Chapter 293: Greed is Good!

Clive Davis, president of Alistair Records, couldn't believe Daenerys Entertainment would make such an irrational decision that hurt themselves more than their adversary. Upon hearing Nancy Brill's direct notification, he argued with her in shock and anger, then thought to contact Simon Westeros, believing Nancy was acting on her own.

Simon's response was predictable.

However, Clive Davis still couldn't believe Daenerys Entertainment would actually halt the sales of the 'Bodyguard' original soundtrack. The standoff lasted an entire day, and the news inevitably leaked to the media.

By Sunday, September 17th, the 'Bodyguard' had been in theaters in North America for 15 and a half weeks, accumulating a box office total of $116.35 million. With the film's weekly box office dropping to under $500,000 and nearing the end of its run, the dispute between Daenerys Entertainment and Alistair Records over the soundtrack's revenue share caught intense media and public attention.

Regardless of Clive Davis's reaction, shipments of the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack indeed halted, and all related activities in overseas regions like Europe and Asia stopped.

Western countries are known for their strict copyright protection.

The dispute between Daenerys Entertainment and Alistair Records was initially just about unclear revenue shares. If Alistair Records continued to sell the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack after Daenerys Entertainment, a co-owner of the copyright, raised a claim, it would be considered copyright infringement.

A revenue share dispute could be easily resolved once both parties reached an agreement. Even if it went to court, Alistair Records wouldn't lose much. But if it involved copyright, claiming $100 in damages for every $1 of copyright value wasn't considered excessive, and Daenerys Entertainment could potentially sue Alistair Records into bankruptcy.

By September 20th, seeing Daenerys Entertainment show no signs of pretense and genuinely halting all operations related to the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack, Clive Davis finally woke up to reality.

Daenerys Entertainment, with its myriad other income sources, would barely notice the absence of the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack's revenue. However, this album was a financial pillar for Alistair Records, expected to contribute over 70% of the company's profits for the year based on initial forecasts.

Clearly, the importance of this album to each party was undeniable.

After a restless night, Clive Davis arrived at Alistair Records' headquarters on Olive Avenue in Burbank early at 8 a.m., only to find media reporters already waiting.

As soon as Clive Davis parked his car in the nearby public parking lot, he was swarmed by reporters. Without a word, he pushed through the crowd, bombarded with questions.

"Mr. Davis, will you reconcile with Daenerys Entertainment?"

"Is Alistair planning to sue Daenerys Entertainment?"

"Will Bertelsmann Music Group, Alistair's parent company, intervene in this matter?"

"Rumors say Whitney is preparing for her second movie. Will this affect her Hollywood career negatively?"

When asked if his actions, which caused such a loss for the company, would lead to his dismissal, Clive Davis couldn't remain calm any longer. Turning angrily, he retorted, "I haven't caused the company any loss. You should ask Simon Westeros, that insatiably greedy brat, who is the real culprit behind all this."

The reporters were ecstatic, as such an irrational verbal attack was precisely the kind of material they loved.

Clive's implication that Simon Westeros was to blame for the dispute escalated media interest.

"Clive, are you saying this is Simon Westeros's fault?"

"Isn't it? Just over some minor dispute, he forcibly stopped the sales of an outstanding album that could make music history. This is a desecration of music. Of course, that brat probably doesn't see it as desecration since all he cares about is money. Otherwise, why do you think he became the federation's richest man?"

"But according to Daenerys Entertainment's announcement, this all started because Alistair Records withheld Daenerys's rightful share."

"They would say that from their perspective. If it weren't for Whitney's songs, that crappy movie wouldn't have made even $10 million at the box office. They've already made enough profit but are still not satisfied, wanting to squeeze more out of Alistair. In my view, that's just sheer greed."

After venting, Clive Davis finally entered the Alistair Records building. However, his remarks about Simon Westeros being "insatiably greedy" and calling the 'Bodyguard' a "crappy movie" quickly spread, and both a local Los Angeles TV station and the national CNN news channel reported on the topic, sparking a wider discussion.

As another party involved, or rather, as the media and some wished to believe, Simon Westeros met with Janet at Los Angeles International Airport at 1 p.m., then flew directly to Milan, Italy, on a Boeing 767 they had rented.

