Laila flashed a smile. "That's the way to go. Your body is your treasure. If you can't even protect your own safety, how can you strive for a living?"
She wasn't usually one to meddle in others' affairs, and she had little fondness for reporters, aside from finding them useful for her purposes. But seeing this young rookie journalist somehow reminded her of her younger self, prompting her to say a few more words than usual.
"As for your question, I think the 'love triangle' is quite amusing. Prince Al Nadeem and I are friends, and his visit to the United States, as a friend, inviting him to experience an American-style party, shouldn't be such a big deal."
This was the first time Laila had expressed her thoughts to the outside media, and the young journalist eagerly recorded her words. However, he knew that her response wasn't the kind of sensational news the public wanted. Rumors of romantic relationships or scandals would likely attract more attention.
"So, Director Moran, regarding 'The 13th Warrior,' do you think it's the prince's fiancée's way of suppressing your new film?"
Laila furrowed her brow and replied seriously, "Hollywood is the holy land of cinema, where countless filmmakers dedicate their passion and faith. As long as you approach filmmaking with sincerity, the audience will feel your dedication through the film. I simply can't understand why some people always resort to inferior methods for publicity."
Hearing her words, the young journalist's breathing quickened. This was it! This was what he wanted! These provocative statements were what the public needed!
He was so excited that he didn't even realize when Laila's car drove away. But what he had heard was already enough; he believed that with the recording pen in his hand, he could secure a formal position as a journalist.
The next day, the headline in the entertainment section of a certain newspaper featured Laila's response. Although Laila didn't directly name anyone, it was clear from her words that she was referring to "The 13th Warrior" and its alleged malicious publicity tactics.
The journalist who wrote the article was the same one who had interviewed Laila yesterday, but today, he had officially become a full-fledged reporter for the newspaper and received a generous bonus. He was grateful to Laila for this opportunity. Consequently, when he wrote the article, he naturally leaned more toward Laila's side.
In his article, he wrote, "Many people wonder why Director Moran consistently receives lucrative returns for each of her films. Some say she's a genius, others claim she has magic. But how many have witnessed her genuine dedication in her films? Just as she said, if filmmakers invest more energy in their films and focus less on publicity, will we not see more classic films from numerous filmmakers and production companies?"
Reading Jason's article with her byline, Laila couldn't help but smile. She didn't expect that just a few words and a friendly reminder would earn her an ally. If not for the troublesome person in front of her, she believed her mood would be even better.
"Is this how you treat your guests?" Prince Al Nadeem's face darkened as he pointed at the empty table in front of him. Apart from a cup of tea, there was nothing else.
Laila suppressed her irritation. "What more do you want? I can have someone fetch whatever you desire." This was supposed to be her work time, but this prince had arrived at her home uninvited early in the morning. Did he not realize how dangerous it was to wake up a woman with low blood pressure from her bed? And now he wanted to order food!
"I don't need anything," the prince waved his hand dismissively. "I didn't come here for your food."
Laila's eye twitched, and she took a deep breath to control her impending anger. "So, what's the matter with your early morning visit? Isn't there anything you could have discussed over the phone?"
Prince Al Nadeem looked at her, seemingly trying to discern if she was bluffing or had actual work to do. Finally, he sighed and said, "Regarding Faize, I've already had my people convey my intentions to her. While I can't guarantee that she'll follow my instructions, it should at least make her more manageable."
Laila stared at him as if he were an idiot. "This is what you came to tell me early in the morning?"
Al Nadeem didn't like the way she was looking at him. "Is this a small matter? Don't you see how many people are discussing our situation out there?"
Laila was taken aback by his simplicity. "Firstly, there is absolutely nothing going on between you, me, and her. It's just idle gossip from the outside world. As long as we give them some excitement, they'll forget about these matters in no time. Secondly, women become irrational when they're jealous. You don't even dare to talk to her directly, and yet you expect her to follow your wishes?" She could swear on her grandfather's favorite golf club that the woman wouldn't back down; he'd probably intensify her actions.
She had seen people mishandle relationship problems more often than not, but someone like Al Nadeem, who clearly handled it poorly and still came to flaunt it in front of her, was a spectacle she hadn't encountered in both her lifetimes.
With her words, the prince couldn't hide his embarrassment. "So what if I haven't spoken to her directly? You know that..." Even if he wanted to reprimand the woman face-to-face, he needed the courage to stand in front of her.
"Okay, you've said what you wanted to say. Can you let me get back to work now?" Laila had no interest in his matters and didn't want to hear about any more bizarre actions from his fiancée. From the beginning, she had been an unfortunate bystander, and if God truly existed, He should come and take these two monsters away!
"Wait!" Al Nadeem didn't come to her place early in the morning just to exchange a few words. "Aren't you the director? After finishing your film, do you still have work to do?"
"I'm not just a director; I also handle editing work. It's not just about shooting some raw footage," she replied, not wanting to explain in detail, as she doubted he'd understand anyway.
Al Nadeem gave her a skeptical look as if trying to determine if she was deceiving him or if there really was more work.
"Forget it, even if you have work, can't you spare a day? It's Saturday today, and I've come all the way to the United States. Don't you think you should accompany me to see your country?"
"I don't think so at all," Laila replied bluntly. She couldn't comprehend why he thought it was necessary to visit her home unannounced so early in the morning.
Prince Al Nadeem's face couldn't hide his annoyance. After all, he was a prince, and he couldn't tolerate being repeatedly toyed with.
"What do you want then?"
"I want to ask you, what do you want?" Laila had no interest in his affairs and didn't want to know what other bizarre actions his fiancée might take. She had been unlucky enough to get caught up in all this. If God truly existed, He should come and take these two monsters away!