As more and more related reports circulated, there was growing restlessness among the employees of Laila's company. The phrase "When three people say you're a tiger believe it" started to creep into their minds. Even those who had trusted Laila were beginning to wonder if there was any truth to the rumors about the company's impending downfall and the alleged incompetence of its owner.
However, Laila herself remained unfazed. She looked at the newspapers that Demi had brought with a mischievous smile, reading through them one by one and occasionally letting out a chuckle that sent shivers down Demi's spine.
Demi was the most deeply affected by the situation and was on the verge of a nervous breakdown from all the laughter. She couldn't help but wonder, if the situation was as serious as it seemed, why was her boss so happy?
After all, when everyone was saying such things about a person or a company, wouldn't it be natural to feel upset? Demi had an urge to leave the office, rush to the hospital, and get her eyes checked because she couldn't believe what she was seeing in those newspapers.
"Demi," Laila suddenly spoke up.
"Yes, BOSS," Demi's heart skipped a beat, and she responded cautiously.
"Go ahead and order lunch for me," Laila said, looking up from the stack of newspapers and realizing that it was getting late.
"Sure, would you like me to order from that same restaurant as last time?"
Laila nodded, "Yes, that one. Make sure to tell them I want authentic flavors. Americanized Chinese food won't do."
Demi noted her request in her memo pad. She was surprised that her boss seemed to have such an appetite, considering the circumstances.
"BOSS, is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Nothing for now. You can go ahead and handle your tasks. I'll call you if I need anything."
Demi nodded and was about to leave when she hesitated and asked, "Do you want me to contact anyone else?"
Laila glanced at her, noticing her cautiousness and concern, and couldn't help but smile.
"Do you think I would be upset or feel the need to use the company's resources for damage control because of something in the newspapers?"
Demi's thoughts were exposed, and she felt a bit embarrassed. "No, I didn't mean that..."
Laila sighed softly, "Do you think I haven't heard similar things every time I came to Hollywood? It's like clockwork. Every time I release a new movie, there are always people predicting my failure, saying I've lost my touch. But what's the result?"
The result was that every time she had proved her detractors wrong. Her movies consistently grossed over three hundred million dollars at the box office, and even if that were considered a failure, what kind of film would be considered a success?
"This time will be no different. Those people will realize their mistakes in a few days. Our movie will perform well!"
Laila nodded with a smile. "Exactly, so don't worry. Go ahead and focus on your tasks."
She was used to the media's antics. Every time she released a movie, they would start by predicting her failure, and then when her movie succeeded, they would change their tune. It was a simple switch of their stance, and they had done it many times before.
In this situation, some media outlets that were not specifically targeting Laila were becoming opportunistic. They would join in the chorus of criticism when Laila was down, and then, when she proved them wrong, they would enthusiastically praise her. It was all about adjusting their narrative to suit the situation. In their world, integrity was not a priority.
Laila had seen and experienced too much in her life, and she didn't pay much attention to these "old-fashioned" publicity tactics. Most importantly, she had confidence in herself and her movies. She believed that with the right build-up, her film would soar and display its true charm!
"This world is still too harsh on women," she couldn't help but sigh.
Assuming her film does not have a female protagonist, the energy of the publicity surrounding her scandal with Roy would certainly not have had such an impact. Unfortunately, in the current time, women's positions in Hollywood were still not as high as they should be. Even twenty years later, there was still a significant gender pay gap among Hollywood stars of the same level.
When it came to gender equality, her home country had done a better job. Unlike Westerners who talked a big game about gender equality and women's empowerment while acting oppositely, her home country had made more progress in this regard. It seemed that, in the Western world, actions didn't always match words.