Louise looked at Laila with concern and said, "Are you too tired? Maybe you should take a few days off."
Laila waved her hand dismissively and replied, "It's okay. If I can't work, I'll have too much time to overthink things. Let's continue; we have a few more scenes to shoot this afternoon."
"Alright," Louise sighed inwardly and resumed the previous topic. "Regarding the publicity for the rumor, the PR department has come up with a plan. Do you have any additional input?"
Laila opened the folder in front of her and saw a list of terms.
First, Roy and Theron were to appear more affectionate in public, and paparazzi familiar with them were to capture photos for media exposure. After that, once the "romance" was exposed, Roy and Theron were to hold a press conference announcing that they had fallen in love while working on a movie together.
The terms of the publicity plan were quite detailed, even specifying when they should kiss when they should appear to be living together, and more. After the movie's release, they would find an opportunity to stage a "breakup," after which they could go their separate ways.
It was a standard plan, following the typical pattern used for creating rumors. Laila was somewhat disappointed; if Roy's reputation were more significant, such a rumor might attract some attention. However, given his current status, even if this kind of rumor surfaced, it would likely be seen as just ordinary gossip by the public. It wouldn't help promote the movie as much as she had hoped.
Seeing Laila's disinterested expression, Louise asked tentatively, "Is this plan not suitable?"
"It's not exciting," Laila replied, tossing the folder onto the table. "I know everyone uses these tactics, but when everyone uses them, why should the public pay more attention to us?"
Louise furrowed her brows. "So, what should we do then?" After reading the plan, she also felt it was rather ordinary and might not have the desired impact.
Laila pondered for a moment. "Have Roy and Theron been informed about this rumor?"
"Yes, we've already told them."
"Do they have any objections?"
Louise hesitated for a moment. "Well, Theron doesn't seem to mind, but Roy seems reluctant. His agent is currently trying to persuade him."
Laila was curious. "Why is he unwilling? Is there a specific reason?" After all, Theron was a stunning beauty, and it was quite common for someone in Roy's position to engage in some close encounters for the sake of a rumor. What was his problem?
Louise shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"Alright, since I have some time now, bring him in. I want to talk to him personally."
Roy, who was having his makeup done, was less than thrilled when he was summoned. "Why do you have to bother me at this time?" His makeup was only partially done, and he couldn't afford to waste too much time if he wanted to finish before the shoot.
Jia Xiaoming, who followed him in, shared a similar sentiment. "Boss, if I don't finish your makeup before the shoot, don't blame me!"
Laila glanced at him indifferently. "What I want to discuss won't take long. I just need a few minutes with Roy."
"What's this about?" Roy asked, slightly annoyed. It wasn't his style to interrupt work with conversations.
Laila didn't beat around the bush. "I heard that you have reservations about the company's plan?"
Roy didn't immediately understand what Laila meant by the "company's plan," but when he saw the document in front of her, he quickly grasped the situation.
"Correct, I don't want to do it."
"Why?" Laila probed.
Roy impatiently waved his hand. "I just don't want to. No need for explanations."
Laila raised an eyebrow. This young man, who had just entered the world of stardom, dared to defy her like this?
"Give me a reason, or else you'll have to do it."
"Why should I!"
"Because I'm your boss, is that reason enough?"
Laila's words left Roy speechless. Indeed, she was his boss, and he owed much of his current success in Hollywood to her support. Even if it meant returning a favor, he couldn't resist her authority.
However, this situation was different!
"You want me to give you a reason? Fine, here it is. If you're doing this just for movie publicity, why don't you create a rumor between us instead? With our statuses, such a rumor would have a much greater impact, wouldn't it?"
Laila smirked, understanding the root of his objection. Roy was willing to play along with a rumor, but he wanted it to be with her, not Theron.
"Creating a rumor between us might indeed attract more attention," Laila admitted. "But it's not the right time for that. Besides, there's another reason why I want you and Theron to be part of this plan."
Roy's curiosity was piqued. "What reason?"
"Because," Laila continued, "using a rumor to generate publicity is the most cost-effective and efficient way for us. Why should we opt for a more expensive method with less return on investment?"
Jia Xiaoming, who had been listening, widened his eyes, feeling like he was overhearing some extraordinary gossip. "Rumor" was such a suggestive word! If it were someone as stunning as Theron, he wouldn't mind a bit of close contact either! But seeing Roy and their boss locked in a stare-down, he realized that Roy was a rare Westerner with principles, and it was rare to see someone willing to stand up to their boss like this.
"Boss, I think you shouldn't push him too hard," Jia Xiaoming interjected, trying to mediate. "We have a saying in the East, 'A melon forcibly twisted open is not sweet.' If he's unwilling, maybe you shouldn't force him."
Laila shot him a glance. "Forcibly twisted melon may not be sweet, but if we don't twist it, we won't even have the chance to taste it. This arrangement is the most cost-effective way for us to generate publicity. Why should we choose a more expensive method with a smaller impact?"
Jia Xiaoming had no response to that, so he could only shrug his shoulders. He had done his best to help Roy, but it seemed that his boss was insistent on this plan.
Roy, too, found himself in a dilemma. He couldn't deny that Laila's plan was efficient, but he couldn't bring himself to accept it either.
"If you're unwilling to give me a valid reason," Laila said firmly, "then you'll have to go along with it."
Roy couldn't help but feel frustrated. He had a strong urge to challenge Laila's authority, but he knew that she had helped him significantly in his Hollywood career. Giving in to her demand felt like returning a favor.
However, this time, it was different!
"If you want me to do it all, why don't you participate too?"
Roy suggested. "With both of us involved, the rumor will have a more significant impact, won't it?"