Director Cameron's temper was fierce—when he got angry, he would berate someone so harshly that they'd start questioning their life, wondering if they were truly that stupid or useless. Laila, on the other hand, didn't resort to outright scolding but rather relied on biting sarcasm. She knew exactly which words would cut deepest, leaving you unable to lift your head in shame.
You could certainly argue back, but her words were usually so sharp and logical that there was no room for rebuttal. This was precisely what frustrated Leonardo the most—no matter how much her sarcasm stung, he could never find a way to counter it.
By the time Roy arrived on set after receiving the news, he heard Leonardo weakly attempting to defend himself.
"I didn't—"
"Oh, you didn't?" Laila sneered. "In my crew, you'd better drop all those messy thoughts of yours! Sure, you've been nominated for a few Oscars—impressive. But have you won any?"
She always knew exactly where to strike to hurt the most. Leonardo felt like he was about to cough up blood. Of course, he wanted to win! But it wasn't that easy. If it were, would he even need to beg for her help?
"I don't have any messy thoughts! I just want to do my best in this film!"
Laila scoffed. "Then why don't you act better? Listen to the lines you just delivered—were you reading off a textbook? Even a child reciting in class would've put more emotion into it!"
"You're being unreasonable! I thought my performance just now was fine!" Leonardo was practically fuming.
He wanted this film to succeed because he knew it might be his best shot at an Oscar. He had poured everything into that scene, believing he'd given his all—yet in her eyes, he was nothing but a worthless fool. How could he not be furious?
Laila let out another cold laugh. "So this is your best? No wonder the Oscars never chose you. With that kind of line delivery, you think you deserve that little golden statue?"
Seeing Leonardo's face turn red with frustration as he struggled to retort, Roy quickly stepped in to mediate. "Maybe we should take a break—give him some time to find his footing again."
Laila glanced at him before turning away. She could afford to give him that much face, and Leonardo did need time to cool off.
Roy pulled his friend aside and tossed him a bottle of water. "What happened?" The person who had informed him hadn't explained clearly—just that the two were arguing fiercely. From what he'd overheard, it seemed she was unhappy with his performance.
Leonardo gulped down half the bottle before grumbling, "She's completely unreasonable! She said my line delivery had no emotion, and that it was worse than a kid reciting in class! I've been acting for years—tell me, isn't she going too far?"
Roy chuckled. "Are you sure she's being unreasonable? Then tell me—why would she say that?"
"Why? Obviously because—" Leonardo faltered. How would he know?
But even if he couldn't explain her motives, the facts were right there, weren't they?
Roy patted his shoulder with a smile. "Trust me, no one loves film more than she does. She's obsessed with this movie in ways you can't even imagine. She'd never do anything to harm its production."
Leonardo rolled his eyes. "Of course—in your eyes, she's always right!"
What was meant as a bitter jab only made Roy nod solemnly. "Yes, when it comes to film, she's always right. If she says your emotions aren't coming through, then they aren't."
Leonardo looked ready to explode. "Are you even my friend anymore?" This guy was spoiling his fiancée beyond reason!
Roy grinned. "I'm saying this *because* I'm your friend. Listen—do you think your past performances were that great?"
"Of course! Every director I've worked with has praised my acting!" Leonardo was confident about this. It was why he'd been so desperate for that Oscar—he believed he already had the skill.
"You think my acting isn't good?"
Roy thought for a moment. "I think your acting is excellent." Before Leonardo could smirk in triumph, he added, "But that 'excellent' acting never won you an Oscar."
Leonardo froze. He had no comeback. It was true—if his past performances were so outstanding, why had he lost the award multiple times? Why had he watched his competitors take the trophy right in front of him?
Had Laila spotted his flaws?
If he could identify and fix them, would he finally get closer to success?
"Looks like you're starting to understand," Roy said, noting the shock on his face. "Think about all the incredible actors who've worked in her films. I've always believed she has this magic—she can make any performer give 120%. Leo, if you want that Best Actor trophy, you need to listen to her."
Leonardo was stunned but quickly realized what he had to do.
"I'll go apologize to her."
Roy nodded. "You should. But your mistake wasn't in your acting—it was in challenging her authority on set. I know you just want the film to be perfect, and so does she. You're the producer, but she's the director. On her set, you have to respect that. Don't forget—you both want the same thing."
Leonardo hung his head in shame. "You're right, man. I was too arrogant earlier. I owe her an apology."
Roy gave him an encouraging pat on the back. "Go on. Follow her guidance, do everything she says, and you'll get what you're after."
So, minutes later, Laila received a sincere apology. The sudden shift left her baffled. One moment, he'd been puffing up like an angry rooster, and the next, he was meekly admitting fault. What kind of act was this?
"I was wrong earlier. From now on, you're in charge of the set. I won't challenge your authority in front of the crew again."
Laila nearly pointed out that she *was* already in charge—hadn't he noticed the entire crew answered to her? But since he was being so polite, she couldn't exactly refuse the courtesy. Sometimes, she thought she was too kind. If someone showed her respect, she'd return it tenfold—no discounts.