Smoke and mirrors

With a "ding", Chris couldn't even wait for the elevator doors to open automatically. He gripped the edge of the doors, pulled them open, and, as soon as there was enough space for one person to pass, he impatiently squeezed through. He stormed out with determined steps, his appearance akin to an uncontrollable locomotive, raging and making everyone instinctively step aside.

The once tranquil office was now in disarray. Countless eyes turned their attention to the commotion. As soon as Chris disappeared from sight, the whispers of gossip filled the air.

"Chris, Chris, Mr. Fisher is in a meeting..." Secretary Jasmin Francis tried to stop him, but her voice was as fragile as a reed. It didn't offer much resistance and was directly pushed aside. Without waiting for her to finish her sentence, Chris pushed open the office door with a resounding bang that echoed lightly in the corridor.

Jasmin had done her best, but Chris dragged her along. Her high heels were skewed, her bun was slightly disheveled, and she looked quite disheveled. But she paid no attention to her own condition and turned to look at Morgan, who was behind his desk. "Mr. Fisher, I apologize."

Morgan was holding a telephone receiver and was in the middle of a conversation. However, he was interrupted by this unexpected disturbance. He temporarily moved the receiver away from his ear, raised an eyebrow, and glared fiercely at Chris, pounding the desk hard. "For God's sake, shut up! Otherwise, I'll make you wish you were dead!"

His brutal and ruthless appearance held nothing back, like a heavy hammer that struck Chris squarely in the chest. One moment, Chris had been full of anger and aggression, and the next, he had lost all his momentum, shrinking and standing still like an obedient kitten.

Morgan gestured at Jasmin with his eyes, indicating for her to leave, and then shot another glare at Chris. Coldly, he said, "I've told you before! Don't act impulsively! It makes you look like a brainless idiot! No one wants to see a "Thor" without a brain."

Without pursuing the earlier incident, he instead focused on Chris's attitude. Chris could only listen quietly and dared not breathe a word. Only when Morgan asked did he straighten his posture. "I was surrounded by two paparazzi," he recalled the frustrating experience. The anger flared up again, and he regained some confidence.

"It must be Renly! Who else could it be but him? He's playing a malicious game, trying to ride the hype! He deliberately released false information to tarnish my reputation and create a scandal so he can stand on the moral high ground. Not long ago, he used the excuse of the film crew's affairs to exonerate himself. It was clear to anyone with a discerning eye that it was all a fabrication. This time, I must let the reporters see his true colors!"

As Chris clenched his teeth, his face filled with righteous indignation, still immersed in his emotions, he couldn't break free.

"So, what did the paparazzi ask you?" Morgan's response was unexpected. He didn't jump to Chris's defense or offer soothing words. Instead, he focused on the paparazzi's questions. This caught Chris off guard, and his emotions froze in mid-air. Morgan had to repeat his question.

Chris finally regained his composure and began to recount the incident, albeit in a scattered and confused manner. Morgan displayed great patience, asking for every detail and confirming the entire sequence of events. Afterward, he fell silent, sinking into deep thought as he leaned back in his boss's chair behind the desk.

This unusual reaction left Chris bewildered. He cautiously inquired, "What's wrong? Is there something amiss? This is clearly Renly's trap, meant for both publicity and tarnishing my image." Chris couldn't help but straighten his posture, emphasizing his determination and confidence. "Originally, the role was not wanted by him; I was merely making use of it. In the end, I secured the role through absolute merit and even defeated Liam, didn't I?"

Liam Hemsworth, Chris's younger brother, had also reached the final round of auditions for "Thor". In truth, Kenneth had favored Liam and was on the verge of signing him. But at the last moment, Chris had burst onto the scene, snatching the role from his brother and becoming the first Thor.

Morgan raised his eyes, glanced at Chris, and calmly said, "It was me."

Chris felt like he had been struck by lightning and stood there stunned. His brain's response time couldn't keep up with Morgan's pace: What did he just say?

