"Laila, I've received some important news, and I thought you should know as soon as possible. If nothing unexpected happens, this news will be prominently featured by many media outlets tomorrow."
The call was from Anthony, who had earned a good position within the Moran Media Group due to his recognized competence by Laila and Oswald. His primary role was to coordinate with Laila's work, handling publicity and promotion. Thanks to being favored by the boss, he also had a significant say within the group.
"News?" Laila asked, her tone sharpening as she set aside the documents in her hand.
"I can't explain it very well. You should check your email. I've already sent it to your inbox."
"Wait a moment." Laila placed her phone aside and opened her email. There was only one unread email, which was the attachment he had sent. After downloading and opening the attachment, her pupils shrank in an instant.
It was a photo. In the foreground, a woman wearing only lingerie was posing playfully in front of the camera, and in the background, a shirtless man was asleep.
Any person who saw such a photo would immediately associate it with intimate activities. In the hands of an imaginative author, this could even become the material for a lengthy (censored) story.
Even if Laila didn't recognize the man in the background, she would think it was a couple showing affection. However, she easily recognized the man even though he was sleeping with his body turned to the side—Roy Seasonstar!
"Damn it!" She immediately understood the gravity of the situation. Even if she managed to take down some of the news outlets, with the explosive nature of this news, just one publication could create a huge uproar.
"I know it's difficult, but with my abilities, I can probably take down two of them at most. However, given the impact of this matter, if even one outlet publishes it, it will be enough to cause a massive scandal," Anthony said helplessly.
Laila was aware that her hopes were unrealistic. This was an explosive piece of news, and she could imagine how many people would stop and buy newspapers with such headlines.
"I understand. What do you plan to do with that photo?"
"Well, it depends on your decision." Anthony naturally wanted to publish the photo in the newspapers. A scandal with a famous person, complete with names and a photo, was a golden opportunity that had fallen from the sky. It would be a shame to destroy the photo.
Laila knew what he was thinking, so she made an unexpected decision. "Do whatever you want with it. After all, so many media outlets already know about it." When there were too many fleas, they didn't bite, and when there were too many debts, they didn't worry. They would handle it as the situation unfolded.
"Alright, I know what to do." Anthony agreed. However, he didn't know how to proceed. He thought that at times like these, photos and news would be treated as confidential and destroyed. He didn't expect to be allowed to publish them.
Should he publish them discreetly or on the front page of the entertainment section? He hesitated, not wanting to upset his boss again, especially since this time, it was about her "boyfriend" being unfaithful.
This was precisely what Laila was worried about. If they hadn't had that previous rumor, Roy's actions would have been a minor issue. She wouldn't have cared and might have even used it as a publicity stunt to boost his popularity. However, now that they were "in a relationship," any such incident would be a genuine scandal, potentially affecting the Moran family's reputation.
Fortunately, it was still nighttime in the United States, and she had received this news in advance. If she had seen it in the news tomorrow, she would have been too passive. She had a few hours to work with, and if used wisely, she might be able to control the situation.
After thinking for a while, she called Roy. She needed to know the truth from him.
"This is Roy Seasonstar. Who's calling?"
When the call was connected, Roy's sleepy voice came through.
"It's Laila."
Hearing that familiar but somewhat chilly voice, Roy immediately woke up completely. However, recalling the recent discord between them, he chose to speak in the same calm tone as her.
"Do you need something?"
"I want to ask you, what is your relationship with the woman who answered your call last time?"
Hearing this question, Roy's expression became somewhat complicated. He had previously refused to answer, but now, in the middle of the night, she suddenly asked again. Could it be that she finally cared about him? Although he still wanted to act a bit spoiled, thinking about her temper, he decided to tell the truth.
"She's a masseuse. I called her to help me with some soreness in my body."
Laila found his answer acceptable and felt that there was no need for deception in this situation. "Do you have any intimate relationships with other women?"
"What exactly do you want to know?" Roy wondered. Her question didn't sound like something she would ask. It seemed more like a question from a genuinely jealous girlfriend.
"Don't ask so many questions, just answer mine honestly."
"No, there's no one! There's no one, okay? Besides filming, I'm always with you. Where would I find the time to have an intimate relationship with other women?"
Laila furrowed her brow. If there were no other people around, what was the story behind that photo?
"Roy, I'm going to send you a photo. Check your email."
At times like this, she really missed the advanced methods of communication in the future. Sending a photo directly via the phone would have been so much more convenient, without all these cumbersome steps.
While she spoke, she sent the photo that Anthony had given her to Roy's email.
After a moment, Roy downloaded the attachment and opened it...
"Shit! That damned woman!" He stared at the screen with a shocked expression. If he couldn't recognize his face in this photo, he might as well buy some spaghetti and hang himself with it!
"What's going on? Why is there this photo?"
Laila pinched her slightly aching forehead. "I'd like to know what's going on as well. Why would someone take a photo like this of you? Who is that woman?"
"The woman is called Keira, the masseuse I mentioned earlier. But I swear I have no relationship with her!" Roy wanted to beat someone up. If he had even the slightest doubts about the woman who took this photo, he would not spare her if she dared to show up in front of him!