Laila continued to look at the documents. After waiting for a while without Demi asking any more questions, Laila was surprised and looked up. She had expected Demi to dig deeper, but it seemed that Demi was determined to find answers on her own. Nevertheless, this was fine with Laila. Being her chief secretary was about more than curiosity; it required loyalty and diligence.
After hearing Laila's words, Downey decided to keep his thoughts to himself and didn't dare to say them in front of the boss. However, he couldn't keep them bottled up either, so he called Roy and met him at a bar.
After ordering some beers, Downey opened up about what had happened earlier. He said in a disheartened tone, "Do you think Laila knows what I wanted to talk to her about?"
"Of course," Roy responded without hesitation. "She not only knows what you wanted to say, but if you had said it, she would have definitely kicked you out!"
"Really..." Downey shivered, as Laila's presence weighed heavily on him. "I just thought that if no one wants me to play that role, I shouldn't cause trouble for the company or her. Is that wrong?"
Roy raised an eyebrow and replied, "Of course, it's wrong, and a big one at that. Do you think Laila is someone who can be easily influenced by external opinions?" Without waiting for Downey's response, he continued, "I've met and known many people, and she is the most rational person I've ever met. You may not believe it, but there have been many times when I wished she were less rational."
"Is being rational a bad thing?" Downey sighed, "I used to be too irrational, and that led me to do a lot of harmful things."
"Being rational isn't a bad thing," Roy said with a bitter smile. "But you'd have a different opinion if you saw her being overly rational. For me, I'd rather see her yell and shout than witness her being overly rational and cold."
What made him slightly relieved was that Laila had become much better compared to the past. She occasionally showed hints of warmth, even if only briefly. Even if it was just a little warmth for a short time, it was a great comfort to him. Leaving her felt like falling into hell as if he had taken some forbidden medicine.
"Brother, we're talking about what happened today, and is her rationality related to our topic?" Downey rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "I can't stand how you bring her up after just a few sentences. Are we still bros? Are you trying to trigger this single guy whose wife and son have left him?"
"Of course it's relevant," Roy laughed as he took a sip of his beer. "She is an extremely rational person. So when she makes a decision, she won't easily change her mind. She believes in you and is willing to give you another chance. However, now that she has no issue with it, but you want to back out of the role, do you think she'll keep someone as timid as you in the company?"
Downey was left speechless by Roy's words. They sounded harsh, but each word felt like a bullet hitting his knees, making him want to kneel and cry out in despair.
Roy gave him a pointed look and continued, "Laila knows what you want, and she's giving you another chance. She can tolerate your momentary indecisiveness, but she cannot allow you to give up the role. Do you know why? If you had voiced your concerns at that moment, she might not have kicked you out of the company, but you would definitely never get an important role again."
If Laila could hear these words, she would be surprised that someone understood her so well. As Roy said, she didn't mind giving people a second chance. However, if the opportunity was wasted or returned, she would rarely give a second chance.
Downey remembered the situation at that moment, recalling those icy blue eyes that seemed to exude a chilling aura. A shiver ran down his spine.
"You're right. I felt like I was freezing under her gaze."
Roy chuckled and shook his head. "You should be glad you ran away. Otherwise, you'd probably be in no mood to sit here and drink beer."
Downey let out a deep sigh. "I don't want to bring any trouble to the company or Laila. I appreciate Laila and the company so much. Without them, I probably wouldn't even know what I'd be doing right now. During this time, I've played some minor roles, and it made me realize that I still love acting the most. To immerse myself in another life, to interpret it with my own body, it's a wonderful feeling."
"I cherish this opportunity, and I'm so grateful that Laila gave me another chance. But if it's because of me that 'Iron Man' hasn't started filming yet and causes problems, I'd rather go back to playing my supporting roles."
Roy raised an eyebrow. "So, you're giving up just like that?"
"Of course not!" Downey lifted his chin proudly. "I'll accumulate experience by playing supporting roles until everyone recognizes my talent. When the time comes, if the boss wants me to take on any role, I don't think anyone will object."
Roy burst into laughter and patted Downey's shoulder. "You're thinking too much. Let me tell you, pal, when you think of Laila, just ask yourself one question."
"What question?" Downey asked inquisitively.
Roy looked at him meaningfully. "Ask yourself, has Laila ever failed before?"
No! Laila had never failed before. Her movies were always met with skepticism from the outside world. When she made horror films, people accused her of being sensational and misleading the audience, claiming her movies lacked substance. When she made action films, others accused her of being brutal, killing so many people, and using too much ketchup. When she made pirate films, there were a multitude of people trying to convince her that "pirate films were dead."
But what were the results?
Her films were always successful, even when the odds were stacked against her. No one could deny her success, even if they found her movies unlikable, and her success felt almost unbelievable every time.
She was that kind of person, someone who was exceptionally skilled at creating miracles.
"You're right!" Downey downed the remaining beer in his bottle with determination. "She has never failed, and if she believes in me, I won't fail either!"
"That's the spirit, buddy!" Roy cheered and slapped Downey on the back. "The more challenging it is, the less you should think about it. Just remember to believe in her."
"I got it." Downey nodded. Nobody could stop him from returning to his peak!
That same night, Laila received a phone call from Downey.
"Boss, I won't let you down! Even if the whole world is against me, as long as you still need me, I am Iron Man!"
Downey's voice, somewhat slurred from the alcohol, came through the phone. Laila looked at her phone with a satisfied smile.
This is the Iron Man she wanted!