Lexington Avenue Armory, Manhattan.
During the preparations for the rehearsal, many staff members noticed a young man sitting alone in the stands. While everyone else was busy, he appeared to be idly lounging, as if he were just some unemployed drifter sneaking in to watch the models.
Despite these thoughts, no one dared to underestimate him. Instead, they felt a bit nervous whenever they thought they had entered his line of sight.
That man was Simon Westeros.
Upon arriving, Simon had only exchanged greetings with a few key people before sitting by himself in the grandstand, seemingly lost in thought.
Sensing her boss's mood, Allison had two bodyguards stationed nearby to prevent the bustling staff from disturbing him, while she herself did not approach.
Simon wasn't actually daydreaming; he was reviewing the various plans and strategies he had implemented over the past period.
Despite having done everything he could think of, Simon still didn't feel at ease.
He was acutely aware of his current situation.
Walking on thin ice.
In recent months, or even the past year, Simon's rapid accumulation of wealth had not been as effortless as it appeared on the surface.
In Forbes' 1993 list, Simon's net worth was recorded at $120 billion, making him the first super-rich individual in U.S. history to surpass the $100 billion mark.
In 1994, however, that figure had ballooned 2.5 times to $300 billion.
This was nothing short of a miracle.
But it also brought immense pressure.
In the entire history of humanity, few had ever faced such a situation. $300 billion exceeded the total wealth of most nations in the world, making Simon undeniably "richer than most countries."
The world has always been more troubled by inequality than by scarcity.
East or West, human nature remains the same.
Thus, Simon had become an enormous target.
People passing by instinctively wanted to take a shot at him—not because he had done anything wrong, but simply because he was so large and obvious. If someone wanted to divert public attention, they could easily point and say, "Look, there's a target!"
The core issue was the lack of time.
Humans are creatures of habit; when they grow accustomed to something, they tend to accept it as a matter of course.
Like the many royal families in Europe.
Even in an era that increasingly values equality, many Westerners, no matter how much they may disdain royalty outwardly, still, deep down, believe that nobility is inherently superior and that royalty is naturally exalted. They might criticize in private, but when faced with royalty, they would almost instinctively bow.
Then there are the powerful financial conglomerates in Japan and South Korea.
Given enough time, the public in those countries no longer questions whether it is right for conglomerates to control the economy, because they've always been there.
This is the legitimacy that long periods confer upon certain privileges.
However, the rapidly growing Westeros system hadn't had the time to let people get used to it.
Therefore, many people find it unreasonable, believing that Simon Westeros shouldn't have so much money.
Why should you have so much when none of us do?
So, what should be done?
Give the money away?
That's a joke.
Having seen too many instances of people repaying kindness with enmity, Simon knew that if he suddenly gave away a fortune, those who felt they didn't benefit would simply take everything else he had left and then mockingly call him a fool.
For this reason, Simon had become increasingly cautious about charity.
He even began to understand why many charitable foundations focused on vague goals like promoting education, healthcare, or world peace.
If the target of donations is too specific, beneficiaries might come to believe that the money rightfully belongs to them. After one year, two years, three years of benefiting, they might take it for granted, and if one day the funds stopped, they would blame the foundation.
Hey, where's our money?!
In the end, Simon still believed that the strategy of integration, which he had been quietly implementing, was the most effective.
By deeply integrating the entire Westeros system into the U.S. and global economies, any force that sought to harm the Westeros system would end up hurting itself. Only then could his commercial empire remain unshakable.
Of course, what this plan needed most was time.
Had he not been so pressed for time, Simon wouldn't have resorted to actions that might seem excessive to ordinary people.
Having lived two lives, unlike the super-rich in his memories who had to learn through their mistakes, Simon had always harbored a sense of awe. He never lacked it.
But some things had to be done.
Simon wasn't willing to give certain people the chance to test his limits. If they kept pushing, accidents could happen. Therefore, he sent a clear message: Simon Westeros has no bottom line.
Want to mess with me?
Give it a try!
By making it clear to the world that he wasn't a naive child with a pile of gold walking through a crowded market, Simon hoped to buy more time.
Allison, unnoticed until she was beside him, leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Boss, it's about to start."
Simon nodded, setting aside his thoughts, and looked towards the runway.
The music began, and the lights started flashing.
