Fame and Wealth

It was a perfect day. The sun was shining brightly and the water in the pool sparkled invitingly under the perfect sky, making the day ideal for relaxation. The gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers from the garden, adding to the tranquil ambiance.

I was lying on the lounger, soaking in the warmth, feeling the stress of the past two weeks slowly melt away.

The past two weeks had been a whirlwind of parties and events, all part of the Oscar campaign for 12 Angry Men. Despite the excitement surrounding the awards season, these gatherings were incredibly boring. The constant small talk and endless rounds of introductions had left me drained. Each party blended into the next, making the days feel longer and more tiresome.

My silent retreat was interrupted by the sound of my mother's voice.

"Daniel, it's here," I heard Mom call.

"Yeah, what is it?" I asked, sitting up from the lounger and stretching.

"The magazine," Mom said, walking towards me with a copy of Forbes magazine in her hand.

I looked at her hands and saw the familiar logo of Forbes. On the cover was me, dressed in a sharp suit, with a confident smile on my face.

Forbes magazines have always been bimonthly, and the latest one had come in early December. But in August, they had announced they would be doing a special edition of the magazine and releasing it in January. Imagine my surprise when five months ago, I was approached by Forbes to be on the cover and have a large spread in it.

Mom handed me the magazine, her eyes sparkling with pride. "You look so handsome." she said, hugging me.

The cover was striking. I was in a tailored navy suit against a bold purple background, with the words A Bright Future? emblazoned across the top in big, white letters. 

The timing the editor of forbes reached out was perfect as i was in the middle of shooting 12 angry men 

We soon hashed out the details of the feature. The key themes were to be my journey in the industry so far, my achievements, and my future plans. Dates for interviews and photoshoots were all agreed upon.

The Forbes team did extensive research on me and my life before I became famous. 

I was surprised by their knowledge when I sat for the first interview. They asked about my early life, inspirations for my books and movies, my process, and the journey from a young author to a mainstay in Hollywood. 

When some reshoots for 12 Angry Men happened, I invited them to the set, and we took many photos of me involved in the making of the movie. There were many candid shots of me with Ron Howard and Tom Hanks and other cast members. It was a good plan since the magazine comes out a month before the Oscars, it would boost the popularity of the movie and my profile.

Then there was my photoshoot. They had me doing that for two days. It was an intense but exciting experience. The photographer and his team set up different places and sets, making sure to capture various aspects of my personality and life.

The first day, they had me pose in a sleek, modern office setting, surrounded by books and scripts. I sat at a large wooden desk, a pen in hand, looking thoughtful as if in the middle of crafting a new story. Another shot had me standing by a large window, the cityscape behind me. The second day, we moved to an outdoor location with more casual clothes. It was just me walking around the city taking pictures in front of famous monuments. 

And now finally a week before its release I got an advance copy.

Mom looked through the magazine, flipping through each section. The first part talked about my earlier life. It detailed my childhood, my early love for storytelling, and how I got started in the industry. 

Then she got to the part where I talked about her. I had told the Forbes interviewer that Mom was my inspiration. I mentioned how her unwavering support and belief in me had been a cornerstone of my success. 

"She always encouraged me to follow my dreams and never let me give up, even when things got tough," the article quoted me saying.

Mom got emotional as she read those words. She looked up at me, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, Danny," she whispered.

She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm so proud of you," she said softly.

I smiled at her. "I couldn't have done it without you, Mom," I replied, squeezing her hand gently.

The rest of the interview was about the books and movies.

I described how I came up with Toy Story during one of the interviews. How it all began with the silly dream I had as a kid of how I would spend hours with my toys, creating elaborate adventures and giving each character a unique personality.

 It was a good story I made up and it worked very well.

There were questions about Percy Jackson, The Blair Witch Project, and the movies I made with Stardust. I talked about the inspiration for Percy Jackson, how the idea of a modern-day demigod excited me, and how The Blair Witch Project was an exciting experiment in found footage horror that paid off in ways I never imagined.

Regarding Stardust, I emphasized my key role in the company and how I own a small part of it as it rebranded itself as Stardust Entertainment.

The next part was about 12 angry men

It featured several photos of me on the set of 12 Angry Men. There was a shot of me with Ron Howard, both of us looking intently at the monitor, discussing a scene. Another photo captured a moment with Tom Hanks and J.K. Simmons, all of us laughing between takes, showcasing the camaraderie on set. There was also a picture of Ron having me directing a scene.

When asked about my future plans, I kept it vague but promising. 

"I have many things in mind,".

"I guess you'll have to wait and find out." 

"This is great" Mom said "I'm so proud of you honey" she hugged me.

"We have to celebrate, let's all go out today" mom added.

"Whatever you want mom" I said as mom walked away to plan the evening.

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The new offices I rented for Arcaneum were a nice place, a perfect blend of modern design and functional space. The building's exterior was sleek, with large glass windows that allowed natural light to flood the interior. Inside, the place had a spacious, open-plan layout with a bit of a messy charm that showed how busy and dedicated the team was.

