It wasn't until the skies across the Atlantic Ocean started to brighten that the restless Roy received a call from Laila.
Her voice over the phone sounded slightly hoarse as if she had been talking too much, which made him feel guilty. He knew who she had been busy with and who she had been discussing things for.
"Roy, remember what I told you. Tomorrow, no matter who asks you, you must deny that the person in the photos is you, understood?"
"Okay!" He responded without hesitation. At this point, even if she thought he was useless and asked him to die, he wouldn't frown.
He wasn't a fool. During these few hours of waiting, he had thought through the possible consequences of the situation. Celebrities getting caught in intimate photos wasn't uncommon, thanks to the paparazzi who tirelessly contributed numerous such incidents to the world.
If it was a casual relationship between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman, it would at most lead to some gossip. But if a confirmed relationship was involved, and one party cheated, or if someone in a committed relationship strayed, it would become a sensational scandal for the public to feast upon.
Now, the whole world knew that he and Laila were a couple. In such a scenario, revealing scandalous photos of him with another woman wouldn't just ruin him; it would also tarnish Laila's reputation.
His prompt agreement made Laila sigh. "Don't worry too much. Just treat the upcoming trouble as another shoot. Use your acting skills to make people believe that the person in the photos is not you. Even if everyone doubts it, treat it as baseless gossip. I'll send you some additional details via email, and once you've memorized everything, delete it all, okay?"
"Okay." Roy continued to respond quickly and firmly.
At this point, he really didn't know how else to resolve this mess. That damned photo was undeniable evidence, and even if he denied it, would anyone really believe him?
He had never hated his high level of fame as much as he did now. If he were just an ordinary person, no one would care about what kind of photos he was caught in!
After ending the call, he opened his email to receive what Laila had sent. After reviewing it, he was shocked. He couldn't believe that all of this had been prepared within a few hours. However, if things went smoothly, this information might just help him resolve this trouble!
As the night fell on Laila's side, Hollywood began to wake up with the rising sun. In newsstands and newspaper kiosks across various American cities, newspapers with bold headlines attracted passersby, causing them to pause in their hurried routines. They dug out their spare change, bought the newspapers, and didn't even take them away; they just stood there reading.
"Hollywood's Rising Star Roy Seasonstar's Intimate and Sizzling Photos Leaked – Who is the Mystery Woman?" "Talented Director Suffers Cheating Scandal – Does Roy Love Older Women?" "I Am Roy's Real Girlfriend! – Roy Exposed to Have Been Seduced by Director!"
The news about Roy and Laila had spread throughout the United States in a short period.
When their fans saw the news, their first reaction was: Impossible! A handsome and sexy actor and a talented, elegant woman – they were the perfect match! Moreover, based on their previous interactions, it was evident that their relationship was genuinely good. How could there be any possibility of infidelity?
What infuriated them the most was the report from "The New York Observer," which claimed that Roy had been seduced by Laila. Otherwise, how could a young newcomer to Hollywood land such important roles?
The fans were furious and left comments everywhere, demanding that the irresponsible media apologize and clear the dirty water they had thrown on the two. But as one photo after another circulated, they finally weren't so sure anymore because the person in the photos looked so much like Roy...
Some photos showed Roy changing his clothes, revealing his broad back and solid shoulders; others showed Roy blow-drying his hair, clearly having just come out of the shower...
Although none of the photos captured his face, anyone who liked Roy wouldn't mistake his appearance!
Could it be true that he had really abandoned Laila to have an affair with such an "ugly duckling" of an older woman?
Laila's fans were incensed. Their Laila was wealthy, talented, had a great figure, and was beautiful. Why would she bother with such a hideous old woman who dressed like a streetwalker? To make things worse, she allegedly seduced Roy.
When spoken in such a way, Roy's fans couldn't take it either. Didn't they see that it was revealed that Laila had seduced Roy? They weren't even a couple; they had used dirty tricks to keep him around. Why shouldn't he pursue true love?
In reality, the reason why the fans believed this story was because of a report published in "The Entertainer." Anyone familiar with Laila knew that this newspaper was under the Moran conglomerate, which also acted as Laila's mouthpiece. If they wanted to know more about Laila, all they needed to do was buy it.
However, it was this very newspaper that had published a similar photo today. Although they used a relatively vague title, "Who is this person?" to describe the man in the photos, anyone with sharp eyes could tell that it was Roy!
Even the Moran family's newspaper had published it; didn't that mean the story was true? Otherwise, how could such news possibly be published?
As a result, the fans from both sides engaged in an all-out war on the internet. The incident became even more widely known, and even people uninterested in entertainment news learned about it.
Roy knew that there were reporters outside his house, but he still had to leave. One reason was to return to the company and continue receiving lessons from his trainers, and the other was to complete the task Laila had assigned him. In her words, "This issue is like a festering boil, and if you don't squeeze it, it will only get bigger and more painful."
So, the solution was to pop it, and the pain would only be temporary.
"Mr. Roy, the car is ready," Claire said with an unfriendly look, her usual kindness now completely gone. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew this guy had caused a lot of trouble for her little Laila. He was a real jerk!
"Thank you." Roy smiled wryly, thanked her, and took the keys from her before heading outside.
As the gates of his mansion opened, he drove out, only to be surrounded by a group of reporters.
"Roy, can you tell us who that woman is with whom you cheated?"
"Could you please explain how Moran seduced you?"