Chapter 103: Winona's Vacation at the Estate, Album Revenue Split
[Chapter 103: Winona's Vacation at the Estate, Album Revenue Split]
The next morning, before dawn, Linton was woken up by Sharon Stone's sucking.
Seeing Linton awake, she said, "Darling, how about a morning workout?"
Linton, naturally brave and fearless, jumped into action, starting a fresh round of passionate encounter.
They didn't leave the room all day. Meals were delivered by the hotel, and besides resting, they kept indulging in their intimate battle, leaving each other with unforgettable memories.
On the morning of September 7th, Linton reluctantly said goodbye to Sharon and promised to meet again for another round soon.
There's that saying, "Don't miss out on good women; don't let bad ones go," which Linton found quite reasonable.
Sharon Stone's fame was no joke -- much higher than Sophie Marceau's -- and in just two days, Linton had advanced a lot in his skill.
...
While Linton enjoyed his blissful time, Halle Berry and Tyra Banks were furious. They had planned a fun weekend with Linton but couldn't find him anywhere.
Calls to Linton went unanswered; his assistant Meena and bodyguard Danny had no clue either. Both women vented their frustration at Sharon Stone.
After learning about Linton's schedule for next week, their anger only grew, but they couldn't do much -- just silently vowed to take the initiative next time.
---
Following the itinerary, Linton continued promotion and chart battles, concluding the last event in Philadelphia at 11 p.m. on September 11. On the morning of September 12, he flew back to Los Angeles.
The promotional results were excellent. The Billboard chart showed B What You Wanna B had already claimed the number one spot, and the soundtrack album sales saw a significant boost.
---
Meanwhile, Mira brought good news. Pepsi negotiations went smoothly, securing a $5 million per year endorsement deal for three years, waiting for Linton to return and sign.
They were also interested in using Taste The Feeling for promotion and hoped Linton and Universal could quickly start collaboration talks.
---
Winona Ryder had been waiting for him in Los Angeles. It had been half a year since they last met. The treatment he provided was close to expiration and really needed another session.
Winona had taken the female lead in the film Bram Stoker's Dracula earlier this year. Shot in London, the production faced many delays, finally wrapping up by the end of June.
At that time, with Linton busy promoting Step Up and having rumored flings with Naomi Watts, Winona held back from meeting him.
Last week, they did some reshoots in London, finally concluding filming.
With the Step Up promotional period over, she couldn't resist calling Linton to arrange a vacation at the estate.
Back at the long-missed estate, Linton had Danny drive discreetly, avoiding paparazzi to pick up Winona.
...
Originally, Linton planned to give Winona a tour of the estate but didn't get the chance. Winona pulled him straight to the master bedroom and initiated passionate warfare.
As she put it, her body had been starving for too long and she simply couldn't hold back.
...
After two hours, during a break, Linton joked, "Seeing how hungry you are, why didn't you have sex with other men these past six months? Your cast probably has many handsome guys?"
"I wanted to," Winona said softly, "but somehow, despite their good looks, I just couldn't find the feeling. There was no passion or fun. Maybe you're just too amazing. I'm hooked on you and can only rely on you now."
"That's even better! You belong to me, so don't think about other men. My doors are always open for you," Linton said shamelessly, secretly delighted.
"But you're a player. So many women surround you. Can you publicly announce that I'm your girlfriend?"
"Cough, cough, that won't do. It wouldn't be fair to other women. Besides that, I'll do my best to satisfy you."
Linton felt a bit awkward but knew he had to be firm, avoiding sending the wrong signals.
"I knew you're a bad boy. Fine, I won't trouble you. Who asked you to be so irresistible? Besides, I can't fully satisfy you alone. But you have to promise me one thing -- every month, we have a date and a passionate encounter, or I won't survive."
"No problem. I can promise that," he replied.
"That's more like it. Now get up and show me around your estate."
...
After freshening up, Linton led Winona on a tour of the estate. The beauty and luxury fascinated her.
Seeing Naomi and Cameron each had a guest room, she immediately said, "I want a room too."
Linton let her pick, having Amy help with the decorations. Winona declared that she would spend the whole next week at his estate for the vacation.
During the weekend, Linton stayed with Winona. Using his Soul Induction ability, he treated her once more, ensuring she wouldn't suffer from depression or withdrawals for at least half a year.
---
On Monday, Linton brought Henry, Mira, Robert, and Mary to Daniel's office at Universal Records to settle the second income installment from Linton's debut album Grow Up and the first income from the Step Up movie soundtrack.
Normally, the soundtrack started selling in August, so this quick settlement was unusual.
But with Daniel as president, special arrangements were made. Shania and Lisa also came with their managers and accountants, all smiling.
...
First was Grow Up's second phase royalty share, from early February to the end of August.
In North America, the album sold 3.12 million copies, $14.80 per copy; overseas sales were 4.1 million copies at $13.60 each.
According to the agreement, Linton got 22% royalties.
His personal share was ((3.12 million * $14.8) + (4.1 million * $13.6)) * 0.22 = $22,425,920.
...
Second was the Step Up soundtrack's first royalty share till end of August: 2.81 million copies sold in North America and 2.67 million overseas, both $16.99 per copy.
Linton's share came from 12% songwriting plus 7.059% singing royalties (17 songs total, 8 solo, 4 duets).
His personal cut was ((2.81 million * 16.99) + (2.67 million * 16.99)) * 0.19059 = $17,744,920.
...
Third was the licensing fees for Grow Up's 13 songs across various uses: TV, sports arenas, universities, nightclubs, competitions, malls, commercials, totaling $5.32 million.
With 22% royalty, Linton earned $1,170,400.
...
Fourth, the studio share from Step Up soundtrack: same sales as above, his studio got 20% of movie merchandise revenue.
Studio's share was ((2.81 million * 16.99) + (2.67 million * 16.99)) * 0.2 = $18,621,040.
...
Additionally, there was some income from song licenses tied to the Step Up movie which premiered on August 7.
Licensing had just started but with the movie's success, expects continued strong performance. So far, $960,000 generated, but due to complexity, they decided to settle it next time.
...
Summing up, Linton's total personal income this time was $41,341,240.
Payments made: $2,480,474 to WMA, $413,412 to Henry Henry, netting $38,465,554 for Linton.
Studio earned $18,621,040 from movie merchandise.
All documents were pre-verified by Henry, Mary, and others. Linton, Robert, Lisa, and Shania signed each file.
Daniel poured champagne and handed glasses around. "Cheers to a great cooperation."
"Cheers!"
"To our success!" everyone toasted loudly with joy.
*****
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