Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 297: A Beautiful Romantic Novel

Elliott Court was watching the surfing competition in front of him, but his mind was elsewhere. His gaze continuously scanned the beach, trying to locate his target.

As a paparazzo, he was always keenly aware of his subject's movements. Every winter, heading to the islands for shoots was a rare perk. The island's limited space made covert photography easier, and there was no need to go out of one's way—actors, models, directors, singers, and others were nearly everywhere.

Just last week, he captured Leonardo DiCaprio partying on a yacht with a group of Victoria's Secret models, a three-day event that garnered plenty of attention. This week, he got shots of Jessica Alba vacationing with her husband and daughter.

In Hawaii, for example, one might only need to stroll along Waikiki Beach, teeming with tourists, to catch a celebrity on holiday—photography was effortless there. Moreover, Hawaii is the hometown of current President Barack Obama, who vacations there for about a week each year. Even if no celebrity photos were captured, getting a shot of the president relaxing was still something.

Easy work, golden sunshine, a lazy afternoon, and a relaxed lifestyle... For Elliott, paparazzi work on the island felt like a holiday itself.

However, today Elliott was on a special mission.

He had received a tip that Scarlett Johansson had arrived in Hawaii for a vacation after wrapping up "The Avengers."

Just two days ago, Ryan Reynolds announced through his PR team that his two-year marriage to Scarlett was over. The split, they said, was amicable, and both parties wished each other happiness. Scarlett's team confirmed this, stating the decision to end the marriage was mutual after heartfelt discussions.

Of course, the press wasn't so easily convinced.

Every time a marriage ends, both parties appear calm and collected, wishing each other well. But everyone knows there's usually a more dramatic story lurking behind the scenes. Just like the Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie love triangle, or the Scientology rumors surrounding Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's divorce.

This time would be no exception.

Speculation was rampant: did Ryan have a spark with Blake Lively during the filming of "Green Lantern"? Blake had just split from her "Gossip Girl" co-star Penn Badgley in September—what a coincidence! Or did something happen between Scarlett and Sean Penn? In October, Sean was spotted visiting the "Avengers" set, leading to rumors that he was pursuing Scarlett. Though this was never confirmed, given the number of A-list stars on set, Sean could have been visiting anyone. But now that Scarlett was divorced, those rumors had resurfaced.

This was the hottest story at the moment. Paparazzi everywhere were on high alert, hoping to dig out the truth behind the split.

When Elliott learned Scarlett was vacationing on Oahu, there was no way he could miss the opportunity. More intriguingly, just last weekend, he photographed Blake Lively on the island. At the time, his first thought was: was Blake here to meet her idol, Leonardo? She had always been open in interviews about her admiration for him.

But now things seemed even more interesting. Elliott believed there had to be a hidden truth in this tangled web. He came to Sunset Beach today because he'd heard Scarlett was attending the surfing competition.

Unfortunately, the beach was packed, and despite several rounds of searching, he hadn't spotted Scarlett. He decided to relax a bit before starting his next round of searching, feeling overwhelmed by the sea of faces.

For a paparazzo, any downtime was a luxury. He had never surfed and wasn't interested. The exciting surfing event before him was less compelling than the nearby bikini-clad woman reading a book, even though she had a bit of a nerdy vibe.

His gaze quickly swept over the scene, but then Elliott froze. Why did that face look so familiar? He turned back, scanning the crowd again, and without much effort, spotted the man.

The man who had thrown him off at the Emmy Awards ceremony with his unexpected behavior; the man who, after offering to pay for the cab, left him without an interview, pretending to be na?ve; the man who, rising like a comet, frustrated Elliott to no end—Renly Hall.

Elliott found Renly to be a peculiar newcomer. He wasn't the sharp, dazzling type, nor was he the kind to steal the spotlight. Yet, there was a quiet elegance about him, a calm and refined air that wasn't as flamboyant as Brad Pitt, as cocky as Robert Downey Jr., or as intense as Marlon Brando. Even in the midst of a bustling crowd, Renly was easy to spot—people's eyes were naturally drawn to him.

Like now. He had two friends with him: one, bright and cheerful, with a radiant smile that gave off an easygoing surfer vibe; the other, tall and muscular, with sharp features and an imposing presence. Both were attention-grabbing on the beach, yet Elliott's eyes immediately landed on Renly.

Why was Renly here? Wait, wasn't that Paul Walker?

Click. Elliott swiftly pressed the shutter, capturing the moment without anyone noticing. Indeed, working on the island always brought pleasant surprises.

Looking down to check the photo, Elliott felt something was off. The shot didn't capture the spark in Renly's eyes, his expression, or his smile. Instead, he seemed stiff. Was it the lighting? Elliott quickly turned back and snapped another shot of Renly and Paul.

Who was that other person with them? An actor? Why didn't he recognize them? Was Renly on Oahu because "Fast Five" had wrapped filming? There were rumors that Renly had gotten along well with the cast, and now it seemed true—he was here surfing with Paul, who was famously passionate about the sport.

Did Renly have any connection to Scarlett and Ryan's drama?

Elliott searched his mind for connections but found none. They had no apparent link. But that didn't mean there wasn't a possibility. This was Hollywood, after all, where beautiful people crossed paths all the time, and sparks flew easily. In Hollywood, dating was as casual as drinking water.

Not long ago in Toronto, rumors had swirled about Renly and Natalie Portman, though it was later debunked as a misunderstanding. Yet, people always welcomed anything aesthetically pleasing. Elliott couldn't help but imagine Renly and Scarlett together, standing side by side. The thought amused him, and in the span of a few breaths, he had written a romance novel in his mind.

If that were true, he had just uncovered a major scoop—

Renly and Scarlett, love at first sight? Scarlett cheating on Ryan during the marriage? The sultry Black Widow falling for a handsome newcomer? Scarlett dumping Ryan for someone more attractive? Less than 48 hours after the divorce, Scarlett had flown to the island to meet her lover? How had they met? Was it an electric, world-shaking encounter? Or—did Renly and Ryan hit it off instead? Then, both had abandoned Scarlett?

What a story! It was incredible!

Elliott turned back and snapped another shot, documenting the scene. Even if he didn't catch Scarlett and Renly together, he could always search for clues in the photos later. A piece of jewelry, a bracelet, a piece of clothing, even a lipstick shade—anything could be evidence!

Looking up, Elliott suddenly locked eyes with Renly. There were about fifteen paces between them, a wide space, yet Elliott felt completely exposed under Renly's gaze, as if there was no escape.

Busted.

A wave of panic hit Elliott. But he still pressed the shutter without hesitation. Their eyes met. His covert photography had been discovered, and while Elliott was momentarily annoyed, he quickly regained his composure.

In the ongoing battle between paparazzi and celebrities, the latter always had the disadvantage.

Paparazzi could shoot at will. They only needed to hide to catch someone off guard and get valuable photos. If they were discovered, it didn't matter. Paparazzi often operated openly, snapping shots as they pleased.

Celebrities, on the other hand, were always on the defensive. If they tried to avoid the paparazzi, they risked becoming internet memes. If they confronted them, it could lead to headlines, and if they lashed out, their angry words would be published everywhere. Worse yet, the paparazzi might retaliate by releasing unflattering photos that could damage their carefully crafted public image.

Given the legal protections for press freedom, especially regarding public figures, paparazzi operated with near impunity.

So, Elliott had nothing to fear.