Back to the drawing board

Hugo fell ill.

This was not surprising at all. After a long period of drug addiction, it wasn't easy for the body to regain its health once the physical functions were damaged by the drugs. Repairing is always more difficult than destruction. Although Hugo had been persistently exercising for half a year, the busy work and unfamiliar diet had delayed his recovery plan.

It was quite remarkable that Hugo had not fallen ill for half a year. It was only after this sudden illness that Joseph realized Hugo hadn't had any health issues for a long time, not even a common cold. However, this time, Hugo's illness was as serious as a collapsing mountain.

Originally, it was just a slight cold and fever. But the next day, his temperature began to rise. Taking medicine and resting didn't help, and within two days, it turned into pneumonia. The recurring fever symptoms were slowly draining Hugo's energy. The warm smile that always hung on his lips was now pale and feeble due to dry and cracked lips. The dark circles under his eyes, which had already lost their color, made his face look even more haggard. His previously radiant wheat-colored skin now resembled a dense forest covered in dark clouds, devoid of any luster.

Hugo stayed in the hospital for four days, and the inflammation gradually subsided. After lying in bed for two more days, he couldn't bear the smell of formalin in the hospital anymore and strongly demanded to be discharged, returning home.

Hugo looked at Joseph in front of him and couldn't help but chuckle. "Charlize, Alex, and Karl have all lost weight from staying up late. How come you... have gained weight?" Joseph looked at the smile gradually blossoming on Hugo's face, resisting the tiredness, and felt a black line forming on his head. "Could it be that Charlize and the others prepared delicious food for me, and you ate too much at home?"

Although Joseph felt helpless, his worries were finally relieved because the smile had returned to Hugo's face once again. Unconsciously, he had become accustomed to this sunny Hugo. Hugo's recent period of depression and even coma had made him very uncomfortable and unfamiliar. He didn't like this feeling.

"So, what's the bad news? You can tell me now." Hugo said casually to Joseph, which made Joseph raise his head with a look of confusion and concern. Hugo shrugged and said, "Alex is here, he can't keep anything hidden. And... both you and Karl aren't doing well either." Even without deliberately observing Hugo, one could notice the heaviness between Joseph's eyebrows.

This heaviness was not just about worrying about Hugo's illness, but also a lingering restlessness. Hugo was very familiar with this restlessness. After the failure of the "A River Runs Through It" audition last year, there was a period of time when Joseph couldn't even find audition opportunities. Hugo had seen it in Joseph back then, but Joseph was more cautious towards Hugo at that time, so it wasn't very apparent. After the successful audition for "Scent of a Woman", this restlessness quietly disappeared.

Joseph looked at Hugo, who seemed to want to say something but hesitated. However, this expression was all too familiar to him. Hugo sneered, "Don't worry, I'm not going to die or collapse." Hugo lowered his gaze and said softly, "Some things can be kept in the heart. Drowning oneself in a state of perpetual pessimism won't help at all. It only stops time in life and makes things worse." That was Hugo's greatest realization during his illness.

The end of a relationship didn't mean the end of life. Whether it was to salvage the relationship, seek revenge, or let go of it, life had to move forward. Only by gathering one's spirits could anything be possible. Self-pity, shedding tears alone, and embracing loneliness were never Hugo's style.

Joseph was happy to see Hugo's regained optimism, but the fact that Uma hadn't appeared at all during the week when Hugo was sick still worried Joseph to some extent. However, he didn't know how to comfort Hugo, so he could only pull the corners of his mouth and casually say, "Well, it's just a woman. There's no need to make things difficult for yourself."

Hugo chuckled softly and muttered under his breath, "Yeah... that's right..." There were indiscernible emotions flowing in his lowered gaze, and only Hugo could savor the bitterness on his tongue. Then he raised his head, hiding all his emotions successfully this time, and said, "So, you don't have to worry. What happened after all?"

Joseph weighed his thoughts carefully. He hadn't originally planned to tell Hugo about it, as it didn't really matter whether Hugo knew or not since the outcome was already determined. But then Joseph thought that Hugo had the right to know, and Hugo wasn't someone so fragile. He had even persevered through the withdrawal symptoms on his own.

"Actually, the controversy about you being difficult on set has died down," Joseph started with some good news, which made Hugo smile and nod slightly. That was Hollywood. The shelf life of any news wasn't too long. Even Woody Allen's shocking scandal made a big fuss for a while and then disappeared. Endless news kept emerging, shifting people's attention and enriching their lives. "However, the impact of the incident hasn't completely ended."

