The media loves this kind of news, doesn't it?
"The Youngest and Most Talented Hollywood Director Dies Unexpectedly," "In a Fleeting Moment, Her Works Will Reside in Film History," "The Illness Couldn't Take Her Life, but a Plane Crash Could"…
Various media outlets had already come up with catchy headlines and prepared tear-jerking articles. However, they were waiting for the confirmed news of Laila's actual death before they could extensively report on the matter. At the same time, news of Roy being on the plane became more widely known.
On Facebook, countless people visited the accounts of the two and left messages of blessings and prayers, hoping that they would be safe. Some more radical individuals were already talking about attacking the "evil countries," believing that the plane crash was the result of an attack by a nefarious mastermind.
No one had anticipated that the relationship between a film director and a Hollywood star could lead to a potential outbreak of conflict. This was incredibly bad timing, considering that the 9/11 events had already put people on edge.
Furthermore, the media outlets, always looking for trouble and chaos, were eager to give guns to the public so they could get more news that would be profitable. As for Laila, what concerned them more was that if she died, they would lose a never-ending source of sensational stories. They hardly cared about anything else.
For a time, the world's focus had shifted to Saudi Arabia. While this country had maintained a good relationship with the United States for decades, primarily due to its significant oil reserves exported to the United States, it had also been associated with the evil mastermind due to the aftermath of 9/11. It was hoped that inviting the heir to the Moran Media Group, a friendly acquaintance of Prince Al Nadeem and Laila, would help improve the U.S.-Saudi relationship and distance themselves from the evil figure. However, nobody had expected that the person invited would face problems on her way back.
It was clear that if Laila were to die in their country, regardless of whether the plane crashed due to a mechanical failure or any other cause, there would be no escaping responsibility.
As soon as the news broke, the Saudi royal family was terrified. They were worried that they would have to offer substantial incentives to appease the Americans. It wasn't about the money; it was about being associated with the nefarious mastermind. If they could justify themselves, they would loudly proclaim that they had no real connection with that person.
On the other hand, Faiza was smirking while watching the news reports.
What did it matter how powerful she was? She would still die at her hands. Once Laila was gone, the prince would gradually forget about her, and he would become hers. At that point, would anyone remember this woman who had been defeated by her?
"Faiza," Dawud walked in from outside, his expression somewhat grim.
"Father!" Faiza quickly closed her notebook, not wanting him to see what news reports she was looking at.
Dawud gazed at her and took a deep breath. "Tell me, where did your plane go?"
"Father?" Faiza looked at him in surprise. "Is something wrong?"
"Answer me!"
His raised voice startled Faiza, who couldn't recall her father ever speaking to her in such a tone.
"I let someone else use my plane..." she murmured the truth, fearing her father. Before she could finish, she felt a hard slap across her face.
"Father!" She covered her face in disbelief. "You hit me? You've never hit me before!" The fiery sting on her cheek was a stark reminder of how her father, who had loved her since she was a child, had just struck her. "Why? What did I do wrong?"
"You still ask!" Dawud, who had showered her with love for over 20 years, even allowing her to study in the United States and agreeing to many conditions to arrange her engagement to the prince she admired. But what was the result? This child dared to... how could she?
"What did you do wrong? You should be asking what you did! That person is Laila Moran, the heir of the Moran Group in the United States! Do you know why she was invited to our country? How could you attack her?"
"What about the Moran Group?" Now that her father already knew everything, Faiza didn't see the need to hide anymore and asked defiantly, her voice sharp. "She stole my prince! As long as she's in this world, my prince won't care about me! He even went to great lengths to celebrate her birthday, but what about me? On my birthday, he only gave me a diamond necklace, and his assistant even picked it for him!"
Dawud's eyes were filled with disappointment. He felt that he had lavished his adorable and intelligent daughter with love but raised her to be so foolish.
"Do you know how many media outlets the Moran Group controls? It is not an exaggeration to say that they can control the direction of public opinion. She was invited here with the hope that she would represent the American people and understand our country without associating us with that person. But you, you actually... actually!"
He couldn't continue. If it weren't for the fact that one of the flight attendants returning had been seen by him, and he had asked a few questions, he wouldn't have known about the incident.
Seeing that his daughter had fallen silent, he closed his eyes and said in a tired tone, "Do you know what you've done wrong? You did something, and then you let the flight crew come back. Is that not telling everyone that this was a planned conspiracy?"
"But… but…" Faiza lowered her head and spoke softly. She couldn't confess that she cared for those flight crew members. She had handpicked each one from various locations, and losing any one of them would be painful.
"What does it matter? The plane is going to crash into the sea. Even if they want to salvage it later, it won't be so easy. And even if they do recover it, they won't know what the plane has turned into. This is our country, so far from the United States. What can they do to us?" Faiza argued firmly.
When she designed this plan initially, she deliberately ensured that there would be enough fuel for the plane to reach the sea. This way, even if it crashed, it would only land in the ocean, and it wouldn't be easy to retrieve. As for the people who returned, she didn't mention them. How many people knew they had been on that plane?
If it weren't for her reluctance, Dawud would have wanted to slap her face again.
"What can they do to you? That is the United States! Do you think your father, me, is wealthy enough to make the United States show any special indulgence toward us? In the hearts of Americans, a hundred of you wouldn't be worth one Laila Moran! She's 23 years old and has generated billions, if not more, in profit for the United States. What about you?"