Chapter 91: Simon's Flaw

Los Angeles.

In the Bel Air neighborhood next to Beverly Hills, it was Saturday night.

Just yesterday, after formally signing the international distribution contract for "Run Lola Run" with Warner, Simon received an invitation from Warner Brothers CEO Terry Semel to attend a party he was hosting that evening.

"This is a very clever romantic comedy called 'When Harry Met Sally,'" Simon explained to Terry as they stood with cocktails in hand at the lavish party. "It covers the emotional journey of the protagonists, Harry and Sally, over twelve years—from meeting, to disliking, to living together, and finally to loving each other. It's somewhat similar to Woody Allen's 'Annie Hall,' but without Allen's neuroticism, making it warmer and more fun."

Terry listened to Simon's pitch, then shook his head and replied, "Simon, what audiences actually love about 'Annie Hall' is Woody Allen's neurotic, intellectual charm. From what you describe, 'When Harry Met Sally' is another romance driven by dialogue and emotional shifts. Without Allen's depth or star actors, it's hard to attract much interest."

Simon, also holding a cocktail, responded confidently, "Terry, maybe you should read the script first. If Warner is interested, I could even shoot a pilot for you. It's definitely worth the investment."

"Terry, if you'd pay a little attention, you'd realize that Hollywood hasn't had a blockbuster romance in over a decade, especially not one that's a simple love story," Terry continued, still skeptical. He then added, "Simon, you're a very talented screenwriter. Why not try writing something like 'Beverly Hills Cop' or 'Lethal Weapon'? Action-crime films like these are what's trending in Hollywood these days. If you have ideas in that genre, feel free to contact me."

'Beverly Hills Cop' was a box office champion in North America produced by Paramount in 1984.

'Lethal Weapon', on the other hand, belonged to Warner and had been released a month ago.

The script for 'Lethal Weapon' had caused quite a stir in Hollywood when Warner bought it for $250,000. Although it had been consistently outperformed by 'Run Lola Run', 'Lethal Weapon' had already earned close to $40 million in North American box offices, with the potential to exceed $60 million.

Compared to its $15 million production cost, Warner had made a substantial profit.

Having established a partnership with Warner, Simon had taken the time to learn more about this major film studio.

He found that, contrary to expectations, Warner Brothers had been performing even worse than Fox in recent years. For example, last year's highest-grossing Warner film, starring Sylvester Stallone, only made just over $49 million in North America.

Knowing this helped Simon understand why Warner had paid a relatively high price for the international rights to 'Run Lola Run'.

In this era, international movie distribution typically lagged three to six months behind the U.S. release.

Warner undoubtedly had a comprehensive global distribution network, but currently, it had no films worth distributing worldwide. Maintaining many overseas branches without films to release was a clear waste of resources.

Thus, 'Run Lola Run' was an excellent choice for them.

With 'Run Lola Run' expected to gross over $200 million in North America alone, there was no risk of loss in international distribution. If managed properly, the film could make at least $100 million overseas. The revenue cycle for video tapes and television broadcasts was longer but could also bring substantial profits.

With these thoughts, Simon simply nodded at Terry, saying, "If I come up with a similar idea, I'll definitely let you know."

"Let's leave it at that for now," Terry said, turning to Janet, who was standing next to Simon. "Miss Johnston, you've been quite impressive in these negotiations. Any interest in working at Warner?"

Janet smiled and shook her head, "Terry, are you offering to step down for me?"

"Heh, that's not something I can decide," Terry chuckled, raising his glass again. "Enjoy your evening."

After Terry walked away, Simon noticed Janet's twinkling eyes and smiled, "During your interactions with the studios, you must have met Universal's president, Frank Price, right?"

Janet nodded, puzzled.

Simon continued, "When Spielberg wanted to make 'E.T.', Frank Price was very skeptical of the project. He thought Spielberg was crazy to want to make a children's movie. In the end, it was only because Sid Sheinberg, the CEO of Universal's parent company, approved it that the project went ahead."

