, the most important commercial and residential area in western Los Angeles, covering nearly 200 acres. Many film, television, and music companies had their offices here.

For example, the famous 20th Century Fox was located in Fox Plaza, and not far away, on another building, was CAA, the dominant talent agency in Hollywood, also known as Creative Artists Agency.

Anyone with even a basic understanding of Hollywood knew the power of this agency. After the departure of Michael Ovitz, CAA quickly returned to its normal operations and has grown even faster in recent years, not only dominating more than half of Hollywood's market share but also extending its reach into the sports world.

Thinking about the CAA agent who had called him, Murphy felt a headache as he walked towards the InterContinental Los Angeles. He never imagined that Kobe Bryant's agent would be from a Hollywood super-agency like CAA rather than a specialized sports agency!

Murphy's goal was Hollywood, and tangling with such a giant was not a good idea. However, he had no intention of backing down. The deed was done, and he imagined the CAA people would be furious. There was no point in worrying about it now; the most practical approach was to try to gain as much benefit as possible within reasonable limits.

Before coming here, Murphy had done some research on CAA online. Just as professional sports hold a significant place in North America, football and the NFL were the most important departments in CAA's sports division, while basketball and the NBA were far less significant.

This was perhaps the only thing that could provide Murphy with some psychological comfort.

In reality, he was also very clear that the person representing Kobe Bryant's interests would not be a fool.

"The deed is done," Murphy said to himself, shrugging self-deprecatingly as he approached the front of the InterContinental Los Angeles. "I'm just a nobody, what do I have to fear?"

The worst-case scenario was a falling out, but as a nobody, he had nothing to lose.

Entering the hotel lobby, Murphy asked the doorman a question and then took the escalator to the second floor. Finding the agreed-upon café, he walked in without any hesitation, straightening his back and striding confidently.

"Is Mr. Leon Rose here?" Murphy asked the waiter at the door.

"Who are you?" the waiter asked, and Murphy quickly replied, "Murphy Stanton, I have an appointment with Mr. Leon Rose."

The waiter gestured for him to follow, leading the way. "This way, please."

Following the waiter, Murphy walked to the left side of the café, which faced the sun. It was a large partition separated by green plants. From a distance, he saw a middle-aged man and a young woman sitting in the partition, whispering to each other.

The man was wearing a well-fitted suit with a neatly tied tie around his neck. A pair of sunglasses lay on the left side of the coffee table. In Los Angeles, especially in Beverly Hills, there was a 90% chance that such a person was an agent.

The woman, who looked to be around twenty-five, seemed to be his assistant.

Murphy was not surprised not to see the basketball superstar here; in such a situation, the agent was sufficient.

Approaching the coffee table, the man did not stand up but only glanced at him. Murphy did not hesitate, sitting down in the chair opposite and said to the waiter, "A latte, please."

The agent kept his eyes on Murphy. After the waiter left, he took the initiative, "Murphy Stanton, from Los Angeles, a freelance journalist, recently released from a year in prison, and now working with Fox Los Angeles Channel 6."

Since he was sitting here, Murphy put aside all his concerns. "You did your research thoroughly."

Leon Rose said calmly, "Because we are CAA!"

This statement was full of confidence, as if the CAA he represented was an unshakable mountain.

To a small fry like Murphy, CAA was more than just a mountain, but small fries had their own advantages.

From the moment he walked in, Leon Rose had dominated the conversation and the atmosphere, but Murphy did not engage with him.

Murphy opened his briefcase, took out a storage disk, and pushed it across the table to Leon Rose.

Words were less convincing than actions. Murphy did not need to say much; as long as he held the photos, he had a solid footing.

The female assistant took out a laptop, turned it on, and connected the storage disk. Leon Rose looked at the images appearing on the screen, his expression unchanged, as if they were nothing out of the ordinary.

Crossing his arms, Murphy watched calmly, his expression equally serene.

"Is that all?"

After looking through all the photos, Leon Rose smiled dismissively. "These don't prove anything. Kobe is a superstar, and it's normal for female fans to like him."

The waiter brought the coffee at this moment. After he left, Leon Rose picked up his cup and took a slow sip. "Young man, be cautious and don't be too greedy. Kobe is a hero of this city, and most people will stand by him no matter what happens."

Hearing this, Murphy subconsciously touched his face. He could tell that Leon Rose did not take him seriously, perhaps thinking he was just a lucky young man.

It made sense; he looked to be only twenty, and people of his age often lacked social experience, often being manipulated by seasoned veterans in this complex world.

"Mr. Rose, I'm actually a big fan of Kobe," Murphy said, lying effortlessly. "I was shocked when I took these photos, so my first choice was to find Mr. Bryant, not to sell them to the media. I love Kobe on the court and appreciate his contributions to Los Angeles. A superstar like Kobe should have a good public image."

Leon Rose nodded slightly. The young man opposite him seemed to understand, which made the problem easier to solve. However, why did he feel something off about these seemingly admiring words?

"Do you have any backups? Hand everything over to me," Leon Rose said enticingly. "Kobe will be grateful. What do you want? A signed basketball or a jersey?"

Murphy did not speak, just looking at the other side.

Leon Rose lightly tapped his forehead. "How about this? I can represent Kobe and give you season tickets for the Lakers next season, and you'll have the opportunity to take a photo with Kobe at the first home game."

For a basketball fan or a Lakers fan, this would be a very tempting offer, but for a basketball novice like Murphy, it held no appeal.

Even if Murphy were a Lakers fan, he would not be swayed. He wanted more.

The initial accumulation of capital is always difficult, often stained with the blood of many. To earn enough startup funds, he could not let any opportunity slip by.

"What you've said is very nice," Murphy slowly stirred his coffee. "I do want to hand the photos over to you."

His stirring slowed. "When I close my eyes, I think about how the photos, if leaked, could damage Kobe's healthy and positive public image, leading to family discord, a strained relationship with his fiancée, and affecting his performance on the court, potentially disrupting his rising career and causing fluctuations in his next contract negotiations with the Lakers..."

Hearing these words, which seemed to genuinely consider Kobe Bryant, Leon Rose's gaze became sharp, and his expression was no longer as friendly.

Murphy seemed oblivious, continuing, "I really don't want to see Kobe's public image damaged because of the photos I took. I'm also worried that if the photos somehow get out and are seen by companies like Nike or Adidas, or other major brands, it could affect his endorsement deals. I've heard they are very satisfied with Kobe's healthy, positive, and responsible public image."

Murphy took a sip of his coffee, savoring it before continuing, "As a fan and admirer of Kobe, I don't want to see any of this happen."

The agent, Leon Rose, had a tense expression.

If he hadn't realized by now that he had been deceived by the young man's appearance, he would be a hopeless fool.

Murphy continued, "Like all fans, I believe Kobe is a serious and responsible person. I want to see him focus on the game, win championship rings, and have a happy family."

Leon Rose stared intently at him. If looks could kill, Murphy would be a ragged, bullet-riddled sack.

"For the sake of my idol, for Kobe's future," Murphy said earnestly, "I can't let these photos get out."

Despite sounding like a super fan, Leon Rose knew these were all double-edged words. He realized he had underestimated this unassuming young man, who was now outlining the severe consequences of the photos being leaked.

If Kobe Bryant were someone like Dennis Rodman, Leon Rose wouldn't be worried, but Kobe's past image was too good to bear such damage, especially from sponsors. If sponsors were affected, the losses could be in the millions.

However, he would not give in easily and needed to pressure the other side.

"Don't forget, you're dealing with CAA!" Leon Rose said forcefully. "The mainstream media are CAA's partners!"