1046-1050

*Chapter 1046: PR Nonsense*

Harry Percy hugged his knees, curled up tightly like a shrimp, trembling uncontrollably despite using all his strength.

It was midsummer—why did he feel like he was in a freezer?

Damn New York.

He hated New York. He missed Los Angeles.

Wait, what was that noise hidden in the darkness? The rustling? Harry opened his eyes, searching the shadows intently.

Then—

"Harry..."

That voice made him snap his eyes shut again, his body frozen with fear, every hair on his body standing on end.

Gods above, anyone, please, save this lost lamb. If someone could rescue him from this nightmare, he’d give anything—anything just to make it end.

"Harry..."

The voice was getting closer, transforming into a thunderous roar in his ears.

“Harry! Bang, bang, bang! Harry, it’s Colin! Open the door!”

Harry opened his eyes, stunned. He scrambled towards the door, crawling and stumbling. Peering through the peephole, he saw—

Colin Jones was outside.

A partner at TMZ, Colin specialized in gossip from the music world and was responsible for most of the "Bennifer" photos circulating on the TMZ website.

Harry exhaled a long sigh of relief. “God…”

He flung the door open, but at that moment, countless camera lenses swarmed in from both sides, and a barrage of flashbulbs exploded in his face.

Harry felt like he was going blind.

He had expected this and squeezed his eyes shut just in time, but the searing heat from the flash still crashed over him like a relentless storm. The sharp light pierced through his eyelids, stabbing his pupils. In the blackness behind his closed eyes, countless spots of light danced and flickered.

And that wasn’t all.

The rapid-fire shutter clicks were accompanied by a cacophony of voices, their noise battering Harry’s eardrums. The words fought to be heard, drilling into his brain. The world spun faster and faster, like an out-of-control spaceship.

But there was no time to complain.

Harry grabbed Colin’s arm and yanked him inside, slamming the door shut, blocking the storm outside.

Bang, bang, bang. Bang, bang, bang.

The pounding on the door didn’t stop. It felt like the thin door might break at any moment.

But what could Harry do?

All he could do was press his back against the door and use all his strength to hold it in place.

Then, he waited—waited until those demons finally began to quiet down.

Click.

The lights came on.

Harry reflexively shut his eyes and covered his face with his hands, as though he were a vampire afraid of the light. He muttered through gritted teeth, “Damn it, Colin, they’ll see us.”

Colin looked at the disheveled Harry before him—his wrinkled T-shirt soaked in sweat, his hair a tangled mess like a bird’s nest, stubble stubbornly poking out from beneath his hands. Colin couldn’t hold back his comment, “God, even a homeless man living under the Brooklyn Bridge for a month would look better than you.”

Colin couldn’t believe his eyes. “Even without the lights, they know you’re inside.”

“And by the way, hiding yourself away in this room like a sauna, turning yourself into a mess, they’re still not going to leave you alone.”

“Come on, Harry. This is our job—you should understand this better than anyone. Remember how we used to laugh at those people? They had no idea what they were doing, hiding in their shells like snails, only for us to mock them. Their misery was our entertainment.”

“And look at you now. What are you doing?”

Harry froze, his hands slowly dropping as he stared blankly, his sunken eyes devoid of any light. His lips were so dry they had begun to peel, and he stood there, stiff and lost.

Colin, unbothered, continued to taunt, “I really should’ve taken a picture of this and posted it on our site. I bet the traffic would skyrocket.”

That jab seemed to snap Harry back to reality. “Yeah, maybe we should film it. Who else could have exclusive footage like we do?”

Ah, the instincts of a paparazzo never die.

Colin knew Harry wasn’t down for the count. Paparazzi were like cockroaches, always surviving. “I brought you some supplies.”

Harry finally noticed Colin’s backpack. It was like he’d been wandering in a desert for ten days and had just spotted an oasis. “God, I knew it…”

Harry was about to open the bag when Colin added, “There’s not much, because I also brought you a bargaining chip. I think you won’t need to keep hiding anymore.”

Harry was ready to complain about the meager supplies, but he stopped, looking up. “What? I don’t see how this gets resolved.”

Colin shrugged lightly. “Until this morning, neither did I.”

Harry paused. “What happened this morning?”

