Chapter 947 - Shut Up for Good

Old Man Oswald's words were dripping with sheer dominance! 

Laila, on the other hand, was left utterly speechless.

Sensing his granddaughter's shock over the phone, the old man felt a surge of satisfaction. "Since when should a child of the Moran family be bullied by a newspaper? If they've been ruining your reputation all this time, it's about time they shut up for good."

Laila was completely awestruck by her grandfather's boldness. "I can't believe you got him to sell the paper to you." If she were in Murdoch's position, she would never have sold such a valuable asset to a decades-old rival. It would be like slapping herself in the face!

Hearing her "praise," the old man grew even more smug. "If I want something, do you think he can keep it from me?"

Alright, Laila thought, she had just learned another classic line from a domineering CEO.

What she didn't know, however, was that Murdoch was currently fuming with rage, cursing his subordinates left and right.

Old Man Moran hadn't acquired the 'New York Post' through straightforward means. Instead, he had used some underhanded tactics to undermine the paper.

Murdoch was already dealing with the fallout from the 'News of the World' scandal in the UK when the *New York Post* went and poked the Moran hornet's nest. Under normal circumstances, he might have chuckled at his team's scathing articles targeting the Moran. But now, facing massive legal claims himself, the last thing he needed was another enemy. Add to that Old Man Moran's behind-the-scenes scheming, which caused the paper's sales to plummet continuously, and Murdoch was beyond frustrated.

The 'New York Post' was a tabloid, notorious for its sensational gossip stories, many of which were fabricated to attract readers. In the past, celebrities had sued the paper for its false reports, but most cases either fizzled out or were quietly settled. Scandals tended to fade over time, often replaced by new controversies. Taking legal action against the paper only prolonged the drama and gave the tabloids more material to work with.

This was one of the reasons why gossip papers felt so emboldened.

But when Old Man Moran decided to take them down, it was a different story altogether. Suddenly, a flood of lawsuits hit the *New York Post*, with plaintiffs demanding exorbitant damages. Even if they didn't win the full amount, the lawsuits tied up the paper's resources and damaged its credibility through negative media coverage.

Readers loved gossip, but they preferred it to have some basis in truth. A few lawsuits here and there were manageable, but when a wave of "victims" emerged, it suggested that the paper was peddling more fiction than fact. People wanted juicy stories, not science fiction.

With print media already struggling against the rise of the internet, the New York Post's sales took a nosedive thanks to Old Man Moran's relentless attacks. When a decent offer came in, Murdoch was quick to sell the paper.

What he didn't expect was that the buyer was none other than the Moran family. By the time he found out, it was too late to take the paperback.

Rumor had it that Murdoch was so furious he smashed a bottle of pills.

The public was equally stunned. The leading voice of the anti-Laila alliance had been acquired by the Moran. Did this mean there would be no more negative stories about Laila?

Her fans were thrilled! Upon hearing the news, they were completely won over by the old man's audacity. "You mess with my granddaughter? I'll just buy you out!" What kind of grandfather had the guts—and the love—to do something like that?

Then again, considering that Old Man Moran had reportedly acquired NBC to help promote Laila's films, buying a newspaper didn't seem like such a big deal anymore.

Of course, where there are fans, there are haters. Laila's detractors were a small but vocal minority. Some were hired by Cooper, others were natural haters, and some were simply jealous. Many of them had rallied behind the *New York Post* as their champion in the "battle" against Laila.

Now, with their headquarters demolished, how were they supposed to keep fighting?

Some haters even took to the streets, protesting that the Moran were undermining freedom of speech. By acquiring a paper that opposed Laila, they argued, who would dare criticize her in the future? Wasn't this a blatant attack on free expression?

This absurd reasoning ignited a firestorm online, and images of protesters holding signs outside the White House spread across the globe.

People from other countries couldn't help but laugh.

How was this an attack on freedom of speech? Buying one newspaper didn't silence all the others. And why did people feel the need to criticize Laila in the first place? What had she done to deserve such vitriol? If someone like her was being targeted, one had to wonder what kind of person these critics considered "good."

While the internet buzzed with controversy, Laila had already moved on. She was busy leading her crew, along with their security team, on a private jet to South Africa.

Everything was ready. The crew was assembled, the cast was finalized, and the government had given its full cooperation. With their promise of support, all Laila needed now was to find the perfect filming location, and they could officially begin production.

Perhaps out of a desire to see South Africa's stunning landscapes or simply out of concern, Leonardo's mother and grandmother had joined the crew on the trip.

"That boy is always out and about, but he has very few real friends," Leonardo's mother, Irmelin, had been chatting with Laila since they boarded the plane.

She was a very talkative woman, and after hearing so much about Laila from her son, she had been eager to meet her. Now, she finally had the chance.

"I've always encouraged him to spend time with Roy. Roy's a good influence, not like some of the others who might lead Leo astray. I wish he could be more like Roy—settle down with a good woman and stop running around."

Irmelin glanced at Laila, sighing inwardly. Why couldn't her son have brought home a girl like this?

Laila, who had been praised nonstop throughout the flight, felt her scalp tingling. She forced a dry laugh and nodded. "Yeah, it's too bad things didn't work out with Gisele."

"Exactly!" Irmelin sighed, then cast an envious look at Roy, who was chatting with her son. "But I can't blame her for breaking up with him. If Leo had even half the romance and patience Roy does, I'd be thanking God."

Laila didn't know how to respond. Family matters and relationship drama were normal, and it wasn't her place to gossip. But as the elder, Irmelin commanded respect, and Laila, with her ingrained Eastern values, couldn't help but listen politely, even if the topic didn't interest her in the slightest.