After dinner, when they returned to the Fifth Avenue apartment, B-Girl had come up with some new ideas for her financial platform during their meal. She immediately headed to their office to jot down her thoughts.
Alison wasn't idle either.
She went upstairs to the master bedroom and placed a box of items on the bedside table within Simon's reach. In the bathroom, she prepared a fresh set of toiletries and checked the medicine cabinet for a specific bottle.
Once done, she went downstairs to order an outfit suitable for tonight's guest.
Their boss had a notorious habit of tearing clothes.
And he had quite the strength; even the sturdiest fabric felt like paper in his hands.
Since there was no request to prepare a gift, Alison didn't bother. Simon's approach to gifts was unpredictable—sometimes he would casually give away something worth a million dollars, and other times, nothing at all.
She still remembered the time he gifted a woman 100 outfits. Alison, who managed the transaction, found herself secretly envious—not for the clothes' value, but because the gesture seemed incredibly romantic. If a man ever showered her with 100 dresses, she'd probably agree to marry him on the spot.
Of course, this kind of romantic gesture was expensive, and most men couldn't afford such extravagance.
After finishing these tasks, Alison made herself a pot of coffee and settled in the downstairs living room to watch TV and take a short break.
Seeing Alison finally free, B-Girl brought her laptop over and sat cross-legged on the nearby sofa. She continued discussing her financial platform ideas, occasionally typing on her keyboard.
At 9:30, Jerry Hall arrived.
B-Girl went off to rest, leaving Alison to entertain the guest.
She understood why Simon chose Jerry Hall for the night. On the flight from Los Angeles to New York, Simon had spent a lot of time reviewing the spring programming of Daenerys Entertainment's TV division.
Fashion TV, which launched at the start of the year, was a significant part of those plans.
Since its North American debut on February 8, Fashion TV had been running for over three months.
Although the channel hadn't seen explosive growth, it had maintained a very steady development.
Jerry Hall's show, "Fashion Workshop," where she served as both producer and host, had become one of the highest-rated programs on Fashion TV. With the first season wrapping up in the spring, preparations for the second season were already underway.
This show had revitalized the career of Jerry Hall, who had been fading from the spotlight.
Despite being summoned almost like a call girl, Jerry Hall showed no displeasure, and Alison didn't look down on her for it.
Simon was a discerning man.
Unlike some tasteless billionaires who mingled with playboys and adult film stars or hired actual call girls, he would never do that.
Even at 37, Jerry Hall maintained a well-kept appearance, tall and striking, with a mature allure that had come with age. It was no wonder she had sustained her modeling career in the fiercely competitive fashion industry.
As for her being married, Alison saw nothing wrong with it.
It was a mutual agreement between two consenting adults, and Simon didn't force anyone. Besides, Jerry's husband, Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, wasn't exactly a saint. He was constantly making headlines with various models and actresses, seemingly unconcerned with his wife's feelings.
"This is a clover brooch that Cartier gifted me during an interview at their workshop. It's so beautiful I couldn't resist asking for a few more. I brought two for you and Betsy. It's Betsy who's here with you in New York, right?"
"Yes, thank you." Alison accepted the small gift without hesitation and asked, "Tea or coffee?"
"Red wine, if that's okay?"
"Of course, just a moment."
Alison returned shortly with a bottle of Château Latour and joined Jerry in the living room, choosing to stay and chat rather than leave her alone.
Jerry Hall was a charming conversationalist, engaging just enough to make Alison feel comfortable. Even without the intention to get too close, Alison enjoyed her company.
As they sipped their wine, Jerry initiated the conversation. "I recently read that Simon just bought a large piece of land in San Francisco."
"Yes, it's for the new Igreat headquarters."
"300 hectares, right? That sounds huge, based on the reports."
Alison nodded. "It is. To give you an idea, the entire Upper East Side is just under 500 hectares."
Jerry, who hadn't grasped the sheer size of 300 hectares, was astonished by Alison's comparison. "Wow, that's enormous."
The Upper East Side, covering less than 500 hectares, includes seven main avenues, from Fifth Avenue to Lexington Avenue, spanning 50 blocks from 59th Street to 109th Street, and is home to about 120,000 residents. The 300 hectares Simon bought in Mountain View was 60% of that, making it impressively vast.
Curious about the cost of such a massive purchase, Jerry tentatively asked.
Alison didn't hold back, as the Mountain View government had disclosed some transaction details to avoid accusations of selling the land too cheaply. They hadn't given an exact price but mentioned a ballpark figure of $200 million.
Jerry marveled again.
Two hundred million dollars wouldn't buy half of the Upper East Side, but acquiring a large tract of undeveloped land in the suburbs was quite pricey for that era.
After chatting a bit more, Alison changed the topic. "How's the preparation for the second season of 'Fashion Workshop'? I'm really looking forward to it."
Jerry sighed a little, "Although the ratings are good, there aren't many workshops in the fashion world. Since Fashion TV focuses on fashion, we can't expand into other types of workshops. Probably after two more seasons, it will be done."
The first season of "Fashion Workshop" was short, with only 13 episodes.
The second season was expanded to 26 episodes. After two more seasons, with a total of 52 episodes, they would have covered most of the notable fashion workshops.
It was a well-established brand, and the Fashion TV management was likely smart enough to know that dragging it out with less significant workshops would only tarnish its reputation.