Simon had made his decision and intended not to involve himself further.

After Clive Davis's comments spread, Daenerys Entertainment swiftly counterattacked, accusing Alistair Records of being the truly insatiable ones, having swallowed a quarter of Daenerys's rightful share from the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack, amounting to a crime rather than mere greed.

The industry could somewhat understand why Daenerys Entertainment reacted so fiercely to Alistair Records's actions—it was a clear warning. Though still collaborating smoothly with Daenerys Entertainment on the surface, some couldn't help stirring the pot in private, preventing Daenerys Entertainment from fully controlling the narrative.

Whitney Houston's fans also joined the fray, gathering outside Daenerys Entertainment's headquarters in Santa Monica and Burbank, demanding Daenerys Entertainment drop the case against their idol.

After making those remarks, Clive Davis began to regret his words, but with the situation irreversible, he had no choice but to persist, hoping Daenerys Entertainment would yield to public and fan pressure.

Daenerys Entertainment, of course, would not concede.

Nancy Brill, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, firmly stated that unless Alistair Records agreed to a financial audit, paid all due shares, and compensated Daenerys Entertainment, the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack would never return to the market.

Affected by Nancy's comments, the remaining 'Bodyguard' soundtracks in circulation saw a price increase.

Bertelsmann Music Group, Alistair's parent company, initially pleased with acquiring the struggling record company from RCA two years ago thanks to the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack's success, decided to intervene after seeing Clive Davis exacerbate the situation. A high-ranking executive flew from Germany to Los Angeles the day after Simon left for Italy, immediately announcing Clive Davis would take an indefinite leave and taking over Alistair Records to start negotiations with Daenerys Entertainment.

In Italy, Simon's residence in Milan was a luxurious mansion by the famous Lake Como in the city's north, surrounded by dense forests and offering a panoramic view of the lake, ensuring maximum privacy.

It was September 22nd.

The Gucci Spring/Summer 1990 show was scheduled for the morning of the 23rd. Simon and Janet arrived in Milan the afternoon of the 21st, only to view the final rehearsal of the show and skip the opening ceremonies of Fashion Week, choosing instead to return to their scenic mountain villa for rest.

Having not seen each other for over a month, Simon and Janet preferred spending time together over mingling with many strangers.

However, the villa wasn't just hosting Simon and Janet. Apart from the bodyguards, Jennifer, the assistant, was there too, as was Natasha Kinsky, who had come to Milan specifically to support the Gucci show. Sofia Fesi, busy with preparations for the show, didn't stay at the villa this time.

Milan, still within the Mediterranean climate zone but leaning towards the interior, experienced quite cool weather after autumn's arrival. The warm afternoon sun was perfect for sunbathing.

Janet was lying on a lounger by the pool, wrapped up snugly, enjoying the sun while casually browsing through some messages from Los Angeles.

After a while, she glanced over at Simon and said, "They're calling you a greedy guy?"

Simon, flipping through a local Milan newspaper, skillfully quoted the classic line from "Wall Street": "Greed is good, greed is right, greed works!"

"Hmph," Janet scoffed at Simon's show-off attitude, her sock-covered little feet reaching over to scratch Simon teasingly.

Even her feet were shielded from the sun to avoid tanning.

Simon lifted his leg slightly, effortlessly pressing Janet's foot beneath his, and suggested, "How about we go out tonight?"

Janet immediately perked up, "Just the two of us?"

Their conversation veered away from the ongoing dispute and towards planning a private evening in Milan. Despite the ongoing turmoil back in Los Angeles, Simon seemed to navigate the blend of personal and professional with ease, choosing to focus on the moment at hand while the consequences of his business decisions continued to unfold thousands of miles away.

The serene setting of the Como lakeside villa contrasted sharply with the heated exchanges and media frenzy in Los Angeles. This dichotomy underscored Simon's ability to distance himself from the chaos, adhering to his belief that sometimes, to win, one must not play the game by conventional rules. 

Greed, in this context, wasn't just a vice but a strategy, a means to an end, encapsulating Simon's ruthless but effective approach to business disputes. Yet, amidst these high-stakes corporate battles, moments of leisure and intimacy with Janet provided a stark reminder of the multifaceted life he led, balancing the relentless pursuit of success with the pursuit of personal happiness and connection.

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