Unruly yet talented woman

Renly blinked, then chuckled quietly. Was this a scene from "Notting Hill"? Well, this was the Toronto International Film Festival, where actors were scattered around and reporters and paparazzi were countless. Unexpected encounters like this weren't uncommon. What truly intrigued him, though, was that if he wasn't mistaken, the person he encountered was also an actor.

This sense of absurdity lifted the corners of his lips. Renly glanced around, still unable to determine who were the paparazzi and who were regular audience members. His experience in this aspect was somewhat lacking. "I think no one has noticed us here," he stated with a degree of certainty. Renly hadn't sensed any overly focused glances; the scene was bustling with people coming and going.

With cautious steps, the woman behind him emerged, surveying her surroundings before letting out a relieved breath.

From the unexpected encounter until now, merely a few seconds had passed. Renly hadn't even had time to get a good look at her yet. At this point, he finally observed the outline of a profile, characterized by distinct, slightly rugged facial features. The coolness and sharpness between her brows and eyes seemed to have faded compared to his impressions, but the dominance and wisdom within her gaze remained, emanating a clear but distant air.

Natalie Portman, the actress who embarked on her acting career with "Léon: The Professional", was evidently an anomaly in Hollywood. Intelligent, rational, and forceful, she was an independent and unique presence under the aura of an academic overachiever. In the fiercely competitive world of fame and fortune, she had secured her own place.

"Black Swan" was one of the films competing in this year's film festival. It wasn't surprising for Natalie, the female lead, to be present here. What was unexpected, however, was the manner in which Renly encountered her.

Exhaling deeply, Natalie adjusted her beret and confirmed she hadn't been exposed. Then, she looked up at Renly and pursed her lips. "Thank you." But before her words even ended, she turned around and positioned herself behind Renly again.

Renly chuckled quietly, his voice carrying a hint of mockery. "I think the best solution right now is to buy a movie ticket and enter the cinema. Aren't movie plots usually played out like this?"

"Don't act too strange, don't talk, just appear normal and quietly wait for those paparazzi to leave," Natalie disregarded Renly's jest, her voice impatient and stern, issuing commands as if she was giving orders.

This made Renly feel somewhat uncomfortable. They were just strangers who had met for the first time. Offering his assistance was a gesture of goodwill, not an obligation. He could very well refuse. Yet, good manners prevailed, and Renly maintained his position without moving. "The one acting strange now is you, not me, Ms. Portman." Politeness was intertwined with detachment, creating an invisible distance between them.

Hearing her own name, Natalie tensed up. She swiftly turned to glare at the man before her, preparing to snap at him. However, she noticed the reporters continuously passing by in her peripheral vision, stifling her anger. She feigned composure and stood by Renly's side, grabbing his left arm. "Just buy two movie tickets randomly. Let's go into the cinema now and pretend like nothing happened."

Once again, she adopted a commanding tone. Renly didn't appreciate it, so a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He politely remarked, "Miss, do you usually command strangers you meet for the first time like this? Or is this your preferred way of interacting?"

Natalie furrowed her brows. The man before her was clearly too petty. He was making a big fuss over such a trivial matter. But with the current urgency, she didn't have time to argue. It was all Benjamin Millepied's fault. She had waited for him for a full fifteen minutes and he still hadn't shown up. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in such a sorry state right now.

In the blink of an eye, Natalie made her decision. She took a deep breath, lifted her head, and composed herself with a calm demeanor. She began, "I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness. I'm currently in a tight situation and need to evade those paparazzi. Could you please help me?" Address the immediate situation first, then continue.

"I'm sorry." Renly's response left Natalie completely stunned. Apparently, she hadn't anticipated this answer.

Renly understood that as a gentleman, offering a small help in such a situation was the right course of action. Yet, he also realized that Natalie was merely resorting to a temporary solution, without any remorse or gratitude, simply using him. If they were friends, this might not have mattered much. But that was the issue; they weren't friends.

"You…" Clearly, Natalie hadn't expected that beneath Renly's gentlemanly façade, he could be so petty. She had already lowered her stance! What more did he want from her? "You're not much of a man!" The words tumbled out of Natalie's mouth. Her hastiness today was evident.

