Since the filming of "Batman: The Battle Begins" in Melbourne last year, this Southern Hemisphere city has been under constant spotlight. The wedding of Simon and Janet further catapulted Melbourne into the global limelight, given Simon's established reputation as America's first billionaire of such scale, regardless of the media's questions and doubts.
The Melbourne city government understood the significance of this wedding for the city, beyond the boost in global recognition, the gathering of top guests from around the world could bring numerous benefits if well engaged.
Thus, not only the Johnston family was mobilized for the wedding, but the entire city as well. In terms of security alone, the local government temporarily drafted a large number of police forces from around Victoria.
Besides the wedding schedule, the Melbourne government seized the opportunity to arrange a series of business networking events to promote Australia's industrial policies to investors from Hollywood, Wall Street, and Europe.
Of course, these were planned for after the wedding.
On the day before the wedding, Janet and her close friends flew to Bali for a full day of festivities, only returning late at night.
Simon, on his last day before the wedding, was busy welcoming the steadily arriving guests.
At heart, Simon was always someone who cherished old ties, which is why, after his rebirth, everyone who had helped him along the way—from Dr. Chapman in Waterville to the innkeeper in Santa Monica, from Jonathan at WMA to the three credited producers during the production of "Run Lola Run"—had received an invitation to the wedding.
Including work colleagues, business partners, friends and relatives of the Johnston family, and others, the guest list for the wedding exceeded eight hundred people.
This was also why the wedding was set in the open-air Yarra Valley Park.
March 3rd, Saturday.
From early morning, a festive atmosphere enveloped Melbourne. Concerned about the weather, Simon was relieved as it turned out to be a very clear day.
The wedding was set for five in the afternoon, but the media, blocked from entering Yarra Valley Park, camped outside several days in advance, hoping to capture photos of the arriving guests.
Inside Yarra Valley Park, the entire area was transformed into a sea of flowers, like a dream.
Walls made entirely of flowers divided the park into various sections for the ceremony and the evening banquet.
In one of the tents, Simon was already dressed and chatting with today's groomsmen, including four Johnston brothers, Keanu Reeves, Adam Baldwin, and Sandra Bullock, who walked in unexpectedly.
After greeting everyone, Sandra curiously eyed Simon, who was about to wed in less than five minutes. The others, sensing the moment, tactfully left the tent.
Simon, looking at Sandra in her striking red dress, asked, "Did you have fun yesterday?"
Despite their occasional disagreements, Janet had invited Sandra to her bachelorette party.
"Janet got her way, how could it be fun?" Sandra responded with feigned annoyance, "I didn't even catch a bridesmaid role."
Simon chuckled, "I couldn't let you be a bridesmaid, what if you ended up stealing the groom? That would make quite the scene."
Sandra scoffed, "Like I'd want to steal you."
Simon pretended to be hurt, "That's heartbreaking to hear."
As they spoke, a staff member poked his head into the tent, saying, "Mr. Westeros, it's almost time."
Simon nodded, turned to Sandra, and opened his arms, "Come on, give me a hug of blessing."
Reluctantly, Sandra stepped forward and hugged him, then couldn't help expressing her discontent, "You're only 22, why the rush?"
"When you meet the right person, the sooner the better," Simon replied as he walked out, teasing her, "Have you met someone riding a white donkey yet?"
Sandra followed, rolling her eyes, "You're the one who should meet someone on a donkey."
"Knew you wouldn't meet one, so maybe try for a princess instead. A blooming lily is the most beautiful."
"Ugh, spit."
As they walked through the flower-lined path, Sandra playfully spit in jest, recalling the times Simon had driven her through the streets of Los Angeles on his motorcycle. She had felt something then, but alas, it wasn't grasped firmly.
Now, many memories would remain buried deep in her heart.
Suddenly, she tugged on Simon's sleeve, "Hey, Simon, will we still be friends?"
Simon stopped, looked into her hopeful eyes, and nodded earnestly, "Of course, the best kind."
She wanted to hug him again but restrained herself amidst the bustling staff preparing the venue. Though she had entertained the wild thought of disrupting the wedding like a movie plot, she would never actually do it.
Simon, undeterred, hugged her again and kissed her forehead, satisfying a heartfelt moment.
Pushing him gently away, Sandra said,
"I'll go in first."
Simon watched as Sandra entered the wedding venue and took a seat on a bench.
After a moment, the officiant and the wedding party entered, and Simon followed suit, waiting for his bride.
The grand wedding march began.
As hundreds of guests stood, Janet, arm-in-arm with Raymond Johnston and dressed in a gown more splendid than any princess's, emerged from the opposite pathway.
Amidst applause, the bride approached the canopy, and Raymond solemnly handed Janet over to Simon.
Even though they had known each other for a long time, Simon had to admit this was the most beautiful she had ever looked. Gazing at him through her veil, Janet's cheeks blushed, but her expressive eyes did not shy away.
They stood together, the music ceased.
After the minister's solemn speech, the pivotal moment arrived.
"Groom, do you take this woman to be your wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in joy and sorrow, and to cherish her for as long as you both shall live?"