Alison comforted her, "It's a classic series. Even after it ends, Fashion TV will probably keep it in rotation. I've heard many networks are interested in syndicating the show."
Under the standard industry agreements, as a producer and host, Jerry Hall would continue to earn royalties from reruns of the show.
For an average writer or producer, this could be a steady and significant income stream.
But for Jerry Hall, it was more of a nice-to-have rather than a necessity.
In fact, she valued the ongoing exposure and popularity that came with the show's reruns more.
As long as she remained popular, her career would continue.
Despite being married to Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall knew how unreliable he could be. Their marriage was more about her career; being with him kept her in the media spotlight and ensured a steady stream of work.
Now, with a new man in her life, even though it would never be more than a fling and couldn't be public, the resources he could offer were incredibly beneficial.
Even if it meant divorcing Mick Jagger, she wouldn't hesitate.
After all, no woman likes being asked by gossip reporters about her husband's flings with other women.
What could she say besides wanting to curse out loud?
In a way, she envied Mrs. Westeros.
Of all the powerful men she knew, none were truly faithful. Simon, despite his appeal and potential for indiscretions, kept a low profile and never embarrassed his wife.
At 10 PM, Simon returned to the apartment.
Alison helped him hang up his coat and then discreetly disappeared.
Simon had a hint of alcohol on him but was clearly in control.
He never needed to be drunk or pretend to be for courage when it came to women. Sitting down on the sofa, he accepted the glass of red wine Jerry brought over and pulled her close. She tried to sit beside him, but he gently pushed her onto the carpet.
Even in front of her husband, Jerry Hall didn't lack assertiveness.
She was a strong woman.
But with Simon, she found it hard to resist.
Being in this world and understanding the power of wealth and influence, she knew just how powerful Simon was.
Compared to him, she felt like a blade of grass next to a giant tree.
So, when he wanted her to be compliant, she complied.
Alison watched them briefly from the staircase before retreating to the bathroom to take a long bath and then finally falling asleep.
She woke at 6 AM as usual.
In the living room, she found fabric scraps scattered everywhere, evidence of Simon's habit. Suppressing the odd thrill it stirred, she and B-Girl cleaned up the mess and prepared coffee for Simon. While B-Girl started breakfast, Alison reviewed Simon's weekend schedule and confirmed the delivery of the clothes she ordered from Gucci.
Simon had a breakfast meeting with Fashion TV President Anna Coleman, so they didn't need to prepare his breakfast.
By 7 AM, Simon was up, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper on the rooftop terrace, enjoying the fresh air. Alison brought his clothes to the bedroom and then joined him on the terrace.
Simon, browsing through today's "Wall Street Journal," casually instructed, "Jerry will join me for breakfast. No need to arrange another car."
Alison nodded and confirmed there were no other instructions. She briefly outlined the day's schedule from her notepad.
After breakfast with Anna Coleman, Simon had a morning meeting at Daenerys TV to review the spring season's performance. Lunch was with the top executives of Cersei Capital, and the afternoon was for discussing key TV projects for the second half of the year. The evening included a cocktail party hosted by Rupert Murdoch.
Hearing Mur
doch's name, Simon thought of Jerry Hall still in his bedroom and had a peculiar idea.
In his memory, Jerry Hall was Murdoch's fourth wife.
And probably the last one.
The third wife was a remarkable woman from across the ocean.
Both were formidable in their own right.
While he didn't know how Jerry Hall ended up with Murdoch, managing to secure Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones' lead singer, was no small feat.
Maybe this time, Jerry could get to Murdoch earlier. Who knows, it might be entertaining to see how things unfold.
With this mischievous thought, Simon mentioned it casually during their breakfast on the way to the Manhattan restaurant.
Joining Simon and Fashion TV President Anna Coleman for breakfast was already a significant boost for Jerry Hall. It was a public endorsement that could smoothen her path with Fashion TV and open up more opportunities in the future.
Unexpectedly, Simon went a step further, allowing her access to his social circle.
Despite her fame and being Mick Jagger's wife, Jerry Hall's network was largely confined to the music and fashion industries. Her interactions with higher echelons usually involved the behind-the-scenes bosses of fashion empires.
Meeting Simon Westeros had been a fluke. If he hadn't taken an interest in her, they would have never crossed paths.
Now, she had a chance to climb even higher, and she had no reason to refuse.
This made her more determined to hold onto Simon.
Even though she knew he would eventually lose interest, maintaining their relationship for as long as possible would only benefit her.
So, after breakfast with Fashion TV's Anna Coleman, Jerry Hall, who had been pondering some things during their meal, tentatively asked Simon, "Simon, do you think I should divorce him?"
Simon didn't catch on immediately and reflexively asked, "Divorce for what?"
Then he understood.
This woman, after the breakfast and the upcoming cocktail party, was likely considering some unwarranted ideas.
Before she could respond, Simon shook his head. "Jerry, you need to understand, I won't make any promises."
"I don't expect any promises from you," Jerry quickly clarified. She genuinely had no intention of competing with Janet for any position. If Simon misunderstood and distanced himself, it would backfire. She continued, "I just feel that my current marriage no longer serves any purpose."
Hearing her hurried explanation, Simon shrugged. "That's your decision."
Simon said nothing more, but Jerry Hall had made up her mind.
With her career no longer needing Mick Jagger for support, there was no reason to continue compromising. Why force herself to stay in an unfulfilling marriage?
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