Laila's disappearance this time had been a huge blow to Roy. Even though she had now been rescued, the shadow it cast over his heart wasn't so easily dispelled. Only God knew how he managed to get through those past few days. Even now, a part of him still worried he might wake up and discover it had all been a dream—that Laila was still in Martin's hands, suffering inhuman torment.
Speaking of Martin, after Laila's return, the South African authorities immediately deployed military forces to launch a full-scale assault on Martin's stronghold. Thanks to Flanders' connections, they swiftly captured Martin. A nationwide manhunt was then issued for the rest of his subordinates. As for those enforcers who'd been knocked unconscious by Dong-ge and his crew? They were all arrested in their sleep. The ones who had been sent out on missions were also added to the wanted list.
In the past, no one bothered with this small fry because the authorities simply didn't care. But now that Martin had dragged the entire country into disgrace, there was no way the state would let them off the hook. Going up against an entire nation? Their days of struggle were numbered.
What's more, with Flanders—someone who knew the organization inside out—on their side, there was no hope of anyone slipping through the cracks. Given the hatred he bore toward Martin, there's no doubt he'd hunt down every last one of Martin's lackeys.
Meanwhile, the news of Laila's safe return had already spread across the U.S. thanks to journalists' reports, and from there, it swept across the globe via the internet.
For most decent people, this was a story of good triumphing over evil—a monumental victory worthy of being written into the annals of history. For Laila's fans, it was an emotional moment that brought tears to their eyes. Countless people posted online or on Facebook, offering their blessings for her rescue and expressing concern, hoping she wouldn't be defeated by this trauma and could continue bringing them the best films.
Laila had released her first film at 18, and since then, it was as if she'd been on a cheat code. Every single film of hers received overwhelming praise and box office success. Her fans didn't just admire her work—they revered her as a person.
There were plenty of people in Hollywood who dedicated themselves to filmmaking, but reaching Laila's level? You couldn't find one even if you searched the entire century-long history of cinema. That's why people called her a "living legend."
Just looking at how various websites were spontaneously holding celebration events for her showed how massive her influence was—not only in the U.S., but across the entire world.
In the ten or so days she was missing, the biggest "beneficiary" was probably the release of The Dark Knight. Rumored to be her final film, it received unanimous acclaim across the board—from its production quality and direction to the performances. Even those media outlets and individuals who normally made a sport of criticizing Laila had fallen silent.
It wasn't that they couldn't find something to pick at, but at that moment, there was simply no room for negativity. Anyone who tried would be torn to shreds by Laila's defenders.
Sure, bashing her used to be a way to drive clicks and attention. But doing so when she had just been kidnapped? That wouldn't bring in traffic—it would bring boycotts and curses. No one in this business is a complete idiot. Unless they wanted to end up like the New York Post, now a subsidiary of Moran Media, they'd best ride the wave. Right now, singing Laila's praises was far more popular than criticizing her.
When the film crew heard that Laila had asked them to quickly prepare for filming, they all thought they must have misheard out of sheer excitement. Surely it meant they had more time to get ready, right? They honestly didn't mind waiting a bit longer. Not at all!
But when Roy repeated her instructions, even those who wanted to pretend they'd misheard had to give up.
"Told you she's a workaholic," Xiao Ye grinned wickedly, stretching out his hand toward the crew. "Pay up."
Grumbling, many of the crew fished bills out of their pockets and handed them over. The amounts weren't big—five or ten bucks each—which was nothing compared to the millions they were used to working with on a daily basis.
What got to them wasn't the money—it was Laila's attitude. Who goes right back to work the day after being rescued from a kidnapping? They genuinely wanted to ask: what kind of steel nerves does she have? Had she never heard of the word "trauma"?
Roy, too, was helpless in the face of their confusion. If only Laila would listen to him. Sure, they could talk about other things, but when it came to movies? She was the kind of "tyrant" people only whispered about—once her mind was made up, no one could change it.
"Let's all hang in there, folks. Laila says she wants to wrap up the remaining scenes within a week. One week from now, you'll all be heading home." That was all Roy could do—help the crew stabilize their mood and meet Laila's demands.
Thankfully, everyone was already well aware of how obsessed Laila was with her work. What surprised them wasn't that she insisted on filming—it was how soon she wanted to start.
The betting pool had been about how many days it would take for her to get back into filming. Most people guessed three to five days. No one had bet on her returning to the U.S. early. The only one who wagered she'd start the very next day was Xiao Ye—and in the end, he won the entire pot.
In his words, "This is a brag I can ride for years!"
After eating the breakfast Roy had prepared for her, Laila fell into such a deep sleep that she didn't wake until evening. If it weren't for the smell of dinner pulling her back to the waking world, she felt like she could've slept straight through till morning.
"Still sleepy? Want to eat something first before going back to bed?" Roy asked as soon as he saw her wake.
"Yeah, I'm starving." Laila sat up and stretched, her whole body feeling limp and drained. But she was hungry. She'd completely slept through lunch, and now the aroma of food was making her stomach rumble.
"Did you eat?" she asked.
Roy smiled. "You were still asleep, so I ate with the others."
Laila shrugged and said between bites, "I bet those reporters are getting antsy. Go ahead and schedule a quick press conference in an hour."
Roy looked at her disapprovingly. "You need more rest. Let them wait a little longer."
"Don't worry, I'm well-rested. If we don't deal with them now, it'll just interfere with tomorrow's shoot. I'd rather get it out of the way than let it become a distraction later."
She made a solid argument. Roy had no way to refute it and could only nod in agreement. "Alright, but don't push yourself too hard, okay?"
"Relax!" Laila mumbled with her mouth full. "I've gotta be in top form for the film—no way I'd overdo it."
"…" Sound logic, Roy thought—but it didn't make him feel any better.