He remembered the first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, with its five themes and five background tracks: "Angels," "Paradise," "Blank Space," "Human," and "Sexy Back," all personally selected by Simon. Each track perfectly matched the theme's atmosphere, and combined with the stunning debut of the Victoria's Secret Angels, the first show became an instant classic.
Last year's second show, while Simon hadn't interfered much, still achieved great success thanks to the popularity built by the first show.
This was the third show.
With the Victoria's Secret Angels now immensely popular, Simon had learned from the downfall of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, where it became more of a concert than a fashion show. To prevent the models from being overshadowed, half of this year's six themes featured instrumental music, while the other half included songs with lyrics.
And, as always, no singers were allowed on stage.
With Simon personally overseeing the selection, each piece of music was meticulously chosen to ensure there would be no mismatched rhythms or dissonant themes. In fact, two of the instrumental tracks were specially composed by Hollywood composers for this show.
No show can stay popular forever.
Simon had already decided that if the day ever came when the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show lost its appeal, when the once-glamorous Angels left the stage, it would be time to end it.
If it can't be classic, then it's better not to do it at all.
The opening music was a rock track called "The Phoenix," originally performed by Fall Out Boy in the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Of course, Simon had personally suggested it.
To Simon, the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was the last great one. Every theme, every track was a classic, and the Angels were still at their peak.
After 2013, there wasn't another show worth watching.
With its explosive rhythm, the opening line of "The Phoenix," 'Put on your war paint,' perfectly set the stage for a fashion spectacle.
This was truly a battle anthem.
The music was adapted from the "Leningrad Symphony" by Dmitri Shostakovich, a Soviet composer who created the symphony during the Siege of Leningrad in World War II, serving in the anti-aircraft unit while completing this epic work. The symphony's premiere, held under siege, greatly boosted Soviet morale against the German invasion, hence its nickname "Leningrad Symphony."
This year's opening Angel was Stephanie Seymour, one of the six Victoria's Secret spokesmodels after the addition of Chrissy Teigen.
Choosing Stephanie Seymour as the opener wasn't without reason.
This supermodel had been pregnant during last year's second show, yet she had persisted on the runway. After giving birth in July, she quickly began preparing for this year's Victoria's Secret show, creating a somewhat inspiring narrative.
Of course, reality wasn't as rosy as the story.
As a Victoria's Secret spokesperson, getting pregnant unexpectedly wasn't a breach of contract, but it did violate the industry's unspoken rules.
Having taken millions of dollars in endorsement fees, only to skip out when needed to have a baby—how was that appropriate?
When Stephanie Seymour's pregnancy was first discovered, a frustrated Victoria's Secret CEO, Grace Nichols, quietly suggested to Simon that they should blacklist the unruly supermodel.
Among the original five spokesmodels, Stephanie Seymour was indeed the most troublesome. Last year, she had even sued her ex-boyfriend, Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose.
It's worth noting that Guns N' Roses was a signed band under Daenerys Entertainment's record label, one of its top acts.
The two parties had accused each other of violent behavior and theft, dragging numerous people into the fray, creating quite a spectacle.
It wasn't until Simon personally intervened that the matter was settled.
Then, Stephanie Seymour latched onto New York publishing magnate Peter Brant. Perhaps thinking she had found her target, she quickly became pregnant, hoping for a marriage through the baby.
Eastern or Western, the idea of securing marriage through a child is a common thread.
Unfortunately, the billionaire, over twenty years her senior, was no pushover. Already married with children close to Stephanie's age, Brant had only just managed to turn his wife into his ex-wife. The two couldn't reach an agreement on a prenuptial contract, so the marriage dragged on, even after the child was born, without any resolution.
Another juicy scandal.
Fortunately, it remained within Manhattan's elite circles and wasn't widely publicized.
Otherwise, Simon might have indeed decided to blacklist her.
Perhaps sensing that
the wealthy man wasn't reliable, Stephanie Seymour, despite being pregnant, insisted on walking in last year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show against Brant's wishes. This year, after giving birth and with no marriage in sight, the supermodel didn't dare neglect her career. She worked hard to regain her figure, enduring a lot of hardship in recent months.
