With Quentin's assistance, she entrusted the money for him to invest, and all of it was transferred to a place he believed wouldn't be threatened by "war" before September 10th. The potential earnings might not be as high as before, but it was much safer.
On the morning of September 11th, Laila woke up early. She had a hard time falling asleep the previous night due to a night of unsettling nightmares, which left her sleep-deprived.
After breakfast, she decided not to go to work, using the excuse of needing to work on her script as a reason to stay at home.
"Laila, are you feeling unwell?" Roy, who was about to head to his dance training class, saw her pacing in the study.
"It's nothing," Laila smiled. "Are you heading out?"
Roy furrowed his brow as he observed her. After spending so much time together, he could tell that something was off with her. This made him regret his recent neglect of her. What had she been going through during his busy period?
Laila remained silent for a moment, knowing that her acting skills wouldn't fool him. She had to find an excuse that wasn't entirely a lie. "It's nothing, just not feeling great."
Roy urged her to sit down. "Is the script not going well? Or is there an issue with the Chicago production crew?"
"The script isn't progressing smoothly," Laila said, appearing troubled. "I promised the comic book fans that I'd choose a superhero to make a movie by the end of the year, but I still don't know who would be the best choice. Do you have any suggestions?"
Roy looked at her for a moment and decided to trust her words. He knew that when it came to anything related to movies, she always demanded excellence from herself.
"I'm not very familiar with comics, only the ones I've seen in TV and movies. I'll buy some comic books and take a look to give you some ideas."
"Sounds good," Laila nodded, then reminded him, "It's getting late; if you don't leave now, you'll be late for your class."
Roy furrowed his brow, then placed his hand on her head and rubbed it. "I'm not going today; I plan to skip class."
"Huh?" That didn't sound like something he would say.
Seeing the questioning look in her eyes, Roy raised an eyebrow. "Well, I've already got the role, and I'm a quick learner. Skipping class occasionally to spend time with my girlfriend won't hurt, will it? You won't secretly report me to my boss, will you?"
His boss was her, so how could she report him?
Laila was finally amused by his antics. "Fine, I won't tell her."
"Great!" Roy got her to stand up and then pushed her out of the study. "Go change, we're going out."
"Where to?"
"You said you didn't know which hero to choose, right? How about we go to that coffee shop of yours? I've heard it's become a haven for comic book enthusiasts. You always praise their coffee, don't you think it's a pity that you haven't taken me there?"
What do you mean I haven't taken you there? He had been too busy to go with her in the first place. Laila nodded in agreement, "Alright, let's go there and relax a bit. I can't just sit at home waiting for disaster to strike."
Since Laila had bought Aiden's coffee shop, it had gained a reputation among comic book fans, especially after she moved some creative elements into the theme park. With Marvel's copyrights and her future knowledge, she had been able to make remarkable profits.
As soon as they entered the coffee shop, they saw Aiden engaged in lively conversations with several customers. When Aiden noticed Laila, he waved to her. "Hey, Laila, what can I get for you?"
Before Laila could respond, everyone in the coffee shop turned their heads. "Oh, it's really Laila!"
"Laila, you're here!"
Long-lost Owen came over, looking excited. However, when he saw the person who had entered with Laila, he froze.
"Roy! That's Roy!" Someone immediately recognized him.
Fortunately, the people in the coffee shop were comic book fans, and their enthusiasm for celebrities was not as intense. Otherwise, they would have swarmed for autographs and photos. This was one of the reasons Laila liked coming here. Despite working behind the scenes, she was often treated like a star, which left her wondering what her fans were really thinking.
"Hi, how are you all?" Roy was naturally outgoing, and even though he had little knowledge of comics, he quickly blended in with the group.
"Don't look; she's a high and mighty princess. There's no chance for any of you."
Seeing Owen staring at Laila with a complicated expression, his friends patted his shoulder to console him.
Owen froze and stuttered, "I'm not... I haven't..."
"Okay, you haven't," his friends said, realizing he wouldn't admit it, so there was no point in pressing further. Some things had to be endured on one's own; others couldn't meddle.
"You're closest to Laila; go ask her who she chose?" For the comic book fans, Laila deciding on a superhero for the movie was their top concern. With so many superheroes in Marvel, even for them, it was a tough choice.
For comic book enthusiasts, Laila's decision to make a movie featuring a superhero had been their top concern since the beginning. With Marvel having so many superheroes, even the avid fans found it difficult to choose one.
Several months had passed, and there was still no news about the movie. Now that Laila had finally shown up, how could they resist asking? It was Owen who had met her first, so it made the most sense for him to be the one to inquire.
Since Owen was the first to recognize her, he was chosen to ask the question, which was perfect in their eyes.
"Alright," Owen naturally wouldn't miss the chance to get closer to her and deliberately put on a hesitant look before approaching her.
"Laila." Standing in front of her, he looked at her exquisite and beautiful face as she turned towards him. Owen almost forgot to breathe.
"Owen, it's been a while," Laila greeted him warmly. After all, he was the one who had introduced her to this place, and she genuinely liked the innocent, young comic book enthusiasts.
Owen ran a hand through his hair. "It's been a while. I wanted to ask you something. Is that okay?"
"Of course," Laila gestured to the nearby seat. "Sit down."
Owen instinctively glanced toward Roy, who returned his gaze, making him feel like he'd been caught in the act. However, he reminded himself that he had a "mission" to accomplish and squared his shoulders.