They had deliberately chosen not to find out the baby's gender during checkups, wanting to keep the surprise until the very end. But even without checking, both of them believed it would be a little girl.
The baby had just been far too well-behaved—not causing any morning sickness, not making the pregnancy too exhausting. Aside from occasionally kicking her tiny legs or stretching her tiny arms, she was so obedient and lovable it melted hearts.
Because of that, Janet had said more than once that having a daughter was truly the better experience. When she was pregnant with William, her morning sickness was brutal. Not only did it start earlier than most, but it also lasted nearly the entire pregnancy. Poor Mr. Quentin, who had been tending to her the whole time, bore the brunt of many of her frustrations.
By the time awards season rolled around that year, the baby was already more than seven months along. For safety reasons, Laila didn't attend any of the ceremonies in person and left everything to Louise to handle on her behalf. The public was understanding—no one expected a pregnant woman to strut down the red carpet, especially not one who wasn't a celebrity chasing the limelight.
Her appearances usually meant high engagement, high ratings, and plenty of buzz. Any event she attended used to attract significantly more viewers. So this time, her absence was a big disappointment for some of the award organizers—and her fans felt the same. It had been months since they'd seen her in person. Now, they could only rely on the occasional selfie she posted to get a glimpse into her life.
That Christmas, the Moran family was gathered more completely than ever—grandparents, Janet and Quentin, little William and Abel, and Roy. Everyone came together to enjoy a Christmas feast prepared jointly by Grandma and Claire.
Laila felt so happy and content. Her growing belly made things difficult at times, but it also gave her a sense of fulfillment. Being pampered like a queen for the past few months, she felt like these might just be the most comfortable days of her life.
When to wake up, when to go on walks, what to eat and when—breakfast, lunch, and dinner, even snacks and nutritional supplements for the baby—all of it was meticulously arranged by Claire. It made Laila feel like she was being raised like a prize piglet. She couldn't even imagine what she might look like after giving birth. Would she even recognize herself as a chubby new mom?
After Christmas came New Year's, and following that was the Spring Festival. In this family that blended both Eastern and Western cultures, they celebrated Western holidays but never missed the Eastern ones. The Spring Festival, in particular, held deep significance for anyone of Eastern heritage.
Laila was grateful her grandmother was from the East and had preserved the tradition of celebrating Eastern holidays. Otherwise, she had no idea how she'd manage to justify celebrating the festivals she'd grown up with in her previous life.
But before the Spring Festival, there was another significant day that had caught Laila's attention: the 66th Golden Globe Awards on January 11, 2009.
This year's awards season was lively, though not as one-sided as when Laila had previously swept through Hollywood. There were several strong contenders for various awards—Slumdog Millionaire and David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button were both generating a lot of buzz.
What left the deepest impression on Laila at this year's Golden Globes was none other than Kate Winslet, who had played the lead in Titanic.
Thanks to her performances in The Reader and Revolutionary Road, Winslet was nominated for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. When she went onstage to accept her award, she even confessed her love to Leonardo DiCaprio on the spot.
In her past life, Laila could never tell whether that confession was a genuine emotion veiled in a joke, or a joke wrapped in genuine emotion—but either way, it moved her. Back then, she had been one of the countless people who'd cried buckets for Rose and Jack.
Tragedy had a lasting power, but everyone always yearned for a happy ending. So when she saw that heartfelt moment between the two, it genuinely touched her, as if a hole in her heart had been quietly filled.
Of course, she didn't attend the ceremony in person—Roy would never have allowed her to fly to Hollywood while pregnant. Watching from the television, she caught glimpses of the event, some of which matched memories from her previous life. But thanks to the flutter of her butterfly wings, a few things had shifted. For example, many of the television awards were swept up by NBC shows.
Roy won the only award for The Dark Knight with his performance as the Joker. It came as no surprise to anyone. Had anyone else won that award for any other film, they would've likely been criticized harshly.
This award was completely deserved—it could only be him.
When Roy took the trophy from the presenter, he first expressed his joy at winning and thanked everyone who needed thanking. His acceptance speech was textbook and received plenty of applause.
But after wrapping up the formalities, his expression suddenly softened, his gaze tender enough to drip water.
"Lastly, I want to thank my fiancée. She's the one who lit up my life. I love you, Laila. Always. And thank you—for soon bringing our little angel into this world."
As he stepped down from the stage, the applause was even more thunderous than before.
Everyone knew Laila was pregnant, and they also knew just how deeply the two loved each other.
Whether in the audience or watching on TV, viewers were envious. In the madness of Hollywood, it was rare for anyone to resist temptation and stay grounded in love. So many golden couples had eventually fallen apart after going public.
But Roy and Laila had made it through, step by step, their happiness becoming something others dreamed of.
After the awards ceremony, media outlets barely mentioned Roy winning the Golden Globe. Instead, the spotlight focused on his relationship with Laila. People loved to witness something beautiful, and seeing such a loving couple in Hollywood made everyone crave more of their story—as if learning more about them might bring them a taste of that happiness, too.
Staring at Roy on the screen, Laila couldn't help but think of the other brilliant actor who had played the Joker in her original world—Heath Ledger. His performance had also been flawless. For someone so young to portray the character's complexity so deeply, the word "genius" wasn't an exaggeration.
In her previous life, he had already passed away by this time. Even the award had been accepted by Director Nolan on his behalf. Countless fans had cried heartbroken tears at the loss of such a gifted actor.
This time, although Roy still didn't accept the award as himself, he was alive. During the awards broadcast, a brief shot captured his smiling face—full of happiness. Yes, in this life, his girlfriend was carrying his child. Unlike her past world, he was going to witness the arrival of the baby he so looked forward to.
Fate truly is a mysterious thing.
Laila stared at the TV, her gaze unfocused.