Chapter 889 – Climbing the Bestseller List

As expected, the books Laila had "randomly picked"—knowing full well their future success—finally began reaping the rewards of her bold investment. After an extensive promotional campaign, it was time to collect the harvest.

Under the watchful eyes of skeptics and supporters alike, one of the books broke into the bestseller list in its very first week.

Of course, a strong debut alone wasn't enough to silence the critics. Given the substantial investment in marketing, if the book hadn't hit the charts, that would have been the real disaster. A decently written book, when backed by a well-executed promotional strategy, would naturally sell well.

But the real test came afterward. To determine whether a book was truly loved by readers, two factors mattered most—long-term sales trends and reader reviews.

And soon, feedback flooded in across social media:

"I love this book so much! I never want to leave this world!"

"This is the most romantic story I've ever read."

"A book worth rereading over and over again."

"It's been ages since I've been this thrilled by a novel! I never thought I'd be so obsessed with a book!"

Professional media outlets also published glowing reviews:

"Entangled emotions, thrilling adventures, breathtaking imagination, vivid descriptions, and an exhilarating reading experience—all tied together with heartwarming depth." — The New York Times

"A novel that masterfully balances tension and elegance, as refined as Jane Austen while brimming with dramatic passion—a new peak for romance literature." — TIME Magazine

"Its delicate and intricate prose elevates this novel beyond the constraints of horror and suspense, placing it among the finest works of young adult fiction." — Amazon USA

Almost overnight, the books took America by storm. The think tank was stunned, the publishing team was ecstatic, and Laila finally felt relieved. Even though she knew these books would be successful, she was still been anxious until she saw the results with her own eyes. She had won.

And soon enough, the media uncovered the behind-the-scenes story of how she selected those books. Suddenly, headlines were praising her "miraculous intuition"—

"She could tell a book was a masterpiece just by looking at the title."

"She ignored all opposition and offered the best contract terms."

"She spared no expense in launching an all-encompassing promotional campaign."

At first, people were skeptical. How could anyone just glance at a title and know a book would be a hit? And not only that—why would she then spend a fortune marketing them? But as more insiders came forward to confirm these events, the public slowly accepted the unbelievable truth. It turned out this was possible.

However, the media was quick to note that such a success story was nearly impossible to replicate. Apart from Laila, few—if any—could pull off something so astonishing. Some tabloids even ran wild conspiracy theories, suggesting that she might have supernatural powers—the ability to instantly recognize a book's potential just by seeing its name.

Of course, no one took those rumours seriously. Most people just laughed it off. But Laila? She nearly had a heart attack. If people were already joking about superpowers, then how long before someone started questioning the possibility of time travel? From that moment on, she toned down her approach. She still made bold business moves, but they were always within the realm of reason—never as reckless as before.

Meanwhile, the think tank had gone completely silent. After being humiliated so thoroughly, they had no face left to show. In the end, it was Oswald Moran himself who reached out to them one by one, coaxing them back into the fold. Although he secretly enjoyed seeing his granddaughter put them in their place, he also understood their importance. A few failed predictions didn't make them useless—it just meant that Laila was simply too extraordinary for conventional logic to predict. After all, who else could glance at a few pages and immediately design a multi-million-dollar marketing plan?

Once things settled, Oswald had a serious talk with Laila. Of course, there was plenty of praise, but right after that came the lesson.

"The think tank must exist. If the company is a car and the CEO is the driver, then they are the brakes. Their role is to ensure the company moves forward safely. I believe in your talent, but can you guarantee your talent will never fail you? Can you truly believe that you will always make the right decisions?"

His words made Laila pause. He was right. Her rebirth advantage would only last for another ten to twenty years. After that? She would have to rely on herself entirely. At that point, the think tank would be vital. If she abandoned them now, she would have no one to rely on later. With that realization, she changed her approach. Instead of dismissing them, she would win them over.

After all, these men were genuinely intelligent professionals. Unlike her, who had the advantage of future knowledge, they were true experts in their fields. After holding a private meeting with them, everyone in the company noticed a dramatic change. The hostile tension from before? Gone. Now, Laila and the think tank were all smiles, almost as if they had been best friends all along.

Naturally, curiosity skyrocketed. What exactly had she said to them? If it were anyone else, they would have fired people who had openly opposed them—let alone those who had hoped to see them fail. But instead of kicking them out, Laila had brought them back in. If she had known how much speculation this caused, she might have pulled out an Eastern history book and given everyone a lesson on the importance of advisors and strategists.

She didn't know much about how Oswald used these men, but to her, they were like ancient imperial advisors—essential for guiding a ruler's path. She might have future knowledge now, but when that ran out, she would need real experts to navigate the way forward. For now, she would use her foresight to train them—shaping them into the perfect advisory team. Because once they had the right vision, they would become an irreplaceable asset to her empire. And given the scale of Moran Group, their high salaries were a small price to pay for the value they could bring.

On another front, the publishing house's stock soared thanks to the overwhelming success of these books. Since the entire strategy had been Laila's initiative, Moran Group's stock also skyrocketed. Initially, when she had first taken over, stock prices had dipped slightly due to uncertainty. But after this massive victory, the company's value increased by over a billion dollars.

When eager investors rushed to the stock market to buy more shares, they were met with disappointment—there were no available stocks left. Even when shares were occasionally listed, they were instantly snapped up. This sensational success not only solidified Laila's authority within the company but also cemented her dominance in the business world. And for the first time, those who had doubted her leadership finally understood—Laila Moran was not just a passing figurehead. She was here to stay.