"I leaked the information, and I indirectly lured the paparazzi to you," Morgan's words were straightforward and clear. He didn't pay attention to Chris's shocked expression and continued, "You performed well, although a bit stiff and inexperienced. I suspect those paparazzi have sensed something amiss, but it doesn't matter. You're still within my expectations..."

"Why?" Chris interrupted Morgan's explanation, his excitement causing him to stand up abruptly. "Why? I don't want any association with that guy! He's just a small actor in independent films now. Aside from art-house film enthusiasts, who knows him? Who would want to know him? No one, absolutely no one!"

The more Chris thought about it, the angrier and more restless he became. He paced back and forth in the office, rambling, "But I'm Thor, the new Thor! After this incident, everyone will know him, and I'll become the stepping stone for his increased popularity. Don't you know what a cunning guy he is? He will definitely seize this opportunity to attract more attention by stepping on my shoulders. Why? Why would you do this?"

Faced with Chris's emotionally charged questions, Morgan remained calm and composed. He waited until Chris had stopped and then said, "Because you need this kind of publicity."

This concise statement left Chris rooted to the spot, his face filled with disbelief and incredulity.

"In the cast, there's Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins. Almost all media attention is focused on them. Paramount concentrated its promotional efforts on them during the campaign." One was a venerable Oscar-winning actor, and the other was a newly crowned Oscar-winning actress. It was a perfect alignment of time, place, and people. Paramount Pictures, as a cunning old fox, naturally accurately seized the public's psychology and conducted a vigorous publicity campaign.

"You are the protagonist, you are Thor, you are the core of the entire movie," Morgan continued, explaining the need for the public's attention to be focused on Chris. Paramount might not be willing to cooperate, so why not give it a little push?" He was Chris's agent, and naturally, his focus was different from Paramount's; Paramount valued the success of "Thor", while he was more concerned about Chris' future.

"Renly is a clown, but you can't deny that he's had the most buzz in the past few months. Moreover, "Fast 5" is about to be released. So, why not stir things up through media hype? A showdown between you and Renly would naturally be quite interesting," Morgan summarized. He needed everyone's attention on Chris, plain and simple. In other words, it was a matter of personal rivalry rather than a battle between two movies.

Chris opened his mouth but found his brain had turned into mush. He stammered, "Are you saying... you mean I need to use his popularity?"

"Yes," Morgan replied, straightforward and without hesitation, paying no heed to Chris's intentions.

In an instant, Chris felt as if his spirit had been drained. He became dispirited, and his once proud shoulders slumped. He looked completely dejected.

Morgan, unfazed by Chris's reaction, continued, "But trust me, you will be the ultimate winner. Even if you lack confidence in me, do you lack confidence in "Thor"? This is a $300M film in North America, and I'm very confident about it. As for the global box office, I'm already expecting $800M. What do you think?"

Indeed, Morgan understood Chris well. With just a few simple sentences, Chris's confidence was restored, and his spine straightened once again.

Indeed, the success of "Thor" was destined, especially after the internal screening received excellent feedback. They had great expectations for the film's box office performance. $300M in North America, $800M worldwide—achieving these goals would make Chris a star on par with the likes of Robert Downey Jr. At that time, not to mention Renly, even Robert Downey Jr. would not be a concern. After all, he was a fresh face, a new rising star, and people always loved fresh things, didn't they?

Morgan could see Chris's face gradually regain its spirit. With a confident smile, he said, "Now, I need you to stay focused. Renly will undoubtedly strike back, and the media will definitely hype it up. Rest assured, everything is under my control."

"You need to stand your ground and make it clear that this is a man-to-man duel, understand? No matter how the paparazzi probe, you must insist that this is a showdown between men, a direct confrontation, fists against fists," Morgan explained at length. He noticed Chris's resistance but didn't give him a chance. "And, most importantly, you and Renly are friends." He emphasized this point firmly. "In front of the media, you must stick to this. It's a man-to-man duel between friends!"

Chris hesitated for a moment, clenched his teeth, nodded, and a resolute and decisive look of heroic sacrifice appeared on his face.

As Morgan had anticipated, the paparazzi were as excited as hyenas that had caught a scent of treasure, but Elliot couldn't help but wear a wry smile. "Renly again?"