Chapter 225 - Leading Actress Contract

On Monday, after returning to Hollywood, Laila changed her clothes at home and went to the company.

As usual, Charlize Theron was in the training room, receiving one-on-one training from her coach. Her agent, Susan, sat beside her, cheering her on. Unlike last time, Roy was also in the training room. When Laila entered, he was flexing his muscles in front of a full-length mirror, a proud smile on his face.

"BOSS!"

The first to notice Laila's arrival was Susan.

"Hello." Laila nodded to the coach and gestured for him to continue, then turned to Susan. "Don't mind me, carry on."

"Sure thing, BOSS." The coach was eager to show his efforts in training the artist to the boss, so his expression became even more serious.

Roy, upon catching Laila's fleeting glance, quickly put on a look of "I'm working hard" and followed Theron in performing various exercises.

After observing for a while, Laila stood up and walked toward the exit. But before she left, she whispered to Susan, "Come with me."

"Of course." Susan quickly stood up and followed in her footsteps.

The two of them arrived at the office where they had previously talked.

"Susan, representatives from American Express Company met with me over the weekend," Laila didn't beat around the bush, directly telling her the reason for her visit.

Susan's heart tightened. "And the result?"

"The result is that Theron and I will attend the gathering together," Laila looked at her, her ice-blue eyes shimmering with a mysterious glint.

After hearing her words, Susan's initial thought was that Theron had been abandoned. If the boss couldn't be protected, they would sacrifice her to "make friends" with someone. However, upon further consideration, if the boss were so quick to give up, she wouldn't have agreed to engage with the other party in the first place.

After pondering for a while, she tentatively asked, "What do you mean?"

Laila gave her a meaningful smile. "I mean, I will go with her."

Susan's reaction pleased Laila. If she thought she had been abandoned without hesitation, such an impulsive agent would not be a qualified one.

Being an agent was not as easy as it seemed. There was a world of difference between a good agent and a shallow one. A good agent knew what invitations to accept and what contracts would bring the artist the most suitable benefits.

A mediocre agent treated the artist like a piece of meat, relentlessly pushing them to accept any invitation that came their way, even if it meant squeezing out all of their potential in advance.

When an artist encountered trouble, a good agent would immediately engage in crisis management, striving to turn the situation to their advantage. A subpar agent, on the other hand, would distance themselves from the issue, only concerned about disassociating themselves and not bothering to find solutions.

Theron played an important role in Laila's plans. She wouldn't allow her potential to be hindered by a tacky agent. While Susan had been recommended by Laila herself, it would only take a word from her to replace the agent.

Fortunately, Susan didn't show any impulsive behavior. Laila decided to observe her a bit longer based on this prudence.

"Once Theron comes back, have her sign this." She took out a contract from her bag.

"What's this?" Susan flipped through it and tears welled up in her eyes: "Thank you, BOSS. Thank you so much. I can promise you, she won't let you down!"

It was the contract for the new movie's leading actress.

"I've seen Theron's effort. Encourage her for me." Laila glanced at her watch. "I have something else to attend to, so I'll take my leave. The script will be sent over later, and you'll also receive notifications about movie-related matters. Until then, make sure she doesn't push herself too hard. I want to see a beautiful, healthy, and spirited leading actress, got it?"

"I'll pass on your message verbatim!" Susan nodded earnestly. She saw Theron's hard work firsthand, and from any angle, she didn't want her best friend to be treated unfairly due to such matters.

Laila smiled and nodded, but she didn't tell Susan that she might be overthinking things. Based on Hunter's words, it seemed that the other party genuinely just wanted to get to know Theron. If that person was a playboy scion of a wealthy family, he probably would have shown up with flowers and jewelry, driving a luxury car to pursue someone.

Since the other party hadn't done that and was reportedly "shy," maybe things weren't as dark as they initially thought.

However, Laila had no intention of sharing this insight with Susan and Theron. Letting them be grateful for her was probably even better, right?

As soon as she stepped out, she saw Roy standing outside.

"What are you doing here?" Laila glanced at him. "Aren't you supposed to be in the training room?"

"Hehe, today's lesson is over," Roy shamelessly approached. "By the way, why did you come today?"

Laila raised an eyebrow. "Why do I need to report to you?"

"If you want to report to someone, I don't think I would object."

Laila slapped his arm with a smack, making a crisp sound. Whether or not she hurt him, she wasn't sure, but her hand certainly stung.

Wait, this sensation isn't quite right!

Laila looked at his arm in confusion. She used to give him a playful slap now and then, but she had never been jolted like this before.

"How's this? My muscles are looking good, right?" Roy caught her confusion and proudly flexed his arm to show off his muscles.

Back when he was struggling to make ends meet on the streets, he couldn't afford to follow a healthy diet or lifestyle. It was only after Laila brought him to Hollywood that he started to improve his lifestyle according to the trainer's guidance.

The most significant change was in his demeanor. He had shed much of his carefree demeanor and was now more likely to flash a mischievous smile, often referred to as a "sly" expression. Who knew how devastating that smile could be to young girls?

His physical changes were also apparent; he had grown several centimeters taller, and his body had become more robust due to martial arts training. However, his physique wasn't an exaggerated bodybuilder's figure induced by various hormones; it was sculpted, exhibiting a balance between strength and aesthetics.