Chapter 903: (⊙_⊙)

Leonardo was genuinely curious—how did someone like Roy find a woman as strong-willed as Laila adorable?

Every time Roy mentioned her, his eyes would light up, overflowing with such blatant love that it made Leonardo's teeth ache from the sweetness.

But when he voiced his curiosity, the secretaries didn't understand his confusion at all.

"Roy and Laila are perfect together."

"Yeah! They're such a great match. What's weird about that?"

Leonardo quickly waved his hands. "No, I'm not saying anything's wrong. I just want to know—how are they when they're together? Does Roy just… do whatever Laila says?"

The secretaries exchanged looks and shook their heads in unison.

"If anything, it's the boss who's completely under Roy's control."

"…What?"

Leonardo's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's impossible!"

This was the same guy who turned into a lovestruck fool whenever he talked about his fiancée. And now they were telling him he was the one who had the upper hand?

He must have misheard. They were speaking English, so how did he end up understanding the exact opposite of what they meant?

But the secretaries were firm in their statements.

They had witnessed it firsthand—Roy constantly watching over Laila, making sure she ate properly, rested on time, and didn't overwork herself. The way he looked after her had made them envious more times than they could count.

Every time the two of them were together, the sheer love and affection in the air was enough to make them lose their appetites.

Honestly, they all wanted to find someone who would spoil them like that, but after years of being around Roy, their standards for an ideal husband had skyrocketed.

After hearing their gushing stories, Leonardo's jaw gradually dropped.

…Had he completely misjudged Roy?

He used to think Roy was the type to get bossed around by Laila. But no—the reality was the complete opposite.

Laila was the one who had zero control.

Roy dictated everything—what she ate, when she ate, when she rested.

That kind of life sounded… horrible!

Roy was practically a tyrant!

As if summoned by his thoughts, Laila stepped out of the meeting room at that moment.

The first thing she saw was Leonardo looking at her with pure pity.

"(⊙_⊙)?"

Laila blinked in confusion.

…Why did he look like he felt sorry for her?

"What were you all talking about?" she asked suspiciously.

The secretaries suddenly realized they had accidentally spilled their boss's private life.

They might not have spoken to a journalist, but this was still a serious mistake. If Demi found out, they were so screwed.

But really, could they be blamed?

Leonardo was simply too attractive—they had no resistance against his charm!

So, feeling guilty, the secretaries awkwardly laughed and scattered like frightened rabbits, all pretending to be busy.

Laila watched them flee and turned to Leonardo. "What were you guys talking about?"

Leonardo let out an awkward laugh.

Like hell, he could just admit, "I used to think you were the one in control, but actually, you're the real victim."

Instead, he coughed and said, "We were just talking about you and Roy. They admire your relationship."

Laila didn't think much of it. She simply smiled and went to make herself a cup of tea. "We've gone through most of the script. Andrew's working on the revisions now—it'll take some time."

"That's fine, no rush," Leonardo replied easily.

Maybe it was because he had just learned that Roy was even more domineering than Laila, but Leonardo no longer felt intimidated by her. He was much more relaxed now.

Laila sat down across from him, absentmindedly running her fingers along the handle of her teacup before asking, "Has Roy been acting strange lately?"

Leonardo was caught off guard. "Him? Not really. I just saw him a few days ago—he was completely fine."

Then, as if remembering something, he quickly added, "Oh, and don't worry! Even when we go out, he's ridiculously well-behaved. I swear on my hair—if I'm lying, may I go bald for life!"

Laila chuckled at his exaggerated vow. "That's not what I meant."

She let out a sigh.

Yesterday's drunken Roy had been bothering her all day.

It was so rare for him to drown his sorrows in alcohol. He was always full of energy, never letting anything get him down. The idea that he had been so troubled that he got drunk…

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

"He hasn't mentioned anything that's been bothering him?" she pressed.

Leonardo thought back carefully. "Nope. I talked to him yesterday morning—he sounded completely normal. What happened?"

Leonardo could tell Laila wouldn't be worried for no reason.

Laila shook her head. "That's the thing—I don't know what happened. When I got home last night, I found him sitting on the balcony, drinking alone while staring at the stars. He was wearing barely anything and just… sitting in the cold."

Leonardo's eyes widened.

"He did what?! And he didn't even invite me?!"

Laila's eye twitched.

…That's what he's focusing on?

Shouldn't he be more concerned about the fact that Roy got drunk?

"Roy rarely drinks to that extent," Laila pointed out. "Even when he goes out with friends, he only ever gets slightly tipsy. You know that better than anyone."

Leonardo knew that.

Between the two of them, he was the one who always got wasted while Roy barely even got buzzed.

So hearing that Roy had drunk himself under the table was concerning.

"Could it be work-related?" Leonardo suggested.

"A movie?" Laila mused. "I considered that too—maybe he was preparing for a role. But on my way here this morning, I asked his agent. He doesn't have any projects lined up right now—he's planning to take a break."

And Laila knew Roy well enough to be sure—he had never struggled to get out of character.

Even when he played The Joker, he had no trouble separating himself from the role.

But the moment she thought about The Joker, Laila's heart clenched.

…Could it be because of that character?

The original actor who played The Joker in her past life had died from an overdose because he had become too absorbed in the role.

What if Roy had never fully escaped from the character's shadow?

What if he had just been pretending to be fine this whole time?

A chill ran down her spine.

Suddenly, Laila shot to her feet. "I need to make a call."

Without another word, she rushed out of the lounge.

Leonardo watched her go, feeling uneasy himself.

Roy was one of the best friends he had ever made. The thought that something might be seriously wrong with him…

Leonardo clenched his fists.

Whatever was going on, he wasn't going to stand by and do nothing.