Janet's lips curled into a smile, "And then?"

"As everyone knows, 'E.T.' had a production budget of only $10.5 million, but it grossed over $700 million worldwide."

Now well-versed in Hollywood matters, Janet couldn't help

 commenting, "10.5 million dollars, huh? That's interesting."

Big film projects in Hollywood typically have rounded budget figures. The precise $10.5 million highlighted Universal's stringent expectations for 'E.T.' at the time.

"Exactly. After 'E.T.'s' success, Spielberg publicly declared that he would never work with Frank Price again. For his next projects, including 'Back to the Future,' Spielberg even stipulated this in the contracts."

Janet, linking arms with Simon, joked, "Someday we should put those who've rejected you into our contracts."

"I wouldn't do something that petty," Simon shook his head, adding, "The point is, in Hollywood, everyone gets rejected and everyone must get used to it."

Terry had invited Simon tonight to network with this promising young filmmaker. But given the overwhelmingly negative reviews for 'The Butterfly Effect,' Terry wasn't ready to commit to any deal with Simon, especially since Simon hadn't personally written the script for 'When Harry Met Sally.'

After staying at Terry's party until around 9:30 PM, they excused themselves and left.

Back at their Pacific Palisades mansion, the phone's message indicator was blinking. Janet went upstairs to change clothes while Simon listened to a message from Amy Pascal and then called her back.

Janet, now back downstairs in a loose white sweater and jeans, made coffee in the kitchen and then sprawled on the sofa like a kitten, watching Simon talk on the phone.

Simon and Amy spoke for about half an hour before he hung up and sat down with the coffee Janet had prepared, relaxing on the sofa.

Having overheard parts of the conversation, Janet leaned in and asked, "Did New World Pictures also turn us down?"

Simon nodded.

New World Pictures, the film company that had bought Marvel Entertainment last year, was founded by Roger Corman, the king of B-movies in Hollywood, and was in a phase of rapid expansion. Though it didn't release hits as frequently as Orion, its operations were more robust than second-tier studios like Cannon, thanks to Corman's conservative management approach.

Lately, Simon and Amy had been looking for investors for 'When Harry Met Sally,' and New World was among the potential collaborators.

Now, it seemed, another attempt had failed.

Hearing Simon's confirmation, Janet frowned slightly, "What do we do now?"

"It's not a good time to look for partners for 'When Harry Met Sally.' I've already asked Amy to pause that effort," Simon replied calmly, without the slight worry in Janet's tone. "Next week, we'll see how 'The Butterfly Effect' performs in its first and second weeks. If things improve, Amy and I will reach out to independent film investment funds. If we secure funding, finding distributors will be easy. Worst case, we fund it ourselves, but that means we won't start shooting until the end of the year, and distribution will be challenging."

Janet, twirling a piece of Simon's shirt on his shoulder, listened to his clear plan and softly said, "Goldberg has been acting like he's about to be cooked these past few days, and so have David and Brian. They're all very anxious. Simon, don't you care about the bad reviews? I can't even bear to read them; they're too harsh."

Simon, feeling Janet's unusual tone, took her hand and asked, "Would you like to see me pretend to worry?"

Janet's eyes flickered and she shook her head, "No."

Setting his coffee cup back on the table, Simon's grip tightened, and Janet lay down with her head on his lap.

Looking down at the woman in his arms, Simon brushed her blonde hair from her neck and said seriously, "Including the doubts earlier and the media's bad reviews now, to be honest, I don't really feel much. I know what kind of person I am, what I'm capable of, and what I can achieve in the future. Their petty actions might delay my steps or cause some trouble, but they can't stop me from moving forward. To use a somewhat arrogant analogy, why would a lion care about an ant's bite?"

"Simon..." Janet raised her hand to touch his face gently, whispering, "You'll truly conquer the world."

