Chapter 12
Hi all, next chapter here. This chapter is kind of boring to me. Primarily covering the MC's financials and his plans for the future. Now, unlike most stories, the MC has no idea how the stock market works. Nor does he know what will be worth what in the long run. All he has to go by is movies and what they contain. This is a significant advantage to him, but he is also primarily a writer who is not yet rich. As you read, if my math is incorrect or I have forgotten something, please let me know.
Now, with that said, to address the only question that was asked in the last chapter.
Alpha Astro, I feel I owe you and many people reading this story an apology. I am still going to make this somewhat haram, but in a more modern context, where the woman in the MC's life starts to realize that he is just not husband material. But carry on seeing him anyway, even years down the line.
With that answered, we can proceed with the story.
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"I think it was in the movie Scarface that the main character, Tony Montana, said In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then, when you get the money, you get the power. Then, when you get the power, you get the women. He was not wrong. Do you honestly think any of the women I have fucked in my life would have let me within 10 feet of them if I didn't have or at least seem to have a way to make money? No offense to them, but the answer is no." Caesar Espinar
-1997-
The year 1996 was over, and I suppose you could say I was riding high. After selling the script for Scream, I had a bit of cash in my pocket, but anyone who knows anything will tell you 70,000 dollars will not last long when you're trying to keep up appearances in Hollywood. After paying taxes, my agent, my lawyer, and I, as well as moving to a new apartment and making a down payment on a 1996 Viper GTS, I was living well above my means. But as a pseudo-celebrity who was dating Salma Hayek for a time, I couldn't be seen in a beat-up old ride for long. Let's also not forget all the clothes, accessories, and other items. All to give the image of something that wasn't real. When my taxes were done at the start of the year, I think I had about 12,000 left in the bank. Again, this is an example of how expensive life in the limelight can be.
However, I wasn't too worried, even though my agent tried to persuade me to take out a loan, as he was concerned about my potential overspending. I didn't need to. At least not yet. After all, negotiations were still going on behind the scenes for my other scripts. Additionally, the fact remained that Scream had ended its domestic box office run with a modest $ 126 million. The international box office was still pending, but was showing strong results. Not that it mattered to me, as my contract with New Line only gave me 0.3 percent at the domestic box office, not the international one. Still, that was 378,000 dollars in the bank for me, and New Line wasn't fooling around. Because I owned the copyrights to Scream and they desired to release Scream 2 by the end of this year, they wanted to keep me happy. The first payment of my royalties was pending, and I should receive it within the next few months.
After that, you had my other scripts that had sold. As I had predicted, the Weinstein brothers, having missed what was clearly a golden opportunity, did everything they could to acquire one of my scripts. What they got was Urban Legend, a slasher film that was nowhere near on the level of Scream, but should do well nonetheless with my name behind it. Knowing that and missing out on Scream, the Weinstein brothers had overpaid for the movie. At least to me, they did, but I would hardly complain about making 110 thousand dollars. It was my first 100-dollar script, and it was one I didn't even care about. Now, if I wanted, I am sure I could have made more, but while I didn't like Harvey Weinstein for some reason, he was still a big player in Hollywood. There was no point in trying to fuck him over when he could be helpful to me down the road.
The 2nd script I sold was Scream 2, but I didn't really sell it so much as to keep my end of the deal. To keep Robert happy and, by extension, Warner Bros, with whom I was currently working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I told my agent to keep the fee low but increase my box office share. Now, Robert was happy that the amount I was asking for was only $50,000, which was $20,000 less than Scream. He was displeased, however, when I asked for 1 percent of the box office. Both domestic and international this time. He, after all, wasn't stupid and knew they had a hit movie on their hands with Scream 2. So, the desire to share the overall profits wasn't something he wished to do. Yet, in the end, Robert had little choice but to accept the deal. After all, New Line only got the first offer. If we didn't come to an agreement, I could take Scream 2 to someone else, and many people were interested in it at this point.
Next came an unexpected development. The Strangers was one of the two scripts I had submitted to the WGA when I first arrived in Hollywood, but I had little faith that anyone would pick it up. After my initial success, Se7en and Scream, that changed. But I had promised myself that I would make Tiffani a star on the big screen. So I pulled it from my agent's hands and started shopping it around the studios myself. Needless to say, they almost instantly became interested in the film. That was till I told them about Tiffani and the role I had in mind for her.
