She might have only beaten the second-place film by a few million at the box office, but even if it were just a penny more, the winner was still her. The record holder, the creator of the highest-grossing film in cinematic history, was still her.
Everyone knew that if she had failed in this challenge, what awaited her would've been endless criticism and ridicule, possibly even making her a laughingstock. Any discussion of box office numbers or films would inevitably bring her up as a joke.
But now, she had succeeded—successfully creating a new record in film history. She had kept her word and had become a bona fide miracle director of the new generation!
To only see her success and ignore the pressure she endured beforehand would be a grave mistake.
Just as one article described:
"She bore immense pressure. If she had failed in the end, she might have completely broken down—and we would have lost a great director."
At this point, those who had misunderstood her before, or had been swayed by others twisting her words, all came forward to apologize for the criticism they once hurled at her. Now, no one questioned whether she deserved to be called "great," and no one brought up her being a woman as some kind of qualification to discredit her.
Facts are facts. No matter how much people try to twist them, no matter how envious they are, her achievements will forever be engraved in the annals of film history.
The first female director in Oscar history to win Best Director, the youngest winner of the Oscar for Best Director, the person who has won the most Oscars ever… Laila, who possessed immense talent in both screenplay adaptation and film editing, when her movie topped the all-time box office rankings, there were no words more fitting to describe her life than "great."
Countless people cheered for her success, countless more felt proud of her. They were grateful to be living in the same era as her—to witness this miraculous battle for the highest box office in film history.
What made them happiest was that Laila was still young. She could continue writing her legend. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before she brought another visual feast to the screen.
Fans were overjoyed. The media was overjoyed. They enthusiastically hyped everything related to Laila. Even though just last year, many of them had mocked her achievements and ability, ridiculing her audacious claims, at this moment, they were all standing firmly on her side, waving flags and singing her praises.
Anyone who dared to speak ill of her now would become the one under siege.
For example, there was a certain media outlet that maliciously speculated about inflated box office numbers in the East.
They claimed that the largest cinema chain in the East was owned by her, so racking up extra ticket sales would be a breeze. They reminded readers that there had been rumors of ticket-buying schemes during the film's North American premiere. Who's to say she hadn't pulled similar stunts in the East, or in some more remote countries?
In less-developed or poorer countries, wouldn't it be ridiculously easy to buy up the box office? If you've got money, who's to say you can't throw enough of it around to get the numbers you want?
As soon as these claims surfaced, they were met with fierce backlash from Laila's fans. The "ticket-buying incident" during the premiere had already been thoroughly investigated—wasn't it a clear case of someone trying to frame her? So how did these unethical media outlets twist it into supposed evidence of her manipulation?
And what's this nonsense about her owning a cinema chain in the East? Are there not countless film companies that invest in theaters? By that logic, every film they produce should be under suspicion, too!
"Laila has worked so hard—why are people still trying to drag her down?"
"She slapped those who slandered her right in the face with her achievements. Must she continue to endure such unfair treatment?"
That media outlet's website was swiftly attacked by fans. Even ordinary viewers couldn't stomach the baseless rumors they were spreading and began boycotting it on their own accord. Yes, America has freedom of speech, but that doesn't give anyone the right to spout irresponsible nonsense!
Amid all this uproar, Laila and Roy quietly returned to Hollywood. Their honeymoon had taken them through many countries in Asia, and their baby had been to numerous beautiful places.
Once home, Laila planned to organize all the photos they'd taken into a keepsake album. When little Eli grows up, when she and Roy are old, they could sit on the grass, surrounded by the scent of flowers, basking in warm sunlight, reminiscing about the beautiful moments of their lives.
It was a pity the trip was still too short. If not for having to come back to promote her new film and prepare for the wedding, they would've loved to visit a few more countries and experience even more cultures and cuisines.
After returning, Roy continued working on the wedding preparations. He was as tight-lipped as ever—Laila hadn't been able to get a single detail out of him. So even now, she had no idea where the wedding would take place or who would be attending. But she trusted him and was at ease focusing on her own work.
And she truly was busy—not just with promotions for the new film, but also with an overwhelming number of media interviews.
Time magazine once again extended an invitation to Laila, hoping she would agree to a feature interview and appear on the cover.
For many people, this was an honor. Countless celebrities had graced that cover before, including world leaders, renowned artists, and famous actors.
Laila had appeared on the cover once, several years ago. There had been a few other opportunities since, but she had declined. Sometimes, because of scheduling conflicts, other times because she didn't want to be in the spotlight—and most of the time, because she believed that "scarcity creates value." Appear too often, and the honor starts to lose its meaning.
Besides, something others might find precious and significant wasn't rare in the Moran household. Her grandfather, Oswald, had been on the cover. So had her mother, Janet…
Come to think of it, the Moran bloodline really was impressive. Her grandfather had achieved great things, and aside from not having many descendants, there was little to criticize. And having fewer children turned out to be a blessing—it meant none of the typical rich-family dramas. In terms of family conduct, there really weren't many upper-class American families that could rival the Morans.
On the agreed day, Laila welcomed Time's reporter and photography assistants into her office.
After a round of small talk, they quickly got down to business.
"Many people say you're a woman of bold ambition, Director Moran—that you always follow through. When you said you were going to challenge for the top spot at the box office, did you truly intend to aim for number one?"
Laila raised an eyebrow at the question. It caught her a little off guard. Clearly, this was a trap. If she denied it, her previous statement would come off as nothing but empty boasting. But if she confirmed it, there would surely be more leading questions waiting for her—perhaps accusing her of arrogance, or megalomania.