Chasing Stars in Hollywood

From MGM's lukewarm reaction to DreamWorks, Terry Semel understood Simon's stance. However, despite recent successes in the film business, Time Warner had to consider a partnership with DreamWorks. Outside the DC Universe, Warner had fewer blockbuster projects. The failure of "Maverick" further inclined many Time Warner executives to seek a deal with DreamWorks.

Although Daenerys Entertainment had overshadowed much of Hollywood's spotlight, Steven Spielberg remained a guaranteed box office draw. His recent mega-hit, "Jurassic Park," was particularly significant for Warner. Terry Semel and other top executives hoped to lessen their reliance on the DC Universe.

Regarding potential dependence on DreamWorks, it was always safer not to put all their eggs in one basket. 

At the party, Terry Semel, as long as Simon didn't oppose Warner collaborating with DreamWorks, was indifferent about other details. Instead, he brought up another topic: "Simon, did you know that the Hearst family is quietly seeking to sell some of their assets?"

Simon nodded and smiled, "Are you interested in buying?"

With their financial situation deteriorating due to a series of recent events, the Hearst Group had to consider selling some assets to handle various lawsuits and investigations. Simon, closely monitoring all Hearst family movements, was well aware and had already obtained the list of assets they planned to sell a few days earlier.

Time Warner's public image was often linked to its film business and cable TV, but after merging with Time Inc. a few years ago, it also owned several influential magazines like "Time," "Sports Illustrated," "Entertainment Weekly," "Fortune," and "People."

Terry Semel nodded, "Of course. Prices are very reasonable now."

Among the assets the Hearst family was selling were some high-quality fashion magazines, which were Time Warner's targets. Acquiring these would further expand their magazine portfolio.

However, many understood that even in a fire sale, whether the Hearst family could find buyers depended largely on Simon Westeros's attitude. Daenerys's blockade against the Hearst Group hadn't eased. Without Simon's tacit approval, rushing into a deal could bring trouble.

After brief consideration, Simon said, "I'll send you a price evaluation document. As long as your final offer is within that range, it's fine."

Terry Semel, hearing this, smiled outwardly but felt pity for the Hearst family inwardly. Simon would undoubtedly push the price to the lowest possible point. The key was that, once the news spread, no buyer would want to outbid the price Simon set, not wanting to invite Hearst's troubles upon themselves.

Simon's purpose was clear: he didn't want the Hearst family to have enough funds to handle their current predicaments.

Selling assets at prices dictated by their adversary—there were few things more frustrating.

After discussing other topics, Terry Semel left, and other guests, having observed the interaction, quickly approached Simon.

As Simon mingled with others, he eventually found himself sitting on a sofa in a corner of the hall, flanked by the "Waist Fairy" and the "Leg Fairy." Jasmin and Nadja, with recent collaborations with D-Girls on the Instagram project and the fashion industry's off-season, had been spending more time on the West Coast.

Following Simon's suggestion, both had enrolled in MBA courses at Stanford University. They understood that modeling couldn't last forever. Even with their current fame, their peak would only last a few more years.

It was better to plan an early exit strategy than to be overtaken by newcomers suddenly. However, they hadn't realized the potential value of the 5% Instagram shares they had casually received a couple of months ago.

With Simon's support, Instagram had been in development since April. Unlike the resource-intensive and time-consuming B-Girls financial information company, Instagram, with its simpler functions, had a development cycle of about three months and was expected to launch by the end of July. This timeline was the result of D-Girls' pursuit of perfection.

In today's Silicon Valley, with Egret's convenient YWS platform, many startup teams could launch a website in just a week or even a few days. Moreover, with the internet boom, many poorly made websites could still secure significant funding from enthusiastic venture capitalists.

Notably, much of this venture capital was spent on purchasing server space from Egret or online advertising, further driving Egret's revenue growth for 1994.

Jasmin and Nadja leaned against Simon, chatting intimately about recent trivialities. Simon had greeted most of the guests he needed to, and it seemed like they wouldn't be disturbed.

However, Cindy Crawford soon approached.

Because her cameo as Bruce Wayne's blind date in "The Dark Knight" was well-received, Cindy got another two-minute appearance in "The Dark Knight Rises." Her character, the head of the biotech company where Pamela Isley worked, provided crucial help to Batman in tracking down the Joker and later offered a lab for Poison Ivy's research.

