290 Chapter 290 - Once Upon a Time

Although this incident couldn't be blamed on Roy, as he was acting in self-defense, Laila still brought him home after the lawyer helped with the formalities.

"What were you thinking today?" She motioned for him to sit across from her.

Roy stole a glance at her and, seeing no signs of anger on her face, breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't think I did anything wrong." Since she wasn't angry, he decided to speak his mind.

Laila nodded. "You saved Downey, and I don't think you did anything wrong either. But if I had been there, I would have called the police immediately instead of rushing in to save him." She raised her hand to stop him as he tried to speak.

"I know you're going to say that there wasn't enough time, and Downey would have been injected with the new drug. I understand that time was of the essence, and the situation was dire. But Roy, have you thought about the consequences? What if they had firearms? What if they had other accomplices? What if you didn't make it to the police and got injected with the drug too?"

Roy hung his head in guilt, unable to speak further.

Laila knew that he was at that age of youthful impulsiveness, where he acted without considering the consequences. But she didn't have time to wait for him to mature.

"If one of the possibilities I mentioned had come true, you wouldn't be sitting here right now. Whether it's getting injured or addicted, you would have missed the filming of the big production at the end of the year. I've told you before; that it's the opportunity that could make you the world's top-tier superstar. Are you sure you don't care if this chance slips through your fingers?"

"I'm really sorry." Roy buried his head deep in his chest. The excitement and pride he initially felt for saving a life had vanished from her words. She hadn't scolded him, but the undertone in her words made him feel like a foolish and reckless person.

In truth, in the bar, he could have simply called the police as Laila suggested. Yet, he had chosen to rush out and put himself in danger. Now, he couldn't help but think how fortunate he was. If the other party had a gun, he might be lying in a hospital or a morgue by now.

At that moment, everything, including earning money to send his brother to the best school and becoming Hollywood's biggest star, would have turned into nothing but a bubble, shattering in the air.

"I won't be so impulsive in the future, I promise!" He reached out his hand, making a solemn vow.

Laila sighed softly, feeling like she was becoming a nagging mother. She didn't want to repeat the same words over and over again.

"Alright, if you can take it to heart, then that's enough. If you can't, there's nothing more I can do. Go back and rest, and if you need anything, contact Walton. He'll help you with the police matters." She waved her hand wearily, not wanting to continue the conversation.

Roy became anxious; he would rather hear her scold him harshly than see her treat him like this. It gave him a dreadful feeling of being abandoned.

"Laila, I won't make this kind of mistake again, I really won't! Please..." Please don't give up on me...

In an instant, a picture flashed through Roy's mind.

It was a gloomy afternoon when he returned home with his brother. All they saw was an empty room and cabinets in disarray. Their mother had left and wouldn't be coming back, even though he hadn't witnessed it firsthand; he still knew.

Ever since his father went to prison, their mother, who was often away, had been coming home even less frequently. She left a meager amount of money each time and never left a word. Many times, the money left behind wasn't enough for them to survive until their mother's return. During those times, Roy did everything he could to steal money and belongings from the children in the neighborhood. After all, he was still young, and even if he got caught, he would only be scolded. Plus, the people around him knew the situation at his home, so aside from the occasional beating, there wasn't much else they could do.

He survived by stealing and enduring beatings. At that time, he was still very innocent, always thinking that as long as he held on until his mother came back, everything would be fine. It was with that belief that he endured it all, up until the moment he saw that empty room, and realized his mother would never return.

The feeling Laila gave him just now was similar to that moment. For an instant, his heart felt hollow, and a sense of desolation welled up in his chest like a drowning person desperately reaching out for the only lifeline.

He knew she was the only person in the world who genuinely cared about him. Although she always talked about squeezing every last drop of profit from him, she was the one who truly had his best interests at heart. He would never forget the excitement he felt when she appeared before him that day when he was wrongfully taken to the police station.

If even Laila gave up on him, he didn't know what would become of him. Maybe he would die directly. Don't give up on me, please...

Laila saw the sadness and despair in his eyes but had no idea what she had said that caused him to react this way. He seemed like a puppy about to be abandoned as if the world had collapsed before his eyes.

"Alright, as long as you know you made a mistake." She patted his back, feeling at a loss. Honestly, she hadn't said much to him.

Roy bit his lip, his face turning pale. If it weren't for his spirited demeanor just a moment ago, Laila might have thought he was seriously ill.

"Alright, alright, there's nothing wrong. You're fine, be a good boy." She patted his shoulder, unsure of what she was saying.

She finally breathed a sigh of relief after managing to send Roy away. Today's events were truly strange. Roy didn't seem like the type of person who would be so psychologically fragile that a few words from her would make him break down. If he were, it might have been better; at least she could ensure he wouldn't repeat his mistakes.

"Laila, it seems like he's afraid you'll abandon him." Claire, who had been observing, said from the side. She had investigated Roy thoroughly from head to toe as soon as he appeared next to Laila.

To be honest, she didn't want to have such a dangerous person around Laila. His upbringing was too harsh, and his parents weren't good people either. Looking at the things he did as a child, it was clear that his parents' bad genes had rubbed off on him.

However, she also knew that once Laila made a decision, she wouldn't easily change it unless there were objective reasons to do so. Luckily, she could see that his nature wasn't entirely bad. A boy who could feed his younger brother even in the most difficult times, no matter how bad he was, couldn't be all bad. Don't forget that Laila had once told her about the day she saw him at the police station.

If Laila gave up on him too, he might not have any other options left.