"Golden Isle?" she exclaimed in shock.
Janet, who was straightening her wedding dress, heard her voice and immediately widened her eyes. "How do you know that?"
She answered so quickly—so quickly that even Mr. Quentin didn't have time to stop her.
Did she not realize that Laila had asked a question? That meant she wasn't completely sure. Out here on the ocean, there wasn't much to use as a point of reference—mostly just endless sea—so even if she wanted to confirm it, it wouldn't have been easy. But now, thanks to his own wife, the answer had been confirmed in an instant.
Mr. Quentin withdrew the hand he had raised to stop her, silently pressing a hand to his forehead. With a silly wife like this, maybe he did need to keep a closer eye on her—what if someone conned her someday?
Laila chuckled softly. She actually found her mother's silly sweetness quite endearing.
"Thanks, Mom. Now I know for sure."
Hearing her say that, even someone as slow as Janet realized she'd just made a huge mistake. She shot a blaming glare at Quentin, which made him want to cry injustice on the spot. Of course, he knew she was blaming him for not stopping her, but come on—she answered that fast, did he even have time to stop her?
But he couldn't argue his way out of this one, so he could only sigh and say helplessly, "Yes, yes, it's all my fault."
Even Laila couldn't help but roll her eyes a little at how Mr. Quentin pampered her mother without a single bottom line—but since it was her mother being spoiled, she chose to turn a blind eye. Let him spoil her. It's not like it did any harm.
Mr. Quentin definitely noticed the odd look Laila shot him, but he had no intention of changing. If he didn't spoil his wife, what—should he wait for someone else to come and steal her away?
Then there was Old Master Moran, who remained the very picture of calm, flipping through a book in his hands, seemingly unbothered by all the chatter around him.
Laila smiled as she looked at little William, and it made her think of her own little Eli. Moments like these—filled with warmth and happiness—she wished they could last forever.
Not long after, the plane landed. As she stepped off the aircraft, the familiar scenery of Golden Isle unfolded before her eyes—unsurprising, yet still stirring something in her heart.
If there was anything different, it would probably be the extra set decorations. Many things were covered up, likely waiting to be unveiled during the wedding.
Laila had always liked this place—it held too many memories for her. Whether it was meeting Prince Al Nadeem here and somehow becoming Faiza's "romantic rival," or filming Pirates of the Caribbean, which laid the foundation for her commercial career, or shooting Silence to challenge and prove herself, Golden Isle had been there through it all. It was the perfect witness.
If Silence succeeded, she could finally hold her head high and say her achievements came from her own abilities.
But even if the film failed...
She certainly wouldn't slink out of Hollywood in despair. Instead, she'd turn this place into her starting point, and climb back up again—step by step.
As she stepped off the plane, Roy appeared not far away, holding Eli in his arms. Upon seeing her, he strode over.
"Tired?"
"Not really," Laila replied with a soft smile.
"The wedding's tomorrow, so make sure you stay in this great shape," Roy said, clearly pleased by how energetic she looked. If she had shown up pale and haggard, he'd be worried the wedding was putting too much pressure on her. But now, seeing her so spirited, it was clear—she was looking forward to it too, wasn't she?
"Don't worry!" Janet chimed in as she walked over. "I'll make sure you're the most beautiful bride tomorrow!"
Roy hugged her with a smile. "Thanks, Janet. You have no idea how reassuring it is to have you here."
Janet laughed, clearly amused. "Laila didn't fall for your sweet talk, did she?"
Roy turned to Laila. "I don't know—maybe she did. Which means I'd better work on making myself even more charming in other ways."
"Oh, give it a rest! You're already a charming, mature man. What more do you want?" Janet laughed and gave him a playful slap on the arm.
Watching her mother and soon-to-be husband chatting so cheerfully, Laila felt an unexpected warmth in her heart. If not for the fact that someone nearby was getting darker and darker in the face, she might have been happy to let them keep chatting forever.
Back at the arranged accommodations, Roy helped her unpack everything, making sure everything was perfectly in place.
"Laila, promise me something: until tomorrow, don't leave this house. Okay?" Once things had settled down, he made a sudden request.
Laila immediately understood—he was probably worried she might wander off and stumble upon the wedding setup. The fact that he was keeping it secret until the very end just proved how determined he was to preserve the surprise.
"Sure. I don't really have anywhere I want to go anyway." After all, she had spent nearly a year on this island already. If familiarity with a place was a measure, then even if she couldn't navigate with her eyes closed, she definitely didn't need a map to find her way around.
"Thank you. You'll understand everything tomorrow." Roy kissed her on the forehead, his joy so genuine it lit up his eyes more than usual.
Laila glanced out the window. "I really didn't expect you to pick this place."
"You don't like it?" Roy's heart instantly clenched.
"How could I not?" Laila leaned on the windowsill, letting the sea breeze wash over her face, carrying with it the scent of salt and ocean. It reminded her of filming on the island—hard work, but unforgettable memories.
"If I didn't like it, I wouldn't have chosen it twice as a filming location. It's got the prettiest beaches and the bluest seas. Even the cliffs behind are teeming with birds and wildlife. If this island weren't called Golden Isle, it might as well be called Paradise Island."
Seeing she had no objections, Roy let out a quiet sigh of relief. If she had told him at this stage that she didn't like the place, he would've canceled the wedding then and there. No matter how badly he wanted to marry her, he would never hold the ceremony in a place she disliked.
"As long as you like it. You must be exhausted these days, huh? Eat dinner and rest early tonight," Roy said, wanting to say more—but before he could, Janet came into the room and shooed him out. According to Eastern customs, the bride and groom shouldn't see each other the night before the wedding. They were getting married tomorrow, and he was still in her room—what was he thinking?
Of course, Janet would never admit that she kicked him out just so she could have some mother-daughter time.
Roy seemed to know the "rule" and had no way to argue, so he left with his son in tow.
Janet did have a lot she wanted to say to Laila. After all, the daughter she had raised with her own hands was getting married—it left her with a bittersweet feeling she just couldn't shake.