Another day passed, and the serialization continued. This time, the report was about her film "Chicago."
Readers were indeed very interested in it, and many people flocked to Laila's Facebook page, wanting to learn more about the movie and hoping for an early release. Some even suggested that Roy should post a dance video to prove his skills.
That was a good idea, and Laila immediately tasked a dance instructor to create a cool and sexy dance routine for Roy. When the video was posted on Roy's Facebook page, his fan base grew rapidly, easing the concerns of those worried about his dancing skills.
Another day passed, and Laila's statements about "Iron Man" were revealed. This report didn't go down well with comic book fans.
Why did they go through all that trouble and planning only to cast an addict like this to portray their beloved Iron Man? And to claim that it was her vision of Iron Man? The comic book fans wanted to ask, just how undesirable was Iron Man in her vision?
Protests grew louder, which surprised many, including Laila. She found it strange; in her previous life, there hadn't been much opposition. Why was it blowing up to this extent now?
"Could someone be messing with us behind the scenes?" Roy, who had learned much about the industry during his time in Hollywood, suggested. He had seen the dirty side of things on various sets and knew that the industry wasn't as beautiful as outsiders imagined. He knew that he would have been a victim of an infidelity scandal had Laila not reacted quickly back then.
"Maybe," Laila shrugged.
She had always felt that there were hidden hands at play. Not just in Roy's case, but in many other situations, there had been manipulations and tricks happening behind the scenes. She had initially thought it was Cooper, given his influence in Hollywood. But with her rise, the people who dared to oppose her were beyond what Cooper could afford.
"Don't worry about those things. Just focus on making your movies. Lately, you seem more relaxed. Have you noticed?" Laila changed the topic and tried to keep him from getting too involved. He was destined to be a big star, and as long as he enjoyed the spotlight, she would handle the behind-the-scenes matters.
In her previous life, she couldn't help the people she cared about, but in this life, she had the power to make sure no regrets from the past happened again.
However, Roy didn't see it the same way.
He looked at her with a displeased expression. "Laila, you can't keep pushing me to safety whenever something happens. I understand you want what's best for me, but have you considered my feelings? Always being sidelined by the woman I love, watching her work while I can't do anything. Do you think I'd be truly happy even if you resolve everything?"
Laila blinked in confusion. "I didn't mean to push you away."
"Yes, you did!" Roy grabbed her shoulders, his forehead almost touching hers. "What am I to you?"
"Boyfriend?" Laila tentatively replied, feeling uneasy with his sudden seriousness.
Roy's anger flared, and he squeezed her shoulders tightly. "Why do you use a question?!"
"Okay, boyfriend!" She quickly affirmed in a very solemn tone.
Roy sighed, feeling that he couldn't stay mad at her. The fury that had risen earlier had dissipated significantly, and he couldn't bring himself to reprimand her.
"Listen, Laila! I'm a man! I can't stand by and watch the woman I love take risks while I can't do anything. Ever since we got back from the desert, do you know how many times I've woken up from nightmares? Every time, I dream of you and me dying in the desert, becoming a pile of sand. I'm scared, terrified that the next time, I won't be able to protect you."
That incident had genuinely terrified him. He couldn't bear to think about what would have happened if he hadn't remembered the GPS on her. How long could she have lasted in that desolate place with a high fever? The thought of her being so close to death, within his sight, hurt him deeply.
"Alright, I understand," Laila said, reading the suppressed pain in his eyes. She felt like she had done something unforgivable, making him so miserable. "I'm sorry; I was wrong."
"Do you really know what you did wrong?" For some reason, Roy found it incredible that she readily admitted her mistake. "Well, tell me, where did you go wrong?"
Laila was puzzled and lowered her head, pondering where she had gone wrong. Where had she made a mistake?
Roy could tell from Laila's reaction that she didn't have a clue about what was happening. The anger within him flared up once again. He knew that she had no prior experience with relationships or feelings for anyone, probably because she had spent more time in the hospital than at home since childhood, which left her lacking in emotional experiences.
"Laila..." The housekeeper walked in and saw the two of them talking. She said, "I'm sorry, I can come back later."
Laila waved her hand at the housekeeper and said, "It's fine; you can go ahead and speak."
Roy realized that he wouldn't be able to continue the conversation, so he cast her a resigned look and gave up the study for now.
"Do you need something?" Laila asked the housekeeper as she entered.
"Yes, I just received a call from Mr. Oswald. He mentioned that your phone was switched off and asked me to relay a message for you to come back home soon."
Laila took out her phone and saw that it had indeed shut down. "I probably forgot to charge it. Okay, I'll go back this weekend." She paused for a moment and then asked with curiosity, "Did Grandfather mention why I need to come back?"
"He didn't mention a specific reason, and it didn't sound urgent."
"Alright, I understand."
After the housekeeper left, Laila thought about recent events and couldn't recall anything that would require her grandfather's attention. Well, it didn't matter; she would be going back to ask him for a small favor.
However, while Laila was on set filming the final part of "Chicago," discussions about "Iron Man" on the internet were getting increasingly chaotic. Laila was in the middle of a crucial scene and didn't pay much attention to the protests. To her surprise, the issue escalated rapidly, with growing voices and even some organizations rallying under the banner of resistance, vowing to protect their ideal Iron Man.
"If we don't come up with a solution soon, it might affect the future of the movie," Louise, who had originally intended to address the public relations issue herself, was taken aback by the situation's rapid deterioration. This was not something she had expected, as even disgruntled comic book fans couldn't possibly make such a huge commotion over the choice of Iron Man's actor.