"My mother was shot dead, and my father was beheaded and hung in a barn. I was nine years old. Pretty tragic, right?"
It was this short line that made Leonardo stumble through multiple takes under Laila's direction. But this time, she didn't call "Cut."
She felt that even the harshest director would be satisfied with his performance at this moment. The mockery, numbness, heartache, and anger at social injustice—all of it was conveyed layer by layer through his words and expressions.
Drawn into the scene by him, Jennifer's performance was also stunning. She embodied her character's personality while delivering her lines, and when silent, her eyes spoke volumes about her shifting emotions. Laila decided she would shoot a few more close-ups later—such expressions would undoubtedly elevate the film.
Leonardo's performance wasn't over yet. Gazing into the distance, he spoke in a restrained voice: "Sometimes I wonder, will God forgive us for killing each other? And then it hits me—God left this place a long time ago."
These lines demanded an even deeper numbness, and he delivered, even using subtle physical gestures to enhance the effect.
"Cut! That was perfect." Laila didn't hold back her praise, clapping twice as the two actors walked toward her. "So? How did that feel just now?"
Jennifer exhaled dramatically. "Leonardo was so good it pulled me right into the scene."
Leonardo, reviewing the footage, was also pleased with his performance. "You're the best director."
"Now I'm the best? I seem to recall you saying something different earlier—"
Before Laila could finish, Leonardo cut her off with an awkward plea. "That was my bad. Let's just forget all that!"
"Haha." The group burst into laughter.
From this scene onward, the filming gradually smoothed out. There were still occasional retakes, but compared to earlier struggles, the process became almost effortless.
Leonardo thought his suffering was over—until he realized, much later, that he had been far too naive.
Laila's methods for shaping performances left him weak in the knees. For instance, in running scenes, to make his sprint look authentic, she made him jog multiple laps around the set before shooting.
And God knew how massive the set was—it wasn't just the filming area but also the crew's living quarters, storage spaces, and more.
Only when he was panting to her satisfaction would she finally call "Action."
Drenched in sweat, with his hair plastered to his forehead, he had to perform while reeking—each time leaving the fastidious Leonardo looking utterly defeated by the end.
But with so many running scenes in the film, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure. After seeing the final footage, he could only grudgingly admit it was worth it. No wonder she was considered one of Hollywood's greatest directors. In fact, after seeing those shots, he thought the "one of" could be dropped entirely.
Laila was a workaholic, but she had one redeeming quality—she didn't impose her standards on others. Not everyone could push themselves relentlessly, nor could most maintain peak performance under prolonged stress.
So when Leonardo mentioned needing some time to unwind, Laila readily agreed. The pile of explanations he had prepared went unsaid, leaving him oddly deflated.
"Aren't you going to ask what I'm planning to do?" he finally blurted out.
"Didn't you say you wanted to relax? Then go. As long as Xiao Ye helps disguise you and you take some security, you're free to go wherever." Laila was puzzled by his surprise.
Why wouldn't she let him take a break? She knew he loved to have fun. The fact that he'd stayed focused on the crew for so long was impressive enough. A little outing would do him good—especially since this film was emotionally grueling. Some scenes even left her needing time to recover.
If she weren't tied down, she'd have considered a getaway herself.
Besides, the recent calm had eased her earlier unease. It seemed she'd been right—those people's reach didn't extend here. Neither the mercenaries, military personnel, nor professional bodyguards had spotted any suspicious activity. That was a relief; at least she didn't have to worry about everyone's safety as much.
Still, she wouldn't let her guard down completely. Precautions remained necessary. So when Leonardo wanted to leave, Xiao Ye had to disguise him beyond recognition, and extra security was a must.
With that settled, Leonardo didn't hold back. After some prep, he eagerly left the set. He'd initially tried dragging Roy along, but Roy would never abandon his fiancée while she was here.
So aside from his security detail, only Xiao Ye joined the outing. Leonardo assumed the makeup artist was just tagging along for fun—unaware that Xiao Ye had two critical roles: ensuring his disguise stayed intact and providing an extra layer of protection.
With the lead actor off relaxing, Laila gave the crew a day off.
"Roy, you could've gone too," she said. He'd been by her side constantly, tending to her every need—it must've been exhausting.
"You know what he's going for, right?" Roy pulled her close, deftly peeling and slicing fruit before feeding her bite-sized pieces. "He's going to a fashion show."
"A fashion show? Is there anything noteworthy here?" Laila hadn't heard of any major events.
Roy chuckled. "You think he's going for the fashion? No—he's going for the models!"
"…" Remembering Leonardo's storied dating history, Laila fell silent. Of course. How could she forget? The man was a model connoisseur, with a string of supermodel exes, each more stunning than the last.
"Let him be. As long as he brings his A-game back to set, he can date as many models as he wants." Acting was a profession that demanded emotional availability. If personal distractions interfered, it would inevitably affect his performance.
For an average director or film, minor hiccups might be overlooked. But Laila was gunning for the Oscars—she couldn't afford even the slightest misstep.
That's why she hadn't hesitated to approve Leonardo's break. If personal issues kept him from delivering, it would only waste her time.
But what Laila never expected was her accidental clairvoyance. Leonardo returned refreshed—with a gorgeous young model in tow.