The Greatest Showman #1414 - Botched Trick

Melissa Benoist took a deep breath—once, again, and again—but the rhythm of her heartbeat still wouldn't calm down. Her chest felt tight, almost out of breath.

The unknown fear and nervousness, standing at the edge of the abyss, made the hairs on her body stand up. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, leaving her feeling restless, her fingertips trembling, her eyes wandering, and her breath ragged. Her mind was muddled, like a lump of clay, unable to think clearly.

She took another deep breath.

Still, nothing.

For a moment, Melissa wondered if she was doing the right thing. Blake Jenner's words echoed in her mind—they had fought fiercely over this. But before she could dwell on it, the thought was pushed aside. She closed her eyes, forced herself to focus, and ignored the moral dilemmas. Her agent had been right:

The wages of greed are death.

These were the unspoken rules of Hollywood, the code of the industry.

In the world of Vanity Fair, everything revolved around survival—mutual exploitation and careful calculation. Ethics and morality were just window dressing. In the end, people only cared about results.

If she wanted to stay in this game, she had to learn how to play by those rules. Otherwise, she'd be discarded.

That's right, that's right, she repeated in her mind, clearing her thoughts and calming her nerves. Then, she began to rehearse the plan over and over again.

Today, Melissa was going to create a scandal.

She'd be waiting outside Renly's apartment, pretending to casually bump into him, looking for a chance to step forward. The plan was to create the illusion of the two of them spending the night together in his apartment. A few paparazzi photos, a little sleight of hand, and the story would break out, causing a stir with no clear evidence. It would spark speculation, making people believe that the chemistry from filming Boom Drummer had led to a romantic spark between them.

Once the story hit the tabloids, Renly would inevitably respond, whether by denying or clarifying. If he dismissed it as a lie, she could always claim it was a misunderstanding. The more he denied it, the more mysterious it would seem. Either way, Melissa could control the narrative.

The scandal wasn't the goal—the attention it would bring was.

In Hollywood, there were over 400,000 actors, and for those in the lower ranks, exposure was everything. A single opportunity to be seen could open doors. With the right exposure, audition chances would multiply, and more roles would follow.

Just like Megan Fox's sudden rise. A single bit of gossip, and she transformed from unknown to star. Melissa needed that spark now.

With Renly's recent surge in popularity after his EGOT win, any news related to him would explode. A scandal would put her name on the map, and she wouldn't hesitate. Melissa needed everyone to know who she was.

Clenching her fists, she steeled herself.

She looked around, searching for the paparazzi. They were nowhere in sight. The hidden location was well-chosen, and she couldn't spot a thing. But that quickly turned into worry. What if they hadn't shown up? Was today going to be a bust?

She turned around, her gaze flicking to the apartment building. It was quiet. Too quiet. This was Renly's place. He'd lived here for the past two years, and thanks to the paparazzi, his address wasn't much of a secret anymore. Fans visited all the time.

But she hadn't seen Renly yet. She was starting to panic. When the paparazzi didn't show up, her nerves frayed. She whispered, "Where are you? Where are you hiding? Which way should I look? Where's the light? Where's the angle? Are you sure this will work?"

No response.

Melissa began to panic. Had her agent not arranged for the paparazzi after all? What was she supposed to do now? Should she bail? Or find another way to record this?

"John? Hey!" Melissa called out, desperately trying to stay quiet for Renly's sake. But the uncertainty made her voice quiver. She waited, but there was still no answer. The street was eerily silent.

Across the street, John Ware sighed and rubbed his forehead, his frustration growing. How did Melissa, with her lack of emotional intelligence, expect this to work? One small hiccup, and she was already losing it. Did she really think she could fool Renly Hall?

Didn't she know that Renly was one of the most unflappable stars in Hollywood? A stunt like this would only make him suspicious. And if Renly smelled anything fishy, it could backfire in a major way.

John cursed himself. Why had he agreed to this? He should have refused, even if it meant burning bridges. Now, he was stuck.

Initially, Melissa's agent had tried to get TMZ involved. The site was the biggest source for celebrity gossip in North America—and the world. TMZ had transformed into a platform focused on exclusive stories, with a reputation for breaking news. They didn't deal with petty paparazzi tricks anymore.

But when they refused, Melissa's agent reached out to John.

John knew it was risky. But the offer was tempting, and the favor from the intermediary was invaluable. He agreed reluctantly.

Now, standing across from the building, John regretted it more than ever.

As he set up his camera in the shadows of a building, hidden behind a flowerpot and trees, he kept an eye on the street. He had already messaged Melissa to let her know he was in position. But she seemed completely oblivious. She was falling apart, unraveling in front of him.

John began to fear that the whole thing would fall apart, and he wished Melissa would just bail out of the plan. But she was still standing there, unsure of what to do.

Finally, he saw no way out. The situation was unfolding, and he had to go through with it.

From his hidden vantage point, he watched for any sign of movement.

And then—there it was.

Renly was coming down the stairs.