"This is the house you were talking about?"
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, knowing that Laila wouldn't offer anything of inferior quality, Roy was still profoundly shocked when he saw the mansion before him.
Laila instructed him to drive the car into the yard. As they got out of the car, she said, "This is where my father lived. This is my second time here. It's a fairly quiet environment. You can stay here temporarily. If you're not comfortable, you can look for another place."
Roy's lips twitched, and he lifted his luggage, heading towards the house. "I must be an idiot to live somewhere else when I have a place like this!" He decided to remember this favor and make sure to repay her with even more money in the future.
Reynolds was someone who knew how to enjoy life. The inheritance he left for Laila was indicative of that. The mansion, luxury cars, and yachts – were all toys for leisure.
In terms of stocks and cash, they were minimal and almost negligible. The only valuable asset was the Phoenix Company, which was struggling to survive. If it weren't for Laila's aggressive takeover, it would likely have become one of the many bankrupt movie production companies in Hollywood before long.
Laila couldn't fathom how the formidable Janet could be interested in such a man. The only explanation was probably that face. No wonder they said it was a world where appearance mattered. People with high looks seemed to breeze through life with ease.
The house and the yard together covered over 800 square meters, and there were eight bedrooms. Any of the rooms would do. The housekeeping company had done a decent job; even though it hadn't been lived in for a while, it was well-maintained. A little tidying up and it would be ready to move in.
Because Laila wasn't confident in Roy's housekeeping skills, she watched them move their luggage into the new home and then left in the car with her bodyguards. She left the two brothers to arrange their future lives on their own.
Perhaps the memories of their past difficult days hadn't faded from their minds yet. Roy and Abel stared at the house in front of them for quite a while, then exchanged hearty laughter. Finally, they threw themselves onto the soft king-sized bed.
"Abel, from now on, we can live together!" Roy ran his fingers through his brother's fluffy hair, feeling an urge to shout. All the suffering and exhausting training from before seemed to disappear instantly.
Abel sat down beside him and asked, "What about her?"
"Who?" Roy was caught off guard by the question.
"Just now, Laila."
"What about her?"
Abel blinked. "Isn't she going to live with us?"
Roy burst into laughter. "Haha. Forget it, she's an heiress. How could she possibly live with us?"
"But if you two get married in the future, won't you live together?"
"Pfft!" Roy sprayed out, "Don't talk nonsense. How could I possibly marry her?"
"But you like her, don't you?"
Roy slapped his forehead, exasperated. "I don't know how you came up with this ridiculous conclusion, but rest assured, that day will never come! Don't be fooled by how she seems amiable in front of you. Do you know what people outside call her? The Witch! She's a witch!"
"I know," Abel nodded. "Because her first movie was called 'Witch Blair,' and many people started calling her a witch, thinking she has some kind of magical power that makes her movies so popular."
Rolling his eyes, Roy retorted, "That's just the surface reason. If you spend more time with her, you'll understand that she has a heart darker than a witch's. She's unbeatable when it comes to manipulating people, and no one can escape her tricks! Anyway, just stay away from her as much as possible, and don't get conned by her."
Abel looked at him in confusion. "Is that so?"
"It is! Definitely!" Roy nodded emphatically, trying to convey his determination. "You know what? Even the paparazzi, whom so many celebrities fear, are like sheep in her hands. She uses them without them even realizing what's happening! So, just keep your distance from her, and don't ever meet her."
Abel looked impressed. "Wow, she's impressive!"
Roy's voice suddenly choked off, and he stared at his brother in shock. "Impressive? No, no, little brother. That's not impressive; that's cunning!"
"You said the paparazzi are a frightening presence that many stars fear, yet she's able to control them without leaving a trace and use them for her purposes. Isn't that impressive?" Abel countered.
Roy was left speechless by the response. Yeah, if that wasn't impressive, then what was? But he couldn't let him think like this! He had talked about Laila's accomplishments only to warn him to keep his distance. But he seemed to have accidentally opened a gateway to a new world for his brother. This wouldn't do; he needed to bring him back to reality before he warped his thinking.
"Listen, Abel, being human..."
From then on, Roy tirelessly endeavored to correct his brother's worldview, values, and perspective on life. Unfortunately, the results didn't seem as substantial as he had hoped.
So, the next day, what Laila encountered was a Roy with heavy black circles under his eyes, looking exhausted.
"Did you stay up late organizing things? If there's still a lot to do, you can call the housekeeping company again. If you're short on money, I can lend you some. The shooting for the new movie is about to start, and I don't want you to be out of shape due to trivial matters."
Roy shot her a resentful glare and then grumbled, "Thanks to you, I spent the whole night educating my brother! If the education were successful, I wouldn't mind, but the problem is the white cloth that was already tainted. No matter how much I wash it, the stain won't come off."
How could he say such a thing? If he hadn't told Abel about her achievements, they wouldn't have encountered the subsequent troubles. In short, if you don't court disaster, disaster won't happen...
"Rest assured! I'll always be in top shape whenever it's needed!" He forced out the words through gritted teeth, huffed, and stomped off angrily toward the training room.
Laila looked at his departing figure in confusion. "Do men have days like that?"
Demi didn't know how to respond.