January 23.
Billy tried not to let anything truly unsettle him; he remained detached whenever it came to chasing the ambitions the world whispered in his ear. Fortunately, the real world seemed to behave differently for him—a completely new perspective shaped by everything life had taught him, and by performing the role of living itself, one that seemed painted entirely in black and white. Billy's profile ensured that nothing lingered for too long; for some time now, certain thoughts had crossed his mind that were far from ordinary—the idea that his companies could continue growing to the point where everyone would want to use him, and that use itself was a quiet truth of being wealthy: generating wealth for others, from those small fragments where the technology industry once again became a springboard for many.
-Today, you did excellent work. —Guillermo del Toro remarked. —I particularly liked the way you handled that moment. It's a strong script; however, I'd like to shoot a few additional takes from a different angle. -
He was entirely diplomatic, a man who carried diplomacy in everything he did. He was the kind of person who knew perfectly how not to bruise an actor's ego. Calm, composed—perhaps that was part of his success, or perhaps it was his understanding of the pressures actors lived under. He wanted to capture every possible take, as if he himself were an actor striving for the perfect performance, though that performance ultimately narrowed itself down to a single defining idea.
-Of course,e we can. As long as it serves the film, I'll do it as many times as needed. —Billy replied, offering a crooked smile. The film itself was a precise depiction of how a man falls into a woman's deceptions from the very beginning—how everyone has manipulated him in some way, because they need him as a piece in their game. And when one admires the way an escape is crafted, he appears entirely hunted by the complexity of the plot. It was a masterpiece of noir cinema, with a clear and elemental ending, yet this time shaped by a director who might seem out of reach, but who was in truth a diligent craftsman with a critical eye for art—an eye that thrived when faced with works of this nature.
Everything that noir carried in its name was one of the Mexican director's core strengths—he left nothing to chance,e; and so, Billy was perfectly suited to understand the structures of Guillermo del Toro.
-Then I'm glad things are moving in the right direction… We'll begin at night; I feel the night will help us trace different layers within the shots. —Guillermo commented, in his own thoughtful way. The idea was that night revealed truth more clearly—once darkness settled, everything became real. And the added layer of portraying a lover of Elsa Bannister, a man undone by a tragic chain of events after falling under a woman's spell and becoming entangled in her web of connections, gained even more weight when acting alongside Jeremy Irons—it elevated every performance by several degrees.
-Of course, just don't let the cold freeze us all. —Billy added lightly.
-I'll bring small cups of mulled wine. —he replied, well aware of the challenges. And for Guillermo's satisfaction, it was the first time that every actor involved was truly skilled—each stepping into their role with ease. Some approached their characters like controlled politicians, refining their interpretations to remarkable precision, while others behaved like disciplined soldiers, following every instruction he had given at the start of the script reading, which had taken three to five days.
It wasn't a flaw, but the entire set—centered around a rented yacht nearly forty years old, painted in various ways—evoked the spirit of ships from that era. Such a setting could only belong to the wealthiest bourgeois class or to those who were truly rich—members of the aristocracy.
…
Monica adored the fashion of that era almost obsessively. It suited her perfectly, and within the set budget, they tailored four or five dresses for her, along with three swimsuits and three casual outfits, it's true to the women of that time. She favored simple-cut dresses that allowed her figure to stand out beautifully.
-I think a clothing brand could do wonders with a fresh take on retro style. Maybe we should talk about it—create elegant pieces with the highest quality, garments that truly embody excellence. —Billy suggested. For some time now, he had been unable to stop thinking about his next venture. Seeing Monica in those dresses stirred a chain of ideas. Not long ago, he had considered entering the mattress industry—perhaps even the perfume world. The finest fragrances, a company that commands attention—it was all about establishing a structure of control and quality, then expanding into different product lines. Yet he firmly believed that the beauty industry was the true gateway; he only needed the right entry point.
Women were one of the largest markets anyone could aspire to reach.
-I'd like to do it. —Monica said, her wide eyes meeting Billy's. Perhaps she would only do it for him, but she longed to live as they did—and by the year 2000, she wanted to rest, to step away from the film world, to simply live without constant demands. The beauty of a quiet life was something everyone eventually desired, and youth did not last forever.
-But only if you do it with me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the strength to carry it on my own. —Monica whispered, completely open. She never rejected his words, even when they pointed in a different direction, and Billy's restlessness toward any possibility or assumption was a force impossible to ignore.
-Then I suppose we'll move into another sector—one that's already saturated, but perhaps not as much as it once was. —Billy said, pursuing a calculated line of thought.
The next company he intended to acquire was none other than Victoria's Secret—a brand capable of expanding from lingerie into makeup, perfumes, and the deeper desires of women, shaping those desires into identity. Designing a brand built around the ideal of womanhood, then transforming it into something every woman could see herself in. A line for young girls, another for mothers, and another for special occasions—raising quality standards while consolidating technology into a single, unified system.
-Your eyes are shining with ambition—I just hope your answer is convincing enough for me. —Monica remarked.
-Just another one of my ideas on how to step into the world of women. —Billy laughed.