Just as Louise was preparing to plan a scandal for promoting the movie, a report that nearly rocked Hollywood appeared on the front page of the New York Post.
Everyone who saw the report was left in shock. Their initial reaction was disbelief, but as they read further, it started to feel disturbingly real.
"Hollywood's Youngest Genius Director is a Lesbian?"
Yes, the report was about Laila!
"Laila Moran has always been regarded as a well-behaved heiress with a good image in the public's eye. Her life story could easily be turned into an inspiring Hollywood movie. She has no vices, and apart from work, it seems she has no other way to spend her time, living a seemingly puritanical life. However, as our reporters dug deeper, they uncovered a shocking fact—Laila Moran, who is already twenty years old and has never been romantically linked to a man, is, in fact, a lesbian."
"There have been two rumors about her in the past, one was confirmed to be a friendship, and the other was confirmed as a one-sided attraction by a certain prince. If even a wealthy, handsome, and powerful prince couldn't win Laila Moran's heart, who can?"
"The answer is simple: women. The young director, Moran, has no interest in men; she prefers individuals of the same gender!"
"This is shocking news, but it is by no means baseless. The report includes several photos, all of the women who have been seen with Laila, and they have all been linked to her romantically."
"The first is Charlize Theron. This beautiful actress, who has often played decorative roles in many films, possesses dazzling and breathtaking beauty. Since her first appearance in one of Moran's movies, her career has skyrocketed. Not only has she taken on important roles, but she is also the lead in a movie entirely dedicated to her, which will be released in theaters next month."
"We won't judge how a decorative role suddenly received such an important role, but this level of trust indicates something unusual. We have reason to believe that this could be a romantic gesture by Moran towards Theron."
"The second is Kelly Clarkson. She gained nationwide fame thanks to two songs by Moran. It transformed her from a regular cocktail waitress into one of America's hottest new pop stars. Let's not forget the music video for 'Call Me Maybe,' where the female lead falls for another man and leaves her phone number for him, indirectly confirming Moran's inner needs."
"The third is Moran's secretary, Demi House. This secretary has a voluptuous figure, a sexy appearance, and beautiful blonde hair. According to insiders, Laila often appears at various events with this beautiful secretary, and they are inseparable. She is our prime suspect as Moran's lover."
"But it doesn't end there. Recently, we obtained a precious photo." The report featured a photo that showed Laila and Naomi's first meeting, where Laila treated the hungry Naomi to a meal.
At the time, Laila was smiling while watching Naomi, who was busy eating, with her chin resting on her hands. However, the way she looked at Naomi seemed to take on a strange meaning when viewed through the lens of the report.
The report sent shockwaves throughout the entire United States. During that time, societal views were far less tolerant than in the future, and in some places, homosexuality was even considered a mental illness. Although people might not openly voice their opinions, deep-rooted prejudices and discrimination against homosexuals were still prevalent.
Both ordinary newspaper readers and Laila's movie fans were extremely concerned about this news. In particular, her fans wished for Laila to come out and clarify the situation.
However, Laila was still in shock, and she had no mood to provide explanations to anyone.
She could already imagine the feeling of receiving the newspaper, and it left her with a sense of exasperation.
Lesbian! They actually called her a lesbian! It wasn't that she had any prejudice against homosexuality—she didn't, especially with her future memories. She didn't see it as an issue at all.
What shocked her was that, at the age of just twenty, she was being labeled a lesbian because she hadn't dated any men. Was there no justice?
In her view, the newspaper report was a load of nonsense. If you don't have your secretary with you when you work, why should you buy a Buddhist altar to enshrine her? She was paying for her secretary's services, not treating her like an ancestral deity!
And what about Charlize Theron? She was a talented actress who had earned her roles. What was so surprising about her playing a lead role in a movie? Being a decorative piece, what's wrong with that? There was a distinction between real and fake value.
As for Naomi and Kelly, they were innocent victims.
Laila was grateful that the fact that she was a shareholder in Victoria's Secret hadn't been leaked, or else, according to their analysis, all the Victoria's Secret Angels would have become her harem...
But what annoyed her the most was Janet. She directly called her to reassure her that as long as there was true love,
she would support her even if she were a lesbian.
Laila didn't even give her a chance to finish her sentence and promptly hung up the phone. She then took out the battery and turned her phone off completely.
If she received any more calls like Janet's, she would probably start spitting blood!
As Louise and Demi entered the office, they found Laila pinching her forehead.
"Boss, are you okay? Do you have a headache again?" Demi asked with concern.
Laila raised her head and was about to speak, but when she saw Demi's face, she immediately turned dark. "Why are you so far away from me? Worried that I'll take advantage of you?" What was with that look of wanting to retreat to the door? Did she have to shout every time they spoke?
Demi trembled under Laila's scolding and took a hesitant step forward, trying to force a smile. "Why would I think that?"
Laila was annoyed by the way Demi looked like she was concerned about her chastity. Even if she were a lesbian, what was wrong with that? She was just a simple visual creature who liked to have beautiful people around her. Did that make her a bad person? If, as their analysis suggested, she was surrounded by men—male secretaries, male actors, male singers—would she be labeled as having questionable morals?
It was utterly absurd!
"Louise, get Walton to send a lawyer's letter to the New York Post. If I don't see a front-page apology from them by tomorrow, they can look forward to going bankrupt!"
With those words, Louise immediately understood that the boss was genuinely furious.