Chapter 419
"Empress" continued to shine with glowing reviews.
Every major film review site was flooded with five-star ratings.
Industry insiders unanimously predicted this movie would shatter box office records.
The final numbers proved them right.
"Empress" grossed 3.6 billion, setting a new benchmark for historical dramas.
Meanwhile, "River Banquet" plummeted after its premiere.
It barely scraped together 180 million at the box office.
Richard Lowell had prided himself on lavish productions.
From costumes to actor salaries, no expense was spared.
A-list stars alone devoured most of the budget.
These dismal returns spelled financial ruin.
Investors bombarded his phone.
"Mr. Lowell, this is a catastrophic loss!"
"Wasn't 'Empress' originally offered to you?"
Richard's hand trembled around his phone.
He'd bragged about it at that ill-fated celebration.
Sophia had urged him to abandon "River Banquet," promising a superior script.
He'd congratulated himself for ignoring her.
How laughable that seemed now.
Lowell Entertainment, mired in scandal, had pinned its hopes on this film.
With its failure, the company sank into irrelevance.
And the architect of its downfall?
The daughter he'd disowned.
Strangely, he couldn't summon hatred.
The gulf between them had grown too vast.
Only awe remained.
Richard imagined an alternate reality.
What if he'd treated Sophia with kindness?
"Empress" bore Gavin Croix's name.
Had he not severed ties, that glory would be his.
3.6 billion.
The industry's pinnacle.
The mere thought made him dizzy.
Regret surged like a tidal wave, gnawing at his heart.
A metallic taste flooded his mouth.
Blood sprayed across his desk.
Darkness swallowed his vision as he collapsed.
"Richard!" Victoria's scream pierced the air.
Nathan and Daniel rushed in, frantically calling an ambulance.
Doctors ran tests at the hospital.
"Stress-induced syncope," the physician concluded. "No permanent damage."
Victoria dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
"Three days' observation recommended."
"Avoid emotional triggers after discharge."
She nodded vigorously. "We'll make sure of it."