"You can just ask me directly."
Renly's clear enunciation struck Chris's chest like a relentless barrage of punches, leaving him gasping for breath.
In truth, Renly hadn't actually cared about the fate of the "Thor" script. Once he had decided to abandon it, he brushed the matter aside. If it weren't for Roy's mention today, he wouldn't have realized the script was missing. But regardless of whether Renly cared or not, whether he was interested or not, it was his script, his personal possession. Even if Chris was curious, he couldn't simply "steal".
Yes, he could directly inquire with Renly.
Ask Renly about the truth behind the "Thor" script. Ask if Renly was involved in the auditions for "Thor". Ask if Renly could lend him the script to review, since he was vying for the role of Thor.
If Chris took the initiative to ask, Renly would undoubtedly be more than willing to share, because they were not only roommates but also friends.
If Renly refused to share, then that would be another story.
However, Chris had never asked. He hadn't given Renly the chance to refuse, nor the opportunity to share. He bypassed Renly, took the script from the shelf, and concealed all information. From a legal perspective, it might not be illegal, and it couldn't even be confirmed if it was theft. But from a moral standpoint, Chris had made a wrong choice.
An uncontrollable sense of shame surged over him. Chris clenched his fist, his body trembling uncontrollably. The eruption of anger resembled a volcano spewing molten lava within his veins. "What if you refuse?" Chris screamed madly at Renly. But deep down, he knew that Renly wouldn't refuse. It was precisely this sliver of reason that made Chris feel even more embarrassed. He longed to tear Renly apart, to shred that composed face to pieces!
"So?" Faced with Chris's interrogation, Renly's response became even more casual. He raised an eyebrow slightly, and a glimmer of disbelief burst forth from his profound eyes. All elegance, all restraint, all composure, vanished in an instant. "If I don't give it, you can't snatch it!"
Chris felt his chest tighten, as if he had been thrown into the Arctic Ocean. The biting cold clashed with the surging magma, exploding into a mixture of anger and shame, jealousy and torment, repulsion and bitterness.
Staring at Renly's lofty, self-righteous demeanor, standing on a moral high ground, arrogantly and disdainfully judging his actions, his hypocritical sanctimoniousness was nauseating. Chris finally understood why he disliked Renly. He was a pretentious bastard, mouthing grand dreams of an actor, portraying an inviolable sanctity, disregarding the gaze of others, living in his own world. But in reality, he was just a struggling clown hanging on the edge of survival.
So, he always enjoyed flaunting his successes. He always relished seeing Renly's career struggle. He always took pleasure in witnessing Renly's dreams brutally colliding with the wall of reality. More importantly, he loved seeing Renly bowing his proud head in front of him. "Ha," Chris laughed madly in anger. How ridiculous Renly's words were, how utterly pretentious and laughable. It was like a beggar shouting, "I don't care about money," while their growling stomach told another story. "So, I stole it. So what?"
Chris tossed the clothing in his hand aside, hands on his hips. With an imposing demeanor, he took a step forward, and another, his mountainous muscles exuding an overpowering force. "What do you plan to do?"
Chris sneered twice. "Are you planning to crush me with your dreams? Or are you planning to take me to court? Or... vent your grievances to the paparazzi?" Chris spread his arms wide, appearing manic, a face full of disdain and mockery. "Let me tell you, no matter what you want to do, come at me with all you've got. Because you won't have a chance after this."
Chris's expression suddenly became exhilarated. His not-so-large eyes widened completely, and the striking blue within them resembled a tsunami, surging with astonishing waves. At this moment, it was as if he had stirred up a tempestuous sea. "You know what? From now on, we won't be on the same level anymore. "Thor" will become my stepping stone, propelling me straight into the ranks of Hollywood's top actors. Fame, reputation, attention, popularity, they'll all follow suit. And you?"
"Heh." Chris seemed to have thought of something amusing, and he laughed victoriously. "You'll be trapped in those damn independent films, playing unknown minor roles, hustling in the outskirts of New York's Broadway. No one will know your name, no one will care about your talent, and no one will even realize you ever existed."
"Our gap will continue to widen, to the point where we might not even have the chance to meet in the future. I'll be standing on the Oscars' red carpet, receiving cheers from around the world, while you'll be on the streets of New York, struggling for survival." Chris's face displayed a longing expression, nodding contentedly. "So, this is your final opportunity."
