Chapter 390: Jessica's Ambition

As the credits rolled and the music swelled, Wallace Lee leaned back in his seat and joined the rest of the theater in spontaneous applause. It was an unquestionable masterpiece. Even to a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts like him, The Fellowship of the Ring was destined to become a classic that would leave an indelible mark on cinematic history.

They were both graduates of the Film and Video program at the California Institute of the Arts. Why could Duke direct such a masterpiece, while he was left floundering in the independent film scene with no foreseeable future?

Because his seat was deep in the row, Wallace Lee didn't stand up immediately. Instead, he found himself recalling the past.

He and Duke Rosenberg had graduated in the same class from the Film and Video program. While they weren't exactly close friends, they knew each other extremely well.

Back on the California Institute of the Arts football team, Duke had been the quarterback, and Wallace had been his seamlessly coordinated running back.

After graduation, however, the two had chosen entirely different paths.

Duke dove headfirst into the commercial film industry and quickly achieved success.

Harboring dreams of art cinema, Wallace had entered the independent film scene, hoping to hone his craft and forge an artistic path.

Yet, while dreams were beautiful, reality was cruel. Newcomers certainly found more opportunities in independent film, but the scene was infinitely more chaotic than the mainstream commercial industry. If his self-control hadn't been strong enough, he would probably be a junkie by now, perhaps even locked up in rehab.

Last year, he left the independent film scene and returned to his hometown of San Francisco to reconsider his future.

Perhaps it was time for him to make some changes too. Take The Fellowship of the Ring—it was clearly a massive commercial blockbuster, but who could deny its artistic merit?

Wallace Lee was among the last to leave the theater. Near the exit facing the hallway, he spotted various The Lord of the Rings merchandise hanging on display racks: the Evenstar Pendant, The One Ring Necklace, action figures of the main characters, the Sting Sword Model, the Troll Figurine, and more.

It was rare for him to be so moved by a film that he actually wanted its merchandise, but there were far too many people crowding the concession area. Unable to squeeze his way through, he had to leave the theater and head for home.

He had barely stepped onto the street when he noticed a massive neon sign diagonally across from him, depicting nine Ringwraiths rearing their steeds and brandishing swords. He found himself walking over. It was a shop dedicated to movie merchandise. Through the thick glass storefront, Wallace could see all sorts of products related to The Lord of the Rings.

Entering the shop, Wallace realized it was quite packed here too, with dozens of customers browsing. Fortunately, the self-service store was spacious enough that it didn't feel overly crowded.

He only picked out two items—a premium Evenstar Pendant and The One Ring Necklace—spending a total of $199!

Even though he didn't work in the commercial film industry, Wallace Lee knew that The Fellowship of the Ring was practically guaranteed to make a fortune on merchandise.

The voices coming from the cash registers only proved his point.

"One Evenstar Pendant, one The One Ring Necklace, one Troll Figurine, one Legolas Action Figure, and one Sting Sword Model. That comes to $325. Thank you!"

"This is the limited-edition Gandalf's Wizard Hat, $366!"

"You have excellent taste, miss. This is Queen Galadriel's Veil, crafted from materials sourced from the ancient East. It's only $299!"

Listening to this, Wallace Lee pulled a newspaper from his pocket and slowly unfolded it. It was a job listing in the Los Angeles Times: Duke Studio was looking to hire an experienced assistant director!

Wallace Lee's departure didn't draw any attention from the clerks. As more midnight screening audiences poured out of the nearby theaters, an increasing number of people flooded into the store to buy their favorite merchandise.

"Store manager..."

A Latino clerk walked over and said to Zhou Xin, who was standing behind the cash register, "A few shelves are almost empty. We need to restock!"

"That fast!"

Zhou Xin was a bit surprised. He turned to the person next to him and said, "Yang Ge, I can't chat right now. I need to get to work."

Yang Ge stood there, his eyes slightly glazed. The scene inside the store completely defied his imagination. These beautifully crafted and exorbitantly priced items—whose actual manufacturing costs were quite ordinary—were overwhelmingly popular. The moviegoers who had just finished the film were buying them without a single thought for their actual value or the state of their wallets.

These people were even more extravagant than he was!

He even overheard a few people swiping their credit cards declare that they would rather gnaw on dry bread for two months just to buy their favorite pendants, hats, and figurines.

These people, driven wild by a movie, simply couldn't be measured by normal commercial logic!

Standing behind the counter, he noticed that the two open registers couldn't keep up with the rush. The cashiers were reduced to mechanically scanning, swiping cards, taking cash, and handing back change, while the line of customers waiting to pay only grew longer.

Just then, the owner, Ke Peng, emerged from his office and personally stepped behind the third register. Being perceptive, Yang Ge quickly went over to help out...

