Laila had long since studied her script inside and out, revising it into what she believed would be a version more appealing to moviegoers. This was the result of experience accumulated over both her past and present lives, and she had confidence that her version would turn out even better than the original.
But audience tastes were always shifting, and filmmakers could never truly predict what people would want next. If they could, there wouldn't be so many big-budget and low-budget films flopping at the box office.
So even though Laila had strong faith in her project, she still couldn't claim with 100% certainty that audiences would love it—at least not before it hit theaters. As for whether her film would become the box office champion, that wasn't something she was too focused on at this stage.
Success would, of course, be ideal. But even if she failed, at least she gave it her all. Besides, she was still young. Among a crowd of directors with receding hairlines, she could be considered the "face" of the industry. She had plenty of time to fall and get back up again—so what was there to be afraid of?
Worst-case scenario, even if she couldn't continue as a director, there was still Moran Media Group waiting for her to inherit it. If she couldn't direct, she could invest. With her eye for talent and quality, did she need to worry about not finding a profitable project?
Truthfully, she could've taken that route long ago. But her heart had always been in the craft of filmmaking itself, so she hadn't paid much attention to what others were making. Being a director—creating her worlds, bringing the stories in her mind to life—had been her unwavering pursuit across both lifetimes.
For this year's Oscars, Laila was invited to be a presenter. If she agreed, she could even present one of the major awards. This was an honor many dreamed of, but Laila politely declined.
The thing she hated most was walking the red carpet. Not only did it take hours to get styled up, but standing there while camera flashes went off like lightning bolts was just not her idea of a good time. Honestly, she'd rather stay home and play "throw the toy" with little Eli—way more fun than making that long trip just to be blinded.
So while she avoided the spotlight, Roy had no choice but to take her place as a presenter. She could get away with saying she was a director and didn't want too much attention—but Roy couldn't exactly say the same, could he? He was a major Hollywood star. If he didn't want attention, what was he even doing in the industry?
Laila and her team didn't want to sour their relationship with the Oscars, so after weighing their options, Roy was nominated to be the guest presenter. Who would've thought that such a prestigious role would be something the two of them tossed back and forth like a hot potato?
So, on the day of the Oscars ceremony, Laila and little Eli watched on TV as Roy handed the golden statuette to the winner of Best Actor.
As always, Roy wore a custom suit by the brand he endorsed—Burberry Haute Couture. His tailored, elegant grey suit with silver threading made him stand out amid the sea of standard Oscar black tuxedos and white shirts.
The Oscars had always maintained a formal, solemn atmosphere, and the stars typically chose safe, conservative outfits. Men in black suits and white shirts, women in tasteful gowns—it was the norm.
Roy, still young, wasn't avoiding black because he couldn't pull it off—it was just too dull for his energy. The silver-threaded grey suit from Burberry softened that overly serious tone, giving him a fresh vibrancy and undeniable charm.
"Eli, doesn't Daddy look handsome?" Laila smiled as she held him in her arms, watching Roy on the screen. "You'll grow up to be handsome, too! After all, your dad is a heartthrob and your mom's a beauty. If you grow up looking goofy, they must've mixed up the babies at the hospital."
If Eli could understand her right now, he'd probably give her a huge eye roll. At the moment, he wore his usual serious little expression, his beautiful eyes wide as he stared at the TV. He seemed very curious—why was Daddy inside that box? And when Roy appeared on screen with the air of a commanding CEO, Eli reached out with his little hand, trying to touch him—only to meet the cold surface of the TV.
"Ba-ba!" he called out, waving and pointing at the screen.
"Yes, that's Daddy," Laila said as she hugged him again. "You want to stand up on that stage someday, too? Then you've got to work hard. You can break all of Mommy and Daddy's age records! So, tell me, do you want to be a director or an actor?"
"..." Claire, sitting beside her, was speechless. "Laila, he's still a baby. Do you think talking about career choices this early is useful?"
Laila raised an eyebrow. "And who can say for sure that prenatal education works? But that doesn't stop people from reading stories to their bellies, does it?"
Fair enough. Claire couldn't argue with that. She'd seen plenty of overly excited parents do far sillier things back when she worked at the hospital. As long as it didn't harm the child, she usually let it slide. It was part of the joy of being a parent, wasn't it?
"You really should spend more time at home with Eli," Claire added softly. "I worry that if you're gone too long, he won't recognize you when you get back."
Now that she was a mother, Laila finally understood what it meant to feel that tug on the heartstrings. Stroking Eli's head, she said, "Yeah. Thankfully, we've still been able to video chat every day these past few months. Otherwise, I'd have been miserable."
In the past, Laila never paid much attention to family bonds. But ever since Eli came into her life, so many things had changed. She used to think of herself as cold and detached by nature—maybe that was why, in her previous life, she'd had so little contact with her parents.
Looking back now, she realized that after her parents started their own families, she had distanced herself from them. But wasn't that because she had been too cold and closed off, pushing those relationships away with her own hands?
If she had the chance to live again… maybe she'd make different choices.
Of course, being reborn once was already a miracle. It was probably the greatest gift fate could offer. Perhaps it was only after becoming a mother that she truly saw all the mistakes of her past life—but unfortunately, some things could never be undone.
She had never tried to look for the version of herself that belonged to this world. Maybe it was because, deep down, she wouldn't know how to face her. The only thing she could do now was to pave the way for a better environment in the Eastern film industry. If another version of her existed here, then at least she could chase her dream of becoming a director in a world where that dream was within reach.
After the Oscars, The Avengers promotion officially kicked off.
Media advertisements were a must, of course. Laila hadn't wasted the coveted Super Bowl commercial slot either, using it to premiere a brand-new trailer created specifically for that moment. Even though she wasn't in the country at the time, she still got word that the trailer had been a hit, generating huge buzz and even higher expectations.
Now, with summer blockbuster season fast approaching, the full-blown promotional war of summer releases was just about to begin.