A fierce storm raged outside. Edgar, rarely seen out of control, was now furious.
However, Anson remained calm, almost too calm, to the point of being unsettling.
Edgar felt his breath catch in his chest. He knew deep down that he was at fault here. No matter how justified the reasons, the fact remained: Edgar had gone behind Anson's back, acted in secret, and used Anson's name to reject Gary. The consequences still fell on Anson to bear.
Maybe, from a reasoning perspective, Edgar was correct—both the cause and effect were logical, and his stance was well-founded. But the process was not aboveboard.
The means were dirty.
Not only had Edgar acted behind Anson's back, but he had also leveraged the situation, dragging the entire "Spider-Man 2" crew into it, severing any chance of cooperation in a less-than-honorable manner.
That was the crux of the matter.
Perhaps Edgar's own guilty conscience made him lash out so aggressively, trying to cover his insecurities by attacking first, confusing the issue, and positioning himself on the moral high ground.
Once the outburst subsided, Edgar felt a surge of unease.
"Anson…"
Unexpectedly, Anson's gaze shifted, looking behind Edgar, who turned to see what had caught his attention.
"Eve, what do you think?"
Eve and Noah were standing at the entrance of the villa's hall, evidently having heard everything.
Eve took a deep breath, "I'm with Edgar."
No sooner had she spoken than Noah silently moved over to stand beside Anson, his actions alone signaling his allegiance.
Anson gave a wry smile.
Seeing Anson's smile, Eve didn't relax.
"Anson, you handle emotional considerations. Edgar and I are responsible for rational thinking. We make those cold, objective, correct judgments and decisions that might be unappealing and even potentially destructive—destroying friendships, love, and social relationships in the process."
"But that's our job. We plan your career; we don't manage your personal life."
"Edgar is right."
"Yes, I know the methods aren't clean, but I don't think it's a problem."
"We're not saints. Trust me, our hands have seen their share of blood. Hurting Gary Marshall's feelings a little isn't even worth mentioning. We may have destroyed people's dreams or lives, all to protect our client's interests."
"The world might look civilized, but at its core, it's still a jungle where the strong prey on the weak."
"If it were me, I'd make the same choice as Edgar."
Objective, calm, even mechanical, with not an ounce of warmth.
Eve was different from Edgar—more rational, more cold, analyzing purely from a position of interest.
It was all just numbers.
Anson remained silent throughout.
This silence made Edgar uneasy. "Anson…"
Anson lifted his head, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
Anson knew that Edgar and Eve's analysis was correct. It was their job to make the best rational choice.
Maybe rejecting "The Princess Diaries 2" was indeed the right choice.
The key was, Anson wasn't really a twenty-year-old. He had lived twice, and his goals were a bit different now.
Success? Of course, it mattered.
Money, fame, glory—why reject them?
Anson had never denied that. But happiness and joy were equally important. Friends, family, and the connections he had forged mattered too. He didn't want his second life to be filled only with cold numbers and empty bubbles.
So what now?
"You should've told me."
Anson said.
Eve was stunned, and Edgar didn't immediately understand.
Anson repeated, "You should've told me, all of this."
Edgar opened his mouth, "But…"
Anson nodded, "Yes, I understand. Maybe even after you laid out all the facts, I would still be sentimental and stubbornly make the wrong choice. It's possible."
"But that's just how it would be."
"As agents and PR people, your job is to do everything to steer me right, but if I still make the wrong decision, then let me suffer the consequences myself. Let me pay the price for my mistake."
"You should be able to see my foolishness and, if necessary, jump ship in time. There's no need to go down with me. Even if it's the Titanic, it's not worth it."
"What? Agents and PR people ending their partnerships with actors isn't uncommon in Hollywood, right? There's no need for you to be dragged into the mess. That's the right way to handle business collaboration, isn't it?"
Edgar: …
Eve: …
They had already been as rational and cold as they could be, dissecting reality in an almost cruel way, yet they never expected Anson to be even more ruthless.
"Heh." Anson's lips curled into a slight smile, "Captain, you're right. Maybe even after everything you said, I'd still decide to join the cast. Success is crucial to me, but it's not the only thing that matters."
"That's the truth, and I'm not going to deny it."
"Even so, I still want you to be honest with me, to have an open and frank conversation."
"Remember how we started working together?"
"You have ambition, and I do too. That's why we clicked. But that ambition rests on mutual respect and trust, which brought us here. Without that, two ambitious people coming together could just as easily lead to disaster."
"Captain, I need you to trust me, or you can end our partnership anytime—I wouldn't mind."
"You, Eve, if either of you chooses to hide things from me, it shows you see me as nothing more than a foolish puppet."
"So, do you think I'm just a brainless vase?"
Lightly spoken, yet Edgar felt a heavy blow to his heart.
Because Edgar knew that Anson was serious.
Edgar opened his mouth to speak, but Anson was already looking at Eve.
"You too."
"Trust me, I know how dirty PR can get, and I'm no saint. Just look at TMZ—you know how they've risen to power, right?"
"Eve, you're not still seeing me as a naive kid, are you?"
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
Eve was taken aback.
Unlike Edgar, Eve had never seen this side of Anson.
Eve had always thought of Anson as a sheltered young man—not from a top background but still well-off—someone who hadn't seen the hardships or darkness of the world, someone who couldn't tolerate any dishonesty. That was why he had been so disappointed by Edgar's actions.
But now, it seemed she was wrong.
Eve couldn't help but take a closer look at Anson.
As a PR specialist, she had handled dozens of clients, along with countless temporary cases every month, believing she had honed a keen eye.
Now, Eve had to admit her assessment of Anson might have been mistaken.
The bright red color of her lips curled into a smile, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Maybe from today onwards, no longer."
Finally, Edgar calmed down as well, quietly watching Anson, patiently waiting before speaking.
"So, what now? Are you going to end our partnership?"
Inevitably, Edgar felt a bit anxious. This was the outcome he feared most, but he still mustered the courage to face it instead of avoiding it.
To confront it head-on.