"Yes," Simon kissed her palm and smiled, "So, be gentle when you do, okay? Don't destroy my world."

"Mm."

Janet nodded seriously, still looking up at the man above her, her eyes suddenly filled with reluctance, asking softly, "Simon, what about us? What about our future?"

"Us," Simon traced Janet's delicate face with his fingertip, softly saying, "It's still a bit early. In a few years, we'll get married. Then, have a few kids, you'll be the good cop, I'll be the bad cop, and we'll raise them together."

Janet's eyes gleamed with anticipation, but then she shook her head, gras

ping Simon's hand and holding it to her chest, "It shouldn't be like this. Simon, you're a lion, the king of the savannah, destined to conquer the world. How can you be held back by a small cat, becoming a mediocre man confined to his little home? It shouldn't be like this."

Simon sensed Janet's increasingly unusual mood, lifted her into his lap, and looked into her now slightly dim eyes, feeling a surge of compassion. He said earnestly, "Janet, did something I said earlier give you the wrong idea? If so, I apologize."

"No," Janet shook her head, kissed Simon on the lips, then leaned against his chest, holding him tightly, murmuring, "Simon, on your last birthday, I told you I wouldn't be your burden."

Simon also held her tightly, affirming, "No, of course not, how could a little cat ever hold back a lion."

"But that's the way it is," Janet said dreamily, "You know, Simon, I love you very much, and it's not some shallow infatuation. Since I was very young, I knew that in this life, I would either always be free and alone, or I would forever love only one person. I always thought the first option was more likely. But at 27, I suddenly fell in love with a little man. He's smart, powerful, lonely, mysterious, crazy, and determined, but he also indulges me when I'm silly, spoils me when I'm willful, protects me when I'm drunk, trusts me when I work. Although I know it's because a lion doesn't care about a kitten's antics, I fell in love anyway. I won't be hesitant like Kate, so since I'm in love, I must firmly grasp this man."

Simon pinched Janet's shiny earlobe softly, whispering, "It's not nice to talk behind Catherine's back."

Janet's earlobe was sensitive; she blushed at Simon's touch but didn't pull away, instead continuing to press against his chest, "Then, Simon, after really spending time together, I quickly discovered your flaws."

"This," Simon looked worried, "should be kept to yourself, don't spread it around."

Janet chuckled lightly, then revealed, "Simon, I found that you inherently like to indulge those around you, especially those who love you. You find it hard to refuse them, always want to treat them better, and even feel that what you do isn't enough."

Simon weakly countered, "Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"Of course it's a flaw," Janet rubbed her face against Simon's chest, saying, "Like me, I've always known that you weren't really ready for a relationship. But after last Christmas Eve, you still accepted my role," she suddenly looked up at Simon, "Last time in Arizona, Simon, did you sleep with Kate?"

Simon shook his head, "No."

"See, that's it," Janet pressed her face back against him, "You clearly prefer Kate, and she feels the same about you. I think you could have just taken her to your room in Arizona, and she wouldn't have resisted much. But you didn't do that. That's the restraint, my restraint on you."

"That's what I should do," Simon patted Janet's back, "If any other man dared to carry you into a room, I'd kill him."

"You wouldn't have the chance; I'm also capable of killing," Janet said, patting Simon's shoulder, "Don't change the subject."

"Alright."

Janet continued, "And lately, your adjustments to the earnings from 'Run Lola Run,' that supplementary contract. Simon, I can feel your guilt. You want to accumulate capital quickly, but you feel it's unfair to me, you think you haven't given me enough, you think you're being somewhat selfish. But how could that be? I only invested $400,000 initially, but now I can take back $67 million. A 168-fold return, what kind of greedy person would think that's not enough? So, Simon, this is your flaw, a fatal flaw. I can feel your detachment and indifference to the world, it's hard for you to actively love someone, but you're too soft-hearted and indulgent towards those who love you."

Simon managed a weak smile, "You're not disappointed in me now, are you?"

