After thinking it over carefully, Amanda realized she had been looking at the situation from the wrong angle.
If Jihoon's streaming platform succeeded the way he envisioned, the ones under real threat would be the film industry.
News media empires like the Murdoch family's might be affected, yes, but not nearly as much.
Their business would feel some interference, but the true blow would land elsewhere.
On the other hand, if Mara had really managed to trade company shares with JH, then she wasn't just playing around—she was sitting right at the heart of the action.
Amanda looked at her daughter in disbelief.
Was this really Mara—the scatterbrained, carefree girl she had always known?
The girl who could never plan beyond tomorrow?
And yet, here she was, holding what looked like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Amanda couldn't tell if this came from some hidden business instinct or sheer dumb luck, but either way, it was undeniable: Mara had stumbled into a gold mine.
A streaming platform, fully established, was destined to generate liquidity month after month.
Mara didn't just get to witness it—she stood to profit from it directly.
How could this even be possible?
"Mom, are you sick?" Mara tilted her head, noticing the flush spreading across Amanda's face.
"I'm fine!" Amanda quickly suppressed her shock and leaned forward. "Mara… did you just say your boss is buying shares in Netflix?"
"Um… yeah? Why?" Mara replied innocently, completely unaware that what she had just revealed was supposed to be tightly guarded information.
Leaking something like this could easily lead to a civil lawsuit if JH's company decided to pursue it.
Amanda's mind raced. She pressed again, carefully, "Do you know how much your boss has already bought?"
Mara frowned in thought, still confused about her mother's sudden intensity. "Not sure… but I overheard during one of his phone calls. He said he already holds half of the company's shares."
Amanda's eyes widened.
"And," Mara added after a pause, "if I'm not wrong, my boss partnered with some Wall Street elites to get those shares…"
Amanda immediately processed the implications.
If Jihoon had really invited Wall Street elites into the plan, then he wasn't just raising money—he was securing protection.
Backing like that meant fewer obstacles and more leverage.
Jihoon had the creativity and content; Wall Street had the financial muscle.
Together, their plan had an extremely high chance of success.
If Netflix went public, it wouldn't just be another IPO—it would be one of the most high-potential tech IPOs of its era.
By then, countless major players would flood in, scrambling to grab a piece of the company.
Competition would be brutal.
And yet, here was Mara.
She knew nothing, and still she sat comfortably at the table, ready to enjoy the feast.
If what Mara said was true, then Jihoon already controlled a full 50% of Netflix's original shares.
That level of ownership was staggering.
How could this be justified? Was this just blind luck falling into a fool's lap?
Amanda clenched her fists. "Mara, I want to meet Jihoon. Can you—"
"No!" Mara cut her off immediately.
"Why not?" Amanda demanded.
"Hmph!" Mara crossed her arms and gave her mother a cold snort. "Don't think I don't know. You're just trying to buy my shares from Jihoon, aren't you?"
Amanda froze.
Her daughter's words hit like a slap.
Mara's expression was firm, almost cunning—so unlike the airheaded child Amanda had always known.
For the first time, Amanda found herself questioning: was this really the same scatterbrained daughter she had raised?
Or had the realities of working out in society forced Mara to grow into someone sharper than she ever imagined?
This is outrageous!
Amanda, the Murdoch matriarch—looked at her daughter with a conflicted expression.
She wasn't about to give up, not now.
The original Netflix shares were a once-in-a-generation prize, and missing this ship would mean losing out on a fortune.
Even if Jihoon was difficult to approach, there were always other ways.
She could still acquire shares once Netflix went public.
Surely the company's owner wouldn't reject investment from the Murdoch family—especially when it could serve as a perfect complement to their already sprawling media empire.
The thought steadied her. She would not retreat.
....
"Lee! Director Lee!"
The noisy crowd around Jihoon had finally thinned out when a voice called out from behind.
Jihoon turned and saw a young man squeezing his way through, clutching a notebook and pen.
"I'd like to ask for your autograph, is that okay?" the young man said nervously, his eyes wide with both excitement and fear, as if terrified Jihoon might refuse.
Jihoon blinked, taken aback.
It was the first time anyone in Hollywood had approached him like this, asking for his signature.
Usually, the stars who drew attention were legends like Stan Lee—who had been mobbed just moments ago by comic fans eager for his autograph.
Jihoon had never pictured himself in that category.
He studied the young man's eager face, Asian features, and boyish energy.
Something about him stirred a strange sense of familiarity.
Jihoon raised his hand, taking the pen.
"What's your name?" he asked casually.
"James! My name is James Wan!"
Jihoon's eyes lit up. "James Wan?" he repeated, his tone suddenly sharpened with recognition.
To make absolutely sure, he pressed, "Have you been working in Hollywood lately?"
James shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes… yes, I've been doing odd jobs on some film sets. Crew work, mostly."
He glanced up cautiously, worried that this man he admired might look down on him.
But how could Jihoon look down on him?
He knew this man.
This was James Wan—the brilliant creative mind behind 'SAW' in his previous life.
Jihoon remembered vividly: the original version of 'SAW' was supposed to be filmed in Sydney, but James and his team had no budget.
A friend had suggested they try Hollywood instead—where investors might finally recognize their talent.
And now, here he was, standing right in front of him.
Jihoon's mind raced. This wasn't just a fan. This was fate handing him a gift.
On stage earlier, Jihoon had boldly declared that JH Picture was looking for fresh blood—directors and screenwriters with talent and vision.
And now, as if the universe had heard him, James Wan himself was standing here, pen in hand.
In his past life, James Wan didn't just make 'SAW'—he built an empire.
'SAW' turned him into an overnight sensation, launching a global franchise.
He pioneered a unique slasher-horror style and created the Conjuring Universe, a box office juggernaut that grossed over $320 million on just a $20 million budget.
He helmed Fast & Furious 7, which grossed $1.5 billion worldwide, breaking franchise records.
And he directed Aquaman, pulling in $1.14 billion while being praised for its sweeping visual style.
A concept like that was priceless.
Jihoon's pulse quickened. This was a golden opportunity—no, the golden opportunity.
James Wan wasn't just a horror director.
He was versatile, capable of handling blood-soaked thrillers one day and billion-dollar blockbusters the next.
And Jihoon knew one thing for certain: the Horror Cinematic Universe he had been planning was far too ambitious for one man to carry alone.
He needed partners, visionaries who could shoulder the burden.
Standing before him, nervous and eager, was the perfect candidate.