The situation had taken a peculiar turn.
Originally, the reporters had intended to hold Renly accountable, believing that he was deliberately sensationalizing the issue. Their condemnations and reprimands echoed incessantly, with some even questioning Renly's character. But now, Renly had unexpectedly turned the tables and shifted the blame back onto the reporters, leaving them completely bewildered. So, the current situation was completely concocted by the journalists? This was truly absurd!
"Are you saying that this time, the responsibility for the sensationalism lies with us?" a journalist exclaimed in disbelief from a corner, and the others didn't stop him. Instead, they all turned their gaze toward Renly with an expression of inquiry. To so openly offend the uncrowned king? It was as if they were asking for trouble!
Renly shrugged, his face still adorned with the same gentlemanly and elegant smile. He didn't say anything, but this slight movement conveyed a meaning that was undeniably clear: Yes, exactly.
This sent the journalists into an uproar. Their astonishment was palpable.
Standing amidst the crowd, Cornell felt a bit uneasy. In the face of Renly's accusation, he had a nagging sensation that Renly's gaze was fixed on him, and the profound look in Renly's eyes seemed to imply something. However, Cornell wasn't a novice; he wasn't one to surrender easily. So, he decided to strike first.
Cornell shouted loudly, "So, according to what you're saying, should we not report the contents of today's press conference? To give your crew some peace? How about that?"
If that were the case, without clarified news, the reputation of the crew and Renly would truly stink. They wouldn't be able to wash it clean. Moreover, that wasn't even the most severe consequence. In the future, all reporters would likely view Renly as a public enemy. This would be disastrous.
All the journalists present nodded in agreement, expressing their consensus. United against a common foe.
"If that's the case, then it couldn't be better," Renly laughed, a brilliant smile on his face, like sunlight piercing through dark clouds.
The journalists were momentarily stunned. This Renly was truly... unyielding! But what should they do now? Originally, they intended to condemn Renly for deliberate sensationalism, but now, Renly didn't care in the slightest. He had donned the look of an innocent lamb, with an attitude that screamed: "Bring it on". This was really putting them on edge.
Cornell knew that Renly was playing a retreat-to-advance strategy. How could Renly not care about his reputation? How could he not be protective of his image? The reason Renly was saying this was because he understood that this situation had escalated. They would have to report on Renly's response, even if they chose not to. "50/50" would undoubtedly release an official statement, making it clear that they were confident and unafraid.
This damn guy.
But Andy knew that Renly was serious. Standing in the apartment, listening to Renly's words, Andy couldn't help but shake his head lightly. The public relations issue needed immediate attention. This thorny character, Renly, needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. As for himself, he would focus on plotting Renly's career development—that should do the trick.
"Then why did you come out today if you had no intention of clarifying things?" Cornell pressed on, a tone of aggression in his voice. Public figures were always like this, hypocrites who tried to preserve their reputations even after engaging in questionable activities.
Renly, however, remained completely composed, revealing a faint smile as he gestured to the door behind him. "How about this? Should I just go back now?"
This...
The journalists present were momentarily silenced by Renly's action. It was evident that he was implying that if it weren't for the journalists, he wouldn't have come out to clarify anything. His nonchalant attitude indicated that the recent uproar over the past few days had had no impact on him. The bubbles of Renly's supposed torment, which they had imagined, had all burst, leaving them feeling frustrated.
Cornell felt like a breath had been caught in his chest, neither up nor down. It was truly an uncomfortable sensation. Thus, he shouted again, his voice determined, "The optimal time for clarification has passed, which is why the situation has escalated to this point. When the National Enquirer published false news initially, why didn't you want to come out and clarify it yourself?"
This was all Renly's fault. If Renly had stepped out to clarify things initially, then there wouldn't have been so many problems later on. The journalists wouldn't have let their imaginations run wild.
Renly turned around again, smiling as he looked at Cornell. "My agent, my partners, and my official statement have all clarified things. I'm not sure what form of clarification you're still seeking. My health check report? Or maybe my death certificate?"
Cornell could clearly sense that within Renly's seemingly calm gaze, there hid a trace of sharpness, like a fierce arrow aimed at his chest. It made him feel breathless, as if Renly was saying: Were you the mastermind behind all of this?
The seemingly calm tone carried a hint of biting words, momentarily silencing the bustling scene. Faced with such serious accusations, nobody dared to respond directly. They involuntarily shifted their gaze, the tension in the air growing palpable.
"If there are no further questions from the journalists, then today's press conference is concluded," Renly withdrew his gaze, sweeping it around. "I certainly hope that nobody thinks I'm trying to promote the new movie again."
