Chapter 269 — A Moment to Truly Unwind
By mid-April, Christina Ricci remained in Los Angeles to take part in the preparations for Scream, and would soon be heading to Cannes as well.
As a result, she didn't accompany Aaron to New York.
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New York — Manhattan, the Carlyle Hotel.
Aaron attended an upscale reception with Monica Bellucci.
His Dawn Fund had just seen another major boost—its investment in Microsoft had undergone a 2-for-1 stock split, while America Online continued to climb steadily.
Meanwhile, the $10 million he had previously entrusted to Leon Cooperman's Omega Advisors had delivered substantial returns over the past two years.
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"You know," Aaron said with a smile, clinking glasses with her, "you're the most stunning woman in the room tonight."
Monica Bellucci—graceful, striking, and effortlessly alluring—leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"Philadelphia is performing very well overseas," she said.
Having spent time promoting the film internationally, she had witnessed firsthand how strong word-of-mouth translated into box office success.
With $77 million in North America and over $200 million worldwide on a budget of less than $30 million, the film was a clear triumph.
More importantly, it marked a turning point for Monica—she was no longer confined to superficial roles, but had begun establishing herself in serious Hollywood dramas.
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"By the way," Aaron asked, "I heard you've taken on a new Hollywood project?"
Monica smiled.
"Yes, as the lead. It's a horror film from New Line Cinema—In the Mouth of Madness."
"It's directed by John Carpenter, and the male lead is Sam Neill—the star of Jurassic Park last year."
Aaron nodded, though his attention was briefly drawn elsewhere—
Across the room stood Rudy Giuliani, New York's newly elected mayor, who had officially taken office in January.
A former Democrat turned Republican, Giuliani had become the first Republican mayor of New York since 1969.
Since taking office, he had adopted a firm, aggressive stance—prioritizing crime reduction and strengthening law enforcement efficiency.
Under his leadership, the NYPD had cracked down hard on organized crime-linked businesses, from the mafia-controlled Fulton Fish Market to the Javits Convention Center area. Even minor offenses were being aggressively targeted.
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Aaron approached with a friendly smile.
"Good evening, Mr. Mayor."
He raised his glass slightly. "Crime rates in New York have noticeably dropped these past few months."
Unlike Los Angeles, cities like New York and Chicago operated under a strong-mayor system, where the mayor wielded power comparable to a scaled-down U.S. president.
In contrast, cities like Los Angeles and Miami followed a weaker mayoral system, with more authority distributed to city councils.
Rudy Giuliani shook his head.
"I don't think it's enough yet. Right now, we've only implemented a police accountability system—giving local enforcement units and commanders greater authority and operational space."
"I believe local units understand their communities best. That's why they're in the best position to effectively reduce crime."
Of course, while this system had clear advantages, it also drew criticism.
Some argued that it could encourage police departments to underreport or manipulate crime statistics.
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"It's already very impressive," Aaron said calmly.
He didn't oppose Giuliani's approach. In fact, Giuliani's zero-tolerance stance on crime had extended into urban redevelopment as well.
"The large-scale transformation around Times Square is particularly admirable."
Giuliani's vision for Times Square was ambitious—turning it from a chaotic, declining district filled with adult shops and rundown businesses into a modern, high-end commercial and entertainment hub.
The plan included family-oriented retail spaces, theaters, and even studios for MTV.
At the time, however, the area was notorious for poor safety and disorder.
Still, the redevelopment wasn't without controversy. Critics argued that it displaced low-income residents while primarily benefiting large corporations.
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"Aaron," Giuliani continued, "once Times Square is revitalized, it'll become one of New York's defining landmarks. Would Dawnlight be interested in setting up there?"
To realize that vision, he needed major companies to anchor the district.
And Dawnlight—one of Hollywood's fastest-rising entertainment groups—was an ideal candidate.
Aaron nodded.
"Of course. Our Landmark Theatres headquarters is already in Times Square."
"We're planning to demolish the existing theater and build a skyscraper on the site—our New York headquarters."
It was a plan he had conceived the previous year, though delayed due to Dawnlight's rapid expansion—building a new studio in Los Angeles, acquiring the Samuel Goldwyn library, and more.
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As Aaron and Monica Bellucci left the hotel, they ran into Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley.
Having recently emerged from a highly publicized scandal, Michael Jackson appeared somewhat subdued. Meanwhile, his relationship with Lisa Marie Presley had been dominating headlines—they had been appearing together frequently since late last year.
"Let's go," Aaron said, guiding Monica into the car.
"Are they planning to get married?" Monica asked curiously.
After all, the pairing of Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley's daughter had fueled endless speculation—especially since Lisa Marie Presley's divorce wasn't yet finalized.
Aaron shook his head.
"They've known each other for years. As for why they're together… who knows?"
Truthfully, Aaron had little interest in celebrity gossip.
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Monica smiled and kissed his cheek.
"It's been a while since we've seen each other. Tonight… I'll make sure you can properly relax."
Aaron glanced at her, his hand resting lightly on her thigh.
"Once things settle down, I'll take some time to go to Italy with you."
He couldn't afford to show favoritism—he had already spent time in Paris, and earlier that year had traveled to Australia with Nicole Kidman.
Compared to that, he hadn't spent nearly as much time with Monica.
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(End of Chapter)