Colin said, “Sony Columbia issued a statement. Blah blah blah, they harshly condemned Us Weekly for fabricating stories, blah blah blah, they’re innocent, all the accusations are based on circumstantial evidence, pure gossip. They’re sending a legal letter and preparing a formal lawsuit.”

“In short, just the usual PR nonsense. They’re playing the victim.”

No surprise. That was standard protocol for big corporations.

“Us Weekly jumped the gun. They gathered a bunch of circumstantial evidence and rushed to point the finger at Sony Columbia, unlike Entertainment Weekly, which handled it more cleverly.”

As Colin spoke, he noticed Harry’s death stare—the victim of Entertainment Weekly's earlier takedown was standing right in front of him.

Colin grinned, “Which explains why you’re in this state, while Sony Columbia gets to spout lies without a care.”

“Before releasing that official statement, Sony Columbia held an emergency board meeting. This incident might damage the company’s reputation, so they had to tread carefully. After some deliberation, they issued that nonsense.”

“But honestly, if they had nothing to hide, why the emergency meeting? There’s definitely more to this.”

Harry wasn’t interested in corporate intrigue. “So? What does Sony Columbia’s drama have to do with me? I can’t make them take the fall for me, can I?”

Colin simply smiled.

Harry stared at Colin, his jaw slowly dropping. “…No way.”

Colin didn’t answer directly. Instead, he pulled out an envelope and pushed it toward Harry.

Harry opened it, pulling out a sheet of A4 paper. Seven names were listed, all male actors—and all young ones.

Harry didn’t get it. He looked back at Colin for clarification.

Colin finally revealed the punchline. “This came from Eve Wilson. You know her, right?”

Harry cut in, “Yeah, I know. Anson’s PR. But why would Eve Wilson give you this?”

Colin said, “She didn’t say a word, just handed me this list. But think about it—at a time like this, do you really think Eve gave us this list to throw a party?”

“So, I did some digging and contacted everyone on this list.”

“Guess what I found?”

Chapter 1047: *The Devil's Contract*

Harry was trying to get his brain to work, but it was clear that with his pounding headache, it wasn’t going to be easy.

Eve, Anson?

Sony Columbia?

What kind of game was being played here?

Colin realized that Harry wasn’t in the best condition right now. After tossing out a hint, he continued to speak.

“Their reactions were quite interesting. Some hung up immediately, others stammered nervously, and a few remained calm, as if nothing had happened.”

This time, Harry picked up on it. If these people weren’t hiding something, their reactions wouldn’t have been so strange. His journalist instincts told him something was off. “Wait, who told them to keep quiet? And why? What do they have to do with all this?”

Colin nodded, “Exactly. What’s their connection to this whole situation?”

“Right, these actors,” Colin continued, “I looked into them carefully. Look at this one, Robert Pattinson. He’s a very young British actor, only 17 years old. Right now, his main job is modeling, and he’s trying to break into acting, but he doesn’t have any work out yet.”

“From any angle, an actor like that should have nothing to do with the whole incident. But Eve Wilson handed this list over at this very peculiar moment. Eve, Anson’s publicist.”

Harry's mind began to clear up. “You’re saying this was after Sony Columbia made their official statement?”

Colin nodded, “Half and half. Part of it was because of the official stance from Sony Columbia, but part was due to the public backlash reaching a new high. The anger and frustration about Anson’s injury were peaking.”

Harry’s voice trembled slightly, “You mean this list is connected to Anson?”

Colin smirked, “I had a theory. So, I had my assistant call these people back, pretending to be from Sony Columbia, and arranged new meeting times.”

And suddenly, it clicked for Harry.

Auditions!

Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His knees buckled, and he fell into a chair but quickly shot back up. “You’re saying Sony Columbia is planning to replace Anson? Oh my God, they’re devils!”

Colin tapped the list in Harry’s hand lightly, “That’s the devil’s contract.”

Imagine it: any actor who steps in to replace Anson as Spider-Man would be a target of public scorn. No matter who it was, they’d be crucified.

In other words, if they wanted fame and success, they would have to sell their soul. If this wasn’t a deal with the devil, then what was?

Harry exclaimed, “Hell!”

He couldn’t help but start pacing the room, his mind racing.

“If this news breaks, Sony Columbia’s ugly, sinister side will be out in the open. All the attention will shift to them, and I’ll be saved!”