Simon, looking deeply into Janet's eyes, felt her intense anticipation and nodded without hesitation, "I Do!"
"Bride, do you take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in joy and sorrow, and to respect him all the days of your life?"
Janet, her eyes brimming with emotion, also responded without hesitation, "I Do!"
"Now, the bride and groom will exchange rings."
Simon took Janet's gloved left hand and slipped a wedding band onto her finger. Janet did the same for Simon.
The minister smiled as they exchanged rings and announced, "You may now kiss the bride."
Simon stepped forward and embraced his bride as applause filled the air.
After the ceremony, the guests moved to the banquet area, while Simon and Janet took wedding photos on an adjacent lawn, with Janet not speaking after her "I Do," contentedly nestling by Simon's side.
After the photo session, Janet went to change out of her elaborate gown, and Simon waited patiently. When she reappeared in a simpler dress, she naturally took Simon's arm, seemingly oblivious to everything else.
They joined the banquet, participated in the speeches and first dance, and at seven o'clock, the dinner began.
By eight-thirty, after tossing the bouquet amid laughter and well-wishes, Simon and Janet left Yarra Valley Park together, finally giving the persistent media a glimpse of the couple.
In the days that followed, news of the wedding dominated the headlines, but Simon and Janet detached themselves from the world.
After spending a night in their Melbourne hideaway, they flew to Europe early the next morning for their honeymoon.
Their first stop was Barcelona, Spain.
Preferring privacy, they traveled with minimal entourage and switched from their conspicuous Boeing 767 to a more discreet Falcon business jet owned by Gucci.
Enjoying the Mediterranean's charm, they visited Casablanca in Morocco, recalling Simon's joke about the movie. Despite the reference, they fell in love with this North African city.
From the warm Mediterranean shores of Barcelona and Casablanca to Cannes, Rome, Athens, and finally a Johnston family-owned island in the Aegean Sea, March passed quietly.
As the world continued its orbit, Simon and Janet vanished from the public eye for a month, but many things still unfolded.
In Hollywood, the 62nd Academy Awards took place on March 26th.
"Driving Miss Daisy," produced by Daenerys Entertainment's Gaomon Pictures, emerged as the biggest winner, securing five major awards including Best Picture and Best Director from its nine nominations, one more Oscar than the original.
Influenced by the Oscars, "Driving Miss Daisy" saw a 45% box office increase that week, adding $6.04 million in its 16th week, quietly accumulating a total of $76.88 million to date.
"我的左脚," another Gaomon production, won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
Since its release, "My Left Foot" had surpassed $11 million at the box office, with post-Oscars momentum likely pushing its North American total towards $15 million.
During the second week after Simon and Janet's wedding, "Batman: The Battle Begins" surpassed $400 million, becoming the first film to reach this milestone in its initial North American release.
"Pretty Woman," released by Daenerys Entertainment for Valentine's Day, swiftly crossed $130 million in seven weeks, despite a weekly box office fall below $6 million. With Easter approaching, industry forecasts placed its potential domestic total between $170 and $180 million—a figure that would have been top-grossing in earlier years.
Meanwhile, the film's stars, Julia Roberts and Pierce Brosnan, skyrocketed to A-list Hollywood status.
People started listing—from "Run Lola Run" to a string of films directed, written, or produced by Simon Westeros—how in just
a few years, he had launched Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Adam Baldwin, Valeria Golino, and rejuvenated the careers of veterans like Robert De Niro and John Travolta.
Such star-making power was unprecedented, even in the era of major Hollywood studios.
As casting for the DC movie universe commenced, despite stringent conditions and tough contracts, countless actors eager for fame were fiercely competing for roles.
On Wall Street, Janet had completed the operational setup for Lannister Capital just before the wedding, with its three subsidiaries progressing smoothly in their absence.
As predicted, in March, Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait announced significant increases in oil production, leading to a drop in global oil prices.
A month earlier, many hedge funds had bet on rising oil prices based on Saddam Hussein's statements at the Arab Cooperation Council. Unbeknownst to many, Lannister Capital had quietly established short positions in oil futures worth over $10 billion across markets in London and New York.
The noticeable market volatility due to these opposing capital views was palpable within the industry.
Apollo Management easily raised its first billion dollars for vulture fund operations.
BlackRock's assets, now at $6 billion, advanced it into the ranks of Wall Street's elite.
Meanwhile, the media storm sparked by the public disclosure of Simon's personal wealth gradually subsided over the month.
With billions in earnings, illegitimate means were impossible on this scale, especially as most were earned on overseas markets. After much uproar from various media and federal forces, without any real impact, they had to cease their efforts.
Public adaptability and forgetfulness are always strong.
After a barrage of media coverage, most gradually accepted Simon Westeros as North America's first billionaire, with some even taking pride in it.
In recent years, due to Japan's rise and Japanese dominating the top ranks of the "Forbes" billionaires list, many Westerners felt their confidence wane. Now, Simon Westeros, with assets exceeding $10 billion, undeniably stood as a strong contender for the title of the world's richest person.
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