The Greatest Showman #1169 – Involuntarily

"Trust me, your presence is the biggest surprise. Imagine, who wouldn't want to see the handsome Renly Hall?"

"Leonardo DiCaprio?"

Jennifer teased, and Renly responded. Both paused, exchanging surprised glances before bursting into laughter, effortlessly capturing the wit and humor in their exchange. It was as if the long absence hadn't put a dent in their connection.

The laughter faded as the two fell silent, instinctively closing their mouths. Renly pursed his lips, and Jennifer raised her hand to cover her mouth—small sounds in the corridor echoed louder than expected, and laughter quickly filled the space, but the hospital setting made it inappropriate to make loud noises.

Despite the silence, their eyes still twinkled with mirth.

Jennifer slowly turned her head, glancing behind her for the second time in their conversation. It was evident she was waiting for someone, her brows furrowing with a tinge of hesitation and struggle. The weight of her emotions lingered, like a fog that wouldn't lift.

As her gaze turned back to Renly, their eyes met. He smiled politely, his gaze calm and courteous, and Jennifer's eyes flinched. Her expression tightened momentarily, and she quickly pulled a wide smile to mask the panic stirring within her.

Renly noticed the shift. He could sense that something was weighing on Jennifer, but respecting her privacy, he decided not to press her on it. From her reaction, it seemed clear she didn't want to discuss it. Whether it was intuition or not, Renly maintained his gentlemanly distance.

After a brief flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, Jennifer smiled again. "I won't keep you. Annie's waiting for your surprise. I still have work to do, so I need to rush off. We'll sit down and catch up when there's time. In the past six months, your life has been full of excitement—I'm sure there are plenty of stories to tell."

Renly grinned in return. "The stories from the set are all the same—repetitive. The real magic is in the movie itself. But I'd welcome you to the theater anytime."

Jennifer laughed heartily but didn't respond. She simply nodded a few times, made a gesture, and began heading for the elevator.

Not the stairs.

A sudden thought struck Renly, and he called out, "Jennifer!"

She stopped, spun around, and looked back, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Oscar, good luck!" Renly raised his fist in a gesture of encouragement.

Jennifer had become a top contender for the Oscar this year, with The Line of Happiness Behind the Dark Clouds putting her in the spotlight. If she succeeded, it would mark the third consecutive year for a Generation Y actor to take home the golden statue, following Natalie Portman and Renly himself. It would be a landmark moment for the film industry.

Jennifer hesitated, digesting Renly's words. Her expression was momentarily paused, and then she offered a hurried smile, mumbling, "Thank you," before quickly turning away again, lingering for a brief moment before walking toward the elevator.

As she stood waiting for the elevator, she seemed distant, her mind somewhere else. When the elevator dinged, the sudden sound startled her. She looked around in a mild panic, only to catch Renly's concerned gaze. She forced another wide smile, waved, and quickly stepped into the elevator, disappearing behind the doors.

That peculiar feeling lingered, but Renly couldn't pinpoint why.

Six months was a long time—things had changed for both of them, and Jennifer clearly didn't want to talk about it now. Maybe the moment wasn't right. They could save it for another time.

Once Jennifer had disappeared, Renly turned and walked toward the activity room.

Ahead, a noisy buzz grew louder, and he could see a dozen people gathered in a bustling crowd, busy with their own chatter. Although the sounds were muffled from a distance, the presence of cameras, briefcases, and familiar interview tactics suggested it was the press. Journalists were interviewing patients, family members, and nurses, their team of agents and assistants working to keep things orderly. The name "Jennifer" could be overheard intermittently.

Renly's thoughts shifted, remembering something important.

The Line of Happiness Behind the Dark Clouds was released by Harvey Weinstein.

There was no doubt that Harvey knew how to work the awards season, expertly leveraging media to boost prestige and orchestrating strategies for victory. If he had arranged for Jennifer to visit Mount Sinai for a charity event, inviting the press for a photo op, it wouldn't surprise Renly in the least.

Philanthropy, after all, was a powerful tool for reputation building in Hollywood. It wasn't just actors—athletes, musicians, and models all engaged in charitable work to further their careers. In the entertainment industry, charity often became part of the performance, overshadowed by the celebrity, and used for personal gain.

Jennifer might not have agreed with Harvey's tactics, but she likely felt obligated to comply. When she ran into Renly, it felt awkward. She seemed to want to escape the reporters' attention, eager to conceal the truth of her situation.

This, Renly thought, was how things often went in Hollywood—people were compelled to act out of necessity, driven by pressures they didn't always control.

As for the Best Actress race this year, Jennifer was considered the front-runner by many, following her success at the Toronto Film Festival. The Line of Happiness Behind the Dark Clouds had earned her significant praise, and the awards season had begun with her as a leading contender for multiple categories, including Best Actress and Best Picture.

Yet, the competition was fierce. While Jennifer's performance as the lead was still favored, she faced two key obstacles: her age—only 22 years old, making her the second-youngest nominee in Oscar history—and the fact that comedy, especially in a lighthearted film like this, was often overlooked by the Academy.

Still, many believed this would be Jennifer's year, especially after Renly had shattered expectations with his Oscar win the previous year. His youthful victory had helped pave the way for her, proving that age and style were not insurmountable barriers.

However, the landscape could change at any moment. After the low-key screening of Hunting Ben, Jessica Chastain had emerged as a formidable competitor, challenging Jennifer's lead.

This unpredictable environment made the awards season all the more thrilling.

As for Jennifer, trapped in the middle of it all, there didn't seem to be much room left for retreat.