Wearing a white, low-cut gown, Cindy sat on a single sofa beside the coffee table, nodding politely to the two women with Simon before looking at him and smiling, "Simon, how did I do this time?"

Always appreciating a beautiful woman, Simon smiled and nodded, "Very good."

Sensing his gaze, Cindy gave a flirtatious glance and continued, "So, Simon, do you think I can further pursue a career in Hollywood?"

Simon chuckled, "Want the truth?"

Cindy quickly shook her head, "No, just tell me something nice to make me feel better."

Simon obligingly said, "You definitely have the potential to become an acting legend like Meryl Streep."

At this, both fairies beside him burst into laughter.

Cindy rolled her eyes, "Too fake, not comforting at all."

Hollywood had its share of successful model-turned-actresses. Many well-known actresses, including Daryl Hannah, Kim Basinger, Geena Davis, and Renée Russo of the "Jurassic Park" series, started as models. However, Cindy's high-profile modeling career had pigeonholed her too much in the public eye. 

Of course, if Cindy were determined and with Simon's backing, she could become a Hollywood A-lister. But at her career peak in the fashion world, she wasn't inclined to pursue this, and Simon wasn't keen on investing too much effort either.

After some banter, Simon remembered something and said, "I recently found a model who looks a lot like you. I was considering having both of you on the Victoria's Secret runway. The audience might think your long-lost twin has appeared."

Cindy paused but then mentioned a name, "Shana Zadrick."

Simon was surprised, "You know?"

Trying to appear nonchalant, Cindy nodded, "Yes, I'm also a client of Elite."

The fashion world, like Hollywood, could be both large and small. Some news couldn't be kept secret, like Simon Westeros selecting a new model, Quis Gough, who was already in contact with the Victoria's Secret team and almost certain to walk the runway this year.

More niche gossip, such as the dealings of Grace Spurlock and her daughters, was also somewhat known. Shana Zadrick, coincidentally, was another client under Grace Spurlock. At 25, Shana had entered the industry late, after graduating from college. Not only did she resemble Cindy in appearance, but she also had a small mole at the corner of her mouth.

Observing closely, they had distinct differences, but with specific makeup and styling, they could achieve a twin-like effect. However, this similarity led Simon to reject Grace's recommendation for Shana Zadrick. Having two look-alike Angels on the Victoria's Secret runway would be unnecessary, especially with Cindy as one of the brand's spokespersons. Introducing a "duplicate" would dilute public attention, which wasn't a good idea.

Even though he had decided, Simon couldn't resist teasing Cindy with this amusing fact. Despite Cindy's attempt to appear indifferent, Simon sensed her inner unease from her subtly resentful tone. It was easy to understand why. 

In the top-tier model circle, a limited space made any competition intense. Having climbed to the top, a supermodel wouldn't want anyone threatening her status, especially one with a similar style. Without Simon's support, Cindy could easily suppress a copycat. But with someone like Simon backing them, it was beyond her control.

Seeing Cindy's expression turn from resentful to pitiful, Simon remained unmoved, jokingly saying, "Want to compete with eye expressions? Jasmin is better at that." He tapped the waist of the model beside him, "Sweetheart, show Cindy."

Knowing the context, Jasmin Gary, with a touch of mischief, threw a coquettish glance at Cindy, full of allure and challenge.

The top supermodels of this era weren't just famous for their looks. Besides their standout physique and appearance, Jasmin's distinctive and elegant catwalk was highly recognizable. Her on-stage eye expressions were exceptional. A casual glance could captivate viewers, embodying the essence of "alluring glances."

Initially trying to play the pity card, Cindy, now challenged, instinctively responded by provocatively extending a long leg towards Simon, "Simon, it's quite noisy here. How about we find a quieter place to talk?"

Before Simon could respond, Nadja Auermann leaned over and whispered in his ear, while Jasmin, guessing the content, also wore a smug expression.

In this circle, secrets were rare. For instance, someone's recent fling could be easily noticed. Because of this, Nadja and Jasmin had stayed proper since being taken in by Simon. Other supermodels didn't have such constraints. Cindy, for example, had a reputation for enjoying her freedom.

Simon, although not having a virginity complex, had developed a preference for certain things. Women he fancied wouldn't

 go straight to bed; instead, he'd arrange a health check first. As frequent companions of Simon, Nadja and Jasmin understood his habits.

Knowing Cindy's background, Nadja had just whispered about Cindy's recent fling with a Hollywood actor, knowing Simon would remain indifferent to any further attempts by Cindy tonight.

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