The Greatest Showman – Chapter 1023: So-Called Siblings

Chris Evans and Edith Hall walked hand in hand into the Chinese Theater, the heat of the outside world still lingering behind them. The hot air swirled around them, carrying a hint of sweetness. A subtle exchange of glances passed between them, and Chris's eyes landed between Edith's brows as he smiled, "...God, have you seen their expressions? This is the first time I've seen reporters this flustered. It's hilarious."

"What's going on?" Edith's pace slowed, and Chris followed her gaze. Renly was standing a little way off, and Chris gave him a polite smile. "Hey, Renly, congratulations on the premiere today. I hope it does well at the box office."

"Thank you." Renly nodded, but instead of meeting Chris's gaze, his attention was fixed on Edith. It was slightly rude, and Chris felt a little awkward standing there.

But after a moment, Renly finally shifted his gaze, met Chris's eyes, and gave a polite smile. "Edith and I have known each other for a long time. I just want you to know—there are a thousand ways I can make you regret the decision you've made. Believe me when I say, I'm capable of doing it."

It wasn't a stern warning or a scolding; it was a smooth, almost graceful remark. It wasn't so much a threat as a casual social maneuver, the kind that felt like a friendly chat but left a lingering chill. When you thought about it more, cold sweat would creep up your back.

"Haha, that's an excellent joke." Chris laughed, but as he looked around, he realized Renly wasn't laughing, nor was Edith. He was the only one amused. The laughter faltered, and he awkwardly coughed twice to cover the awkwardness. "Uh, I'm not sure what you mean, how do you expect me to respond? I mean... um, okay? I... uh, understand?"

Chris and Renly had only met once before—during a photoshoot for a magazine. Chris remembered it well because it had been a memorable encounter. It was also the first time he'd met Edith, and it marked the beginning of their connection.

Today was only their second meeting, and Renly's behavior was puzzling.

"Heh." Renly chuckled softly, and Chris was even more confused. Renly spread his hands, an innocent gesture. "Sorry, I was just joking, but I guess it wasn't very funny. Seems like I've been out in the West End for so long that I've forgotten how Hollywood jokes work. I need to catch up."

Chris's instinct told him this wasn't a joke, but if it wasn't, he couldn't figure out why Renly was acting this way. Hesitant, Chris decided to laugh along. "Uh, yeah, I admit, you did scare me for a second. You really did."

The tension lifted a little.

Edith patted Chris on the chest. "Why don't you go inside first? I'll take a couple of minutes with Renly to finalize the shooting schedule. After the premiere, it'll be hard to get in," she said, joking. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Are you sure?" Chris double-checked, and after receiving an affirmative response, he nodded to Renly and walked into the theater.

Renly turned, and Edith watched Chris leave. As if noticing her attention, Chris turned around, and Edith gave him a casual nod. Satisfied, Chris continued into the theater.

"Edith Hall," Renly's voice cut through the moment, teasing her, "You know, that label will stick with you forever. I never knew your taste was this... unique."

Without hesitation, Edith lifted her foot and gave Renly's calf a playful slap.

This time, Renly didn't dodge.

Seeing this, Edith instantly realized Renly wasn't joking. She rolled her eyes. "What can I say? I'm just this type—big breasts, pale skin, a golden retriever, and pink. What do you think? Got a problem?"

"No," Renly replied flatly. Then, with a slight frown, he added, "Wait, are you sure you're straight?" The adjectives she used sounded more fitting for women.

"What, if I'm not, are you going to introduce me to a girlfriend?" Edith shot back, unbothered.

Renly shrugged. "No. But if you bent that way, I think George and Elizabeth might approve." He made a jab at Chris Evans.

From George and Elizabeth's attitudes toward Renly, it was clear they didn't have much respect for actors.

If anyone could be compared, Renly had earned his place through talent, unlike Chris Evans, who some would argue was merely a pretty face.

Edith rolled her eyes again. "What, does it bother you?"

When news of the premiere spread, Edith's boldness had already stirred up enough of a storm. One more Chris wasn't going to make a difference. Since she had decided to stand her ground, it was better to go all the way and avoid future complications.

Renly smiled faintly. "Do I need to care?"

For Renly, he didn't really care. It wasn't about Chris; what mattered was Edith. She had chosen Chris, and as long as she was happy, that was all Renly cared about.

Edith felt a slight surprise. They were like siblings—more like familiar partners with the same last name than anything else. But today, Renly had shown a level of concern that was unexpected from him. Edith realized that Renly's earlier comment to Chris wasn't just a joke.

Sensing the shift in Edith's emotions, Renly smiled and said lightly, "Don't look at me like that; Chris might misunderstand. He doesn't know 'your Hall' yet. Does he know my Hall?"

Things would certainly get interesting if Chris started seeing Renly as a rival.

Edith couldn't help but chuckle, though it was a mix of amusement and frustration. She quickly turned away. "He doesn't need to know. Besides, you don't need me, and I don't need you."

Chris only knew Edith as Renly's photographer and wasn't aware of the depth of their connection. To him, Edith had simply come to show support for the premiere.

"I hope he never needs to know," Renly said calmly. The words seemed casual, but there was a deeper meaning: if Chris ever did need to know about Renly's relationship with Edith, it would mean Renly had to teach Chris a lesson and make him regret mistreating Edith.

In the Hall family, emotions were rarely shared, and they often lived their lives independently. But when they stopped to reflect, they realized they weren't truly alone.

Edith lowered her gaze slightly, concealing the turbulence behind her eyes. "Let's go. The premiere is about to start, and without the main cast, it won't begin. Honestly, the film's not great. I read the synopsis, and it makes no sense to me."

"Are you sure it's not that you're just not smart enough?"

"Renly-Hall!" Edith shot him a mock glare.

The two walked into the auditorium together but naturally separated once inside, heading in opposite directions to their respective seats, as if they were merely colleagues who had just finished a conversation.

In the front row, Renly found his seat between Paul Walker and Rami Malek on his left, and Jennifer Lawrence and Alexander Skarsgard on his right. He nodded politely to them and sat down, but just as he did, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

A bit stiff, Renly pulled out the phone, realizing he'd forgotten to hand it over to Nathan when Andy called earlier. Looking around, he couldn't immediately spot Nathan.

Opening the message, he saw it was from Rooney Mara:

"To a West End actor,

I saw your show last week and wanted to say hello backstage, but the crowd was packed with stars, so I didn't bother. But the performance was fantastic, truly unforgettable, and I'm looking forward to seeing it again on Broadway. I must say, today's film just won't compare, and I regret not being able to attend.

That said, I'm still looking forward to your upcoming summer project. I'll be there next week for some popcorn. By the way, do you have a photo wall or Facebook? Your photo was posted today—it looks like you're there in person.

Yours, an anonymous admirer."

Renly smiled faintly, pocketed the phone, and turned to Paul. "No, Meadow doesn't want to deal with the spotlight. But she's already bought tickets for Saturday. She's going with some friends to watch the movie then."

Paul nodded, smiling with relief. "Good for her."