The media and public tend to be more forgiving towards women who are mothers. Moreover, as an Elite Model Management client, both Elite and Victoria's Secret worked together in recent months to reshape Stephanie Seymour's public image. With no further scandals and her compliance with the plan, she regained popularity and was awarded the opening spot for this year's show.
As the rehearsal began, Simon set aside his worries to enjoy the show, where he was nearly the only audience member.
However, despite the careful preparations, there were still a few hiccups.
During one of the final themes, an Angel accidentally tripped, and the subsequent Angels didn't handle the situation well, hesitating and ruining the entire theme.
With the boss watching!
A music video director hoping to break into Hollywood, who had been invited to direct the show, lost his cool. After pausing the rehearsal, he yelled at the model who had fallen, a young woman named Tricia Helfer. The entire hall echoed with his outburst, and the Angels on stage were frozen in fear.
They weren't afraid of him.
They all knew that Simon Westeros was sitting in the stands, watching.
To avoid such mishaps, the Angel lineup included backups.
If Simon Westeros were displeased and decided to replace some Angels, it would be done with ease.
Being replaced for such a reason would end any future prospects.
Watching the commotion on the runway, Simon wasn't particularly angry; in fact, after a moment, a smile even crept onto his lips as he considered something.
Allison approached, and Simon simply instructed, "It's okay, have them start again."
Nothing can be perfect. Simon knew that mishaps had occurred in many of the past Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows. While the organizers would prefer a flawless run, reshooting could be done even during the actual show if necessary.
The final theme was soon restarted.
However, Simon's attention was no longer on the runway but on a thought sparked by the chaos he had just witnessed.
A too-harmonious and stable society isn't conducive to the growth of oligarchs; unrest, chaos, and decline are the best environments.
This echoed Rhett Butler's theory in *Gone with the Wind*.
When the granaries are full, people know the etiquette.
Another interpretation might be: When people are too well-fed, they start causing trouble.
But when they're starving, the trouble is much bigger.
This is another matter of balance.
Thinking of this, Simon signaled Allison to come over, instructing her to take out her notepad. He wrote down the title of a book and asked her to find it for him.
Allison had been quietly studying Chinese in private.
But...
*Shang Jun Shu*?
She recognized each character, but when combined, they made no sense to her.
Of course, since it was an order from the boss, she would carry it out without question.
Because of the earlier mistake, the final theme had to be redone twice before it was satisfactory. Afterward, Grace Nichols, CEO of Victoria's Secret, approached Simon with a few key people. Simon stood up, saying, "That was good. Don't worry about the mistake earlier—everyone makes mistakes."
With that, Simon turned his attention to Brett Ratner, the show's director.
Simon had personally chosen him.
Brett Ratner, who appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, was about Simon's age, short and stocky, with thick curly hair and a beard. While he might not have the same reputation as Michael Bay, Ratner was well-known for directing the *Rush Hour* series.
No one's success comes easily.
Simon had reviewed Ratner's resume; he was a talented filmmaker who had developed an interest in movies at the age of eight, entered the New York Film Academy at sixteen as its youngest student, and after graduation, directed numerous music videos for major artists in recent years.
Now, he was just waiting for an opportunity to break into Hollywood.
After sizing up the young director, Simon smiled and extended his hand. "You just reminded me of Cameron. I hope you can be as successful as Jim in the future."
Brett Ratner, who had been a bit nervous, quickly reached out to shake Simon's hand, smiling. "Thank you, Mr. Westeros. I'll do my best. And I'm sorry about earlier—I might have overreacted."
After a brief chat, the Victoria's Secret Angels, having changed out of their costumes, emerged from backstage. Two of them, Yasmeen Ghauri and Nadja Auermann, unhesitatingly took their places on either side of Simon, linking arms with him, while the other Angels could only look on enviously. Since Hearst Group's exposé on Simon's private life earlier this year, Yasmeen and Nadja's relationship with Simon had become public knowledge.
Initially, some had taken delight in the scandal.
But instead of seeing their careers destroyed as many had expected, the two women only became more successful.
In recent months, Instagram's success had made the two models, who held shares in the platform, among the wealthiest in their industry.
Simon had told them last year that they could leave him after a year, but there was no sign that either of them wanted to sever ties. When Simon wasn't around, the two women were often seen together, leading to some gossip about a possible romantic relationship between them. Some tabloids even joked that Simon was the "third wheel" in their relationship.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]