Chapter 443 - The Clown

Amid a deluge of news reports, Victor became a complete joke, transforming into a clown figure. This transformation also resulted in a steep decline in his business and stock values.

If he had encountered someone other than Laila, perhaps the old Aiden, there was no doubt that he would have had a good chance at acquiring the coffee shop. Unfortunately, in reality, there are no "ifs." He encountered Laila, and he recklessly used his substantial wealth to threaten someone even richer.

So, he became a clown, a laughingstock. And this was not the end; more humiliations awaited him.

Imagine what the Moran family's reaction would be when they found out about this. Indifference was not an option. With all the media outlets under their control giving Victor full exposure, they could essentially bury him. Moreover, Aiden's case wasn't his first; he had used similar acquisition methods before, albeit not in Hollywood.

The Moran Group's media scrutinized him from head to toe, unearthing every dirty thing he had ever done, even a childhood incident where he stole a piece of chocolate from a classmate.

Laila read these reports and couldn't help but burst into laughter. She was sure that her very unladylike laughter would fetch a good price for the paparazzi.

Perhaps due to her behind-the-scenes efforts or the fact that Victor's situation amused the masses, or possibly the arrangements made with the police chief, within a few days, hardly anyone remembered the unscrupulous role the police had played in this matter.

Even though they were no longer under public scrutiny, the police officers involved were reassigned by the police chief and were unlikely to appear in such a bustling place as Hollywood in their lifetimes.

As Christmas approached, Laila boarded a flight to New York to spend the holiday with her family. Roy and Abel accompanied her.

Initially, Roy was reluctant to go. He felt embarrassed about borrowing Ovitz's AMG and believed that going to Laila's house after that was a bit too much.

Laila might have been somewhat oblivious to her own romantic matters, but she had a keen sense of other aspects. She noticed Roy's reluctance and the internal struggle he was facing. In such a situation, she wouldn't reveal her plans for next year just to appease him. Instead, she presented another reason he couldn't refuse.

"Don't forget you're joining me for the Eastern program. Our time is running out. Do you want to go on stage without even practicing? Remember, this program will be watched by millions. You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself, would you?"

Upon hearing these words, Roy had no further objections.

In the usual procedure of the Spring Festival Gala, local artists would have already rehearsed on the stage many times by this point. However, giving due regard to Laila, they were asked to arrive a day or two in advance to adapt to the stage.

Since they were extending this courtesy, they felt they shouldn't take it for granted. Thus, the pair scheduled their arrival in a week or two, with one goal being to adapt to the stage and the other to check on the construction of the theater chain.

In the time leading up to this, Roy diligently practiced the song he was going to sing, aiming to deliver a flawless performance. Laila's song was a duet, and they needed perfect coordination on stage, so they had to make sure their rehearsals were impeccable.

After Christmas, there weren't many days left in January, so they could only make the most of their time in New York to practice.

After some deliberation, Roy finally agreed.

The household staff had their days off, so naturally, Abel joined them on the flight.

Abel was a smart kid who, even in his life with foster families before, managed well in complex relationships. When Laila sent him to the best school, he didn't feel inferior about his status or that he didn't fit in; instead, he used his excellent grades to win over his teachers and peers. He carried himself with pride.

He cherished his big brother, and their brotherly bond, and, by extension, he cherished Laila, the girl his brother had a liking for. Everything seemed fine. Many times when he saw his brother's gaze following her, it gave him a warm and happy feeling. However, he didn't know what had changed, making it seem as if a transparent barrier had formed between the two of them, creating a strange distance.

Abel had heard from friends that after a failed confession, a good relationship might turn awkward. That's why many people were hesitant to express their feelings outright, fearing it might even ruin their friendship. He speculated that his brother's confession might have spooked her.

Later, when his brother left Laila's company to work for another, Abel thought their relationship might have soured completely. However, what happened afterward left him thoroughly puzzled. The two continued to live under the same roof, talking as they normally did, and Laila's attitude toward his brother remained unchanged. It was as if the termination of her contract was a non-event, and his brother hadn't switched companies at all.

What was going on? The studious child felt like his brain wasn't enough to analyze this situation.

Taking the current situation, for instance, they sat side by side, one reading a book and the other staring out of the window, seemingly estranged.

"Laila, what are you reading?" he attempted to break through the invisible barrier that kept them apart.

Laila turned the book's cover toward him and said, "A Random Walk Down Wall Street. Interested?"

Abel glanced at his brother, who was listening in on their conversation with upright ears. He sighed internally, thinking his brother was a bit dense. Why didn't he take the opportunity to join the conversation?

"What's the book about?" he asked, trying to make eye contact with his brother, but Roy had only perked up his ears and still kept his gaze fixed out the window.

Laila didn't see his appearance, looked at the book, and said: "It is said to be the best stock investment book from the 1970s to the present. It was published by Burton Malkiel in 1973." Abel said curiously: "Teach people to invest in Stocks?"

"Yeah. Probably..." Laila's voice was a little unconfident.

"Why is it probably?"

Laila, a bit embarrassed, scratched her nose and replied, "Well... I can't understand what it's talking about."

"...," Roy's shoulders shook suspiciously, but he didn't turn his head and continued to gaze out the window.

Abel was taken aback by her answer, and he had been under the impression that she was genuinely interested in the book. Yet here she was, admitting she couldn't understand it?