While most didn't seem to have a major problem with Tiffani being in the movie, as she had done well in Scream and was a household name, the moment I told them I wanted her cast as Dollface instead of Kristen, they hit the brakes hard. And for a good reason. While Scream had helped Tiffani transition from the TV screen to the big screen somewhat, people still recognized her for her breakout role as Kelly Kapowski from Saved by the Bell or her lesser-known role as Valerie Malone in 90210. Now, here I was, telling them I wanted her to play the role of a killer. They didn't see it and kept saying no, or we would think about it, which is the same thing as saying no. In fact, let's be real, it was a fuck no.
It wasn't enjoyable to hear that, to say the least, but it couldn't be helped. Still, I was set to make over half a million dollars this year, so I didn't let it get to me. And, of course, I still had one last project in the works with Steven Spielberg, and it was the only project that truly mattered at the moment. We were keeping things quiet for now, of course. Other than going to the WGA to have it script-protected, only a few people knew about Shakespeare in Love, and Steven wanted to keep it that way. It wasn't like it was some super-secret project, but he was taking a significant risk on this, even though I gave him the script in exchange for 5 percent of the box office. Now, the ball was in his court, and I would have to wait till he was ready to work on it.
"Something on your mind, Ceaser?" I hear Tiffani's voice calling out to me.
"Hmmm, nothing much," I tell her as I continue to cook.
While also wondering how this had happened. Now, I will not say I wasn't happy to have Tiffani in my house dressed in only a long-sleeved T-shirt and nothing more. But this was just one of those strange situations where a few things don't necessarily add up. At the end of 1996, Salma and I silently agreed to take a break from each other. We never told each other why or even discussed it, but we were over as far as the public was concerned. Leaving the media wondering what happened.
That is where Tiffani came into the picture. Since we were friends, I told her long before the media learned that Salma and I were taking a break. And wouldn't you know it, she came right out and told me she wanted to fuck. Okay, maybe not that bluntly, but she clarified that she was interested in pursuing a romantic relationship. I, of course, being who I was, told her that Salma and I were not over, over, and I was unsure what we were at this point. Tiffani didn't seem to care, however, and made it pretty clear that if Salma and I were still fucking she wouldn't mind. Which took me by surprise.
It wasn't that Tiffani was a morally loose woman or anything like that. She was just understanding of the situation and straight up didn't give a fuck. Almost all the successful women in Hollywood were go-getters. If they saw something they wanted, they went for it. No matter the cost, and while yes, they had their pride and lines they wouldn't cross, they would still go for it to a point. Tiffani was no exception in this. She wasted me and was willing to make allowances to see if it could work out. Plus, there was no greater boost to one's ego than stealing another woman's man?
"Fuck bitches be crazy." I think to myself.
"Didn't look like nothing. You had that look on your face." Tiffani says.
Letting out a huff, I say, "What look?"
"You know that look. The one you get whenever you're lost in thought." Tiffani says.
"I don't have a look," I say to her.
"Sure you don't," Tiffani says while rolling her eyes.
It was something Tiffani had come to realize about Caesar: He often got lost in his own thoughts. She was unsure what it was he was thinking about, but she felt like he was going to that place great writers go—a world of his imagination—beyond what normal people could see or even understand. She was a talented actress. She knew that. After all, she wouldn't have gotten as far as she had if she weren't. But she didn't believe she could be a writer or, if she could, would not be able to equal Caesar.
"Hmm, sorry, I guess I was lost in thought," I admit to her.
"No, it's okay. I find it sexy, to be honest." She says in a teasing voice.
I laughed dryly and said, "Oh, you do, do you?"
"I do, I really do," Tiffani says with a smile.
"Then I will do my best to do it more often," I say to her dryly.
Which earns me a laugh. Tiffani says, "So what were you thinking about?"
"I was thinking of the Strangers," I say, and Tiffani perks up at the name of the movie I had in mind for her.
"Oh, how is it going? Any takers yet?" Tiffani asks.
"Several, but all with the same problem," I tell her, looking unhappy.
"Don't tell me. They don't think I can play the role of a killer, right?" She states it as a fact, not a question. Looking upset while she does.
Yes, Tiffani fully understood that the world saw her as either Kelly Kapowski or Valerie Malone. So, selling her as some demented sociopathic killer was not easy to do. But that was why it was so interesting. Previously, she wouldn't have even dreamed of taking on a role like this, given her good-girl image, but now she saw it as an opportunity to expand the types of roles she could play. After all, she was well aware that she was getting older. Soon enough, the teen idol thing would run its course, and she would have to do what many teen stars struggled to do. Find more mature roles, or hang it up and walk away from acting, which she could do, but she loved acting so much that she didn't want to.
