The embroidery workshop owner was feeling a major headache. After working in the industry for years, this was the first time they'd encountered something like this. Everything had just been too coincidental—just so happened the girl overheard something about the gown, just so happened she didn't run into anyone when she went to take pictures, and it also just so happened that the security guard was switching shifts at that exact time, so no one noticed what was going on with the surveillance footage.
This incident exposed a serious flaw in their internal procedures. It might not be too late to fix it now, but when they thought about how the dress was meant for Laila, everyone involved felt like they'd just lost face on an international scale.
"Is this how you complete a task assigned by the state?" Yao Yingxia could hardly believe her ears when she got the call from the workshop. "What did I say back then? This was a political task, something the country entrusted to you! This has international implications!"
What could the people at the workshop say? Make excuses? Blame it on some brat?
No amount of excuses could change the facts. Aside from apologizing, there really was nothing else they could do.
"This was entirely our fault. Could you please get in touch with Miss Moran and see how we might resolve this? Whether it's an apology or financial compensation, we're willing to accept it."
Yao Yingxia sneered, "Of course, you have to apologize. Not just you—I'll have to throw my own face out there too! But compensation? Do you really think that woman needs money?"
She starred in a single film that grossed over 2 billion USD, almost 3 billion now. Would someone like that even look at a few million in compensation?
"Then what if we redesign and make a new one?" someone from the embroidery workshop suggested.
"Can you make it in time? Her wedding's in October, right? If I'm remembering correctly, you all said the timeline was already extremely tight. You had to gather every top-tier embroiderer you could find and work them around the clock just to barely make the deadline!"
Yao Yingxia remembered it all very clearly. That's why she didn't consider redoing the gown a viable solution. If they rushed the work just to meet the deadline and ended up delivering a subpar product, even if foreigners couldn't tell, someone would know. And with Director Moran's influence—if she found out she'd been lied to, would that embroidery workshop ever survive the fallout?
The workshop staff were left speechless. It was true—remaking it in time was simply impossible. They used hand embroidery, not machines, so every single stitch required the embroiderers' full attention and care. If they had a choice, they wouldn't want to start from scratch either. But right now, what other option did they have?
Yao Yingxia, despite her anger, knew they needed a proper solution. Compensation was a must—they had breached the contract after all. At the same time, they needed Laila's forgiveness. If she really got upset… Yao had no idea what they'd do then.
How had it come to this?
With no other option, she picked up her phone and dialed Laila's number.
As someone Laila was relatively fond of among the official personnel, Yao had her direct line.
When the call came through, Laila was still busy working on the promotional plans for Silence. Seeing the caller ID surprised her a little. During her time in the East, she had received a great deal of support and assistance from Yao and had a good impression of the female official.
"Here's the situation…" After the initial greetings, Yao braced herself and explained everything that had happened over the past couple of days.
After listening, Laila felt like even TV dramas didn't have plots this dramatic.
"The entire gown was leaked?" she asked. If that was the case, she'd have no choice but to abandon it. After all, she represented the face of the Moran family. She couldn't risk wearing something that might become a mass-market AliExpress knockoff, no matter how beautifully made it was.
"No, no!" Yao quickly clarified. "It was just a single piece—and it's not even finished. With a few modifications, we can ensure it looks completely different."
Laila nodded. "If time allows, then go ahead and modify it." If it were just one unfinished part and the full design and embroidery hadn't been leaked, it shouldn't be too big an issue.
"Great!" Yao let out a huge sigh of relief upon seeing that Laila wasn't angry. "Don't worry, I'll make sure they pay you every cent you're owed in compensation."
Laila chuckled, "It's alright. It's not entirely their fault."
"Of course it is! If they'd been a little more careful, none of this would've happened! Frankly, it's a miracle I'm not making them pay double!"
"Seriously, it's fine. How about this—just donate the compensation on my behalf. Maybe to one of those Hope Schools?"
Laila figured that if she told them not to pay at all, Yao Yingxia probably wouldn't let them off the hook. So why not take that money and do something good with it?
Yao was genuinely moved. What a noble spirit! Not even all the locals could do something like this, and yet a foreigner didn't even blink before donating a massive payout.
"I can't do that! That's your rightful compensation!"
"But there's already a solution, right? And it won't delay anything on my end. What's there to be upset about? Besides, it's not like I need the money. Just help me donate it."
Seeing that Laila wasn't just being polite, Yao mulled it over and eventually nodded. "Alright then. Don't worry—I'll make sure to get the maximum compensation and donate every cent of it in your name to the Hope School Project! I guarantee it'll all go directly to helping the kids!"
Laila smiled. "Then I'll leave it to you. When you come to the U.S., dinner's on me."
Yao was amused by her unexpectedly Eastern phrasing. "Alright. If I get the chance, I'll definitely come visit."
Laila truly didn't take the matter to heart. It wasn't like the entire dress had been leaked—just a single, incomplete panel. As long as that piece could be redone, everything could still stay on schedule.
On the other side, Yao Yingxia hung up the phone and headed straight to the embroidery workshop without delay. Just as she had promised, she intended to squeeze every last bit of compensation out of them—to be donated in Laila's name. Laila might not care about the money, but for children without access to school, this could be life-changing.
The workshop, upon hearing what Yao brought back, also breathed a collective sigh of relief. Thank heavens the other party didn't use their blunder as leverage to blow up the situation. If this had escalated, even if their boss managed to suppress things domestically, they would've been completely disgraced overseas.
Thank goodness Director Moran was reasonable. Thank goodness, thank goodness!
As for the compensation, that was the easy part now. The workshop's owner even decided on the spot: not only would they pay the agreed amount, but they'd also contribute an additional sum for a donation. Consider it a way to ease their own conscience.
At that moment, though, everyone had overlooked one key point: the public's attention wasn't only focused on the leaked embroidery.
There was something much bigger at stake.