Chapter 187: Divergence

Sandra's residence was located in the Bird Streets neighborhood of Beverly Hills, adjacent to the star-studded Trousdale Estates.

As the Range Rover entered the mansion occupying about a quarter of an acre, Sandra, wearing a white dress with a mesh sling around the waist, hurried out of the villa before Simon could even get out of the car.

Simon, looking at the various sedans parked in the yard and the bustling crowd near the villa, embraced Sandra and then curiously asked after receiving a gift from Neil Bennett to give to her, "Why are there so many people?"

After embracing, Sandra, holding onto the man's arm with one hand and the gift in the other, walked towards the villa and said, "I originally wanted to celebrate quietly, but people have been asking me about this half a month ago, even inquiring if Simon Westerlo would attend. I couldn't possibly say no, that would be too embarrassing. And then it turned into what it is now."

Simon chuckled, "You should have said something earlier, I could have lent you the house in Palisades."

Sandra rolled her eyes, refusing, "Forget it, I can't afford the expenses of your birthday party."

As evening approached, the guests, who were either genuinely chatting or pretending to, all turned their attention towards them as they entered the villa.

During this time, Daenerys Productions shone ever brighter in Hollywood, with its summer movies "Pulp Fiction" and "Basic Instinct" both becoming massive successes, and even making a successful entry into the television market with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" achieving astonishing viewership ratings.

As the creator of all this, Simon naturally became even more of a focus in the circle.

Despite some controversies, it was clear to everyone that in Hollywood, aside from box office and viewership, everything else was secondary.

As long as you could produce blockbuster movies and hit TV shows, in the eyes of studios and TV networks, you were a god.

Similarly, "Pulp Fiction" and "Basic Instinct" made stars out of many, making Simon a godlike figure in the eyes of countless Hollywood actors eager for such opportunities.

Because of his busy schedule, Simon rarely attended parties recently, making Sandra's birthday party a great opportunity for many to connect with him.

As the first starlet Simon had promoted, there were plenty of public and private rumors about Simon and Sandra, but nobody believed their relationship was innocent.

After mingling with the guests while openly arm in arm with Sandra, Simon soon retreated to a private living room on the second floor with her.

Despite its modest size, the mansion's location was excellent, with a gentle slope to the south allowing a view of downtown Los Angeles, now lit up, from the sun loungers on the living room's balcony.

Sandra brought over a glass of red wine and sat on the edge of a lounger, watching Simon leisurely flipping through a magazine before handing him the wine and teasingly asking, "Why didn't Jenny come along?"

Simon took a sip of the wine, enjoying the pleasant scent wafting from Sandra, and replied, "Did you want her to?"

Leaning in, Sandra asked, "So, are you planning to stay tonight?"

As a normal man, Simon did not resist the feeling of intimacy with Sandra. However, staying the night would complicate matters.

Regretfully shaking his head, Simon mimicked Janet's tone, "I must be home by midnight."

"Such strict control," Sandra immediately showed a scornful expression, sipping a small amount of wine from the glass in his hand, and then said, "So, dump her. I can allow you to come home at two in the morning."

Carefully holding the wine glass to prevent spills, Simon laughed, "Then you wouldn't mind if I found someone who wouldn't mind if I didn't come home at all?"

Frowning in annoyance, Sandra quickly compromised, "We can negotiate."

"A woman without a stance, I don't like that."

"Hmph, a man without backbone, doing whatever a woman tells him."

Concerning a man's dignity, Simon immediately objected, "How could that be? I do what I want. To prove it, I've decided to go back at eleven."

"Ha."

As guests continued to arrive, Sandra, as the host, couldn't stay away for long, and they soon returned downstairs.

The guests in the living room, seeing them come down together, acted nonchalantly, though their looks contained a hint of ambiguity, with some female guests showing disappointment.

It was less than half an hour.

As night fell, the lively birthday party officially began.

Although not as grand as Simon's birthday party earlier in the year, the attendance of Hollywood's top figures was certainly not lacking.

Executives from WMA and major film studios rushed over, and although many only made brief appearances to mingle before leaving again, this was enough to make many lesser-known actors envious.

However, even Sandra knew that most were there for Simon.

Like Terry Semel's intentions that afternoon, Hollywood knew Daenerys Productions was looking for new film projects.

The success of "Pulp Fiction" and "Basic Instinct" with Orion and Fox had them laughing all the way to the bank, with "Pulp Fiction" significantly boosting Orion's annual performance. Seeing this, Hollywood's filmmakers naturally tried every means to connect with Daenerys Productions.

"Nancy is a trader on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, but her performance is mediocre, and she's on the verge of being laid off. By chance, she meets the devil Nick, who has the ability to foresee the future. Desperate for success, Nancy trades her soul for future market insights from Nick..."

Listening patiently on the mansion's lawn to a script introduced by producer George Crane, as recommended by Jonathan, Simon smiled, "George, this is an interesting idea. However, the setting of a futures trader might be a bit distant for the average person."

Enlightened, George immediately responded, "That's a valid point, Simon. If needed, we can change it to a stock trader."

Simon didn't want to lead George on too much, as the deal with the devil concept was hard to make fresh, typically ending with the heroine having a change of heart and overcoming the devil's challenges to live happily ever after.

"Let's do this, George. Have someone send a copy of the script to Daenerys Productions tomorrow. If I find it appealing, I'll contact you."

Understanding Simon's hint, George didn't linger, politely excused himself after a brief chat.

Jonathan, watching George leave, said to Simon, "I really like this script. Do you think it's not viable?"

Simon candidly shook his head, "It's too clichéd, and I didn't see anything particularly striking."

