"Those people just now, did you arrange them?" She gasped for breath as she got into the Agent's car, urging him to drive quickly.
The Agent grinned, "Of course! They looked so excited just now; did they capture some good photos?"
Elisa recalled the situation, "Roy wouldn't let me get close to him. I finally found an opportunity to grab him, and we got caught in the act." She hadn't expected reporters; she planned to use physical contact to record more "evidence," but the paparazzi appeared as soon as they touched.
"They went in not long ago. They must have seen you two struggling together and rushed out," the Agent explained as they stopped at a red light. He patted Elisa's leg, "Now you can relax; tomorrow your name will be known by even more people!"
"Okay!" Elisa nodded vigorously, trying to calm her still trembling heartbeat. Finally! Finally, the day had come!
The next morning, on the entertainment section headlines of several significant newspapers, photos of Roy and Elisa appeared once again.
The clear photos captured the "panic-stricken" duo, surrounded by the abandoned background, clearly showing the desolate surroundings, implying a private secret meeting.
Now things were different; fans who had trusted Roy felt deceived. Didn't you say it was a misunderstanding with that woman? Why then meet her at night? And in such a remote place?
Media outlets that didn't get the photos quickly picked up the reports, with some busybodies analyzing the background in the pictures and speculating on the location. Surprisingly, some people recognized it, and many even went there to take pictures of the scenes from the photos and posted them on their social media, drawing a crowd.
A scandal, just a photo, and it seemed like a nationwide carnival. The intensity of the reaction left many in awe. Regardless of whether it was a real scandal or not, the buzz was overwhelming, and many people had to spend a considerable amount to get some positive publicity in the newspapers. Looking at this situation, how come others could find such good opportunities effortlessly?
Fortunately, it wasn't a very serious scandal. Although it made him famous, his reputation took a hit, which somewhat balanced the emotions of some people.
The matter got too big, and the Moran family naturally noticed. The family members, despite their love for Laila and trust in Roy, couldn't remain calm seeing the numerous reports. The old man summoned Laila to the study, while Janet called Roy to her side.
"Laila, you can use the media resources freely. Don't let people bully you," Oswald said, displeased. Even though he played with the media, seeing his granddaughter's affairs become so tumultuous was irritating. If it were Laila herself, other media might not be so rampant, but in Roy's case, his influence had its limits.
All he could do was remind his granddaughter that she could use her own resources and not let those arrogant people outside go too far.
"Don't worry, Grandpa. The matter will be over soon," Laila felt the selfless love of her grandfather and reassured him with a smile.
Seeing her like that, the old man, curious, asked, "You, this girl, aren't you planning something again?"
"Of course, I am planning something. It's rare for someone to help create such a good opportunity. It would be a waste not to take advantage of it to make some mental damages compensation, right?" Laila said matter-of-factly. She was never someone who would let herself be bullied without fighting back. Although she temporarily didn't know who was behind the trouble, it didn't prevent her from taking advantage to gain some benefits.
"Haha." Oswald burst into laughter, laughing so heartily as he shook his finger at her, "You, you truly are a child of the Moran family! Just like me!" He didn't know what reminded him of something from the past, making him particularly joyous.
"You can't just benefit yourself; remember to help your grandpa earn a bit too!"
Laila nodded with a smile, "I remember. This time, you should be able to earn something."
"Oh? I'm looking forward to it then."
In the study, the two people laughed mischievously. On Roy's side, things weren't as pleasant.
Janet stood with hands on her hips, glaring at him, "What should I say about you? Last time, the photos could be considered a misunderstanding, but how do you explain this time? Your affairs have become like this; do you know how disappointed and sad Laila will be when she sees those news?"
Roy lowered his head in shame. Although she didn't know everything, she couldn't deny that he had indeed dragged Laila into trouble.
"Sorry, Janet. I promise it will be over soon."
"The person you should apologize to is not me!" Imagining that the strong woman might find a place where no one could see and cry, Janet felt heartbroken. That was her most precious daughter, rescued from the clutches of illness and death! "My poor Laila, how sad she must be seeing those news!"
"I'm sorry." Roy didn't want to explain anything, and he had no face to explain.
No matter what Laila looked like, in Janet's heart, she was the delicate and pitiful daughter who had spent her childhood in hospitals. Janet wished to give her the best things in the world, so news that could hurt her hurt Janet even more.
"You know, I've always had a good impression of you. I've always believed in you, thinking you would give my little Laila a happy life. But look at what you've done!" If she didn't truly know he was a good boy and that her daughter liked him a lot, Janet would have wanted to drive him away.
"I swear, there won't be such incidents in the future!" Roy solemnly raised his hand to swear. This was his sincere promise.
This incident made him realize a lot. In his few years of Oscar-worthy life, it seemed he had always lived under Laila's protection. Perhaps his rise to fame was too fast; he wasn't accustomed to the life of a celebrity and didn't realize that every move of his attracted so much attention. Also, he never expected that those fans who used to cry and shout that they loved him would turn around and say such horrible things.
It's not that no fans were supporting him all along, but he was genuinely hurt. Those fans were once the best achievements he could show off in front of Laila. He never thought that just one photo could shatter all those illusions.
After being scolded by Janet, Roy came out of his room to see Laila, who had also walked out of the study.
Seeing his dejected look, Laila smiled first, "Did Janet scold you?"
"Yeah..." He buried his head in her shoulder.
"What's wrong? You didn't tell her the truth?" Laila raised an eyebrow.