“And not just saved—I’ll be a hero for defending Anson. No, this would be my redemption, my salvation!”

“Sony Columbia should rot in hell. Let them cool off down there, ha!”

As Harry got more excited, he almost jumped for joy. But then a thought struck him.

“Why, though?”

Harry looked at Colin, who had a similarly thoughtful expression. “Yes, why? Why did Eve give us this list?”

Eve had this list. She could have released it herself and condemned Sony from Anson’s side, rallying the public to her cause.

But she didn’t.

Harry thought it through carefully, then blurted out, “She’s using us.”

As soon as he said it, he froze. The answer was simple: if Anson made the revelation himself, it would mean a direct confrontation between him and Sony Columbia. No matter who won, it wouldn’t look good, and what about the future of Spider-Man 2? Or Spider-Man 3?

But if the tabloid exposed the story, Anson could keep his hands clean and continue playing the victim. Whether he stayed for Spider-Man 2 or left heartbroken, Anson would still have the upper hand.

Colin nodded, “It’s a devil’s contract for those actors, and for us too.”

“If we release this, it means we’re going to war with Sony Columbia. The fallout will be brutal. All the heat will come down on us.”

“The situation might not get any better than it is now.”

Journalists vs. Sony Columbia?

The public would love the show, but they wouldn’t take sides. All the attacks would land on them.

Harry saw it clearly now. “What if we don’t release it?”

Colin shrugged, “Do you think Eve doesn’t have a backup plan? I’m sure US Weekly would kill for this list.”

“Of course, we could always go in another direction. We could align ourselves with Sony Columbia, help them kick Anson out of Spider-Man 2, and find shelter under a big tree.”

Harry knew Colin was joking. The public was overwhelmingly on Anson’s side right now, and Sony Columbia was too afraid to act, even though they knew Anson was fighting back. They couldn’t risk the backlash of replacing him.

After thinking it over, Harry realized, “We have no choice, right?”

Colin let out a long sigh.

Harry smiled bitterly, “I’m starting to believe this was all orchestrated by Anson.”

Colin, who had never faced Anson directly, looked skeptical. “Are you out of your mind? Eve gave this to me. Eve Wilson.”

Harry shook his head slowly. “Trust me, this is Anson’s move. It’s his warning. Next time, I shouldn’t try anything stupid. He can send me to hell or heaven, just like that.”

Colin wasn’t convinced. “Are you sure?”

Harry held up the list. “This is the answer. I can easily escape this mess, but the cost would be becoming Sony Columbia’s enemy. But what can they do? Because this war already has a winner, and it won’t be Sony Columbia.”

Colin looked at the disheveled Harry. “Are you sure? Have you thought this through?”

Harry nodded, “If Eve is using us as the weapon, then so be it. Like you said, US Weekly would pay anything for this list, but Anson gave it to us—to TMZ, to be exact. Not just anyone can be that blade.”

Colin sighed dramatically, “You’re proud to be a tool now?”

Harry laughed, “Entertainment is a dead end. No one can escape, Colin. No one.”

Even if this was a deal with the devil, it didn’t matter. The moment they became paparazzi, their souls were already sold to the devil.

By evening, TMZ, which had been at the center of the storm, quietly updated their homepage with a new report. In no time, it went viral:

“Sony Columbia’s Strategy: Who Could Replace Anson Wood as Spider-Man?”

*Chapter 1048: Internet Meltdown*

"Breaking News: Ansen Wood's condition remains unclear, Sony-Columbia is already searching for a replacement."

Clang.

Blair Miller's spoon dropped into her bowl, milk splashing everywhere as the cereal rattled. Her head jerked up, staring intently at the TV screen.

NBC’s morning news show, Today, the network’s ratings giant for the past two decades, was broadcasting, and not only were the hosts discussing the topic seriously, but the bold headline below also made the news crystal clear.

The shock was palpable, reaching through the screen and hitting her hard.

Blair began to wonder if this was some sort of dream. How else could such an absurd, ridiculous headline be on Today?

However, the hosts continued their serious discussion, their shock and confusion as evident as Blair's.

Blair’s hands began to tremble uncontrollably. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and grabbed the remote to change the channel—

ABC’s Good Morning America, typically second in ratings, was reporting the same story.

"Top Story: Sony-Columbia is searching for Ansen Wood's replacement."

