Chapter 833 - Is This Engagement?

"You've seen my situation. If it's just gold and silver jewelry, it's fine, but diamonds? I can't afford those. And I'm sure you want something bigger and better, right?"

Bernie's implication was clear - if you want something good, you'll have to find the diamonds yourself. He could gather some money from his assets and borrow some more, but would a few thousand dollars worth of diamonds be enough? For someone like this big star, anything less than millions wouldn't even catch their eye. So, he shouldn't embarrass himself and let them handle it.

Roy furrowed his brow, realizing this was something he hadn't considered. Indeed, if a store like this could provide precious diamonds, they wouldn't almost be bankrupt over a debt of $120,000.

"What should I do then?" Roy asked.

"I suggest you attend some auctions. Whether it's finished products or rough stones, as long as you find something good, bid on it. I'll design specifically based on the diamonds you get."

Roy nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. I know what to do now."

He wasn't fond of such environments, but he had attended a few with friends before, so he knew where to find such auctions. And even if not in an auction house, asking his friends might also help him find suitable diamonds.

He thought more than Bernie did. If he attended an auction and bought a diamond, it would surely be all over the media, and then he couldn't surprise Laila. So, he decided to start with his friends, like Downey and Leonardo; he believed they had the means to acquire such things.

Seeing Roy agree, Bernie felt relieved. "Since that's settled, tell me about Laila. What flowers does she like? Animals? Zodiac signs? I need to know what she likes about the design."

"No problem!" Roy could list a lot even with his eyes closed.

While they worked on designing the wedding ring, Laila was busy with many things on her end, especially with the engagement ceremony approaching.

The engagement was scheduled for March 18th, shortly after the Oscars. It was meant to celebrate their engagement and Laila's multiple Oscar wins. While the old man might not be enthusiastic about the Oscars personally, he understood their significance to the film industry.

The engagement ceremony was grandly planned by the old man, with the most professional team he could find, aiming for the best regardless of cost.

To Laila, it was just an engagement, and she didn't see the need for it to be so complicated. However, seeing her grandfather's excitement, she reluctantly went along with it.

Amid this busyness, Nolan would occasionally drop by Laila's office. His movie "The Prestige" was in post-production at the company, so he often came during his free time, partly to see how she worked and partly out of curiosity about how she managed to make every movie a hit.

In such a situation, it was hard for Laila to focus on work. So, she decided to stay away from the company and return to her home in New York, quietly awaiting her engagement ceremony.

The Oscars were held on March 5th this year, and the engagement was set for the 18th.

No matter how troublesome she found it, Laila welcomed the day.

Early in the morning, she was attended to by her mother's styling team, who made her up from head to toe, making her feel like she could be exhibited in a museum. As for Roy, she hadn't seen him much lately, except when he appeared before her trying on wedding suits. She had no idea what he was up to, and he didn't say, keeping it a secret.

In truth, Roy had been searching for the right diamond. He had a wide circle of friends, even more so in Hollywood than Laila. His acquaintances ranged from all walks of life, with insights that surpassed those of the upper class. Fish swim in their lanes, and unless you're in that circle, it's hard to know too much.

However, to his disappointment, despite asking many friends and visiting several jewelry stores, even approaching collectors, he still hadn't found a suitable diamond. Without a diamond, there couldn't be a ring design. So, for this engagement, they would have to use Laila's current ring.

According to Roy's plan, he wanted to find a better ring to replace the "plain" one Laila had now. However, at Laila's insistence, they ended up keeping the original ring. This spurred him to redouble his efforts to find the perfect diamond. No matter what, he was determined to find the most beautiful diamond before the wedding, to create a wedding ring that would symbolize their love.

This was a grand engagement ceremony, organized by the old man's team. Westerners loved white weddings, with white roses, a white dress, and a red carpet. Laila chose this scheme because, compared to others like European style or minimalist style, it seemed the simplest.

So, on the 18th, in the mansion in New York, many guests arrived early in the morning.

Laila was summoned at four in the morning. Exhausted, she hardly knew what she was doing and felt no excitement about the impending engagement. She went through the motions until Roy slipped the ring back on her finger, which brought her some clarity.

Is this really an engagement?

To be honest, Laila didn't feel much about the engagement. She always felt that such a relationship, without legal protection, could end at any time. Why go to such lengths for these things?

But the others in the family didn't think so, and even Roy seemed eager. This made it hard for her to voice her thoughts. She believed that if she told Roy that engagement meant nothing without legal protection, he might cry...

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The author won't write about the engagement ceremony. He saved that for the wedding, as the scenes are similar.