His jesting remark, however, didn't elicit any laughter from the journalists. The words held both overt and veiled mockery, landing on their faces like a hard slap. Yet, they didn't have time to feel ashamed; they all turned their heads to glare at Cornell, as if saying: Let sleeping dogs lie! What if Renly really just walked away? What then?
Cornell became the target of everyone's criticism in an instant, leaving him quite speechless. He was about to put on an expression to convey his innocence, but everyone ignored him. They turned away, no longer meeting his eyes. This left Cornell with no way to defend himself, and he could only grit his teeth in frustration.
As Renly seemed poised to actually turn away, the cries of the journalists became urgent once more, "Renly, Renly." Finally facing the audience again, the shouts quickly subsided, restoring order. His appearance gave off a sense of concern, as if they were afraid he might actually leave. Time was of the essence now!
Exchanging glances with one another, a journalist was quick to ask, "A few days ago, an insider from the crew leaked that..."
Before this journalist could list the accusations, Renly promptly nodded. "Yes, what they said is all true."
In truth, Nathan had handed him the newspaper to read earlier, mentioning this matter. However, he hadn't read it, so he wasn't sure about the exact contents. But he wasn't too concerned.
This had been the case on the set of "Fast 5" as well. These hidden threats and schemes were truly bothersome. Compared to the intricate power struggles and personal relationships within the crew, Renly was more focused on his acting. He was an actor; acting was his job. If he wanted to scheme, plot, or confront others, he could have stayed in London for that.
It wasn't that he refused social interactions; it was just that often, those polite exchanges were unnecessary. Every film crew had a large number of members, and he couldn't possibly please everyone or make everyone like him. Therefore, rather than spending time making himself universally adored, he preferred to wholeheartedly immerse himself in his acting.
As for basic manners, he always executed them flawlessly; the simple social interactions were Andy and Nathan's responsibilities. Perhaps Andy was right; he should hire a public relations expert for the crew's social affairs. After all, that fell within the scope of public relations.
So, he didn't need to read the staff's revelations.
The journalists at the scene were somewhat dumbfounded, not because Renly had admitted the truth, but because he had done so so quickly that it raised doubts about whether this was perfunctory or sarcastic, or an actual admission.
"So... do you have any response to give?" Even experienced journalists were a bit uncertain of Renly's approach at the moment and had to ask hesitantly. Yet, that rising tone at the end of the question revealed their confusion and hesitation.
Not only this journalist, but most journalists present were in a similar situation. Only a small number of rookies were growing excited: Renly had actually admitted to the allegations from the rumors. This was about to get lively.
"No," Renly shook his head with a smile. His composed demeanor seemed to brush off a speck of dust from his shoulder.
The journalists should have been happy because they finally had a breaking point, but watching Renly's faint smile, they felt that something was off. They couldn't put a finger on it. Especially his nonchalant expression, so straightforward and open, made those negative rumors seem less reliable. The feeling was truly... strange!
For a moment, everyone exchanged glances, pondering what Renly's game was. How should they respond? Or perhaps, how should they fan the flames? Renly's prompt admission caught them all off guard.
As a reporter from the Seattle Post, this was Eli Wallah's territory. Naturally, he hoped to interview Renly as soon as possible. The event this time was truly too fierce; Eli was utterly powerless to stop it. In the midst of the tumultuous waves of sound, he was like a reed that couldn't change the course of the battle.
Today, he had squeezed himself among the journalists with great difficulty, but he couldn't find a moment to ask a question. Even if he wanted to defend Renly with a few words, there was no space for it.
At this point, the scene suddenly fell into a brief vacuum, and even Eli himself was gaping in astonishment. He hadn't expected Renly to admit to all the accusations so directly and decisively. This... this was... he didn't know what to do.
But Eli forced himself to calm down and seized this gap. He raised his voice and said, "However, they've made many negative comments, even insinuating that your character is questionable. Are you sure you don't plan to respond?"
Eli didn't want to repeat those harsh accusations, but he reminded Renly of those remarks using a more subtle approach, avoiding positive or constructive language.
He thought this admonishment might make Renly nervous, but he hadn't anticipated Renly's reaction. Instead of getting angry, Renly smiled, a genuine smile that emanated from the depths of his heart. It wasn't sarcastic or mocking; it was truly heartfelt. It peeled away layers of fog and diminished the gloom in the sky.
Renly arched an eyebrow lightly, jesting, "I hope it won't be as dreadful as the Kardashians."