Blair’s heart clenched, her mind a tangled mess. Even deep breaths couldn’t calm her rising panic and fear.

In a rush, she ran to her room and opened her laptop.

She had never realized how agonizingly slow her computer’s startup could be. It felt like she was waiting an eternity before it finally booted up. Blair quickly navigated the internet.

"Sony-Columbia is ready to drop Ansen Wood!"

"It's all a conspiracy—Sony-Columbia staged the whole thing, with Ansen Wood as the only victim."

"Sony-Columbia's power struggle is affecting a series of projects, with Spider-Man 2 taking the hardest hit!"

"Though Ansen Wood is still recovering, preparing to return to set, Sony-Columbia is rushing to move on to the next chapter."

"Maybe when Spider-Man 2 is released, Peter Parker won’t be who we recognize anymore."

"Ansen Wood has been suddenly and ruthlessly replaced, without warning."

"Sony-Columbia, frustrated with delays due to Ansen’s injury, plans a full reboot."

"No one is irreplaceable, not even Ansen Wood—welcome to Hollywood."

Bombshell after bombshell.

The entire internet had shut down. Every media outlet joined the coverage—there was no escape.

If the earlier reports from Us Weekly and Entertainment Weekly exposing Harry Pacey as the culprit had already taken the story to new heights—becoming one of 2003’s major news stories—then now, the coverage had skyrocketed five- or tenfold. This was undoubtedly the biggest entertainment news of the year, spreading like wildfire.

Everywhere you looked, articles and discussions were exploding.

On every forum, conversations were blowing up.

Some were shocked, refusing to believe it was true, with many assuming it was some kind of prank. “April Fool’s was months ago” and “This has to be an Onion headline” were common reactions.

Others were baffled, unable to comprehend Sony-Columbia's thinking: “What did Ansen do wrong?” and “They must’ve lost their minds to make such a decision.”

Some were furious, disbelieving that Sony-Columbia could abandon Ansen, while he was still in the hospital with no updates on his condition.

Others were investigating: “So that’s why they brought in Jason Owen, huh?” and “Everything that seemed inexplicable before suddenly makes sense.”

There were even some who let their imaginations run wild, exploring the darkest possibilities.

"Could this all be a Sony-Columbia conspiracy? Maybe they even planted the paparazzi. After the accident, they saw an opportunity to replace Ansen, with the real motive being the power struggle within Sony-Columbia. They don’t care about the success of the movie; their goal is pure control."

All kinds of theories were erupting.

The only certainty was that Sony-Columbia had become the target of universal scorn.

Of course, there were always a few people willing to defend these giant corporations.

"Ansen’s injury affects the whole project—Sony-Columbia has to think about the bigger picture."

"They’re not actually replacing him yet, just auditioning some backups. No need to overreact."

"Ansen’s injury caused major delays, costing the production millions. Sony-Columbia can’t sacrifice the whole crew for just one actor."

But these arguments were drowned in ridicule and anger.

Sure, Sony-Columbia had to look after their own interests. But from a business perspective, Ansen was only injured and would soon return to set. After all, it was Ansen who was largely responsible for Spider-Man’s initial success.

And what made things worse was how Sony-Columbia had treated him. They were cold and indifferent when the accident happened, not protecting their star, and now they were trying to swiftly replace him.

How was that fair?

What was even worse was the Jason Owen situation. Was Sony-Columbia really just safeguarding the production?

Every detail pointed to Sony-Columbia's dirty, ugly agenda: sacrificing Ansen, who had done nothing wrong and had been a key contributor, to further their own ends. Their treachery was unforgivable.

Now, Sony-Columbia was truly the villain in everyone's eyes—

Public enemy number one.

Some even said that, compared to Sony-Columbia, Harry Pacey didn’t seem so bad.

Because, yes, Harry had caused chaos in the name of entertainment and caused the accident; but it was unintentional. His goal was never to injure Ansen—it was a genuine accident.

Sony-Columbia, on the other hand, regardless of whether the conspiracy was true, was plotting behind the scenes while knowing Ansen was injured and working hard to recover.

Their actions were despicable.

Have people forgotten?

When Eve spoke on Ansen’s behalf, she said he was actively recovering and trying to return to set as soon as possible, to avoid delaying production.

And this is how they repay him?

People were enraged—truly, deeply angry. And the fury was spreading uncontrollably.