"That's to be expected," Hugo wasn't surprised. The true impact of any negative news wasn't felt at the moment it broke but in its lasting influence afterward, just like the Watergate scandal.

The Watergate scandal was exposed by The Washington Post on June 18, 1972, but after that, the protagonist of the event, Richard Nixon, immediately responded and employed the correct strategy, which allowed him to deceive the public and successfully secure his re-election.

However, after that, anonymous letters were sent to the court, revealing hidden facts behind the event. The situation became increasingly complex, and the truth of the matter gradually unfolded over the course of two years. It wasn't until August 8, 1974, that a beleaguered Nixon announced his resignation, finally putting an end to the whole affair.

Therefore, in terms of the "Diva" incident alone, it didn't cause much harm to Hugo. After all, it was a matter of hearsay and speculation. Unless there was solid evidence, it was difficult to define someone as a diva. However, the impact of the incident on the thoughts and perceptions of people in the industry and beyond, and its effect on Hugo's future career, was the most significant aspect of the whole affair.

Joseph looked at Hugo's calm expression, and his anxious mood was somewhat alleviated. "Warner Records and Universal Music actually contacted me before, inquiring if you were interested in producing an album. However, this week I called them to explain the situation, and their secretaries took the calls."

Joseph's emphasis was on the fact that the album project had fallen through. But Hugo's focus was on something else. "Wow, both top record companies are interested in producing an album for me? Is it true or false? When did this happen?"

"At the Golden Globe Awards celebration, it wasn't exactly a genuine interest. I just happened to meet their... well, let's forget about it. They just mentioned it. I didn't pay much attention to it before, you know. My mind was entirely focused on "The Fugitive" that day," Joseph honestly explained. "And after that, one thing led to another, and I forgot about it." This couldn't be blamed on Joseph, after all, he was a film agent, and his knowledge of the music industry was indeed limited, not to mention his lack of interest.

Hugo let out a long response. "It seems like it was just an idea. I don't think they evaluated the feasibility. Even without all these random things happening, it's not that easy to make it happen." Hugo had a clear understanding of his situation. Currently, he had only showcased a song, "Sunburn", on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Although it caught the attention of record companies, it wasn't enough for them to invest money in producing an album. After all, an album consisted of ten songs.

Upon hearing Hugo's reassurance, Joseph's inner restlessness eased a bit. "And then there's the film..." Joseph paused for a moment. He thought about it but decided not to tell Hugo about the treatment he received when he called some producers, screenwriters, and agents expressing interest in a certain project.

Almost everyone who heard "Hugo's agent" would start playing tricks and beat around the bush, unwilling to discuss a project. Of course, there were some more aggressive responses, like the producer Marshall Herskovitz, who won the Emmy Award for Best Drama Series with the TV show "Thirtysomething". He not only made sarcastic remarks about Joseph but also hung up the phone without any courtesy.

Thinking of Marshall's mockery, Joseph involuntarily clenched his fist, but he quickly stabilized his emotions and told Hugo, "The progress on the film front isn't looking good. It seems like they're planning to cast Tom Hanks in "Sleepless in Seattle"."

Although Joseph didn't say it, Hugo could imagine his struggles. Regardless of the authenticity of the difficult actor controversy, at least in the current storm, they would temporarily avoid Hugo in all their plans. As for "Sleepless in Seattle", upon hearing Tom Hanks' name, Hugo let out a long sigh. He guessed that this might be the most fatal outcome, the result that Tracey had anticipated: Hugo now had no projects in hand, not even as an understudy, and the audition opportunities had temporarily disappeared as well.

Although they didn't know what the future held, Tracey had meticulously orchestrated this game just to witness Hugo's current plight, hadn't she? It was worse than a year ago at the Razzie Awards. Once Brad Pitt and Uma Thurman could star in "The Firm", and Tracey and Ron could secure "Schindler's List", then Hugo's future of hardship would only be the beginning.

After experiencing success with "Scent of a Woman" and "A Few Good Men", he had thought his career would reach a new peak, but he didn't expect to be greeted with an abyss. He hadn't even reached the highest point before returning to the starting point again. It's no wonder Joseph was restless. Even after Hugo learned about his current situation, he couldn't help but let out a long breath, releasing all the frustration from his heart.