"Hollywood is never short of creative scripts, but everyone prefers to slightly modify already proven ideas, considering the tens of millions of dollars at stake. It's safer that way," Jonathan shared his experience, glancing at Sandra beside Simon, "Speaking of which, that 'A Fish Called Wanda' you recommended to Sandy really surprised everyone. It's expected to make over $60 million just in North America. With a 10% profit-sharing contract, Sandra will be one of Hollywood's highest-earning actresses this year."

Simon shrugged, "I was also surprised. I just thought the script was very interesting."

Jonathan smiled, but deep down, he couldn't help but feel Simon's success, whether in Hollywood or making over a billion dollars in the futures market last year, seemed like a deal with the devil.

Though he wouldn't voice such thoughts, not being an atheist, he found his own ideas somewhat far-fetched.

Sandra, once Jonathan left, didn't hide her curiosity, playfully touching Simon's arm and whispering, "Hey, did you also make a deal with the devil?"

Simon, with a mysterious expression, nodded, even looking around before saying, "Actually, it was an angel I met two years ago in a mental hospital."

Sandra's face showed exaggerated surprise, "Introduce me to her, will you?"

"Too bad, she's already returned to God," Simon regretted.

They joked quietly until Nicole Kidman, in a black evening gown, approached.

"Simon, Sandy, what are you talking about?"

Sandra blurted out, "Simon says he's met God."

Nicole paused, then nodded, "That's, um, interesting."

Simon, ignoring Sandra's remark, asked Nicole about "Beyond the Horizon," a project she was preparing with George Miller.

Despite having contracts with Nicole, Daenerys Productions didn't have suitable projects for her, so Simon agreed to let her work on "Beyond the Horizon" first.

Similar agreements were made with Samuel L. Jackson, Meg Ryan, and others due to similar reasons.

"It's too cold in Australia now, probably not starting until September," Nicole shared, her gaze shifting to Simon, "I heard you plan to shoot 'Batman' in Australia."

"Yes," Simon didn't deny, "The season is just right for filming there early next year."

Nicole didn't hide her interest, "Speaking of which, Simon, really no roles for me, not even a small part?"

Simon regretfully shook his head, "I wouldn't waste your contract on a minor role."

"Then don't count it towards the contract," Nicole offered generously, adding flatteringly, "After all, who would refuse an invitation from Simon Westerlo?"

As they mingled, the party quickly passed by.

After 10 PM, guests began to leave, and by nearly 11 PM, the mansion was almost empty.

Although there were many guests, Sandra hadn't hired a party company.

Simon and Sandra saw off the last guests, noticing Sandra's assistant Gina Colossus cleaning up alone in the living room. Simon suggested, "Should we call someone to clean up?"

"Let's talk about it tomorrow," Sandra said, sending Gina to rest and pulling Simon to sit on the living room sofa. She curled up in his arms, "Are you really not planning to stay tonight?"

Simon gently teased Sandra through her dress's mesh waist, "You don't want to wake up to gossip headlines tomorrow, do you?"

Sandra laughed off Simon's playful fingers, "If I could snatch Simon Westerlo, I wouldn't mind."

Simon shook his head with a smile, leaning in for a kiss on her forehead as a goodbye, but Sandra pulled him into a kiss on the lips.

After a while on the sofa, Simon stood to leave. Despite neither caring about the gossip, they had to consider Janet's feelings.

The next day, Wednesday.

Although Simon didn't stay at Sandra's, his attendance at the girl's birthday party was sensationalized by the gossip papers, causing little stir. At twenty, having unparalleled fame and wealth, rumors with women seemed normal to many.

Simon had more pressing issues, such as the tricky situation with "Rain Man."

Before last year's "Good Morning, Vietnam," Barry Levinson, like Robin Williams, was considered a second-tier director. The film's $123 million domestic box office exceeded the total of all Levinson's previous films.

Any director who could produce a film with over $100 million in box office in this era was highly sought after in Hollywood.

Levinson's status and temperament rose with his success. During "Rain Man's" production, his extravagance contributed to the budget constraints.

To avoid total project failure, Simon closely followed the filming. Starting post-production, he handed Levinson a 17-page memo from weekly screening notes, hoping Levinson would consider his suggestions for editing.

Then, the issue arose.

Simon had heard Levinson publicly complain about Simon's excessive interference in "Rain Man" at various occasions. If not for Daenerys Productions suppressing a news piece, it would have appeared in "The Hollywood Reporter."

The original contract granted Levinson a month of post-production editing time.

Simon hadn't anticipated the current situation and agreed, now regretting the decision.

Fortunately, the month passed.

Simon firmly requested to view the rough cut.

In Daenerys Productions' screening room.

After watching less than an hour of the three-and-a-half-hour rough cut, Simon stopped the projector, facing Levinson, "Barry, in just this hour, I've found at least five details mentioned in the memo not in the film. I need an explanation."

Levinson casually responded, "Simon, I think it's fine this way. Those details you mentioned weren't necessary."

Simon continued, "Or, Barry, you did this intentionally, right?"

Levinson, defiant, "Simon, I don't appreciate others interfering in my work."

Simon's tone cooled, "But you need to understand, this job was given by me. You've spent over $25 million, possibly more, so you owe me satisfactory results."

Levinson's temper flared, "Westerlo, I'm a director, not your slave. I'll make the project the best I can, based on my vision. If you can't accept that, you shouldn't have hired me. Do you know how many studios in Hollywood would give me $25 million to make a film?"

"It seems we have nothing more to discuss," Simon stood, "Daenerys Productions will take full control of post-production. Also, Barry, remember the contract obliges you to maintain the film's reputation. So, I don't want to hear you discussing 'Rain Man' in public. It's for our mutual benefit."

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