Chapter 597 - The Outcome

Without any surprises, Saturday Night Live on that day achieved the highest ratings in history, leaving a quite despairing number for anyone wanting to break the record in the future. Unless there's a miracle, this rating record is estimated to dominate until the show gets canceled.

Those who watched the program exclaimed that it was worth it; the story kept twisting, even more exciting than a movie. They say art imitates life, and watching this program confirmed the saying.

After the show ended, major media outlets became lively, analyzing and commenting on the recorded footage. Some speculated that the film was edited to help clear Roy's name, shamelessly shifting all blame onto the "innocent and pitiful" Elisa.

Such speculations were quickly dismissed. No one was a fool; just by watching the footage continuously without any edits, it was evident that editing was practically impossible.

What fascinated the public was no longer the proven false scandal but the special effects makeup, which became the hottest topic.

In reality, special effects makeup had long been used in film production. However, when it appeared in movies, few cared about how an alien was made up or how a monster was created. This time was different; with exquisite craftsmanship, they directly transformed one person into another. If not revealed at the end, it's doubtful anyone would have realized that it wasn't the real Roy.

For a while, special effects makeup and the Oscar-winning makeup artist Xiao Ye were mentioned the most.

As for Elisa, she had become a complete clown.

After watching the footage in the program, people understood what was going on with the alleged recording by a self-proclaimed paparazzo. Even the most foolish person wouldn't waste their sympathy on her in this situation. No one wanted to sympathize with a liar, especially one who deceived emotions. To go to such lengths for fame was simply infuriating.

When Elisa saw the footage on TV, she knew she was finished. She never imagined that the person she spoke to was not Roy; all she wanted was to record his words. However, he turned out to be even more cunning, recording everything that happened. She couldn't find any reason to explain herself.

The scheduled interviews were canceled, and there was no need for cover photos anymore. The planned talk show didn't call to cancel, but did she have the courage to step into that place? She couldn't imagine what would happen if she appeared in the studio with so many curses directed at her; perhaps a pile of shoes would be thrown at her.

She thought about contacting her Agent because everything that happened was done according to his instructions. As she dialed the number, all she heard was the abrupt sound of a switched-off phone.

A person available 24 hours a day, suddenly switched off...

Elisa slumped to the ground, realizing she had been completely abandoned this time.

Roy's scandal disappeared without a trace after making a fuss for a while. After that, no one saw Elisa again. Some said she went back to her hometown, others said she left the United States, and some even claimed she underwent plastic surgery to become a different person. In any case, she never appeared in public again.

No one cared about what the loser had turned into. When she chose that path, she had to take responsibility for the final outcome. Laila naturally didn't focus her attention on her anymore. While the world was still discussing special effects makeup, she had already handed a proposal to her grandfather.

"The Great Special Effects Makeup Duel?" Old Oswald put on his glasses and read through it word by word.

The proposal wasn't difficult to understand; it was a reality show. Each episode would feature a dozen participants, going through several rounds of competition, with the final three competing for the ultimate victory.

Laila explained on the side, "This show mainly focuses on competition in special effects makeup. Each episode will invite the most outstanding special effects makeup artists as judges, and then set a theme for the contestants to create special effects makeup on the spot."

After reading it, the old man calmly placed it on the table. "So, when you planned to use special effects makeup to remove Roy from the scandal, you already had this show in mind?"

"Yes. There's no reason why others should take advantage; we should also collect some compensation for mental damages," Laila replied matter-of-factly. No one could take advantage of her so casually. Others may be plucking feathers from a goose, but she would not only pluck the feathers but also bring down the goose.

Oswald patted the proposal, from a smile to a big laugh, finally to laughter that shook him forward and backward. "Good child, with the Moran Group in your hands, I think I can peacefully retire." What could make him happier than having a good successor?

After hearing this, Laila felt a bit nervous. "Grandfather, I still want to make movies now!" The idea of being a domineering CEO seemed interesting, but without achieving her dreams, she had no plans to switch to another profession!

The old man put away his smile, and impatiently waved his hand, "Alright, I know you don't want to take over now. Can't you let me be happy for a while longer? I'll pass on this document tomorrow; you can go out."

"Yes!" Laila grinned, gave an informal salute, and walked out of the study.

In fact, her initial arrangement was different. However, after Roy received Elisa's call that day and told her, she simply played along, using her own phone number to send the address. As Elisa's agent speculated, if Roy's phone number revealed the address, it would be hard to explain once exposed. Hers didn't matter much; not many people knew her number.

Later, she intentionally made Elisa and them wander the streets for more than three hours, partly to assess their intentions and partly to wear down their patience.

The development of the situation was just as she expected. Elisa, with her patience worn thin, rushed into the abandoned factory without much consideration. If it were a place determined from the start, she would have carefully observed the surroundings when entering, possibly noticing the hidden photographers and recording equipment.

Choosing the abandoned factory had a reason. Although there were no lights inside the factory, the spot where "Roy" stood was just right to be illuminated by the lights outside the windows. This made it easy for the recording equipment to capture everything.