Looking at the Chris before him, Renly found it quite amusing.
In his previous life, Chris's image in the media was always positive—being a devoted husband and father figure, a slightly silly and cute handsome guy, a visually striking but not too impactful vase-like character. This version of Chris was always endearing, successfully garnering the adoration of countless fans.
However, in this very moment, the Chris standing before Renly was entirely different. He was twisted, aggressive, even manic, not bothering to conceal his ambition and arrogance. He was far smarter than his outward appearance suggested.
Yet, Renly soon found solace. He had simplified things too much. In the world of fame and fortune like Hollywood, actors who can rise to the top, let alone become A-listers, aren't true fools. Because actors like Hayden Christensen are just flashes in the pan, quickly replaced.
Renly also recalled the tender kiss between Scarlett and Ryan outside the Youth Hostel this afternoon.
The real face of Hollywood slowly unveiled itself before Renly. It was a fantastical world, far more captivating than the movies.
A faint smile curled up at the corner of his lips, not aimed at Chris, but simply because he found this scene a bit amusing.
He held no unrealistic fantasies about the glittering facade of Hollywood. Having experienced the warmth and coldness of human relationships in his previous life, he knew that the glamorous life under the spotlight was only part of reality. However, it wasn't until today that he caught a glimpse of another side of Hollywood. Perhaps, he had been on the periphery for too long, lacking the qualifications to truly step onto the stage of fame and fortune.
So, did this mean that he had finally taken his first step now?
As Chris gazed at Renly's smile, anger began to cloud his mind. Renly was mocking him—disdainfully, scornfully, and sarcastically! Yet, this time, before Chris could utter a word, Renly's words interrupted his flow.
"Rest assured, I don't plan on doing anything. If you like, continue."
Renly's tone remained calm as ever, utterly unaffected. It was as if Chris's lengthy discourse just now had been nothing more than a light breeze that passed by, leaving no trace behind. "The only reason I brought up this matter was that someone mentioned it to me today. I casually inquired, nothing more."
Chris was caught off guard, much like... much like preparing to deliver a powerful blow, only to strike the air instead. His entire being shifted, tilting so much that he began to lose balance, teetering as if about to fall. This sense of being played with and the suppressed frustration were impossible to release. The conflicting emotions within his chest once again collided, as if they were about to burst through the chest's confines and bloom like flowers.
Then, Renly stood up.
Chris's muscles tensed all over, every cell in his body entering an emergency state. His fists clenched subconsciously, adopting a boxing stance as he took a half step back, ready to engage in battle.
Seeing Chris's all-out alertness, Renly chuckled soundlessly, wanting to offer some advice but not knowing where to start. Eventually, he simply shook his head, as if an adult were looking at a three-year-old child. He spoke once more, "Do you know why I don't care? Because it's not worth it."
Finishing his words, Renly turned around and walked towards the direction of the door, opening it. "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't be joining your celebration party. Enjoy your evening." Renly smiled, clenching his fist in encouragement for Chris, and then he casually closed the door, leaving the house.
A soft "bang" of the door closing sounded. Chris snapped back to his senses, looking down at his tightly clenched fists. He quickly loosened his grip. As he compared Renly's casual, indifferent, and nonchalant reaction to his own blazing fury, his nerves on edge, and his all-encompassing vigilance, the stark contrast and immense gap left him utterly breathless.
"It's not worth it."
"It", or is it him?
The words echoed in his ears once again. In an instant, Chris finally regained his senses. He could no longer suppress the anger within him. He kicked over the nearby table, but even that didn't provide relief. So, he began to fiercely stomp on the scattered balloons on the ground, each sharp pop venting his emotions.
Damn Renly, shameless Renly, nauseating Renly, arrogant Renly, pretentious Renly, self-righteous Renly...
Explosions followed one after another. Chris finally began to calm down slightly after a while, exhaling a long breath. Just as he had said, their gap would continue to widen, an astronomical distance every day. Soon enough, "Renly Hall" would no longer be his concern. Therefore, he had no reason to dwell on it, right?
With Renly having left the apartment building, standing at the bottom of the stairs, his footsteps involuntarily halted. Gazing at the familiar street before him, his emotions turned somewhat wistful. He let out a long breath and then proceeded to walk, striding towards the golden evening sun that painted the sky.