"Of course not," Janet immediately shook her head, looking up earnestly, "I love you, Simon. I like your strength, your mystery, your indifference. But if you were truly cold-hearted to everyone in the world, I might love you, but I definitely wouldn't want to be with you. Your flaws make me love you even more. But at the same time, your flaws have made me your restraint."

Simon interrupted, "Janet, it's not like that."

Janet

 placed her hand over Simon's lips, continuing, "Last month, at the villa in Malibu, I asked you if you wanted to marry me quickly so you could have half my property. I could feel your panic then, yet you still joked with me. Just now, however, you calmly told me that in a few years, we'll get married, have kids, I'll be the good cop, you'll be the bad cop. Obviously, you've considered this more than once. You know I look forward to this kind of thing because I'm already 27, and a 27-year-old woman definitely looks forward to marriage. Since I'm in love, I really look forward to these things. And I have no doubt that you'll keep your promise because you definitely will. But I've realized that even now, you're only just 19. A 19-year-old boy should be free to soar. My king, the lion king of the savannah, needs to conquer the world unencumbered, not hastily consider starting a family because of a kitten's restraint."

Janet paused, not waiting for Simon to respond, but hugged him tightly and quickly added, "So, Simon, let's start over. From that evening in Burbank when we first met. That day, standing by the road, you said you came from the Watsonville Psychiatric Hospital. I thought then, this guy is really cool."

Feeling the slight tremble in the woman in his arms after she finished speaking, Simon gently patted her waist, saying, "Janet, I think we should take a bath together now, then get some sleep."

Janet didn't let go, whispering, "Simon, I'm not breaking up with you. I'll love only one person in my lifetime, how could I break up? But I don't want to be your restraint. So, like Harry and Sally, let's start over as friends. I won't disrupt your life, I won't interfere with your work, and if you need, I can still help manage your company. But for now, we're not lovers, okay?"

Simon shook his head, "No."

Janet seemed not to hear Simon's response, continuing, "I'll move back to Malibu tomorrow. Before I met you, I actually wanted to open a gallery, I was just too lazy, even my small studio was a mess. Now, heh, I'm motivated. Ever since 'Run Lola Run' was released, people have been contacting me because of that painting in the movie."

Simon didn't know what to say and remained silent.

Janet spoke to herself, then fell silent for a while before adding, "Simon, I'm a bit scared."

"Hmm?"

"If the lion eventually conquers the entire savannah and becomes the true king, will he still care about the kitten from the beginning?"

"Of course," Simon asserted, "That's a very selfish lion; what's his will always be his."

"Then why don't you hold on to your kitten now?"

"Would it help?"

"No."

"Then I won't hold on," Simon patted her, saying, "But you'll stay here, I'll move out."

"Why?"

"If the paparazzi hear about this, they'll go crazy. I don't want them to disturb you, this place is more private than Malibu."

Janet curled her lips slightly, her eyes glistening, "Then you can live there, I'll lend it to you as a friend."

"I won't go."

"You can pay rent."

"I actually prefer a more modern-style villa."

Janet remembered her European-style villa in Malibu and the Mediterranean-style mansion here, tightening her hold on Simon's waist, "You've always been accommodating me."

"Yeah, not anymore."

"Hmph, you little rascal," Janet seemed slightly displeased, reaching to pinch him, but without any force, softly saying, "You, stay in Malibu, they won't know we, we've temporarily separated."

Simon considered for a moment, then nodded, "Okay."

Janet paused, feeling her own wavering, quickly shook her head, "Still, no, you go wherever you want to live, even if you immediately move in with Kate, I won't care. We, we..." Janet muttered, suddenly breaking free from Simon's embrace, standing back and firmly declaring, "Simon Westeros, I formally inform you, we are breaking up."

The weight of her words hung in the air, marking a decisive yet uncertain pause in their relationship, casting a shadow over what had been a partnership of mutual adoration and ambitious dreams.