"Was he holding something?" The other girl blinked in confusion. "I couldn't see. Those guys were like a wall standing in front of him. I was lucky just to catch a glimpse of Roy's face."
"I did see something. I'm sure he was holding something..." The first girl paused, then said in a disbelieving voice, "Could it be their child—the baby named Eli?"
"You even remember their baby's name?"
"Of course! It's easy to remember. It has both the dad's and the mom's names in it, though you can only really tell if you say it in Eastern pronunciation."
The two girls looked at each other—then immediately squealed again: "Oh my god, that must have been their child!"
"I actually saw him, but didn't really see him! Aah! Why didn't I take a closer look?!"
"Do you think they'll come downstairs later? Maybe we can wait by the lobby and get another chance to see them?"
Excited and giddy, they made plans to stake out the hotel entrance, all while posting what had just happened on Weibo. Though they hadn't gotten a good look at the baby, they had managed to snap a photo of Roy—and of course, they had to share that!
Even though the pictures were taken stealthily, mostly blocked by the muscular bodyguards (plus those annoying hats that covered half their faces), the angle still made it clear enough who was in the shot.
Once posted—especially alongside the previous photos of the plane—it instantly blew up online.
So it was Laila and Roy. And rumor had it, they even brought their baby?
Ever since Avengers began screening in the East, Laila's name had constantly been trending online or on the news. People were practically treating the box office race like a festival, watching her numbers inch closer to the record held by Avatar.
Now, her name once again lit up the trending topics—this time for bringing her soon-to-be husband, Roy, and their child to an Eastern hotel.
Why were they here?
That question became the center of everyone's curiosity.
So when Laila finally got to sit down, relax, and scroll through Weibo a bit, she was frustrated to find that the information she'd hoped to keep secret had already been exposed. How could she forget about the plane?
She hadn't noticed the two girls taking pictures in the elevator either. Things like that happened all the time. In the U.S., stepping outside meant constantly being photographed, so her bodyguards were already used to it. They didn't bother stopping anyone—after all, their boss was a celebrity. Being photographed was practically part of the job.
"Director Moran, I heard you're in the East with your family?" Yao Yingxia called her the moment she saw the news online.
"We were hoping to enjoy a quiet honeymoon... but I didn't expect we'd be discovered this fast," Laila replied, helpless.
She had thought that getting off the plane and straight into the car, then from the car right into the hotel and up to their room, wouldn't leave any room for exposure. But clearly, she'd underestimated the power of fan instincts—and smartphones. Even in the elevator, despite the hats and disguises, two fans had still recognized them.
Yao Yingxia's eyes lit up the moment she heard the word honeymoon. "Want me to help arrange your trip?"
With a world-famous director's name attached to any location, it would be a huge boost to tourism. And Laila was known for her incredible photography skills—anything that went through her camera lens ended up looking like it had been professionally retouched. If she posted a few photos on her social media, those tourist spots would go viral internationally.
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. We're hoping to just quietly explore." Laila was grateful, but she still had to decline. She knew that once this particular "help" got involved, her supposedly low-key trip would turn into a global media event.
Yao Yingxia didn't press further. She didn't want to risk being pushy and annoying her. "Alright then. But if you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know."
"Of course." Laila agreed pleasantly.
After hanging up, Yao Yingxia looked at the trending topics on her computer screen and couldn't help but laugh and shake her head. "It's already this chaotic, and she still thinks she can go unnoticed?"
With that family's looks—and the team of fierce-looking bodyguards they brought everywhere—how could they not stand out in a crowd?
Still, she had to admire Laila's big heart. Her film was this close to breaking the all-time box office record, and she still had the nerve to run off on a honeymoon. Didn't she worry whether or not it would break the record?
If it were her, Yao Yingxia thought, she'd be too anxious to eat, let alone take a vacation.
There were Western reporters stationed in the East, too. So as soon as news of Laila's appearance got out, those journalists got the tip. After verifying the story, it didn't take long to confirm what the internet already suspected—Laila really was here, and she'd brought Roy and their child.
It was a huge story.
Whether it was Laila, Roy, or their baby, the public was highly interested. And yet, in all the photos the couple had posted online, there had never been a single clear shot of their child's face. Judging from the side views, though, it was obvious: the child was beautiful.
With genes like that, how could the baby not be gorgeous? He'd practically have to try to turn out badly.
And the fewer people got to see him, the more they wanted to. A single front-facing photo of Eli had long been offered at a sky-high price—but no paparazzi had ever managed to get one, thanks to the family's strict protection.
Even those who did have a shot probably wouldn't dare to sell it. The Moran family owned a media empire—they were the industry. Any paparazzo hoping to make money in that world couldn't afford to cross them.
Sure, a big, powerful outlet might risk buying a photo the Moran family didn't want public. But could they really protect the freelance photographer who sold it to them?
Not to mention, most media companies didn't want to burn bridges with the Morans. The story of The New York Post getting bought out was still a popular tale in the industry. Just because his granddaughter was getting bad press, the old man had gone ahead and acquired the entire outlet.
Who would dare mess with someone that protective?
That was why, ever since Laila entered showbiz, she hadn't experienced the same kind of hounding other stars faced. Her grandfather had made sure of that. Everyone in the industry knew the rules—they knew what to do and what not to do.
So, up until now, not a single front-facing photo of little Eli had been leaked.
And those who had seen him in person? Well, people in those circles did not need to sell pictures. When you're in a position where you'd rather leave a few hundred thousand dollars lying on the ground than bend over to pick it up—because the time spent bending over could make you more than that—why bother?