After going over the recent box office numbers and reviewing her schedule, Laila decided she had done all she could for now—and it was time to return to the United States.
While the Eastern market held massive potential, the U.S. box office was still crucial. If she wanted to challenge for the all-time number one spot, she couldn't afford to ignore the power of Western audiences.
By the time she landed back in the U.S., The Avengers had officially surpassed 2.1 billion dollars globally!
The headline read: "Just 900 Million Left!"
Not long after stepping off the plane and setting foot in Hollywood again, she happened to notice a newspaper discarded in a corner. The part facing up bore a bold headline in thick black font—just that phrase.
She walked over and picked it up. Unsurprisingly, the front page featured an article about her and her movie.
The report read:
"Before filming had even begun, many already doubted her. They pointed to the short amount of time spent on scriptwriting and production as signs that failure was inevitable. Even before the movie's release, skeptics believed the large ensemble cast would make the film a chaotic mess.
On the day of the premiere, there was even a high-profile attempt to sabotage her.
But now, at this very moment, all the doubt and criticism have gone silent. They have no choice but to shut their mouths.
So what if the script was written in just two weeks?
So what if the film was shot in barely over a year?
Just because they can't do it doesn't mean Laila can't.
And the truth is—Laila did it exceptionally well. She managed production with precision, promoted the film skillfully, and traveled across the globe to create momentum.
Now she's reaping the rewards: a $2.1 billion global box office.
Whether or not she ultimately breaks Avatar's record remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—she's already surpassed Titanic and taken the second spot in all-time box office history."
At the end of the article, the paper even threw in a joke, claiming that Laila ought to thank the person who had tried to frame her. If that incident hadn't gone viral, the film might never have received such overwhelming attention. The free publicity alone was likely worth hundreds of millions in box office sales.
If Laila did go on to surpass Avatar, that saboteur would definitely deserve part of the credit.
Laila chuckled after reading it. "Well, that's… not wrong."
Demi, who had taken the newspaper from her and skimmed it, laughed as well. "Right? We really should thank that guy."
As the two of them joked, Roy appeared in the distance, carrying little Eli—dressed in a snazzy mini suit—in his arms.
"Boss, looks like it's just us hitching a ride with the crew now," Demi teased. Once Roy arrived and exchanged a few words, she took the rest of the team and left.
"Welcome home, Laila," Roy said, his eyes locked on her. Ever since she returned, he hadn't been able to look away—desperate to make up for the days he hadn't seen her.
"I'm home." Laila embraced him warmly, then reached out to take Eli into her arms, planting a kiss on the child's cheek. As they walked toward the car, she asked, "Everything been okay lately?"
"Everything's great. Both at home and at the company." Roy looked at her and their son, his face nearly overflowing with happiness. In just a little while, she would officially become his wife.
"That's good to hear."
Inside the car, Laila recounted what she'd read in the newspaper. "So, what's the latest exact box office figure? That paper wasn't from today, so I'm sure the numbers are outdated."
"It's already passed 2.2 billion," Roy replied as he pulled the car onto the highway. "Some are estimating you've got at least a 20% chance to take the number one spot in global box office history."
"I think they're being way too conservative," he added. "The theater occupancy is still ridiculously high."
Laila wasn't surprised that people had underestimated her. What surprised her more was that anyone thought she could break the record at all.
"Twenty percent is already generous, considering what they said before the movie was even shot."
Thinking back on those days, Roy laughed heartily. He loved it when Laila's results smacked those critics right in the face. Every time it happened, he was only regretful that he couldn't witness their expressions in person. If he could, he'd definitely take photos and post them online for everyone to enjoy.
"I wish I could see their faces when you do break the record."
Laila smiled. "You're that sure I'll break it?"
"I believe in you!" Roy's confidence in her was rock-solid. In his mind, there was nothing she set her mind to that she didn't accomplish—and always to an exceptional degree. If she told him aliens from her movie were showing up tomorrow, he'd probably start prepping the bunker.
Laila couldn't help but feel warm inside from his unshakable faith in her.
If only, in her past life, she'd had someone she could trust like this…
Their family of three rode home, sweet and content, unaware that someone was watching them from the shadows.
No one knew Cooper had returned.
But he had.
Because he had no choice.
It sounded contradictory—but it was the harsh truth.
If he could help it, he would never have set foot back on U.S. soil. At least not while Faaris and his cronies still held power. But he was out of options. If he didn't come back and take Faaris down, he—and his wife and family—might really end up at the bottom of the ocean.
At first, Cooper had thought that with his child sent overseas and him and his wife escaping the U.S., they'd finally left that nightmare behind. But two days ago, while out for a walk near their rented apartment in the U.K., he caught a fleeting glimpse of a familiar profile inside a car passing by.
The hairs on his neck had instantly stood on end.
He couldn't be 100% sure, but that face—he was certain he'd seen it before.
In Faaris's office.
Likely one of the man's closest enforcers.
And anyone trusted by Faaris was guaranteed to be ruthless. Cooper had no doubt those people had blood on their hands—probably a lot of it.
Just in the past two years, he knew of several people who'd been dragged out of Faaris's office, mouths gagged, and were never seen again.
The memory made him shudder.
And once again, he found himself blaming Laila.
If it hadn't been for her, he'd never have crossed paths with someone like Faaris, let alone ended up in this miserable situation.
He didn't need to guess how furious Faaris must have been when he found out Cooper had fled with his family. Nor did he doubt for a second that, once caught, Faaris would kill him using the most brutal methods imaginable.