Chapter 40: Yes or No?

After spending two hours at the cocktail party, it was just past 9:30 PM when Simon Westeros left with Janet Johnston.

Driving along Sunset Boulevard, Janet, her cheeks flushed, leaned against the slightly open car window for a while before turning to Simon and asking, "Little boy, are you planning to agree to their terms?"

Simon nodded, "Yes, the offer from Orion is quite sincere."

"But," Janet tilted her head, "they only gave you a week to test shoot. Aren't you afraid they might just use that as an excuse to kick you out?"

Simon had these concerns, too. He wasn't naive and was well aware of the endless schemes and betrayals in Hollywood. However, if he wanted to start on "Run Lola Run" soon, he had no better option. Additionally, at the party earlier, Brian De Palma had given Simon an extra layer of security.

"Didn't you hear what Brian said? If Orion decides to go with me as the director, he can be listed as the executive producer for the film."

Although Brian De Palma wasn't as influential as Spielberg and had been in a slump recently, he was still a well-known director in Hollywood. Having his name as the executive producer on a film by a complete newcomer could certainly attract more attention.

Moreover, Simon was confident in his abilities. As long as Orion wasn't maliciously intent on taking over the film from the start, he believed the outcome would be very favorable.

However, this would mean owing even more favors.

Also, with a budget of $1 million from Orion, they certainly wouldn't agree to cast someone completely inexperienced like Sandra as the lead actress, which was another issue.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Janet noticed Simon's furrowing brow as he pondered and stayed silent for a moment before saying, "If you hadn't donated that money, you could be making this movie without any constraints now, right?"

Hearing Janet bring this up again, Simon turned to look at her, seeing a slight apology in her expression, and said, "This has nothing to do with you. If I had wanted to keep that money, no one could have taken it from me."

Janet blinked, her expression turning somewhat dissatisfied, and insisted, "How can it have nothing to do with me? It has to relate to me."

Simon laughed and chose not to continue the conversation, focusing on driving.

Janet turned her head away like a sulky little girl, seemingly upset with Simon.

As the Ford sedan meandered down Sunset Boulevard at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains, after more than ten minutes, Janet noticed a neon sign by the roadside and turned her head back to say, "Hey, if we go any further we'll pass Palisades. Are you lost?"

Palisades was part of the most westerly edge of the Santa Monica Mountain range within the Los Angeles city area, still part of Santa Monica, but just forward a bit further, reaching the end of Sunset Boulevard and turning onto the Pacific Coast Highway would lead into Malibu.

They had clearly missed the Montana area where Simon lived.

Simon shook his head, "No, don't you live in Malibu? I'm taking you home."

Janet pouted, somewhat contemptuously, "Coward, you're really afraid I'll end up staying at your place, huh?"

Simon chuckled, "You've been drinking."

Janet paused, slightly defiant, "You drank too, didn't you?"

Simon had only had one very mild cocktail at the beginning of the party, hardly stronger than beer, whereas after his discussion with Mike Medavoy, Janet had asked the server to mix her a strong vodka drink. Naturally, Simon wasn't comfortable with her driving home in that state.

Seeing Janet staring intently at him, Simon shrugged, "That's why I'm a man. Even if the police catch me, I'll be the one to go to jail."

Hearing Simon's words, Janet's long eyelashes fluttered several times, and she suddenly seemed to soften, leaning against the seat, her eyes brimming with moisture.

Simon felt Janet quiet down beside him, turned to look at her, and pretended to shiver, "Don't look like that; people are not delicious at all."

Janet blinked a few times, then suddenly reached over and pinched Simon's waist mercilessly, gritting her teeth, "Jerk, you really are a little jerk."

Amidst their playful banter, the Ford sedan had unknowingly reached a mansion near Malibu Dumé Park.

Simon stopped the car, looking at Janet who was still sulking in the passenger seat like a little girl, paused, then leaned over and kissed her cheek gently, "Alright, good night, go get some sleep. Also, lend me the car, I'll return it tomorrow."

Janet found herself unexpectedly lifting her face to meet Simon's kiss and then felt too weak-willed. However

, upon hearing Simon's instruction, she nodded reluctantly and stepped out of the car.

Watching the black sliding iron gate across the street open and then slowly close, Simon turned the car around and headed back the way he came.

Inside the mansion, Janet felt her intoxication deepen rather than fade.

Turning on all the lights in the living room, she flopped onto the sofa, feeling a bit floaty, so she rolled to the left and then to the right.

Then she ended up on the carpet.

Rubbing her head, which was a bit sore, she naturally directed her annoyance at someone in particular.

Then she remembered the evening's events.

After mulling it over for a moment, she made up her mind.

Not wanting to get up, she crawled lazily to the side table next to the sofa, stretched out her hand to pull the phone over to her chest, and slowly dialed a series of numbers.

After several beeps, the phone connected.

"Hi, Ice Queen, missed me lately?"

The transcontinental call quality was poor, with obvious delays and static.

A moment later, the reply was somewhat rude.

She didn't get angry but giggled.

"Of course, I need something from you, who else would I talk to, I might freeze to death… Alright, alright, here's the thing, lend me a million, yes, in dollars… I wouldn't ask the old man, and tell him if he dares send any more weird guys for a blind date, I'll publicly marry a woman… Please, if you refuse, I'll have to sell my stocks… Oh, you cold-hearted woman, you're eyeing my stocks, are we still family? Be careful, I might cut ties with you… How much can you lend me? Only half a million? How could you only have that much… Alright, alright, it should still be daytime in Melbourne, call me now, I need it by tomorrow… That's it, goodbye, oh my, talking to you almost froze me to death."

The next day, preparing breakfast.

There was no dining table in the dining room, so she sat at the kitchen bar and ate slowly.

She was somewhat troubled about how to explain last night's events to Sandra Block. Recently, Sandra had also invested a lot of effort into the movie, and they had planned to revisit all the scouted locations today.

Mike Medavoy said he would consider it seriously for a few days, but Simon didn't plan to delay.

It seemed he would have to find a way to make it up to her later.

With that thought, after breakfast, Simon was about to call Sandra Block to talk, when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Opening the door, Janet, now dressed in casual attire, appeared again.

Simon glanced around and asked, "How did you get here?"

Janet contemptuously lifted her limited-edition Hermès bag, "You didn't think I only had one car, did you?"

"Alright," Simon let Janet in and asked, "So, what brings you here today?"

Janet didn't waste words, pulling a check from her bag and handing it to Simon, "Here, you can now shoot 'Run Lola Run' exactly how you want. If it's not enough, I can get more next month."

Simon glanced at the check, which was for $680,000. According to the budget laid out by the production assistant he had hired, this amount was nearly enough.

However.

Simon hesitated for a moment before saying, "Janet, I'm very confident about this film. But you should know, movies are among the riskiest investments in the world, and no one can predict whether a film will succeed."

Janet didn't let Simon finish, rolling her eyes impatiently, "You're such a talker, little boy. Do you want it or not?"

"Yes," Simon immediately nodded, then quickly added, "But if it fails, no crying, especially not like you did in the hospital that day."