To say that box office fraud never happened in America would be naive—but if someone was caught, they could expect to face a long list of consequences: lawsuits, legal accountability, and massive fines. The punishment would always be far more severe than the crime, enough to make you cough up twice as much as you tried to take. On that front, the East couldn't even compare.
And really, that wasn't surprising. When did Hollywood rise to power, and how long had Eastern cinema even been around in comparison? Even Hollywood, in its early decades, had spent years shrouded in scandal and corruption.
Take The Godfather, for example. Even that classic included a scene where Don Corleone, to secure an Oscar nomination for his godson Johnny, resorted to brutal intimidation—and succeeded in getting the golden statue thanks to a bloody, severed horse's head.
It just showed that nothing great is built overnight. Growth through trial and error was the natural process. Being the latecomer wasn't all bad—at least you could learn from those who had gone before and carve a path suited to yourself.
Before Laila's rebirth, Eastern cinema had already entered into cooperative agreements with Hollywood's box office auditing organizations. The goal was greater transparency, ensuring that the people who deserved their share wouldn't be cheated by underhanded tactics.
Laila hadn't personally experienced such things in her past life, but as someone who revered filmmaking, how could she not have learned everything she could about the industry?
To her, film was sacred. It was the eternal dream of both her lives. She was willing to give everything to ensure her films remained untainted by even the faintest shadow.
Which was why Louise's accusation now deeply unsettled her.
"You listen to me—I would never! Never! Never do something like that! My films will always be presented in their most honest form!"
Buying up tickets, falsifying numbers? She had too much pride to stoop that low. Not to brag, but did she even need to?
And let's be real—how much money would it take to buy enough ticket sales to top the all-time box office record? Based on her best performances so far, she'd probably have to dump billions into it!
Setting aside how unbelievably stupid and unethical it would be—even a fool would notice if her numbers suddenly skyrocketed in such an unnatural way.
Seeing how serious Laila was, Louise began to question the credibility of the intel she had received.
"My source is extremely reliable. If it wasn't you, then who else would bribe theaters just to inflate our numbers?"
"What exactly is going on? Tell me everything."
Laila could already smell something suspicious in the air.
People always said she was a walking magnet for headlines—but they often forgot she also carried a jinx. There was always someone, somewhere, who would show up out of nowhere just to make her life miserable.
Go to a party? She'd bump into an idiot prince, and that led to an even dumber princess—Faiza.
Go make a movie? She'd run into a delusional terrorist who thought she should help him fundraise through filmmaking…
So who was the "demon" stirring up trouble this time?
Louise saw Laila's sincerity and confusion and, still uncertain, began to explain what she'd heard.
Louise had spent decades in Hollywood. While she didn't have great relationships with top studio execs, she had strong ties with many people working in the trenches. In recent years, thanks to the company's explosive growth, she had gained more influence, and with that came even more connections.
This time, the tip came from an old friend. He had once worked in the film industry, too, but quit after someone stole his shot at success using shady tactics. Disillusioned, he left the business but invested the money he had into a cinema chain. That investment paid off handsomely, giving him a steady, recession-proof source of income.
Louise had worked with him over a decade ago, and they'd remained close. She knew the details of his story, but back then, she'd only been a mid-level manager at a B-list studio—someone so insignificant in Hollywood that she couldn't make any waves. Even if she wanted to help, she had no power to do so.
But the fact that she wanted to help had made a lasting impression, and the friendship endured.
Out of loyalty, this friend's cinema had always given Laila's films good slots during negotiations. That only strengthened the bond. And because of that, the moment he spotted something wrong, he came straight to Louise.
It was a simple message:
Someone claiming to represent Laila had secretly approached a cinema owner, trying to bribe him in exchange for tampering with ticket numbers to make Avengers look like a massive success.
In his words, he just hoped Louise could talk some sense into Laila—not to throw her life away on an impulsive move. America's box office oversight system was too sophisticated. If caught, a massive fine or even prison time was the least of her worries—Dragon Soul Studios itself might collapse under the weight of the scandal.
There were already plenty of people who envied or resented Laila's box office achievements. If this got out, people wouldn't just question this movie's numbers—they'd start doubting all of her records.
Her name would no longer represent a miracle-working director.
It would become synonymous with "fraud." With "scam artist." With "thief."
And the moment Louise heard that, she ran straight to Laila's office. She didn't want to believe it was true. But her friend wasn't the kind of person who'd make that kind of claim as a joke—not unless he was willing to cut ties with her forever.
"I would never do something like that," Laila repeated firmly, her brow furrowing.
She could already see how devastating it would be if this kind of rumor spread. Her entire reputation in the film industry would be destroyed. Every movie she released—or even any movie under her company—would be smeared with accusations of "box office fraud."
Louise realized it, too.
"If it wasn't you… Then who would do something so reckless? Could it be Janet's people? Maybe they're afraid you really will hit number one, and they're trying to tip the scales behind your back?"
Given how wealthy the Moran family was, it didn't sound entirely impossible. Maybe they didn't realize just how dangerous this kind of thing was in the film industry.
But Laila shook her head immediately.
"Impossible. They wouldn't do that."
At least not as far as she understood her family. To them, everything she achieved in the film world was her career. Unless she came asking for help directly, they wouldn't interfere.
Her eyes narrowed. A new possibility struck her.
"If someone did do this… it might not be someone from our side at all. It could be one of our rivals trying to frame us."
And honestly? That sounded very possible.