With nothing better to do and a hint of vanity, Laila uploaded a photo of the little leopard to her Facebook and introduced it as her birthday gift.
Soon, a group of onlookers gathered.
"How adorable, a little kitten."
"Come on, that's clearly a big baby leopard, no doubt about it, right?"
"Wow, a birthday gift, and it's a leopard? Laila, where did you go?"
Any animal in its infancy is exceptionally cute, and the fluffy little leopard immediately garnered a lot of attention for Laila. Many people also noticed from the cage background and exotic decorations that she wasn't in the United States.
Laila thought for a moment and decided to take pictures of the place she was staying and share them online: "This is a hotel in Saudi Arabia. I was invited by Prince Al Nadeem. They are very friendly people."
It was just after 9/11, and the entire Arabian Peninsula was viewed as a dangerous and terrifying place in the eyes of Americans, they believed it was full of the henchmen of terrorist masterminds.
"Too dangerous, Laila. How could you go there?"
"Is it really friendly? What if you're being deceived?"
Her online friends were shocked by her "boldness," and many of them advised her to come back quickly to avoid harm.
Laila knew that Prince Al Nadeem had ulterior motives for hosting her with such grandeur. She also wanted to gain some benefits here, so speaking positively about Saudi Arabia and changing people's perceptions was a good idea.
However, going overboard with the praise could make people dislike her, and she might even be labeled as a "beautiful traitor" or something similar. She knew the importance of knowing when to stop, so she only focused on the little leopard.
With her guidance, the audience gradually shifted their attention elsewhere. They started asking about when the dance film she was about to shoot would begin, and who the actors would be, and some even made harsh comments directly attacking her for snatching the lead role from Roy, calling it a shameless act.
Laila didn't pay any attention to the negative comments. She knew Roy's level and how he had gradually convinced the casting directors. Even if people said the harshest things, once the movie was released, Roy's talent would shine through. Why waste time arguing about it?
Unbeknownst to Laila, a conspiracy was brewing around her.
In a luxurious mansion, Faiza was in a state of constant tantrums, smashing things in the room. It wasn't until a middle-aged man in white robes entered that she threw herself at him.
"Father, didn't you see what the prince did? He showed off the gifts he gave in front of everyone!"
"Weren't those gifts all detestable things?" What kind of tricks did his daughter pull that could escape his notice?
Faiza was concerned not about the gifts but the act of gift-giving itself. "He has never put so much thought into gifts for me! Every time, he hands the task to his subordinates, and he doesn't even know what he's giving me!" Who is going to be his fiancée? She is the one we want to spend our lives with in the future!
Dawud affectionately patted her head. "Don't worry, he's still young. When he matures and settles down, he'll see your charm."
No matter how well he spoke, Faiza couldn't pay attention to it at all. "What I want is now. Who knows how long it will take for him to notice me?" She nestled playfully in her father's arms, arching her back twice. "Father, you once said that if I stayed by his side, he would fall in love with me. But up to now, he still doesn't pay any attention to me."
After returning from the United States, she learned that the reason the prince didn't return to the U.S. was that he was tied to the company by his father, and it was called a "trial." This so-called trial was actually a joint scheme by both sets of parents to completely sever the contact between Al Nadeem and Laila over a certain period, hoping that time would erase his feelings for her.
Originally, because Al Nadeem's androphobia did not affect Laila, his father wanted to bring Laila back to marry his son, but at that time, it was rejected by Mr. Oswald. Later, when the prince returned home, his acceptance of women improved significantly, at least he no longer ran away in fear from women and developed a rash at the sight of them.
For a Western girl to become a daughter-in-law or a girl from a well-matched family to become a daughter-in-law was a simple choice for Al Nadeem's father.
Faiza might be foolish in other areas, but her only smart trait was knowing how to act cute, which easily won over the elders. With the engagement set so early, she made Al Nadeem's family very happy.
Therefore, when Al Nadeem's symptoms improved significantly, his father decided to keep him in the company for training. When he had no contact with the outside, he and Faiza could create more opportunities to be together. They said that time would cultivate their love.
Unfortunately, Al Nadeem had never had any feelings for Faiza, even when she was around him all the time, he just thought, "Ah, what a coincidence." That's it.
So after all this time, the distance between them was just nodding in greeting when they met, and there was no hope of him showing more affection.
If it weren't for the trouble the country was facing, perhaps Al Nadeem's "training" would continue for who knows how long. However, after this international image crisis, the royal family believed that using his friendly relationship with the Moran family, one of the top media conglomerates in the United States, would be easier to improve their favorability. That's why they extended the invitation.
Dawud always doted on his daughter. Anything she said sounded like sweet music to his ears. Giving her a few hundred million dollars to make a movie was just a simple matter.
Seeing her crying and throwing a tantrum again, he couldn't help but feel distressed. "Alright, I'll figure it out. Just wait to become the bride."
Faiza smiled sweetly at this. "Father, you're the one who loves me the most. As for the prince, I'll make sure he sees my good side, but as for Laila, you have to find a way to get rid of her as soon as possible! As long as she's here, the prince will be constantly drawn to her, and he won't even notice me!"
Saying such words made her feel resentful, and even if she tried to deceive herself, it wouldn't work. Her request made Dawud hesitant. "We can't do anything harmful to her for the time being. You don't know our current difficulties. It's hard to say if the United States will launch a war against us at any moment."