Soon, Laila emerged from the bathroom with wet hair.
Roy took out a hairdryer and began drying it for her.
The two moved with practiced ease, their actions so natural that it made Xiao Ye's skin crawl.
People always said Western men were more or less chauvinistic, so how was this guy even more of a devoted husband than most Eastern men?
"Boss, you hit the jackpot with this fiancé," Xiao Ye remarked, watching as Roy meticulously took care of her every need. Just how virtuous did a man have to be to be this considerate?
If one were to view them with malice, they might assume Roy was just buttering Laila up—using her money, influence, and filmmaking prowess to climb to the top. But anyone who spent even a little time around them could feel the thick, honey-like sweetness between them. They were like a perfect circle, fused so tightly that no one else could wedge themselves in.
And the way Roy looked at Laila? Anyone with eyes could see the love in his gaze. Xiao Ye had never once doubted their feelings for each other. In fact, he was a little envious. If he had a girlfriend who could connect with him so seamlessly, maybe he'd want to get married too.
Laila smirked at his teasing. "Jealous? If you are, go find one for yourself."
"…" Truly, birds of a feather flock together. Roy had just said the same thing, and now she was repeating it.
Single men had no rights. To save his already fragile heart from being utterly shattered by their couple's antics, Xiao Ye quickly changed the subject. "Boss, about Leonardo—I didn't expect him to remove his disguise and sneak out again." And he hadn't expected the guy to come back with a beautiful woman in tow. In terms of looks, Xiao Ye wasn't that far behind, so why couldn't such good fortune land on him? The injustice!
Laila waved her hand dismissively. "That's not what I wanted to ask about."
"Then what?" Xiao Ye blinked, confused.
"While you were out with him this time, did you notice anything suspicious?"
Xiao Ye immediately understood. "You're still worried about those people, aren't you? Don't worry, nothing seemed off. And I've had my friends keeping an eye on things. If they make a move, we'll know."
"Good." Laila nodded.
"Honestly, I think you can relax. We've got the military guarding us 24/7—they wouldn't dare pick a fight with the government. South Africa is a decent country, and its institutions function better than its neighbors. Those small-time thugs wouldn't want to go up against that kind of power. With their numbers, how long could they even last?"
Laila knew he had a point. The fact that nothing had happened for so long probably meant the threat had passed. But a lingering unease still gnawed at her, reminding her now and then that a potential danger might still be lurking. She hated this feeling—the helplessness of leaving her safety in someone else's hands.
"Xiao Ye, can we clear them out?"
Xiao Ye's eyes widened. "By 'clear,' do you mean… what I think you mean?"
Laila shot him an exasperated look. "Obviously."
"Ha." Xiao Ye's lips twitched, unable to believe such a ruthless suggestion had come from her. "Do you have any idea how many people that would involve? A couple might be manageable, but wiping them all out? Do you want to start a war between the U.S. and South Africa?"
"Sorry, I oversimplified it." Laila didn't think her reasoning was wrong, though. If you knew someone was a threat to the people you cared about, and you had the means to eliminate that threat, wouldn't you want to act first?
Xiao Ye let out a dry chuckle. "It's not that it's impossible—it's just that taking out that many people would cause too big of a stir. My contacts here don't have the pull to cover up something that massive."
Laila's eyes widened. "Take them out? I just meant putting them in jail! When did I say anything about killing them?"
"Huh?" Xiao Ye's expression mirrored hers. "You said 'clear them out.'"
"By 'clear them out,' I meant locking them up so they can't cause trouble while we're still in South Africa. Did you think I meant executing them?" Laila's eyelid twitched. That was a lot of people! How could she possibly order their deaths? Even if she had the will, she didn't have the stomach for it!
Roy, who had been quietly drying her hair, let out a low chuckle. He knew Laila wasn't soft-hearted, but she wasn't a mass murderer either. Given her family's wealth, she could have easily lived the frivolous life of a socialite—shopping and partying without a care. Yet she had always adhered to her principles, staying true to herself without succumbing to outside temptations.
To interpret her words as a call for bloodshed? That was quite the leap.
Xiao Ye scratched his head awkwardly. He had asked if she meant what he thought she meant, and she'd replied with "obviously." So how was this not the same thing?
In his defense, given his past line of work, "clearing out" a problem rarely ended with a prison sentence. Secrecy often demanded more… permanent solutions.
"If it's just sending them to jail, that might be doable," he conceded.
"Oh? Do tell." Laila perked up.
"South Africa's been cracking down on crime lately. Those guys aren't exactly clean—if we can dig up enough evidence, we could probably get them locked up for a few years. The only issue is if they've got higher-ups protecting them. That could complicate things."
Laila considered this. Even in foreign countries, connections mattered. Without irrefutable evidence, some might just turn a blind eye and let them go.
"I don't need much—just make sure they don't show their faces while we're filming. Do what you can."
Xiao Ye sighed in resignation. "I'll… give it a shot." This boss of his knew how to work people. Could he at least ask for a raise?
Once he left, Laila gathered her now-dry hair and glanced at Roy. "Do you think I'm overreacting?" She could tell Xiao Ye didn't see those thugs as a real threat—just small-time troublemakers who wouldn't dare cause problems here.
"You have your reasons." Translation: Whatever you say goes.
If Xiao Ye had still been there, he would've shuddered at the blatant doting, protesting the cruelty inflicted upon his single soul.
The thought made Laila chuckle softly.
Her laughter was contagious, tugging at the corners of Roy's lips. His hands didn't stop, either—he gently gathered her hair, even attempting to braid it. Unfortunately, his large, clumsy fingers only succeeded in tangling it into a mess.