Chapter 185: The Pinnacle of Fashion Shows
Every December, a wave of awards-contending films crowds the release calendar, all vying to leave a lasting impression on Academy voters ahead of the Oscars in March.
After spending Christmas with Monica Bellucci, Aaron headed to the San Francisco Bay Area to visit Jennifer Connelly, who was studying at Stanford University.
His first stop was Pixar's headquarters, where the studio was hard at work developing its very first feature-length 3D computer-animated film—Toy Story.
After that, he made a trip to San Mateo to visit the headquarters of Franklin Templeton Investments, where he met once again with Charles Johnson.
"Aaron," Charles Johnson said as he poured him a glass of wine, "Limited Brands is now valued at over $2 billion, and at least half of that valuation comes from Victoria's Secret."
"If you were Les Wexner, you wouldn't be eager to sell Victoria's Secret either."
He smiled lightly and continued, "Given how rapidly Dawnlight Pictures is growing, I'm surprised you're even interested in Victoria's Secret."
After all, Dawnlight's films had been exploding at the box office. With just a few more years, Aaron Anderson truly had the potential to turn Dawn Pictures into a full-fledged Hollywood powerhouse.
Compared to that, Victoria's Secret was "just" a women's lingerie brand—already the undisputed number one in the U.S. Without aggressive international expansion or a major reinvention of its brand strategy, its future growth ceiling seemed limited.
Yet Aaron's interest clearly went far beyond lingerie alone.
Would Aaron Anderson really place such importance on a women's lingerie brand?
Aaron took a sip of his wine and said calmly,
"The future and market potential of Victoria's Secret go far beyond what you're imagining."
"My idea is to turn Victoria's Secret into a top-tier global spectacle—a pinnacle fashion show—where the world's most elite models walk exclusively for the brand, becoming its ambassadors and symbols."
"A top-tier fashion show?" Charles Johnson looked puzzled. "You think that alone can rapidly elevate the brand's influence?"
Aaron nodded.
"Absolutely. A grand lingerie show, featuring the sexiest and most beautiful women from around the world—"
"When that happens, men across the globe will go crazy for it."
Charles Johnson laughed. "So you're basically creating a new kind of beauty pageant?"
Aaron shrugged.
"Something similar—but with standards far higher."
Charles Johnson was already inclined to work with Aaron. Even as it stood, Victoria's Secret was a highly attractive investment. And now, hearing Aaron's confidence, he felt it was time to push harder.
"We should accelerate the acquisition," Charles said. "Once we take control, we spin Victoria's Secret off from Limited Brands and list it independently."
Aaron never doubted Franklin Templeton's ability to pull off the deal—perhaps they were simply still negotiating and observing.
---
That evening, Aaron checked into the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco with Jennifer Connelly.
Sitting on the sofa, Aaron flipped through a newspaper reporting that Gerald Levin, the new Chairman and CEO of Time Warner, had sold 25% of the company's shares to Western Digital, and another 5.6% to Japan's Itochu Corporation and Toshiba Group.
Levin was clearly building his own power base within the board.
"AOL's stock has gone up quite a bit," Jennifer said, curled beside him, her eyes full of admiration. "Your investments are always spot-on."
Aaron pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly.
"I've always been precise. You're graduating next year, right?"
"Yes," Jennifer nodded excitedly. "After that, I can focus entirely on acting."
With Dawnlight Pictures thriving, she had no worries about finding roles once she stayed in Hollywood.
Overcome with excitement, she leaned in and kissed him passionately.
Aaron returned the kiss, slipping his hand beneath her top, his touch confident and familiar. Though her figure differed from Monica Bellucci's, Jennifer Connelly's allure was undeniable.
"New Year's is coming up," she murmured after the kiss, arms wrapped around his neck. "You don't have other plans, do you?"
"No," Aaron replied easily. "I just got back from Asia. The Oscar contenders don't need my attention right now."
"Tomorrow, let's go to Las Vegas for New Year's. I hear it's lively—we haven't taken a real vacation in a while."
Jennifer smiled brightly and hugged him tighter.
"Las Vegas… I haven't been there in ages."
"Good. Let's relax properly. Dawnlight had an incredible year—box office success and critical acclaim. This is worth celebrating."
He lifted her in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Before long, their clothes were gone.
"I'm very confident in Speed next year," Aaron said softly. "Once it releases, it'll be a huge hit—and it'll make you a star."
Pressed beneath him, Jennifer's cheeks flushed, her breathing unsteady.
"Anything with your name attached inspires confidence," she whispered. "I thought you might put me in a romance instead."
"Romantic comedies work too," Aaron replied. "Their returns are excellent these days."
Just look at Sleepless in Seattle—modest budget, massive payoff.
Jennifer's eyes lit up.
"Then do you have a romantic comedy script for me?"
"I will," Aaron said, sealing her lips with another kiss. "I can adapt several."
"I wouldn't mind low-budget art films either," she added softly. "They'd help sharpen my acting."
Aaron smiled inwardly. Romantic comedies had a golden future—My Best Friend's Wedding, Runaway Bride, Notting Hill—all blockbusters waiting to happen.
And Notting Hill was already in development.
Time would decide the rest.
Sometime later, Jennifer rolled over, pinning Aaron beneath her, slipping under the covers without caring that both of them were drenched in sweat.
Aaron exhaled slowly, staring up at the ceiling.