Nearly an hour later, the store saw out its last customer. Yang Ge felt like he was about to collapse from exhaustion. He stood with his hands on his hips, panting heavily.

That was a truly insane sales peak!

"Boss."

Once the clerks closed the store doors, Zhou Xin announced loudly, "The sales numbers are in!"

Looking at the bare shelves, boss Ke Peng wore a faint smile. Even without the manager saying a word, he knew it had to be a spectacular figure.

Sure enough, the number Zhou Xin read out instantly invigorated everyone's exhausted spirits.

"From the end of the movie until now, a total of 932 customers made purchases, bringing our total sales to $113,899!"

"What?" Yang Ge couldn't believe his ears.

True, to someone from a wealthy background like him, that amount of money wasn't a big deal. But this was the middle of the night, and it was the revenue from barely an hour of sales!

The smile on Ke Peng's face deepened as he declared loudly, "Double pay for everyone tonight!"

Even without seeing the film himself, it wasn't hard to conclude that the movie was phenomenal based on tonight's explosive sales. This frenzy was only the beginning.

Once the store was locked up, Yang Ge followed Ke Peng toward the parked cars, his gaze repeatedly sweeping across the other man's face.

He was a bit older than Ke Peng, and his curiosity finally got the better of him. "Why have your chain stores risen so quickly? Do you have a secret?" he asked.

"Of course I do!" Ke Peng had no intention of hiding it, saying directly, "Every year, the key movie merchandise my stores push is tied to Duke Rosenberg. 'Made by Duke Rosenberg'—that's the secret to my success!"

His chain of stores needed capital to expand.

"Yang Ge, are you interested in investing?" he asked.

As the night deepened, even the bustling city of Los Angeles gradually fell quiet. In a luxury suite at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel, Ivanka Trump pushed open the window. The oncoming night breeze dispelled the lingering stuffiness, bringing waves of refreshing coolness.

After gazing down at the Los Angeles nightscape, Ivanka returned to the computer in her room and refreshed Duke's personal website. Likely because the midnight screenings had ended, far more people were leaving their viewing impressions in the comment section.

"A Duke production truly lives up to its name! The sheer impact of The Fellowship of the Ring, its magnificent sound design, exquisite visuals, and unparalleled imagination—everything about it was incredibly moving! Honestly, there's no need for excessive praise. If Duke Rosenberg made it, it's guaranteed to be a masterpiece!"

Ivanka curled her lip. "Brainless fans!"

Despite what she said, deep down she found these brainless fans incredibly endearing.

"While delivering grand visuals, the film doesn't lack magical elements, and the psychological depictions within the epic conspiracy are particularly captivating. Sacrifices and deaths pave the way for an extraordinary journey, and numerous details lay the groundwork for what's to come. The Fellowship splitting up at the end leaves you anticipating even more! I also have to mention that the score is epic and awe-inspiring!"

"Director Duke Rosenberg didn't just give us a great story; more importantly, he transported us to the magical realm of Middle-earth! The sweeping panoramas and camera sweeps across towering cities and castles showcase unrivaled imagination! Furthermore, Ian McKellen's portrayal of Gandalf is astonishing, and Elijah Wood's Frodo is the most unexpected surprise. Their smart, distinctive performances prove once again just how brilliant Duke's eye for casting is! Without a doubt, this film is a unique, charming, and undeniable first chapter to an epic trilogy! I believe the future will be even more incredible! I can't wait for The Two Towers and Return of the King!"

"There are so many gorgeous men and women in this movie, not to mention the beautiful scenery. Just looking at the handsome men, the angels, and the landscape shots is enough to make the ticket worth it..."

"Alessandra Ambrosio's look was so beautiful..."

After scanning down a few more lines, Ivanka simply closed the webpage. She stared blankly at the computer for a moment, checked the time, and then dialed Tina Fey's number.

"Still awake this late, Evie?"

The other end of the line was clearly still in work mode. Knowing how busy Tina Fey would be on a premiere night, Ivanka didn't beat around the bush and directly asked the question on her mind: "Are the midnight box office numbers out yet?"

She had heard Tina Fey mention that the North American Theater Alliance had long since updated their computerized ticketing systems. While precise figures would take some time, a rough estimate could be obtained very quickly.

"Take a guess!" Tina Fey was clearly in an excellent mood.

Having worked alongside Duke for a long time, Ivanka had some understanding of the situation. She quickly asked, "Did it break the record?"

"Correct, darling!"

Tina Fey read out a figure over the receiver: "The rough box office estimate is $9.5 million. The actual number should land somewhere between $9 million and $9.5 million. Duke broke the record again!"

"Is he asleep?" A beautiful curve unconsciously formed at the corners of Ivanka's lips. "Congratulate him for me."