Chapter 682 - Premiere: Opening Act

Laila responded with a faint smile to this "luck theory."

Yes, she was indeed lucky. But luck is also part of one's strength, isn't it? Turning adversity into opportunity—can't that also be considered a form of strength?

"How do you feel?" Laila asked Downey, who was sitting across from her. Today, he was dressed in a black suit with a silver collar, exuding a mature and tasteful charm.

"Alright," Downey adjusted his tie, using the motion to conceal his nervousness. His heart was beating too fast, and he doubted if the others in the car could hear it.

Laila didn't expose his crude disguise and smiled slightly, saying, "That's good. Let's unveil today's opening together!"

Roy was the first to step out of the car, and immediately, screams from fans echoed outside.

"Roy!" "Laila—"

Fans who knew they were always together immediately called out Laila's name upon seeing Roy getting out of the car. Roy, living up to expectations, led Laila, dressed in matching couple outfits, out of the car. The two stood in front of the car, smiling and waving to the fans, perfectly frozen by the flashlights.

However, what puzzled everyone was that they didn't walk towards the red carpet; instead, they waited in front of the car as if expecting someone.

Who else could be in the car? Those who knew them well were aware that these two always walked the red carpet together. Could it be Janet?

Just as people were speculating, Downey finally prepared himself mentally and stepped out of the car.

"Downey! It's Robert Downey Jr.!"

Fans were thrilled, waving their arms to attract his attention, and some even directly referred to him as a "hero."

Unexpectedly, he was going to walk with Laila and Roy. Did this mean Laila indeed valued him highly? Entertainment journalists were skilled at digging into the "backstories." Considering the limits due to Laila's surname, they could only speculate on some possibilities.

What was the situation?

Laila's favorite actor? Roy's best friend? Or...

Reporters, temporarily unable to figure it out, immediately picked up their cameras and captured the three in a photo. Regardless of why they walked the red carpet together, after seeing the photo, reporters could always come up with some reasons.

Under the flashing lights, Downey had to keep his eyes wide open to avoid blinking. Those accustomed to being photographed knew that one must not blink during this time; otherwise, unflattering photos would be taken. The media loved to release such photos, creating compilations of all the ugly ones. Unfortunately, readers loved those kinds of news.

With eyes wide open and enduring the flashes, Downey's eyes began to feel sour every moment. But he didn't find it painful; instead, he felt as if he were being reborn, with every cell coming back to life.

Under his feet was the long-lost red carpet, in front of him were blinking lights, and his ears were filled with fans calling his name. Until this moment, he realized that he had never truly forgotten this kind of world.

During the days of decadence, he distanced himself from all this, numbing himself with illusions. He thought he hated all of it, only to realize now that he was wrong. He actually loved the life of being a star. He enjoyed being surrounded by flashlights, liked being loved and noticed by people, and relished being the focal point of everyone's attention.

At this moment, for some reason, he remembered what Laila had said to him— "You are a born actor; you are made for the movies."

Yes, he finally discovered it. Downey's nose felt sour, and a layer of mist covered his eyes. Why did he only realize such an obvious thing now?

So many wasted years, but luckily, there was still time. Wasn't that right?

The three walked side by side on the red carpet, Laila's elegance, Roy's sexy charm, and Downey's mature charisma were a visual feast for onlookers.

Perhaps due to the recent events, there was more attention on Downey. He was the protagonist of this movie, and everyone acknowledged him as the hero who protected a girl. Both in the movie and in reality, he had become a true hero, which was simply fantastic.

"So, Downey turns out to be so handsome!"

"Why didn't I notice it before?"

Many fans of other celebrities felt the strong mature man's aura from Downey as he walked by and were fascinated.

Before, they only paid attention to what was happening around him, ignoring his charm. Now, as he walked on the red carpet in a well-fitted suit, the palpable aroma of his hormones spread out.

"It seems like Downey is stealing your spotlight. Are you upset?" Laila held Roy's arm and asked him with a smile.

Roy squeezed her hand, maintaining a smile, and whispered, "My greatest spotlight is in my hands; no one can take that away."

Laila's smile widened, "Is that so? Well, congratulations then. But don't be too complacent; who knows when your spotlight might run away on its own."

"There won't be such a day. Besides me, no one else can match her."

Roy's words made Laila laugh softly. This guy's cheekiness was getting thicker.

At the entrance of the cinema, Laila and Roy walked in, while Downey was stopped by many media reporters for interviews. They wanted to keep Laila and the others, but unfortunately, they couldn't anticipate their swift escape.

Fortunately, they managed to catch the most important person; otherwise, this trip would have been in vain.

"Downey, can you predict the box office for this movie?" A reporter approached him with a microphone, eager to be the first to ask.

It was a question everyone wanted to know, so everyone waited for Downey's answer.

Downey was caught off guard; he hadn't seen the completed movie, so how could he know how it turned out? Let alone predict the box office.

After a few seconds of contemplation, he smiled and said, "It's Laila Moran, creating box office records has always been her thing. I believe this time will be no different."

"Are you saying she'll reach a global box office of $300 million this time?"

Downey nodded confidently, "Of course, that's not a hindrance for her anymore. I think it will only increase, not decrease."

"Robert Downey Jr. Expresses Confidence in the New Movie," "Miraculous Box Office Records Will Continue"... Journalists immediately thought of headlines to use for tomorrow.

In fact, compared to the continuation of the miracle, they were more looking forward to Laila's movie taking a nosedive. It was like a competition that had always been winning, no matter how it was reported; suddenly losing would be more entertaining. They wondered if Moran could give them such an opportunity this time.