Lately, Robert Downey Jr. was on a roll.
Endorsements, commercials—they came pouring in.
He moved out of his old apartment and into a freshly purchased mansion in the upscale Beverly Hills district.
Even though the payments from all those contracts hadn't arrived in full yet, he was able to use the agreements as collateral for loans. Banks were more than happy to lend to a "premium client with a bright future."
"Robert, don't forget to thank Martin," Suzanne reminded him as she unpacked boxes in their new home.
Donny nodded. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten. I'm planning a party—invite Martin, Leonardo, Jack, Jeff Raymond, the whole gang."
"Sounds good, just don't make it one of those parties," Suzanne warned.
"Relax, this isn't that kind of party. I'm holding it right here at home," Donny grinned.
"Ooh, then I better hurry and start tidying up."
"Nope, don't worry about it. I'll call that cleaning service. They'll send someone over. Let's head upstairs and check out the new bed."
"Robert, it's the middle of the day!"
"Pull the curtains and it won't be."
...
"So this is Robert new place?" Leonardo glanced around. "Not bad."
Martin, who'd arrived at the same time, stood beside him and added, "Of course it's not bad. This place is worth eight million."
"Damn. Kid really blew up fast. I've heard he's cashing in like crazy—big brands chasing after him nonstop. I'm jealous."
"Jealous?" Martin shot him a look. "Leo, have you already forgotten how it was after you shot Titanic? You were even hotter than Robertis now."
"That was then," Leonardo sighed, patting his belly. "Now I'm just a middle-aged man."
"Come on. Robert's not much younger than you. Look at what he's doing—training, eating clean, staying fit. Word is he's got abs now. You could at least try."
"Nope. I prefer enjoying life."
"Honey, can we go in now?" said a young woman standing beside Leonardo.
It wasn't his longtime girlfriend Bar Refaeli. It was someone whose face looked oddly familiar to Martin—something triggered from his memories.
Blake Lively.
She wasn't quite a supermodel, but with her long blonde hair and legs for days, she was the kind of pretty girl who could light up a screen. Martin remembered she missed out on a breakout role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants because he had taken it over and redirected the casting.
Still, in 2007—just last year—she'd shot to fame thanks to the TV show Gossip Girl.
And now, apparently, she was dating Leo.
Blake came from an entertainment family—five siblings, all in showbiz. Her parents were actors, and one of her brothers was a minor TV actor. She and Leo had met through her brother, who got into a bar spat with a girl from Leo's entourage. Leo and Blake stepped in to de-escalate things, and the rest was history.
Clearly, Leo adored his new girlfriend. The moment she showed even a hint of impatience, he quickly said, "Alright, alright, let's go in."
Standing beside Martin, Alexandra Daddario raised a curious brow at Blake. This was the first time she'd encountered someone this bold—if not downright rude—in Hollywood.
In the original timeline, Blake's brashness would eventually cost her. She offended the wrong people and, at her peak in 2013, suddenly vanished from the spotlight. Not until The Shallows in 2016 did she make a comeback—now much humbler and more reserved.
Because that's what society does—it sands off your edges.
Blake wasn't a bad person. Just a little spoiled.
Surprisingly, Leo still doted on her. It was obvious that whatever feelings he had for Bar Refaeli had faded.
Sometimes, Martin would wonder—if Leo had his level of physical conditioning and endurance, could he also juggle multiple women peacefully?
But that thought always made him chuckle.
Nope.
Leo could never pull it off like he did. The girls wouldn't get along.
The party Robert hosted was, by Hollywood standards, extremely tame.
Just a bunch of folks gathered to hang out, chat, and unwind.
"Lovely weather today."
"I know a great restaurant nearby."
"Anything exciting lately?"
That was about the extent of it.
Robert and Suzanne moved gracefully through the crowd, smiling, chatting, checking in with guests.
When they reached Martin, Leo, and Jack Nicholson's circle, they paused.
Martin smiled. "Congrats on the new place, Robert."
"Nice crib," Leo added.
Nicholson gave a sly grin. "How'd you like my gift?"
Robert groaned. Jack had sent him ten massive boxes of vintage playboy magazines.
Motherfucker. Did Jack actually expect him to get through all of that?
"I would've preferred something normal," Donny grumbled. "Like Martin's Porsche. Or Leo's luxury sofa set."
"You brat. You have no idea how valuable my gift is. Martin and Leo's stuff costs what—maybe Hundred grand? That full set of collector-edition Playboys I gave you? Just one hundred of those vintage issues are worth over $150,000. Do you know how much it pained me to give those away?"
Nicholson had the air of a misunderstood genius.
Robert raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. My bad. I'll make time to appreciate them."
"That's better!" Nicholson grinned.
Then came a voice out of nowhere.
"This party's kinda boring, isn't it?"
Blake again.
"Blake," Leo said quietly but firmly. Then he turned to Donny and Suzanne, apologetic. "Sorry. She didn't mean it like that. She's just—"
"No worries, no worries," Robert interrupted with a smile. "Honestly, it is kind of a boring party. Since 2003, the fun version of Robert Donny Jr. is dead."
The group chuckled.
2003—the year Robert finally kicked his addictions for good.
He turned to Suzanne and joked, "Thanks for marrying the un-fun version of me."
Suzanne laughed. "Actually, I think this version of you is far more interesting."
Blake's outburst had created a moment of tension.
But Robert's self-deprecating humor smoothed it over effortlessly.
That was the difference that came with social experience.
And Martin finally understood why, in the original timeline, Blake Lively's career hit such a long pause.
That mouth of hers offended way too many people.
[GodOfReader: I just checked Blake Lively on Google a few minutes ago and found out that she was friends with Taylor Swift... but they apparently ended it, because of a text she sent to her co-star named Justin, where they were roleplaying as Khaleesi (her) and Taylor Swift as her dragon. HAHAHAHAHAHA!]
(Nah, there's a deeper reason for that but nvm.)