Chapter 919 - Tease and Run

"I..." Roy was speechless. How could he have known that she was unaware of something that had turned Hollywood upside down? Moreover, "I thought you were preparing for the Oscars."

"The Oscars are still a long way off!" Everyone knew, except her! The thought of all the time she had spent secretly plotting how to humiliate the Golden Globes, only to find out that not only was there no chance to do so, but she wouldn't even get to make an appearance, was frustrating.

Roy, ever patient, smiled and comforted her: "It's okay, it's all the same. You can just wear the dress you prepared for the Oscars."

"..." Laila shot him a glare. "Can the outfits for the Golden Globes and the Oscars be the same?" She didn't care much about herself, but if she were to dress so casually, Janet would lecture her until she was dizzy. That would truly make her feel like life wasn't worth living.

Roy chuckled and pulled her up from her chair. "Alright, don't dwell on these unpleasant things. A friend recommended an authentic Chinese restaurant to me and said it's a branch from the East, better than the usual adapted Chinese restaurants. Don't you want to try it?"

At his words, Laila realized she was hungry.

"Of course I want to go!" Her taste buds had long been spoiled, and nothing satisfied her as much as Eastern cuisine. Knowing this, Roy loved collecting recommendations for the best Chinese restaurants across the U.S. from his friends. Even if they couldn't go immediately, he kept them in mind for future opportunities to take her.

Every time he saw her enjoying her meal, it filled him with satisfaction. Recently, he had even started secretly practicing cooking Chinese food. After they got married, if he could use his own hands to make his beloved wife plump, it would be incredibly fulfilling!

Laila, unaware that the man smiling so tenderly at her was plotting to fatten her up with his cooking, simply thought he was the epitome of a romantic. Every word he said to her was sweet, and everything he did for her moved her deeply.

If she had initially been infatuated with his face and impeccable physique, now she felt like an island floating in a sea of love, cherished by his tenderness and deep affection.

But sitting in the car, she still felt disappointed by the recent news: "I was quite confident this time, thinking I could make a grand appearance at the Golden Globes. Who knew I wouldn't even get the chance to show off?"

Roy, taking advantage of a red light, gently patted her head and smiled. "Don't be disappointed, we still have the Oscars." He understood how much the cancellation of the Golden Globes had disappointed her, but in his view, if not this time, then next time. Others might say *The Lord of the Rings* was her peak, but he didn't think so. He believed her best was always yet to come. As long as she wanted, humiliating the Golden Globes would be a simple matter.

The most important thing was the Oscars. The Golden Globes weren't a professional film award; her stage should be the broader, more authoritative Oscars!

Laila nodded. According to historical trajectory, the 80th Oscars were indeed barely affected by the strike. She remembered the strike ending shortly before the ceremony. But because of her arrival, many things in this world have changed. She wasn't sure if the Oscars would also turn into another press conference. If that happened, she would be utterly devastated.

Years of planning, only to end up like this! Who wouldn't be angry?

"Let's hope the Oscars aren't affected." For now, she could only place her hopes in the gods.

Roy glanced at her, wishing he could smooth out the frown on her forehead.

"Have you thought about doing something?"

Laila looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you have a certain level of influence in Hollywood. The Writers Guild is just trying to secure fairer treatment for writers. You're an outstanding screenwriter yourself; you probably share some common ground with them. Why not mediate between the parties? Maybe with your intervention, things could be resolved faster."

Roy initially just wanted to offer a solution, but as he spoke, he realized his idea made a lot of sense.

The extent of her power in Hollywood was something even she might not fully grasp.

But he was different. He had been navigating various film sets for years and had friends everywhere. No one understood better than him the storm she could stir in Hollywood.

Laila thought about it and realized he was right. The Hollywood she knew now wasn't entirely the same as the one from her memories, but similarly, the Hollywood she remembered didn't have someone like her.

It wasn't narcissism. The power and wealth she now possessed meant she could practically command the winds and rains in Hollywood.

Hollywood was a small world built on movies. Actors, directors, film companies—they all formed this world and kept it running.

Actors sought fame, and Laila could elevate someone to stardom with a single film. Which actor wouldn't want to work with her? Even big stars would give her some respect, knowing there might be future opportunities to collaborate.

The same went for others. Although Laila mostly kept to her own company, rarely collaborating with outsiders, it wasn't absolute. She had directed a film for another company this year, set to release during the summer, already predicted to dominate the box office.

Who would turn down money? Especially when it was in the billions! What if she took an interest in a script and decided to produce it? That could mean at least a billion dollars in revenue.

And let's not forget the most crucial point: Laila wasn't just backed by Dragon Soul and Phoenix; she was also the heir to the Moran family, wielding a formidable media empire.

Not only would people want to stay on her good side for promotional purposes, but no one would want to offend her and risk drawing the attention of that massive media machine. In the entertainment industry, few were entirely pure. Why did people fear the paparazzi more than the police? Because they couldn't control them.

Any scandal exposed could have consequences beyond their control. Everyone knew how terrifying a journalist's pen could be—turning white into black, let alone things that weren't clean to begin with.

So, upon reflection, Laila realized she might indeed be influenced to intervene in this matter. Those involved would likely heed her advice and sit down to negotiate.

"You're a genius!" She grabbed Roy's face and planted several kisses on him. Before he could react, she straightened up and pulled out her phone.

Roy could only curse the fact that he was driving. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let her off so easily. Teasing him and then running away? What kind of game was that? He would have to return the favour, kiss for a kiss!