"Martin, Disney has asked to meet with you to discuss cooperation on the Pirates of the Caribbean project."
"Cooperation is fine, but tell Eisner that I want peripheral dividends... By the way, Disney only has a 40% share in the investment... Also, the distribution rights should go to them... And if Disneyland wants to build a new Pirates of the Caribbean section in the future, they'll need to pay me a licensing fee," Martin said with confidence.
When Michael Eisner heard Martin's demands, he angrily threw a coffee cup on the floor.
"That greedy brat!" he muttered, fuming.
He immediately rejected all of Martin's requests. "I'll agree to give you 60% of the box office share, in line with the standard rules for a co-produced movie. However, the film's rights and any subsequent peripheral copyrights belong to Disney. To make up for that, I'm willing to pay you an additional $10 million for the copyright."
Upon hearing this, Martin smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'm heading to New Zealand soon to shoot The Lord of the Rings. To be honest, I'd rather wait until the first part of The Lord of the Rings is released before continuing this discussion."
Jeff immediately understood and smiled. "Martin, you must have a lot of confidence in The Lord of the Rings!"
"It's going to blow everyone away!" Martin declared, his arms outstretched in exaggerated enthusiasm.
—
Beverly Hills
Martin was giving Jessica, Lindsay, and Dorothy a tour of his newly purchased mansion.
"Wow!" the girls exclaimed at every turn.
"Dad Martin, you're so amazing!" Lindsay gushed, clinging to his arm with stars in her eyes.
"Martin, this is my dream mansion, my ultimate goal, and you achieved it at the age of thirteen!" Jessica marveled, her face a mixture of awe and envy.
"This mansion is nice, but my grandfather had one just like it, though his was much older and not as well-decorated as yours, Martin," Dorothy remarked, her excitement a little more restrained.
"Damn, I forgot we have a rich third-generation here!" Lindsay muttered, rolling her eyes.
"I hate old money families!" Dorothy chimed in.
"Really? But Martin's an old money heir too!" Lindsay teased.
"Well, except for Martin!" Dorothy shot back.
The term "old money" refers to families whose wealth is inherited over generations, often accumulated through family businesses. These families tend to live more private lives compared to the flashier "new money" families. Their wealth is typically more stable, built on industrial assets, unlike the rapidly fluctuating fortunes of new money.
In the U.S., the most well-known old money families are the Rockefellers, but even wealthier and more low-key is the Mellon family, who founded Mellon Bank. By 2020, their family assets were valued at $11.5 billion, surpassing even the Rockefellers and Kennedys combined.
Martin's family, the Meyers family, is known for its significant holdings in Mellon Bank and various other banks. However, Martin doesn't consider himself part of the old-money class. He is investing heavily in the emerging internet industry, focusing on the new money that will arise from it.
Despite his family's banking legacy, Martin has little patience for the slow-paced business of old money. For him, wealth comes from innovation, not inherited business practices.
"Wow, what a big pool!" Dorothy exclaimed, pulling Martin from his thoughts.
The massive infinity pool in front of them was stunning, and Martin took pride in it. The pool had been custom-designed for the mansion and was one of the main reasons he bought it. If not for the pool, the already luxurious mansion might not have been worth the investment.
Of course, Martin didn't plan to live in the mansion long-term. His mother didn't approve of it, but Martin needed a place for private meetings with women. As his fame grew, he didn't want to be constantly followed or watched at other people's homes.
"Girls, what do you think of this swimming pool? I designed it myself!" Martin said, beaming with pride.
Lindsay, the biggest fan of Martin, was the first to speak up. "Dad Martin, you're the best! This pool is so beautiful!" Dorothy added, "It's like it's connected to the sky. This will definitely become a trend." Jessica looked at the pool with longing. "It's a shame I didn't bring my swimsuit today. Otherwise, I would've loved to swim a few laps."
Martin laughed heartily. "Don't worry, girls. I've already prepared swimsuits for you all here!"
The girls followed Martin to the dressing room, where he showed them their personal wardrobes.
"See? These three wardrobes are all yours, with clothes for every season," Martin said, with a hint of pride.
"Wow, Daddy Martin, I love you!" Lindsay squealed. She dashed over to her wardrobe, eagerly opening the doors to reveal an array of expensive clothes—suits, dresses, swimsuits, and even lingerie.
"Hey, Dad Martin, why do you have these weird clothes?" Lindsay asked, pulling out a piece of clothing that looked like lingerie, with very little fabric and open pants.
Martin quickly snatched it from her hands. "Oh, that's just a mistake. It's not what it looks like. It's... a rag," he said, stuffing it into his pocket.
It was, in fact, part of an outfit meant for Charlize Theron.
"Okay, okay, you change into your swimsuits here. I'll wait outside," Martin said, trying to cover his tracks.
As he stepped out of the room, the girls started giggling and whispering to each other.
"Lindsay, you didn't really know what that was, did you?" Dorothy teased.
"Of course not! I've seen it in my dad's magazines. Isn't it just... love lingerie?" Lindsay shrugged innocently.
The teasing continued, and Martin couldn't help but overhear their laughter outside the room.
"Don't worry, I'm just making sure everyone's safe," he muttered to himself, shaking his head as he waited for them to finish.
[•———•——•———•]
𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