Claire was also witnessing such an eccentric person for the first time. Laila's extreme dislike for Prince Al Nadeem was apparent to her, so how had this woman managed to twist things around and claim that he was wrapped around her finger?
"Miss, if you don't leave soon, I'll have to call the security. Trust me, it won't be good for either of us if I have to do that."
Of course, calling security meant contacting the security personnel from AmEx to handle the situation. Such harassment on their premises would be a severe offense. Moreover, Laila had an invitation, while Faiza was merely an accompanying family member. There was a significant distinction between the two.
If a choice were to be made in favor of either of the two, AmEx would undoubtedly side with Laila.
However, there was no need for them to take sides. In the first place, Laila was the innocent party. Even without leaving her premises, she managed to incite animosity. She wondered if her talent for sarcasm had been secretly maxed out.
If security personnel were indeed called, Faiza would first be "escorted" back to her family, and the one who brought her here would be left red-faced. The more important someone was, the more they cared about their image. If others found out that their daughter had been "asked" to leave due to impoliteness, few prominent figures would be willing to endure the covert mockery and ridicule of others.
Faiza wasn't that foolish either; she knew the consequences. If she were sent away, she would undoubtedly face a stern reprimand from her family. Thus, she had no choice but to leave.
Before departing, she left behind a harsh parting remark: "From today onwards, there is irreconcilable enmity between us! I will show you that everything you care about, everything you value, is insignificant in my eyes! Brace yourself for everything you hold slipping through your fingers like water!"
Laila squinted her eyes. With a deep breath, she managed to suppress the urge to grab a chair and smash it over the person who was currently leaving her room.
Anyone who knew her well would recognize that she had fallen into deep contemplation again.
Claire was undoubtedly one of the individuals who knew her best, so she refrained from disturbing her. Instead, she quietly left the room to prepare food for her, leaving her alone in the study.
Laila was indeed contemplating. She knew that with Faiza's unusual thought processes, there was a real possibility that she might target her films or company. And among the limited options outsiders could take, she could easily guess a few. Fortunately, her company wasn't publicly traded, so nobody could forcibly take it away from her.
Hollywood wasn't a playground for amateurs, but if an outsider had enough money, they could still exert some influence. In other words, if that young lady was truly determined to give her a "hard time," there might be an interesting show to watch in the future.
How could she turn this inconvenience into an advantage?
Just like her previous media battle with Cooper, despite the misunderstandings, false accusations, and all the negativity pressed against her, she had managed to turn it all into a significant boost for her films.
Who could have guessed that she was someone who thrived on challenges? Conflict brought drama, drama brought attention, and attention brought box office success. Why wouldn't she enjoy challenges from her opponents?
After lunch, as Laila was about to resume her work, Prince Al Nadeem barged in.
"Laila, what's going on between you and Faiza?"
Laila elegantly wiped her mouth and signaled for the remaining food to be taken away. "Which part would you like to know?"
"How many parts are there?" The prince looked a bit confused.
"Of course. There's the part where she came to persuade me to not accept the polygamy system, the part where she wants me to stop engaging with you, and then the part where she declared war on me to destroy everything I have. Where would you like to start?" Laila counted off each part with her fingers.
She explained in great detail, but the prince seemed even more bewildered after listening. "Why did she tell you all of this?"
"You should ask her."
"What does this have to do with me? I can't even look her in the eye."
Prince Al Nadeem, are you really being sincere here? Laila internally shed a tear of sympathy for the young lady. It was amazing that she was willing to uphold this engagement even though her fiancé couldn't even bear to look at her. If it were her, she would have chopped him into pieces a long time ago, right? No, no, she was a lady. She would have simply shown him the door.
"I have no idea how she interpreted things, but she seems to believe that I'm engaging with you and have intentions to marry you."
"Do you?"
Laila's eye twitched twice. She took a deep breath to quell her urge to grab a chair and bash him with it. "Unfortunately, absolutely not!"
The prince let out a sigh of relief and patted his chest. "Good, good." If he had a fiancée like that, he probably wouldn't be able to assert his dominance in front of her for the rest of his life. He'd have to accept being beneath her.
Laila rolled her eyes. She hadn't expected a dimwit prince like him to reject her. Did he think he was so grand?
"If you have nothing else to say, you can leave!" She didn't want to engage in any more of this "treatment" game.
"Actually, I do." Prince Al Nadeem sat across from her. "If there's any misunderstanding between you two, I think it's better to clear it up. I heard she's investigating your affairs and knows you're preparing to shoot an action film."
"From what she said, it seems like she intends to have someone steal your ideas and compete with your film's release. Faiza comes from a wealthy family, and what's most important is that she doesn't have many siblings. Her parents dote on her and are willing to invest heavily in her. If she's serious about investing a lot of money, she could easily compete with top-tier directors and screenwriters to make a film that challenges your box office performance."
Laila wasn't surprised by this at all. A wealthy young lady like her was likely to resort to such means for revenge. Unfortunately for her, Laila wasn't afraid of challenges in her films.
"Just let her try," she said nonchalantly.
Prince Al Nadeem felt like she hadn't grasped the gravity of the situation.
"She is wealthy. If she's willing, she could even put forward several hundred million dollars to compete with you. I know your films, and the most expensive ones cost a little over ten million, right? She could outspend you tenfold to create an even better film. Why don't you seem to understand?"
Laila shook her head. "It's you who doesn't understand. Pass on a message to her for me—she shouldn't underestimate Hollywood."
Why did she only make films with such low budgets? First, she was short on funds at the time and didn't want to ask her family for more money. Second, she didn't need that much. Achieving more with less brought a greater sense of accomplishment, didn't it?