The main hall was expansive, with several long tables covered in various equipment and documents. Multiple PCs lined the tables, each accompanied by monitors, keyboards, and headsets, creating a bustling work environment. There were also comfortable couches scattered around, evidence of the team's tendency to work late into the night and sometimes even sleep there.

John greeted me as I walked in and led me to the others. Mark, Peter, Eric, and Adrian were hard at work, though Adrian was currently napping on the floor.

"Sleeping on the job already?" I quipped as I approached.

"He kinda lives here," Peter said with a grin as Adrian woke up, blinking groggily.

"You all do," I replied with a chuckle. "Was this all an elaborate scheme to have me pay rent for you guys?"

"Come on," John said, leading me to a large board adorned with various pieces of art. It was an impressive sight, showcasing several places and bosses from the game we were working on. There were sketches of eerie, gothic landscapes, towering castles, and dark forests. Boss designs included menacing figures like the Nito, Seath , and the terrifyingly hard Ornstein and Smough.

"Impressive," I said, genuinely admiring the work. "Matt and his team really knocked it out of the park."

"Yeah, he did," John agreed, beaming with pride.

He and the others then began explaining what they had been working on in detail. It was clear that the team had poured their hearts and souls into the project.

"We've been working on the game engine," John said, pointing to a complex diagram on the board. "It's going to take some time since the open world is connected seamlessly. As you wanted the player will be able to travel from one end of the world to the other without any loading screens."

Peter chimed in, "We have started on all the models. It's a massive undertaking, but we're making good progress. Check out these designs for Ornstein and Smough." He handed me a few sketches and 3D renderings that showcased their incredible detail.

"Gameplay design has been tough as well," Eric added. "Each boss has to be unique and challenging as you described. We're brainstorming different mechanics and attack patterns to make sure every encounter feels fresh and exciting."

As I listened to them explain their work, I couldn't help but be impressed by their dedication and ambition. The scope of the project was immense, but their passion and talent were evident.

"I suggest we have a small team dedicated to the PC port," I said. "We could even make it graphically more impressive than the console versions. It'll be a great way to showcase what Arcaneum is capable of."

John looked thoughtful. "That will increase expenses, though."

"Yeah, but it's all about good PR, John," I countered. "You know how the gaming community is. A well-optimized, visually stunning PC version could generate a lot of buzz and positive feedback."

Peter nodded enthusiastically. "He's right. PC gamers are very vocal about quality. If we can nail the PC port, it could really enhance our reputation."

Eric agreed. "Plus, having a dedicated team for the PC version would ensure that both versions of the game get the attention they deserve. We don't want to stretch our resources too thin."

Adrian, still rubbing sleep from his eyes, added, "And think about modding. If we release a solid PC version, modders could expand the game's lifespan and keep people talking about it for years."

Mark chimed in, "It might be more expensive initially, but the long-term benefits could outweigh the costs. Good reviews and strong word-of-mouth could drive sales on all platforms."

John sighed but smiled, seeing the consensus forming. "Alright, you guys make some good points."

As we talked, Peter pointed out the magazine in my hand. I was going to show it to Haley as she had been wanting to see it since I had the offer from Forbes.

"Oh yeah, it's this month's Forbes. It's going to be out soon," I said, handing it over to them.

They flipped through the pages, impressed by the feature.

"Man, these photos are amazing," Mark said, admiring the candid shots of me on various sets.

"They did a great job showcasing your accomplishments," Eric said, looking up from the article.

Adrian was reading intently and then suddenly exclaimed, "Daniel Adler is only 18 but already has a net worth of over 500 million." he read.

"What the fuck!" they all said in unison, their eyes wide with shock.

I was confused by their reaction. "I am rich, why is that surprising," I said, a bit puzzled by their astonishment.

They still looked shocked by the amount. "Look, how do you think I afford all this?" I said, gesturing to the room and the state-of-the-art computers.

"I mean, 500 million? That's... that's..." John couldn't find the words.

"Let me break it down for you guys," I said. "I got about 30 million from all my books."

"Okay, you have written a lot, that is expected," Peter said.

"Then I signed with Stardust to make Toy Story, of which I got a percentage of the profits," I said.

"Holy shit, the first Toy Story was like 500 million," Eric pointed out.

"Yes, and again the new one grossed about 1.1 billion." I said.

"So you got like over 100 million from those two movies alone?" John asked.

"Yes," I replied. "Then there's the Blair Witch Project."

"Shit, I completely forgot about that," Peter said.

"Yeah, I could have made a lot more but made a deal with the studio, so the amount was a little less. Then there's the merchandise. And of course, I have purchased several good stocks which have done very well," I said.

"That doesn't really get to over 500 million," John said.

"No, the rest are assets. I own a publishing company, remember, and I also own a small part of the studio after the restructuring, which I was promised after the whole Blair Witch incident."

"Wow," Eric said, clearly impressed.

"And also this company as well," I added.

"Holy shit, you're so rich," Peter said in admiration.

"Well, now get up and make me some money," I said with a grin.

"Yes, boss," they replied in a playful manner, all of us laughing.

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He is rich.

Next three chapters will be about the Oscars....Daniel gets a taste of the Dark Side of Hollywood