Unfortunately, he had still underestimated her mind. With no better option, it seemed he had no choice but to accept the "collaboration" she was proposing.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked through gritted teeth, barely able to spit out the humiliating words.
"Relax, I'm not going to eat you." Laila couldn't help but laugh at the way he looked—like a man forced to swallow his pride. For a moment, she felt like she'd stepped into a movie, playing the role of the villain who corners their target into submission.
"I mean it—we work together, you get the result you want, and I get to return to where I rightfully belong. Our goals don't conflict. So why not join forces for once?"
Flanders stared at her intently, as if trying to decipher from her expression whether she was being honest or just spinning another tale. Unlike her, he didn't get do-overs. If he failed, it meant death. No second chances. No comeback.
Seeing his silence, Laila knew he was taking her words seriously. And if she didn't strike while the iron was hot—then when?
"Flanders, you need to understand—standing before you is Laila Moran. I think you ought to have enough faith in that name. That Martin you think is so powerful? I could have him wiped off the face of this earth with a single word. Do you believe that?"
And Flanders did believe her. Truly. Just the fact that the military had stationed so many people outside her film set to protect her made it clear: her existence mattered greatly, not just to the U.S., but also to South Africa. Someone like her would be worth eliminating a man like Martin for.
He had chosen her as a target only after careful research and consideration. What he hadn't anticipated was Martin treating her so well—preparing to help her make a movie. Originally, he had expected more forceful methods: threats, coercion, blackmail. That way, he could've quietly leaked evidence and made both the military and the studio—and the power behind the studio—sit up and pay attention.
If either government got involved, Martin would have to pay the price. And that was the price Flanders wanted him to pay—the very reason he had walked away from a prestigious, well-paid medical career overseas and buried himself in this mess of a life.
He had to admit—her proposal was far too tempting. He had to press his lips tightly together just to keep himself from agreeing on the spot.
Noticing the slight shift in his expression, Laila knew the moment was right.
"Flanders, I don't know what your reasons are for wanting revenge against Martin. But you should understand one thing: I won't be staying here much longer. Even if you don't help me, I'll still leave here safely soon enough. And when that happens, I can make your wish come true—make Martin lose everything. Or I can make sure it never happens. I can make sure he lives a long, safe life. And when I do, I'll expose everything you've done to sabotage him. What do you think will happen then?"
Her meaning couldn't be clearer: Work with me and get what you want—or refuse, and I'll make sure you never get another chance.
Shameless! Flanders had only just realized today, after meeting her in person, that this woman was a hundred times more shameless than any he had ever encountered. She wasn't at all the high-society heiress the media had portrayed—nor the most beloved young icon or the last living legend of Hollywood.
"If your fans saw you like this, do you think they'd still love you?" he finally spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Laila only gave him a meaningful smile. "Who knows? Maybe they'd love me even more."
As long as she leaned into the role of a domineering CEO-type, the fangirls who adored her would be just as fervent as the fanboys. Of course, he couldn't possibly understand that.
Flanders dismissed her words as narcissistic self-praise and scoffed. He had no idea she was telling the truth. When she left Hollywood to take over her grandfather's responsibilities, she was supposed to be out of the spotlight. Yet, even the occasional candid shot of her could still dominate magazine covers and online headlines.
People said she was even more mesmerizing that way. The acting prodigy turned interim CEO of a media empire, now a celebrated director with a mysterious past—she practically radiated star power. Even paparazzi could make a fortune off a single candid shot.
Even if she one day truly left the film industry, her fans wouldn't disappear.
Flanders, despite all his knowledge, had only ever seen her through media portrayals—and the media could never capture that. So it wasn't surprising he couldn't grasp where her confidence came from.
Still, her confidence gave him an odd kind of faith—like everything she said could come true. He was highly intelligent, and at times, his instincts worked like a sixth sense. Right now, he felt like he could trust her—trust that she really could bring Martin down.
She was right. For all of Martin's so-called strength, what was he compared to someone who could command military protection while filming overseas? Anyone with common sense could see who held the real power.
"So how do we work together?" he finally asked after a few minutes of silence. It had taken nearly everything he had just to make that decision, but once he did, it felt like a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders. He even felt a rare sense of calm.
If she tricked him, well—then that was his fault for misjudging her. But if someone like Laila was willing to go through all that just to fool him, maybe it was worth being tricked.
Laila wasn't surprised by his agreement. In fact, from the moment she entered the room, she had known this would be the outcome. She hadn't done much—just glanced around the layout, and touched a few books—but that was all she needed to learn about Flanders. Step by step, she had lured him right into her web.
"Flanders, you're a smart man. I believe you'll come to be very glad you made this decision."
"Heh." He gave a humorless smile. "Let's hope so."
Now that their cooperation was settled, Laila didn't hold back. She began explaining her plan to him.
From Roy and Dong-ge, she'd learned why they hadn't immediately rescued her after locating her. The answer lay in the surrounding environment—an expanse of shantytowns and mountain settlements, all firmly under Martin's control. Escaping unnoticed from such a densely populated area was next to impossible.