Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 297: A Beautiful Romantic Novel

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

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.