In this bizarre twist, the person who had once been at the center of the scandal, Harry Pacey, was now reentering the scene, this time under pressure.

On the TMZ website, Harry admitted that he owed Ansen a sincere apology. He acknowledged that his obsession with getting photos of the new Spider-Man suit had driven him mad, leading to the accident, and even after that, his continued actions had been shameful.

“I deserved every bit of backlash I’ve received. I don’t expect Ansen to forgive me.”

"But..."

Harry then turned his criticism towards Sony-Columbia.

Harry claimed that both the New Jersey set and Mount Sinai Hospital had suffered from inadequate security under Sony-Columbia’s watch. That’s why Ansen’s brother had to take over the security detail. Furthermore, Sony-Columbia had never truly cared about Ansen’s well-being, being too caught up in their internal power struggle. First, they had used Jason Owen to distract the public, and then they had tried to pin everything on a scapegoat.

“Shameless! Completely without a moral compass!”

*Chapter 1049: Facing the Giant*

All Guns Blazing!

Harry-Percy, without hesitation, ripped off his mask, revealing his vicious and brutal nature. He sank his teeth into Sony Columbia’s leg, determined to drag them down with him in a suicidal move.

"A dog bites another dog, and it's all fur."

In this era of entertainment overload, anything is possible. Things were becoming increasingly absurd and surreal, as chaos reigned over the summer. More and more people joined this whirlwind, while the rapid twists and countless suspense left everyone dizzy.

Indeed, people disliked Harry-Percy, but now, in the face of Sony Columbia's ugliness and filth, Harry didn't seem as repulsive.

Of course, a small minority insisted that Harry's exposé was just a distraction, much like Sony Columbia’s previous ploy of bribing Jason Owen to take the fall.

"Neither side is any good."

This sentiment had its supporters, but in the end, they were swayed by the argument that "no matter what, Anson is innocent," and began angrily lashing out at the tabloids and Wall Street, expressing deep sympathy for Anson's plight.

The cacophony of voices exploded—Hollywood news had never been this lively. Even the media frenzy surrounding "Bennifer" hadn't reached this level.

And TMZ emerged as the biggest winner, striding onto the historical stage with a bang.

After this, regardless of interest in Hollywood or curiosity about gossip, the name TMZ became etched into the eyes and ears of millions of ordinary people, solidifying the association between TMZ and gossip.

It was unimaginable—one moment, people were attacking Harry, and the next, they were cheering him on.

After all, it was "Harry-Percy vs. Sony Columbia."

If people wanted to see Sony Columbia act in good faith to protect innocent Anson, they had to rally behind Harry-Percy.

Thus, a spectacle was born.

Television. Radio. Newspapers. The Internet. Every media outlet you could name covered the story, leaving no one untouched by this news.

And, either explicitly or subtly, the media stood overwhelmingly behind Anson, the only truly innocent victim in this drama.

When “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” reported on the story, when major TV stations jumped into the fray, when Blair opened her web browser, the whole world seemed to spin out of control, plunging into chaos.

Blair froze for a moment, then began to gasp for air.

It was only then that she realized she had been holding her breath, staring at the computer screen, forgetting everything else.

Sadness. Anger. Bitterness. Frustration.

Words could hardly capture her emotions. A tangled web of feelings twisted within her, evolving into a kind of painful inner conflict.

What had Anson done wrong?

Nothing.

Not only was he innocent, but Anson was the real victim. He was also the key to Spider-Man's historic breakthrough. And all he ever wanted was to return to the "Spider-Man 2" set.

So, what did he get in return?

Blair was so devastated that she forgot to cry. It felt like her heart had been shattered into pieces.

No. She couldn't cry. She couldn't be weak or surrender.

She had to fight for Anson. Against a giant like Sony Columbia, Anson alone didn't stand a chance. Blair had to make sure that Sony Columbia knew Anson wasn’t fighting alone.

For the first time ever, Anson needed them.

With this thought, a surge of courage and determination erupted inside her. No despair, no sorrow, no breakdown. Blair took a deep breath and forced herself to be strong.

Unconsciously, Blair thought back to that afternoon in New York when she witnessed Anson and his band performing on the streets, singing their hearts out in front of a bustling crowd, as if there were no audience at all.

