Laila thought for a long time and finally decided to tell Roy about this matter. She didn't mention Jia Xiaoming's request; she just told him about the prince's invitation and shared her thoughts, seeking his advice.
In her view, if she were to accept the prince's invitation, her safety should not be an issue. At this critical moment, the royal family would surely put all their efforts into welcoming and protecting her. If it was a private plane, she could discreetly send Jia Xiaoming's associates back to the United States.
What he said implied there was no danger, and he must have considered that.
Roy's first reaction to her words was that it was too dangerous over there, and she shouldn't go. Of course, the danger he was thinking of wasn't a monstrous demon but Al Nadeem himself. He had known from the beginning that the prince was pursuing Laila, and now he was extending this invitation. How could he let her go on such a date?
But seeing Laila's expression, it seemed like she was very interested in this invitation. He didn't know much about the film industry or box office numbers, but he knew that her safety was more important than any amount of money.
"Laila, I think you should listen to Mr. Oswald's advice." Roy knew that expressing his opposition wouldn't get through to her. Even if she were to listen, he didn't want to be the one to clip her wings. So, he decided to let the "bad guy" role fall to the old man. He thought she would be more receptive to what he had to say.
"I don't want them to know." Laila felt that the old man also had his own connections in certain places, and to understand this invitation, he might share some information with a few old friends. If he were to discover something during that time, it might make him worry, and she might lose the opportunity to repay Jia Xiaoming's favor.
"They are your family, the people closest to you in this world. And this matter is very important. Do you think you can keep all of this from them? I can see you want to go, and I believe the old man can provide you with some advice in this regard."
She initially wanted to keep it a secret, but in the end, she would have to report to the old man. This made Laila somewhat frustrated and amused. They say that having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. The older generation has a wealth of experience and can be a guiding light in critical times.
What she didn't expect was that the old man didn't say much, but her mother, who had been eavesdropping outside the door, burst in and adamantly refused to let her accept the invitation.
"No! Absolutely not! It's too dangerous!" When a rabbit is in a hurry, it may bite. Janet was like a protective mother rabbit, and she couldn't bear to see her precious child jump into the fire pit. "I could see that something was wrong with Laila just now. I couldn't have imagined it was because of this!" She pounded on her father's big desk with both hands. "Dad, you have to tell her, this is absolutely not happening, I won't allow it!"
Oswald's face hardened. "Leave the room."
"No! I'm staying here!" Janet wouldn't leave. She could see that if she left, her daughter would really go to that terrible country, and she absolutely wouldn't allow that.
"Roy, do you also think the same way?" Faced with her father's expressionless face, she could only turn to the only person who might be on her side.
Roy glanced at Laila and then smiled. "If Laila doesn't want to go, she wouldn't be asking this question. If she wants to go, I'll go with her." His implication was clear: if she goes, he goes; if she stays, he stays.
Laila met his gaze, first slightly surprised and then softened. Perhaps in this world, the person who understood her the most was him. If he hadn't pointed it out, she wouldn't have noticed such an obvious fact. If she didn't want to go, why would she be so indecisive about the choice? If she was hesitating, it meant she wanted to go, didn't it?
Janet was speechless. Although she didn't want to admit it, what Roy said made sense. What should she do?
She wanted to say more but was taken away by the smiling Roy, leaving the room for the father and granddaughter.
After the study door was closed, the room finally became quiet.
The old man looked at her and said, "You have a good eye; Roy is a good man."
Obviously, Roy's words just now had impressed the old man. He didn't care about his granddaughter's husband being wealthy or talented; those things weren't important. About his daughter, he only hoped that the man standing by her side would take responsibility and love her for a lifetime. Now it seemed that Roy was genuinely in love with Laila.
What pleased him even more was that Roy was willing to stand by her side in times of danger. Having such a heart was proof of the value of this relationship. When he insisted on marrying a woman from an Eastern country back in the day, if he hadn't remained true to his principles, how could he have achieved lifelong happiness despite numerous hardships?
Laila was somewhat uncomfortable discussing her relationship with her elders. She coughed lightly in embarrassment and said, "Grandfather, about..."
She hadn't finished, but the old man suddenly changed the topic. "The stock market has fallen sharply this time."
Laila was taken aback but understood his meaning. "Yes, the events of 9/11 have made many people afraid. Panic selling stocks will result in everyone losing their investments. Fortunately, I got out early."
"What are your thoughts?" he asked.
Laila thought for a moment and said, "This is a good opportunity to buy low."
Oswald looked at her, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, but he sighed, "Unfortunately, you played it safe."
This sudden comment made Laila understand. Her grandfather was lamenting that after listening to her "hunch," he had only moved a portion of his investments in the stock market, and the rest had been caught up in the current market downturn.
Though it was only a portion, judging by her grandfather's tone, it didn't seem to be a significant loss. This meant that he genuinely trusted her based on her unreasonable intuition. She felt grateful for this trust.
"Thank you, Grandfather. Thank you for this trust."
"Alright, now go out and save your mother from worrying about what I might do to you," the old man waved her away impatiently.
"Huh? Just like that?" What happened to discussing the matter of going or not going? Laila was stunned.
"What else do you want?" The old man huffed. "Do whatever you want to do. With me behind you, what could possibly go wrong?"
It all comes down to a matter of perspective; the more you see, the more you understand. This invitation is actually a good thing. Someone like him, who has built the family business from the ground up, didn't come through the early stages without a few stains on their conscience. What kind of monsters and devils haven't they seen? What sort of conspiracies and schemes haven't they encountered?
In times of crisis like this, there often comes greater profit. As the heir of the Moran family, if she lacks the courage for even this, how can she bear the Moran name?