Chapter 489 - Gradually Approaching

Since that day, Laila hardly saw Roy. Every day when she returned from work, she was told that he was undergoing intensive dance training. They lived under the same roof, but it was surprisingly difficult to meet!

In Roy's words, he had the weakest dance foundation among all the actors vying for the lead role, so he had to improve his dancing skills as much as possible in the shortest time to secure the role. Fortunately, he had a few years of martial arts training, which made his body quite flexible and strong, so learning to dance was relatively easier.

The second round of auditions was completed quickly, and there were two to three candidates for the main roles and other significant characters. The final selection was pending evaluation by the director, producers, and those with decision-making power.

After receiving the data sent by Disney, Laila contemplated for a while. She hadn't initially expected Roy to vie for this role, but she had seen his efforts and knew of his talent. Unless something unexpected happened, she would lean toward choosing him.

Coincidentally, the original actor, Richard Gere, was also on the list of potential male leads. He was a formidable competitor, having played significant roles in the hit musical "Moulin Rouge" in the past, which was one of the reasons he occupied a prominent position in the minds of others.

As for the female lead and supporting roles, the selected actors included some from the original cast, including Catherine Zeta-Jones, whom Laila quite liked. It was somewhat regrettable that, due to Nicole's appearance, this year's hit film "Moulin Rouge" did not include a role for Catherine.

After reviewing the cast list, Laila was somewhat relieved. At least, the actors were all acceptable in terms of looks. Even if some were slightly mediocre, she believed that Janet's team could help shape excellent images.

As for Roy, after some thought, she decided not to interfere. She didn't want him to be criticized for securing the role through her influence. If he was willing to compete for the role with his hard work and talent, then she would quietly support him from the sidelines.

The final cast list was officially decided at the end of August, and Roy managed to beat Richard Gere to become the male lead of "Chicago."

Upon hearing this news, Laila felt elated for quite some time. She knew that this result was closely tied to Roy's efforts and his global success with "Pirates of the Caribbean." Securing the role in "Chicago" was great, and perhaps this film could earn him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Unfortunately, the challenge was their young age; it was unlikely for someone so young to win the award. However, receiving a nomination would still benefit his future acting career.

With the actors finalized, the focus shifted to building the set and preparing the stage. This would take some time, so Laila intended to use this break to delve deeper into the intricacies of shooting a musical.

However, everyone noticed that since September began, Laila seemed to have lost her spirit. She appeared distracted and uneasy.

Her abnormal behavior was observed not only by those around her but also by the company's employees. This led to various rumors spreading, such as whether she was anxious about not doing well in a musical or worried that "Pirates of the Caribbean" might not reach a $500 million box office.

After three months in theaters, only a few cinemas were still screening "Pirates of the Caribbean," and it was expected that it would no longer be showing in theaters after the summer season. The overseas box office was still thriving, and when combined, the global box office had reached $493 million. Only $7 million away from the coveted $500 million mark.

The entire Hollywood industry was closely watching Laila's box office performance. Everyone wanted to see if she could truly take her box office record from $300 million to $500 million in one leap. While it was just a $200 million difference, it was a significant gap to bridge. Many directors had achieved a $300 million box office, but reaching $500 million was an impressive feat achieved by top-tier blockbuster directors.

However, regardless of the rumors and media speculation, Laila continued to appear restless. The real reason for her unease was something only she knew: 9/11 was quickly approaching.

She had initially thought she could harden her heart and not pay attention to the event. She could disregard the deaths of many people. But as the day grew closer, she couldn't help but wonder if she should do something.

Of course, these thoughts only occasionally crossed her mind. Even for her own sake or her family's, she couldn't truly share what she felt. But at the same time, she had no idea how to prepare her family for the impact of the upcoming event.

She clearly remembered how significant the impact of 9/11 had been on the economy and finances. Even many years later, it remained a deep scar on America. Would her grandfather's company be affected? What about her career?

She had hastily invested a large sum in the East, not only to expand her filmmaking horizons but also with the idea of preserving her wealth. The East was less affected by 9/11, making it the most suitable place to invest.

But what about her grandfather?

"Laila, did you quarrel with Roy?" When she returned home to New York on the weekend, Janet asked while holding little William. She had a worried look on her face as she approached Laila, who was lost in thought on the couch.

Laila snapped back to reality and said, "What?"

Janet sighed, placed little William in Quentin's arms, and then sat down next to her daughter. "I asked if you quarreled with Roy. According to Louise, you've seemed preoccupied lately. I'm your mother, no matter what's going on, I'll help you sort it out."

"We didn't quarrel," Laila replied. "I can't even find him if I wanted to. It feels like I haven't seen him in a very long time."

Janet said with a sly smile, "Oh, you're missing Roy, aren't you?" Before Laila could respond, she added with regret, "Too bad you're still too young; Dad definitely won't agree to you two getting married so soon."

Laila forced a smile. She had no idea how to explain to her family the heavy burden she was carrying, and how much she wished she could share her thoughts with someone. 

"I don't know what's happened to me recently. I've been feeling really terrible as if something very bad is about to happen," she disclosed slightly. "Mom, do you think something's wrong with me?"

Janet was a romantic at heart and believed in horoscopes and premonitions. So, a vague premonition was not out of the question for her.