They sang:

"Hey, they say I'm young and foolish, they say I'm chasing dreams, if I don't wake up soon, life will slip away, but I don't care."

"Wake me when we reach the end."

Blair clenched her fists, her resolve growing even stronger. The more dire the situation, the more resolute she became. She immediately called her friend Karen Fox.

It was clear that Karen was also furious, and the two started a heated exchange over the phone, but Karen’s anger still wouldn’t subside.

"...Anson should quit. Let that movie and Sony Columbia go to hell."

"Even without Spider-Man, Anson is a hot commodity. Any random movie he does will be a hit. But without Anson, Spider-Man is nothing. We’ll boycott the film and make Sony Columbia regret it."

Karen was livid.

"Damn it. Damn it, damn it!"

Karen’s rage couldn’t be contained.

On the other end of the line, Blair grew calmer and, unable to hold it in, started laughing.

Karen: ???

"Blair! How can you be laughing? Jesus Christ, do you even realize what’s happening?"

Blair: "Of course I do. That’s why I called you. I think we should fight back."

Karen: "Damn right. We should quit 'Spider-Man 2' and let Sony Columbia and their so-called grand plans go straight to hell."

Blair: "No, I disagree."

Karen: "What?"

Blair: "I think quitting without a fight is exactly what Sony Columbia wants. If we just walk away, they don’t even have to go through the trouble of dealing with Anson. They can replace him with no consequences."

"Sure, we aren’t worried about Anson’s future. He’ll succeed without Spider-Man, and we’ll still show up at theaters to support him. But what about Sony Columbia?"

"We wouldn’t be able to affect Sony Columbia at all. They’d issue a half-hearted apology and keep moving forward. Spider-Man won’t stop being made without Anson."

Karen was stunned. She couldn’t grasp Blair’s logic. "But, but..."

"But if Anson keeps filming Spider-Man, doesn’t that mean we’re just helping Sony Columbia make more money? Why should we?"

Karen was about to explode.

Blair knew it was a hard pill to swallow, but it was the truth. A harsh, cruel truth. "Because Sony Columbia is still one of the top movie studios in Hollywood."

Blair took a deep breath, trying to calm Karen down.

"Karen, we can boycott Sony Columbia. We can boycott 'Spider-Man 2.' Anson can walk away from the Spider-Man franchise. That’s all fine."

"But even without us, others will still go to the theaters. Sony Columbia will still make money from someone else’s tickets. 'Spider-Man 2' won’t bomb at the box office."

Karen wanted to argue that Spider-Man was nothing without Anson, but the words stuck in her throat. She knew Blair was right.

"From Superman to Batman, no matter if a film flops or an actor leaves due to conflicts, the studios always keep making movies. Giants like Sony Columbia don’t get hurt. In the end, only we and Anson suffer."

*Chapter 1050: Against the Current*

"Leaving is the easiest solution, but it’s also the most foolish one."

"Turning your back on a giant like Sony Columbia may seem bold, but Sony Columbia won’t shed a single tear for us."

Simple and direct, the truth is harsh and unforgiving.

Blair, filled with anger and pain, grasped the reality of the situation, trying to find a way out of their predicament.

How should they fight back?

Karen was even more furious, but after her anger subsided, a sense of bitterness and helplessness settled in. This was part of why she disliked growing up.

In real life, there are too many unsolvable problems. One by one, these issues slowly grind down people’s sharp edges, leaving them as nothing more than ordinary members of the masses, living their lives numb and stiff, like the walking dead.

Karen said, “So, we do nothing? Swallow our pride and keep making money for Sony Columbia?"

Blair replied, “Yes, we should keep making money for them, but we won’t do it disgracefully.”

Karen was skeptical.

Blair took a deep breath. “Karen, we need to make sure Sony Columbia hears our voices and feels our strength.”

“Yes, Sony Columbia is a giant, and we are just insignificant ants with no voice. But if there are enough ants, they will notice us.”

“We need to show Sony Columbia just how many people are standing behind Anson. And they need to understand that we’re not supporting Spider-Man because of them, but because of Anson.”

“Then, yes, we’ll buy tickets to support ‘Spider-Man 2,’ but to be precise, we’re supporting Anson.”

“Imagine if the box office continues to break records. Everyone will know it’s because of Anson—he’s the only reason. Then, when negotiations for the third movie happen, that’s when we strike. We’ll make Sony Columbia pay.”

