And so, under Laila's persistent questioning and Cooper's halting explanation, the events of the past were finally revealed, bit by bit. Only then did she understand why he had been so unwilling to speak—why even Louise had gone to such lengths to keep it hidden.
When she finally learned the truth, the first thing Laila felt was a wave of relief. It was like chains that had bound her heart for years had suddenly been shattered.
Ten years ago, not long after she had arrived in Hollywood, she became a target of Cooper's hostility. That was when she learned there had been something in the past that caused it all. But for years, she'd been unable to uncover the truth.
She had asked long-time employees in the company, and even had Xiao Ye dig into it, but it was all in vain. The only person who knew what had happened, Louise, refused to say a single word. Every time Laila asked, she would put on that look of "I won't say a thing, just pretend I'm dead."
Eventually, the desire to know the truth became more than just curiosity—it became an obsession. Every time she thought about it, she felt an uncontrollable itch of frustration, like scratching at something just out of reach.
Now that she finally knew the reason, it felt like a long-unfinished chapter in her heart had been completed. Her whole mood felt brighter.
And honestly, she didn't suspect Cooper was lying to her. The reason he gave was so bizarre—it sounded like something out of a movie or TV show. If he were trying to make something up, he'd have chosen a more plausible, believable excuse. Not something that sounded made up at first glance.
After saying she'd wait to hear more news, Laila ended the call.
In truth, even if Cooper hadn't called, she had already planned to settle accounts with Faaris. Her people had been investigating the ticket-fraud scandal for a while. Everyone involved knew that this last attack wasn't the end. As long as the other side still existed, it was only a matter of time before an even more vicious plot came to light.
This time, they were lucky—Louise had uncovered the truth early. But who could guarantee that next time, they'd be so fortunate?
On the surface, it looked like the box office scandal had blown over. But Laila had still quietly assigned people to continue the investigation. Fortunately, she had someone very capable on her team. And even though the enemy had done their best to stay hidden, the ever-resourceful Xiao Ye still managed to dig up quite a few leads.
Putting all those clues together, the name of Faaris's company had finally surfaced. And once the company was exposed, how could Faaris possibly escape accountability? Connecting that to previous incidents, it became almost certain—he was the mastermind behind all her troubles from the shadows.
So, with a mountain of evidence already collected, even if Cooper hadn't come to beg for help, Laila would've still proceeded with her plans. His phone call didn't change her course—but at least it resolved a mystery that had haunted her for years. So in a way, there was something to gain.
As for what to do next...
Laila's eyes narrowed dangerously. Then, she picked up her phone.
On the other end, Cooper slumped into his couch the moment he hung up, as if all the strength had drained from his body.
Laila hadn't given him any promises. He didn't know if she'd actually move against Faaris. For all he knew, she might just sit back—or worse, tip Faaris off about his whereabouts. From his perspective, he'd spent years targeting Reynolds, nearly succeeded in destroying Phoenix, and could even be considered an indirect cause of her father's death. If she chose not to help him, it wouldn't exactly be a surprise.
At this point, he didn't know what else to do. All he could do was hide in this narrow, dark room and monitor the internet through an old, dying computer. What he wanted most now was to see Faaris's name in the news—whether it was deportation or death, as long as the man disappeared from his life forever.
October was the month of the wedding, and Laila had already decided to make sure Faaris disappeared from her sight before then. With the evidence she had and the Moran family's influence in the U.S., it really shouldn't be too difficult to get him deported.
But when she told her grandfather everything, he simply took the evidence and said, "Leave the rest to us. You focus on your work."
Laila had asked how he planned to handle it, and his answer was just: "Let the people below take care of it."
Knowing when not to push, Laila wisely chose not to press further. She had a strong feeling that not asking too many questions was probably for the best—whatever her grandfather was hiding, he clearly didn't want her to know.
And she was right.
Oswald had no intention of letting his sweet, angelic granddaughter get involved in the shadows of the business world. Even if she was destined to take over his position someday, he planned to settle everything before retiring. All the unsavory matters—he would assign to someone else.
After all, who would believe that a man who built such a massive conglomerate did it without using a few under-the-table methods? Whether it was the networks he controlled or the loyal subordinates he had nurtured, some cards simply had to stay in his hand.
Truth be told, Oswald had known about Faaris almost from the moment the man set foot in the U.S. The reason he hadn't moved earlier was that Faaris's "war" with Laila had stayed within certain boundaries—still considered "clean" by industry standards.
To put it simply, he had treated Faaris as a whetstone—a test of Laila's resilience and ability to handle setbacks. If she couldn't handle someone like Faaris, how could she lead a global empire and take on far more dangerous opponents?
Laila had no idea what her grandfather was planning. She put the matter aside for now and turned her focus back to the film's box office.
And now, after these few days, the global box office has soared to 2.5 billion dollars.
This was a major achievement. If not for Avatar, this kind of number would've caused a worldwide sensation. Not that it wasn't causing buzz now, but the impact was slightly diminished in comparison.
Still, the surge in box office numbers had once again shifted Hollywood's attention back to big-budget productions and the superhero genre. Even though Green Lantern had bombed during the summer, causing studios to hesitate, Laila's film had made so much money that it was enough to make anyone throw caution to the wind and think: Why not try again?
Over at DC, the Justice League project had been pulled back out for review. And several smaller studios had already approached Laila's company, hoping to grab a slice of the superhero goldmine.
Sure, their individual budgets weren't much—but they could team up. One studio might struggle to shoulder a $200 million production, but what if ten or twenty of them joined forces? Then each would only need to invest a few million to a few dozen million, and even if the project failed, it wouldn't be enough to kill them financially.