Laila was truly lucky to have someone like Roy who supported her unconditionally.
Sometimes, just knowing that someone stood behind you like a lighthouse, guiding the way home no matter where you went, was the most comforting feeling in the world. No matter how fierce the storm, no matter how far you roamed, you could always find your way back.
The next morning, Laila woke up early. She had a long list of things to take care of today.
When the crew flew back to Hollywood, she had Demi arrange for Buddy to stay at the dormitory specially prepared for the young participants in the New Talent Initiative. The rooms there weren't very big, but for young dreamers who had left everything behind to chase their dreams in Hollywood, it was an ideal temporary home.
More importantly, there was food and drink, the price was cheap, and even if someone couldn't pay right away, it was fine—they could settle up after receiving their paychecks.
After spending one day there, Buddy was quite satisfied with the place. The others—especially the young screenwriters—were very interested in him. They kept dropping by to ask for tips, like how to get Laila to pick your script.
The truth was, Buddy didn't know the answer himself. His script had been stolen, then the thief ended up dragging him to their hideout, where—by some miracle—he met Laila, who not only liked his script but wanted to buy it for a million dollars!
Who said pies don't fall from the sky? That was exactly what this was!
When people came to him for advice and he had nothing useful to say, he worried they'd think he was deliberately withholding secrets. That would make it much harder to build relationships with new acquaintances. But the truth was, he genuinely didn't know—so he could only bluff his way through with vague-sounding wisdom that left people more confused the longer they listened.
Laila was staying in New York a little longer, so everything in Hollywood was left to Louis and her secretary, Demi, to manage. They were two of her most trusted aides, and she felt completely comfortable leaving things in their hands.
With Buddy's situation settled and some urgent documents dealt with, Laila finally allowed herself to ease into her vacation. The crew had been given a full week of luxury leave, and after discussing it, they unanimously decided on an Asia tour.
Laila was more than happy to fund it. She booked them a super-luxurious travel package across Asia. What was originally a seven-day vacation, she extended to two weeks. A full circuit through Japan and Korea, then a deep dive into the essence of the East. It was going to be a trip they'd never forget.
If Laila didn't have other obligations tying her down, she would've loved to go along with them.
Though she'd promised herself a full week off, by the fifth day, she was already too antsy to stay still. She looked like someone with fleas—couldn't sit, couldn't stand, just restless all over. The old man eventually had enough and kicked her out of the house.
"Go do whatever you want—just looking at you like this is annoying!"
Fortunately, he still remembered she was his pride and joy, and out of consideration, he threw Roy out along with her.
The two "exiles" looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.
Hollywood was her favorite place, wasn't it? After ten years of working there, it had become deeply ingrained in her. It wasn't just the five days in New York that made her miss it. Counting the time spent on that last film, they hadn't set foot in Hollywood for several months.
Even when they flew the crew home, they didn't actually disembark—they just stayed on the plane.
"Let's go back to Hollywood," Roy said, taking her hand as they got into the car the old man had prepared for them.
And so, the next day, the paparazzi who were always stationed outside Dragon Soul Studios spotted Laila's car pulling into the parking lot.
"Laila's back!"
"She's already back at work?"
"No wonder they call her a workaholic!"
The reporters muttered among themselves, but their cameras never stopped clicking. They captured the moment her car arrived, when she stepped out, and how she walked into the building.
It wasn't just them—employees inside the company also got the news immediately. Everyone straightened up and put on their most diligent, focused expressions.
Laila wandered around the building for a while. Everything seemed to be in order, and she finally returned to her office, satisfied.
What she didn't know was that, the moment she left each department she visited, the staff looked like delicate flowers that had been sunbaked in the midsummer heat—wilted, drained, and thoroughly exhausted.
"Was it just me, or does the boss's aura feel even more intense now?"
"Intense or not, I've never been able to breathe normally around her."
"Is the boss really that scary?"
"You're not scared of her?"
"I don't know… I've never even dared to look her in the eye."
"...You win."
You don't even dare to look at her, and you're out here asking if she's scary?
Oblivious to the buzz around her, Laila stepped onto the top floor and was immediately greeted by Demi.
"Boss, welcome back." Her eyes sparkled with emotion—she had to summon all her willpower not to throw herself at her boss in a hug. God knew how worried she'd been when she heard something had happened to Laila!
Without Laila, there would be no her. No amount of words could truly express how grateful she felt.
"Thank you." Laila smiled at her, but then her gaze was involuntarily drawn to Demi's belly. "Demi… did you gain weight?"
"..." Demi's mouth twitched. Whatever excitement she'd felt just now vanished instantly at that one line—far more effective than any amount of self-restraint. "Boss, I'm pregnant."
"Huh?" Laila was genuinely startled. "P-Pregnant?"
Demi gently stroked her belly and smiled. "Yes. Almost five months now."
Laila stared at her slightly rounded belly in amazement. Honestly, she had thought it was just a bit of belly fat. She knew Demi well—her standards for physical upkeep were no lower than those of the actresses. Even though she was "just" a secretary and her boss was a woman, she'd never slacked off and always maintained her best condition.
Laila admired that about her. She had never paid much attention to fitness. Exercise was not her thing, and skipping the gym for months while working was just business as usual.
"Congratulations, Demi!" she said sincerely, giving her a careful hug. "That baby is going to be adorable!"
To hear such words from her boss made Demi feel truly happy. After all, what parent doesn't want to hear others praise their child?