protection.

Michael Eisner was breathing heavily, filled with impatience as he looked over Lux Animation's numbers, seething with envy. The deal with Warner had already been revealed, and it made Michael realize that dealing with the kid, Carson, was no easy task. The public opinion, especially in the North American market, sided with him. The big players at the top weren't going to destabilize the position of a young man who embodied the American image, the American success story. It was a great image—seeing a man triumph because of his quality and the way he lived his life.

-It's completely disappointing that I have a board of directors who only know how to rest on their laurels. Is it that difficult to compete with a kid and his toy company? We've been making children's films for 70 years, and this company has been around for less than four, yet they're able to put out two films a year. Does everything have to be this way?- He shouted, starting low and building to a roar, the raw frustration of a man entirely overtaken by despair. Every point Lux Animation gained felt like a crushing defeat to him... even the stock wasn't rebounding, and a series of problems continued piling up.

First, the investment hadn't generated enough profit. Second, they were constantly criticized for their lack of consistent hits. Meanwhile, the films from Lux Animation were magnificent and fatally attractive to children and the public alike. Their figures were good, green, and full of success. For now, staying afloat seemed more and more like an insurmountable task.

-You need to breathe and stay calm. It's better to make good deals with new companies, and emerging studios, and create solid stories,- said the man in glasses, company president Michael Ovitz, who saw a promising future. They had secured a few good deals with companies establishing their ventures.

-That's not the point. Mediocrity is breathing down our necks. I fear that if we don't discipline people forcefully, they'll just keep resting on their laurels, which is something we can't afford.- Michael responded.

-There's no use in putting pressure on ourselves… or on our employees. We've got a successful company. The ABC franchise is just starting to adapt, but once it's up and running, we'll regain ground, and the company will stabilize.- Michael Ovitz remarked, seeing a future ahead, though the mergers and acquisitions were still a constant headache.

-We have the animated series Les Misérables, along with The Adventures of Prometheus, and of course, Tarzan, not to mention the Christmas special for The Little Mermaid.- Ovitz added.

-That's the thing. In four years of making films, they've managed to release ten. At that pace, maybe they'll fail, maybe they'll mess up. But the people working at that company are so brilliant that I fear they could keep the whole enterprise running on the success of just one hit, like Ice Age.- Michael Eisner said.

-And poaching their employees is difficult. They've built a sense of company loyalty that's hard to find these days. They stick together as one,- Ovitz noted, recalling his failed attempt to lure someone over. Something still puzzled him; the hours in that office were supposed to be strict, always focused on wrapping up projects quickly, but how they managed to work as they did remained a mystery.

They carried on with their work, completely disorganized, before eventually heading to the board meeting with the shareholders. This time, Michael Ovitz couldn't resign. The state of the merger wasn't good, and stepping down would cause a domino effect. Appearances were the first thing to be considered.

***

Anne was completely ecstatic, utterly overjoyed. The profits from the Ice Age had come in, leaving their figures glowing in the green. After subtracting costs and distribution expenses, the success totaled $460 million—a simply satisfying result.

-I think we can finally say we're in good financial health,- Anne said, following the advice of her accountants. She planned to stash the money in the bank and take out loans if necessary. Now that the company was starting to turn a profit, it was better to finance through debt rather than their resources, something they could now afford to do.

-That's right. We'll pay off the debt early with the earnings from The Musician and Toy Story,- Billy remarked, confident that the debt could be paid off with those successes. The rest would be invested in shares, companies, and perhaps savings—enough to sustain the company for as long as needed.

Billy glanced up as Anne held the financial statements in her hands. They'd moved from a good standing to complete stability. The company was following a path to stardom. Now they were in a frenzy, recognizing The Musician's success as a victory far beyond the ordinary.

-My Christmas bonus was amazing... and thank you for the jewelry. It was such a sweet gesture,- Anne said, blushing slightly.

-You deserve it. Your birthday is coming up, and I've got something specially prepared for you. I considered many things that might make you happy, but in the end, I settled on one thing. I have decided that you take five days of vacation with me in Italy. Monica will take us to the most beautiful places, and maybe we'll visit Paris too,- Billy said, laying the tickets on the table. Everything was perfect, and even the mention of Monica didn't stop his heart from beating like a drum, like a machine that had to keep going. It was a fantasy of sorts, one that his grandmother had filled him with—those dreams that guaranteed a direct path to disappointment.

It was all set. Monica walked through the door, and she felt like the odd one out. She didn't have that sweet appearance. At 30, they were so different. One was charming, powerful, and had a charisma that made everything perfect. What a contradiction. They were so different. Neither her slender legs nor her stunning body, which drew looks of desire everywhere she went, nor her long, shiny black hair... even starting to exercise didn't make her feel entirely content with herself.

-Anne, darling, my dear Anne,- said Monica, greeting her warmly.

-I brought a lot of beautiful clothes. I have a few that would fit you perfectly,- Monica said, shooting Billy a glance, signaling him to leave and give the two women some privacy.

...

After leaving the meeting, Billy approved two series. One called Clientelism was set in the Roman Empire—raw, visceral, full of suspense, and magnificent in a way that couldn't be done with their series for children. The other was a heartwarming story about a family moving from sunny Miami Beach to cold North Dakota, following an animator's journey through the world of hockey. The script was outstanding, and the drawings were spectacular.

The Fradem Family was simply a space where these people could create magnificent stories. The artwork needed a lot of work, and it didn't yet convey its message through imagery. Billy sat down with Lucas Auster, and they produced their best work in entertainment. Billy dedicated himself to the entire graphic aspect. Now creating was easier. He took note of animated series that had a good blend of animation styles—a mix of comic book art and cartoonish touches, similar to the drawings of Marvel or Justice League.

-What do you think?- Billy asked, showing Lucas a reworked sketch that seemed just right. In Lucas's eyes, it was simply brilliant to see his series beginning to take shape, different, bright, and fascinating, filling the gaps and becoming something tangible, close, and visible.

-Wow... you've taken this to a whole new level,- Lucas Auster said, watching how the essence of his series had been strengthened, how the inherent interest had been completely reinforced. Seeing it take form was a revelation. Now, with a good script, everything fell into place, with different shots, scenes, and more life breathed into it. But the script was incredibly long, and Lucas had written a masterpiece throughout 37 episodes.

-For now, I'll work on a few sketches, but you need to handle the next steps—the storylines that give it logic, and coherence,- Billy said, crafting the first scenes, making sense of the others, and framing the characteristics for a truly compelling plot.

...