Especially Demi, the blonde beauty secretary who had been notified as soon as the boss entered, tiptoed around as if she were walking on cat's paws. Ironically, her high heels made loud clacking sounds on the tiled floor, making her wish she could just carry her shoes and walk barefoot.
"What's wrong with the boss?" After Laila returned to her office, the young secretaries in the office gathered around Demi.
It wasn't the beginning anymore. When Laila expanded her business, one Demi was no longer sufficient for her needs. So, she expanded the secretary's office and recruited a few new graduates, with Demi as the lead.
Of course, following Laila's "visual creatures" habit, every secretary she hired was exceptionally attractive. As a result, the boss's office became the favorite place for the single men in the company to hang around.
Demi sighed, "How should I know? She originally said she wouldn't come to the office today, so I have no idea why she suddenly showed up."
"Could something bad have happened to her?"
"I doubt it. Wasn't the halftime show at the Super Bowl a huge success yesterday? I was captivated by Roy once again. How can he be so handsome and sing so well? God must really favor him!"
"Yeah, I agree! When I heard him sing yesterday, I couldn't help but sing along. But what song did he sing, and why have I never heard it before?"
"I read in the reports that our boss personally wrote and composed it. Our boss is so talented; people envy me just for working beside her!"
"But seriously, I want an autograph too, but I don't dare to ask for one! Demi, when can you help us get a few autographs? I admire the boss so much!"
Demi shook her head helplessly amidst the chattering girls, "You guys, don't talk about getting autographs anymore. The boss's signature is very important and can't just fall into anyone's hands. If she finds out your intentions, she might get angry."
"Demi, you're the best. You've been with the boss for so long and can still be trusted."
Little did they know that Demi, just like them, was also anxious when facing Laila.
What they didn't know was that the reason the boss had a stern face was because she wanted to make others feel uncomfortable too. If they walked into her office right now, they would find that their boss, whom they praised as wise and mighty, had suddenly become all smiles, watching TV with amusement as they reviewed the Super Bowl halftime show...
Seeing a group of beautiful girls act like scared chickens because of her stern expression always put Laila in a very good mood.
Forgive her for her mischievous pleasure; there were so few ways for her to reduce stress given her status and position. The only available option was her attractive female secretaries. So why should she be polite?
"Demi, please call Louise for me." After watching TV for a while, Laila instructed Demi to summon someone.
"Sure thing," Demy replied and quickly dialed the phone to call Louise.
"BOSS." On her way to the office, Louise had heard many people saying that the boss seemed to be in a bad mood and was about to explode. But when she entered the office, there was no hint of tension. Laila was smiling even more than usual.
Laila beckoned her over and motioned for her to sit across from her. "How's the progress on the construction over there? When can I start shooting?"
Louise knew exactly what she was referring to. "As long as Janet's costumes are ready, we can start anytime."
"The costumes haven't arrived yet? Have you contacted them?" Laila calculated the time and realized that she had entrusted the costume design to Janet during Christmas, and now it was barely a month later. It seemed like they were working on a tight schedule.
"We've already contacted them. Janet mentioned that it will take about another half a month. After all, the design workload is quite extensive, and the production is intricate." In Louise's opinion, they were spending too much money on the costumes. Each outfit cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the entire budget for costumes alone could have funded several B-list movies in the past.
But when she thought about the film's budget, which had already reached an astonishing 100 million or more, the money spent on costumes didn't seem that excessive.
Laila thought for a moment. Half a month's delay could help cool off the current hype surrounding her. All major media outlets have their eyes on her now, and releasing news about a new movie during this period might get overshadowed by the Super Bowl hype. It didn't make much sense.
"Alright, let's wait for a month then. Let's make it a full month. Try to wrap up the preparations at the studio, and also, get ready for recruiting actors. This time, we'll need quite a few new faces."
Louise smiled confidently. "Rest assured, you won't be disappointed. As soon as we announce that we're making a new movie, plenty of people will want even a small role. You should know what your movies mean to people. Many would even work for free just to appear in your film."
Two years ago, this story would have sounded like a fantasy story at Not Dead Phoenix Company. Who could have imagined that within just two years, the company had gone from the brink of bankruptcy to becoming one of the most profitable film production companies in Hollywood?
Laila nodded, "Give them what they deserve. Don't skimp on the budget. I trust your judgment when it comes to casting. Just go ahead and do it. Oh, by the way, has the new company's logo been completed?"
"It's done. I remember we had it sent over already." Louise glanced at Laila's cluttered desk, rummaged through a few things, and pulled out a file. "Here it is."
Laila opened the folder and saw the image of a fierce white Eastern dragon with outstretched claws on a sky-blue background. Compared to the bulky, menacing Western dragons, the Eastern dragon's form was much sleeker.
The dragon image was more artistic, reminiscent of the carvings found on stones from the Eastern Han Dynasty. Its curves were strong and powerful, giving it an impression of strength and resilience. The sky-blue background was also to Laila's liking; the combination of blue sky and white clouds was always a highly praised color scheme.
"This is it. They did it quite quickly. Let's get someone to work on the opening animation as soon as possible. Our film 'Kill Bill' is scheduled for release in May, and we'll need it for the opening."
As the first film to be released by the new company, Laila wanted everything to be perfect.
"Don't worry, you won't be disappointed," Louise replied confidently.