Chapter 905: A Place He Wants to Go

The entire day was spent reviewing and refining the script.

Of course, script revisions weren't something that could be finished in one sitting. After a lot of convincing, Andrew finally agreed to put it aside for now and continue working on it from home.

But even as he left Laila's company, he looked reluctant to go, practically turning back every few steps as if he wanted to stay longer.

Since Andrew didn't drive, Leonardo—who had brought him here—was also responsible for taking him home. Watching Andrew's lingering expression, Leonardo couldn't help but tease him.

"It's not like you won't see her again. You'll be back in a few days. If you admire her so much, why didn't you just ask for an autograph?"

Andrew's face flushed red with embarrassment. "That's not it! It's just that… the atmosphere in there is inspiring. I can focus so much better when I'm working there. The ideas just keep flowing like a fountain, and my hands can barely keep up with my thoughts. It's way more productive than writing at home."

Leonardo burst out laughing. "Seriously? That amazing?"

Andrew nodded earnestly. "I'm telling you, it must be because of Laila! She must be affecting the energy of the place, making it more creative!"

Leonardo chuckled at how absurd it sounded. "Are you saying Laila has some kind of magnetic field that boosts creativity?"

But Andrew took it seriously and started thinking. "No, she's not an alien. She's too knowledgeable about human psychology and culture—there's no way she's from another planet. If anything, she's an exceptionally gifted human. Normal people can't analyze things as deeply as she does, let alone extraterrestrial beings who wouldn't even share our worldview."

Leonardo was speechless.

This guy thought about it.

Should he admire his wild imagination, or was Andrew just a little too much of a geek?

…Maybe for writers, having a small imagination was the real problem.

"If it helps your writing, why not just ask Laila if you can work there?" Leonardo suggested. "I don't think she'd mind."

Andrew's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Come on, her office is huge. You're not gonna take up much space. If it makes your script better, she has no reason to say no," Leonardo shrugged before jokingly adding, "Or, you could just join her company. That way, you can be around her all the time."

To his surprise, Andrew took that way too seriously.

"You think she'd hire me?" he asked, genuinely considering it.

Leonardo sighed.

…Can we still be friends?

He suddenly missed Roy—hanging out with that guy was so much easier. Just talking nonsense and having fun. Why was every conversation with other people this exhausting?

At that moment, Roy was stepping out of his car, only to suddenly sneeze.

Just as this happened, Laila arrived home as well, catching the scene.

"Are you catching a cold?" she asked as she walked over.

Roy rubbed his nose. "No, just felt a little itchy."

"You shouldn't have been sitting on the balcony last night, exposed to the cold wind!" Laila frowned, still worried about the effect of last night on his health. "Even if the weather's a bit better now, you can't just rely on being physically strong and take risks. Don't forget, you're performing at the Olympics soon. If you ruin your voice with a cold, what then?"

Roy didn't argue—he just grinned and let her scold him.

Only an idiot would argue with someone who genuinely cares about them.

What could be better than having the person you love worry about you?

After changing into more comfortable clothes, Roy came downstairs just in time for dinner.

"Where's Abel?" he asked casually.

Laila chuckled. "And you call yourself his big brother? He's staying over at a friend's place, planning their trip together."

Oh.

Roy had completely forgotten about that.

Or rather, for the past two days, his mind had been somewhere else entirely.

He let out a sheepish laugh. "He's grown up. He doesn't need me looking after him anymore."

Laila, remembering how much he had done for Abel in the past, patted his hand gently.

"You're a great big brother," she said.

If Roy had been the selfish type, he could've just lived his own life after being separated from Abel.

But instead, he searched for him, found him, and stayed by his side to protect him.

For that alone, if Abel ever dared to be ungrateful, Laila wouldn't forgive him!

Roy smiled and, almost instinctively, took her hand in his.

His thumb brushed against her fingers, pausing over the plain-looking ring she wore.

He wanted nothing more than to replace it immediately with the ice-blue diamond ring he had prepared for her.

But knowing what he was about to do soon, he held himself back.

Instead, he looked into her eyes and asked, "Laila, are you free these days?"

Laila's heart skipped a beat.

Was he… about to open up to her about whatever had been bothering him?

"Of course," she answered. "I have time before the Oscars."

"Then… how about we go on a trip together?"

A vacation?

Laila felt a pang of concern.

Just how serious was his problem, if he needed to get away to deal with it?

"I don't mind," she said slowly. "Do you have a place in mind?"

"Yeah," Roy nodded. "There's somewhere I want to go. Will you come with me?"

He had to force himself to keep a straight face.

Otherwise, his excitement would give him away.

Would she like what he had prepared for her?

But to Laila, his serious expression only confirmed her fears.

Something is wrong.

In the past, every time they planned a vacation, he was always excited—but this time, even after she agreed, he still looked so serious.

Without realizing it, Roy's behavior had only made her even more worried.

Meanwhile, completely unaware of Laila's growing concerns, Roy was already planning every detail of what was to come.

Truthfully, Laila's schedule was packed.

She hadn't been at the office for a while, meaning a mountain of work had piled up.

On top of that, she was currently overseeing test runs for several store openings across different cities, which required constant coordination.

Even though Marvel was already hers, licensing deals couldn't just happen overnight. The business side still needed to go through proper channels, and fees had to be paid—no exceptions.

And then there were the Golden Globes and, more importantly, the Oscars.

She still needed to pick dresses, plan styling, and fit in interviews to maintain her momentum for awards season.

This was likely her best chance at winning an Oscar. If she missed it, who knew if she'd have to wait until she was thirty to get another shot?

So when Laila said she was "free"…

She was not free.

She was completely overwhelmed.

But because Roy didn't seem okay, she put everything else aside.

Even if it meant being a little irresponsible, she decided—for him, she'd make time.

Besides, she could still handle things remotely. Nothing was truly impossible to manage.