Chapter 1048 - Confirming the News

Laila was moved by her mother's urgency and warmth, and her voice softened. "Mom, don't worry. I'm fine."

"Are you alright?" Janet, of course, wouldn't be reassured by a simple answer. "Then why were you and Roy at the hospital?"

"Mom, I am fine. If you don't believe me, you can ask Roy." As for the real reason, Laila thought it might be better to wait before telling her. Her mom would probably get even more worked up if she found out now—best not to shock her too much at once.

"But seriously, how did you even know we went to the hospital?" she asked curiously.

"It's all over the internet now. Practically everyone knows—and your mother was the last to find out. Do you think that's fair?" Janet's tone held a touch of displeasure.

Her daughter had gone to the hospital, and she, the mother, only found out after everyone else saw it online. What kind of mother-daughter communication was that? Wasn't she supposed to be someone Laila would discuss these things with?

Janet's thinking was still somewhat influenced by Eastern ideals—believing that as long as her daughter wasn't married, she was still a child.

At that moment, Roy took the phone. "Janet, you don't need to worry. Laila is healthy. The reason we went to the hospital is… because she's pregnant."

Laila hadn't expected him to spill the news so bluntly. But there was no stopping it now—she could already hear her mother shrieking on the other end after a brief stunned silence.

"Ah! Ah!! My Laila! Is it true? My Laila's going to have a baby?!"

Janet jumped off the couch, and then back onto it like a madwoman. Gone was the elegant figure admired by her fans—she now looked like a crazed woman high on joy. Little William, wide-eyed and confused beside her, burst into tears at the commotion, expressing his shock the only way he knew how.

Laila tried to grab the phone back to explain things more gently. Ideally, she wanted to downplay the news and its impact on the movie she was working on. She'd already sent people out to scout filming locations—was she going to abandon everything now?

If she gave it up, she wouldn't be able to get back out there for several months after giving birth. Forget physical recovery—even if she still loved the film with all her heart, could she leave a newborn for months just to go on location far away? She wasn't that cold-blooded.

But Roy wasn't about to let her take the phone back. His arms were longer, and he simply raised the phone above her head. Laila could jump all she wanted—she wasn't getting it back.

Only after she finally gave up, panting and glaring, did Roy turn back to Janet and continue.

"Laila is three months along. I want her to go back to New York for the rest of her pregnancy. I'll feel a lot better with her there." He knew she'd receive the best medical care—there were top-tier family doctors on standby, and if anything happened, help could arrive in minutes.

"Roy! I still have work," Laila said, glaring at his annoyingly long legs. "Why do your legs even need to be that long? 'Blood Diamond' is in post-production. I can't just abandon everything!"

"Don't think I don't know," Roy replied coolly. "I already asked Demi—she said you can easily handle post-production discussions remotely."

He was willing to compromise on a lot of things, but not this. Not when it came to the baby. She had already said she wanted to keep the child—so now, not everything could be her call anymore.

Laila had never seen him this stubborn. She sighed. "I'm the CEO. I'm not just responsible for the movie, I have other decisions to make. Do you think I can disappear to New York for six months? Maybe even a year? Or are you suggesting I fly back and forth with a pregnant belly just to handle emergencies?"

She thought her logic was flawless, but Roy didn't even flinch.

"You're the one who said it—the Earth will keep turning without anyone. The company will too. If the business can't survive without you for a few months, then there's something wrong with it."

The argument was escalating, and on the other end of the line, Janet couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Laila must come home! I'll talk to my father about it. If she won't come willingly, Roy—just knock her out and bring her back! I'm giving you full authority!" Janet shouted over the phone.

Laila's mouth twitched. Holding the phone she'd finally gotten back, she asked, "Mom… whose side are you even on?"

"Isn't it obvious? Of course, I'm on the side of my precious granddaughter!" Janet said gleefully. "When the time comes, I'll design tons of outfits for our little princess. She'll change into several different ones every day. I'll dress her up beautifully and show her off to all my friends. They'll be so jealous!"

"Why are you so sure it's a girl? What if it's a boy?" Laila, clearly veering off-topic, raised an unexpected question.

Roy let out a silent sigh. Wasn't now the time to discuss her mom's whole "knock her out" comment?

Janet wasn't fazed in the least. "Of course, a girl would be better. William's a little rascal—I've spent so much energy chasing after him! But you, Laila, were always so sweet. Everyone who saw you when you were little thought you were an angel sent by God."

She would never forget the first time she held that tiny bundle in her arms. That overwhelming feeling… it was like nothing else.

Laila's gaze dimmed slightly. Of course, the "Laila" Janet was talking about wasn't her, but the original little Laila—the sickly child who had struggled so hard to live. Who wouldn't see that child as an angel?

"I understand… Let me think about it," Laila said quietly, suddenly losing the desire to continue the conversation. She handed the phone back to Roy.

Her sudden silence made Roy sense something different in her. After a few more words with Janet, he hung up and sat beside her.

"Laila… do you think I've gone too far?" he asked quietly. He was genuinely terrified. Just thinking about how difficult things had already been for the baby made his chest tighten with pain.

"I don't want to hurt you… but I'm really scared," he said, pulling her into a tight embrace like he feared she might vanish at any second. "I can't imagine what I'd do if we lost the baby. I think I'd go insane."

If something had happened, he would've killed Martin with his own hands. He'd destroy his entire operation, just like how he took revenge on Flandre—he wouldn't even need government permission to do it.

Laila nodded and gently patted his shoulder. "I know."

Neither of them had been prepared for this little life. If they had known earlier, she probably wouldn't have let herself get into danger in the first place.