"Sadly, that is right," I tell her, sighing.
"God, you think the studios would be more willing to listen to you after two back-to-back successes," She says, annoyed.
"They are, but it only goes so far. They are more than willing to let you be in the movie, just not as Dollface." I tell her.
"So they want me to play Kristen," Tiffani says, not sounding interested at all.
After I finished cooking, I let her consider it, without telling her to take the role or refuse it. It was up to her, and I wasn't about to do more than I was already doing for her. I just served her the food and sat down to eat. Now, I know some may find it strange for the man to cook for the woman. But I'm not going to lie. After being with Salma for a while, she spoiled me with all the Mexican breakfast foods she cooked for me. Find me a white woman who can cook huevos rancheros as well as a traditionally raised Latina, and I will be more than happy to let her cook for me. Until then, the best I could do was to do it myself, which still wasn't as good as Salma's cooking but seemed good enough to impress Tiffani.
After eating in silence for a bit, Tiffani finally speaks up and asks, "Do you think I should take the role, Caesar?"
"I am not going to tell you what to do, Tiff. Do you want to play Kristen? If you do, I will start making some calls and sell the script. If not, I will hold off until someone accepts my terms." I told her matter-of-factly.
"You do that for me?" Tiffani asks.
"I told you I would let you pick your role if you wanted to be in the movie. I am nothing if not a man of my word." I tell her.
Something that makes Tiff smile in turn. She knew Caesar wasn't poor by any means, but he was still saying no to a good payday just for her. It felt nice that he valued a promise given to her more than money. It revealed a great deal about his character beneath the tough guy's exterior.
"In that case, I will wait," Tiffani says with a smile. She, after all, had time before her time on 90210 was over. At least, she thought so.
"All right then," Is all I say in turn.
It was, after all, no big deal if I held onto this one script for a while longer before selling it.
"Oh, and seeing as we are going to wait anyway. What do you think of giving the role of Kristen to Elizabeth?" Tiffani asks me.
It takes me a moment to remember who Tiffani was talking about. I had watched Saved by the Bell during my time in juvy, but besides the hot girls, I didn't care about it much. So I didn't remember the names of most of the actors.
"Elizabeth? That was the girl who played Jessie, right?" I ask.
"That is right," Tiffani says, happy that he remembered.
I let out a hum as I think about that and try to remember what else she had been in before remembering that one horrible movie I had watched back in '95. "She also starred in that movie…what was it called? The one where she played a stripper."
"Showgirls," Tiffani says.
"Right, if I remember correctly, that more or less tanked her career, didn't it?" I say it to her bluntly, and she winces.
"Ya, it kind of did, but that is even more of a reason to help her," Tiffani says.
"I didn't know you two were such good friends," I told her.
Shrugging her shoulders, Tiffani says, "We're not, but we got along on the Saved by the Bell set, and I always liked her. Plus, I think it's unfair how she is being treated."
I think over it a bit. Seeing as I was hanging on for Tiffani, it was no big deal to name-drop Elizabeth as well. I may not have a lot of power in Hollywood yet, but The Strangers didn't require much acting skills. Plus, I had a strange feeling a lot of people would love to see her die or, well, almost die in a movie.
"All right, give her a call. If she wants the role, I will recommend her as my top choice, and we will see what happens. Now, if you excuse me, I have to get ready to meet Danny at the gym. If I am late, you know he will come get me." I say to her, and I stand up and pick up my plate as I do.
She smirks at that. Having met Danny through Caesar a few months ago, Tiffani had to say he was a pretty scary guy. That was until he asked her to sign his Saved by the Bell t-shirt. She wasn't even sure if he was a fan of the show or if he was just having a good laugh. But after that, she could say she liked him and found him to be a pretty sweet guy.
"Then you better not be late. I don't want my boyfriend getting beaten up by some old dude again." She says with a smile.
I hold up my middle finger at her while walking away. At the same time, I thought I shouldn't have invited her to the gym when Danny and I were sparring. I may have gotten better at boxing, but Danny could still pack a punch.
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Later on, while I was standing on the edge of the ring, watching Danny yell at Sarah Michelle Gellar as she worked the mitts, "Faster, faster, faster, blondie. That's the best you've got. Left, right, right, left. Rapid fire, rapid fire."