“If Anson isn’t in the third movie, we’ll boycott it. We’ll make it clear to Sony Columbia that this is the case.”

“When the time comes, if Sony Columbia doesn’t want to dismantle a franchise that’s had two wildly successful films, they’ll have to compromise with Anson. That will be when Anson bites back at them, and we won’t just make them bleed—we’ll make them hurt.”

“Who knows? Maybe we can get Sony Columbia to work for Anson, with most of the box office revenue going into his pocket.”

It was wild, bold, and beyond belief.

This was still 2003. Paramount Pictures hadn’t yet started working for Tom Cruise in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise, where most of the box office profits would end up in his pocket. The idea of a movie company bending to an actor’s will was pure fantasy at this point.

For the general public, if Anson had the courage and determination to walk away from the ‘Spider-Man’ series, that would be bold enough, like slapping Sony Columbia in the face.

It wouldn’t be that Sony Columbia was replacing Anson, but that Anson refused to keep working for them.

Even such a small act of defiance seemed like the limit of what people could imagine. Karen represented the majority.

Blair’s idea was simply… shocking.

Karen was stunned, “Is. That. Even. Possible?”

She uttered each word slowly, as if doubting her own ears.

Blair suddenly became self-conscious. “I don’t have that much confidence. I was just daydreaming.”

Karen let out a sigh of relief.

Blair continued, “This is just my personal idea—a little fantasy.”

“But Karen, we need to let Anson know that he’s not alone in standing up to the giant. At the same time, we need to make Sony Columbia understand that Anson isn’t just some disposable pawn.”

“So, whether Anson decides to stay or leave, we will be his strongest support.”

Karen swallowed, nodding heavily. “Alright, I get it. So, what should we do?”

Blair said, “We need to gather as many friends as possible—the more, the better. Remember, Karen, as many as possible. Everyone we know. Ideally, we want young people, between 18 and 49 years old, because that’s the demographic the movie companies care about.”

Karen rolled her eyes, “Like I know anyone over fifty. Please, my dad’s not even fifty yet.”

…

Monday morning, clear skies.

A new week in New York, and the city remained as busy as ever.

Although the entertainment news had exploded over the past few days, New York continued to absorb it with ease. After all, this is a city that can contain multitudes.

Beyond the entertainment headlines, the city continued its fast pace, with people rushing by, not stopping for anything.

In Midtown Manhattan, at 550 Madison Avenue—the headquarters of Sony Columbia—everything was business as usual. There was no chaos or anxiety, and the scene was no different from the previous week, even though the entire North American entertainment industry storm was now swirling around this building.

But big companies are used to weathering storms. Even in the face of huge waves and heavy rains, the headquarters continued to operate normally.

Among the throngs of people rushing to work, a young man with long hair tied in a ponytail, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, and carrying a backpack, appeared. He looked just like any of the hundreds of thousands of tourists in New York, maybe a student on a graduation trip—completely ordinary, not attracting any attention.

The young man with the ponytail stood at the entrance of Sony Columbia’s headquarters, not waiting long before two other young people hurried over from the direction of the subway station.

“Gloria!”

At the call, Gloria Preston turned and smiled when she saw the newcomers.

“Blair! Karen!”

Although Gloria lived in Los Angeles and Blair and Karen in New York, separated by the entire continent, since they’d met at the premiere of ‘Spider-Man,’ they’d stayed in touch online and quickly became good friends.

Blair looked around, “Where’s Elaine?”

Before Gloria could answer, a voice called from behind them, “Hey, guys!”

“Sorry, I just spotted a newsstand that had the June issue of ‘Vogue’—with Anson’s Cannes fashion spread! I thought I’d never find it, but there it was! Ha!”

The person waved the magazine in her hand, a bright smile on her face.

Karen looked her up and down. “Classic Elaine, always in a princess dress.”

Elaine Cole was wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, but over them, she’d layered a ballet tutu skirt, its puffy lace blooming like flowers—quirky and unique, sticking to her signature princess style.

Gloria was used to it by now; after all, they’d met at the premiere of ‘The Princess Diaries.’

Elaine gave a shy smile, saying nothing, but her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Gloria glanced around and finally fixed her eyes on Blair. “So, are we starting here? Is this the spot you booked in advance?”