She was pretty good, too, but that was expected from someone with a blackbelt in taekwondo. Her hand speed was a little slow, and her stamina wasn't up to par, which was why she was here. To get her in shape for the role of Buffy. It was one of the things Joss and I had agreed on nearly right away when we were talking about the overall look for Buffy. While we were not looking for a bulky female lead, we did want a Sarah Connor Judgment Day —tip-top shape and ready for action, but sexy as hell. We also wanted the action scenes to be more believable, so getting her back into fighting condition was a must.
That was why I invited her to join Danny and me at the gym, which she agreed to do. She really wanted this role and was a serious actress. Getting in shape was the least she could do for her chance at stardom. It was an impressive mindset if I don't say so myself. And she wasn't the only one. Nearly the whole main cast was here or occasionally came to work out. Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, and Charisma Carpenter were all here. All young and hungry for their moment in the sun.
However, it was as I was watching Sarah that I realized I had overlooked something important. When I had first looked up Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in my mind, I had only been looking for a hit TV show that I could work on. All in order to pad my resume and hopefully get the chance to direct. Pass that I wasn't thinking of anything else. So, I overlooked several things I should have realized earlier, which would have made my rise in Hollywood even faster. That being said, it involves product placement and merchandising.
I have now worked on four movies and written two of them, but I somehow overlooked something so basic. To be honest, it was kind of embarrassing. Here I was, the owner of one of the biggest horror franchises ever, and I forgot about merchandising. According to the information in my head, Buffy's own merchandising was worth 10s of millions of dollars. Scream was no doubt worth just as much. It was little wonder Robert was trying to get me to sign over the copyrights to Scream. Really, he should have just told me he wanted a cut, and I would have given it to him. Well, there's no point worrying about it now. I had already signed over the VSH sale to New Line for a small profit cut. I think it was even less than my share of the box office.
It was this way of thinking, however, that led me to another moment where I wanted to bang my head into a wall. I forgot that I could basically see into the future and know which products were being used in placement. Anything that was used in the movies of the future would come into existence, no matter what I did. So I could get in on the ground floor before they even came out. Starting with a company, everyone seemed to have given up on it anyway.
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You know, it wasn't hard to understand why my account, Burry, didn't like me that much. I had never even really met the man, other than a few times with my lawyer, but I can understand why he didn't like me. Burry was, after all, a professional accountant who worked for a major accounting firm, and I wasn't even 20 years old yet, butting my nose into his business. He may have been small-time within the company, but that didn't mean he didn't know what he was doing. As for me, I know nothing about accounting. So it's understandable that he wasn't happy when I showed up one day and told him I wanted him to invest heavily in Apple.
A company that was right on the edge of bankruptcy. No one gave it a real shot at making a comeback at this point. However, no one knew about a movie that would be released in 2013 called Jobs. Soon, Steve Jobs would return to Apple and help it skyrocket back to the top. With this knowledge in hand, I spoke with several close friends about joining me in buying as much Apple stock as we could while it was still dirt cheap. Something that wasn't easy to do, as I was so young. In the end, however, I was able to get Danny, David, and Salma on board. Each of them loaned me $20,000 to invest in Apple, with the promise that I would repay them in full if the investment failed. With that being only $60,000, I saw it as no big deal to pay it back. I would have that be the end of the year anyway. Combined with the $50,000 I was able to borrow from the bank as a loan, I had just over $110,000 to invest in what David called my biggest and craziest adventure yet.
To be honest, it did seem like a bad investment, seeing as the shares were only worth $0.10 per share, which allowed me to buy 1,100,000 shares, but in a company that looked like it wasn't going to make it past the year. Hell, it didn't even give us a 1 percent take in the company. So, to Burry, it was a terrible investment. But he didn't know what I knew. Steve Jobs would soon return as the head of Apple, and in the coming decades, Apple would become even bigger than it was. Now was the perfect time to grab as much as I could while I could. Because, after this year, I had a strong feeling that acquiring any more shares would become increasingly difficult.
Ultimately, I was the client, no matter how much Burry disagreed with me. It was my money to do with as I pleased. He would get me the shares I desired. The only question left for me to wonder was how long it would take for me to see a return on my investment. After all, being rich was never my real goal. No, my only goal was to be remembered for my work in Hollywood. Buying shares of Apple was only a step toward that goal. I needed financial freedom away from the major studios if I wanted to be remembered on the same level as Steven Spielberg, Orson Welles, or George Lucas.