If the reporters saw her and Benjamin on a date, it wouldn't just be gossip; it could affect the post-"Black Swan" public relations strategy. It was a crucial turning point in her acting career. She absolutely couldn't be caught by the paparazzi, let alone exposing Benjamin's presence.

However, before she could even finish her sentence, a string of profanities hanging at the tip of her tongue, she saw two reporters approaching head-on. They weren't paparazzi; they were reporters. She immediately lowered her head and gritted her teeth, repeating to herself, "Pretend nothing's wrong. Pretend nothing's wrong, and they'll naturally leave." Her anxious words carried a hint of sharpness.

At this moment, the only thought racing through Renly's mind was: What would happen if he broke free from Natalie's grip and left? However, his gentlemanly manners dissuaded him from such a prank. He stood his ground and lowered his head, engrossed in flipping through the program guide.

Unexpectedly, the steps of the two reporters came to a halt right before them. Renly didn't raise his head, feigning an entranced look at the program guide. But after waiting a while, he realized the two people weren't simply passing by or checking the announcement board behind them. They were actually facing them, the two of them. Could it be that Natalie's movements had been noticed?

A powerful twist surged from the inside of his left arm. Natalie clutched the tender flesh of his arm fiercely, twisting it. The sudden pain startled Renly. Clearly, she was using all her strength. He could even feel the marks of her nails digging into his skin, as sharp as blades. Reflexively, he raised his head and found two reporters standing right before him.

Cameras hung around their necks, press passes adorned their chests. Their identities were evident. When Renly raised his head, six eyes locked in on each other. Then, the reporters' eyes betrayed a glimmer of delight. But before Renly could decipher the source of their joy, Natalie's voice echoed in his ears, "Aren't we about to be late? Let's hurry into the cinema."

Her voice sounded as if it was squeezed through gritted teeth, as though saying one word of refusal would result in a vanishing act.

"Renly Hall?" Gavin Hunter beamed without restraint, his voice cheerful. "I'm from Us Weekly. Can we ask you a few questions?"

"Didn't I say we're running late?" Upon hearing the words Us Weekly, Natalie suddenly lifted her head, glaring daggers at Renly. Her fierce gaze seemed to convey: If the reporters spot us, you're done for!

Renly felt somewhat bewildered at this moment. The inside of his arm still throbbed faintly, and it seemed like Natalie had increased her grip even more. The reporter's greeting before them remained unanswered – why was his name coming up? Natalie's relentless push left him with no room to breathe.

Turning his head, Renly flashed Natalie a brilliant smile and, with utmost grace, said, "Miss, he's looking for me." However, the mockery and sharpness in his tone were unmistakable, crashing down directly.

Natalie was momentarily taken aback, her accusing words escaping her, "Absurd!" But as soon as she said it, she realized she might have made a mistake. Things didn't quite add up.

"Natalie?" Only now did Gavin recognize Natalie standing next to him. She was dressed in a low-key black shirt and jeans, her face mostly concealed by a combination of the beret and scarf. He hadn't noticed earlier. Originally, he had only accidentally come across Renly. Being in the midst of the latest hot topic, he could finally conduct a face-to-face interview to dig up some insider information. Unexpectedly, he got a two-for-one deal – it was truly a surprising turn of events.

Natalie's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. She shot Renly an angry glare. If it wasn't for him not cooperating, how could she have been found out? That darn nuisance! Even so, she had no choice but to turn her head and look at the reporters, forcing a tug at the corners of her mouth to muster a smile uglier than crying.

"It's really you!" Gavin's voice jumped in excitement. Cornell McGregor, standing beside him, also displayed a pleased expression. Luck was truly on their side today, catching two birds with one stone! "I didn't recognize you just now. Your outfit is incredibly low-key!"

Natalie's heart sank. It was only now that she realized: these two reporters weren't here for her; they were here for the man beside her. This was embarrassing. Despite her intelligence, in the midst of consecutive surprises, even her sharp mind grew cloudy, freezing her smile in an awkward stiffness.

Cornell's gaze scanned back and forth between Renly and Natalie for a moment, then a spark of insight lit up in his mind. "Are you two on a date?" Connecting the dots with their previous conversation, the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Could it be that the up-and-coming actor who was currently in the spotlight was actually Natalie's date? This was truly sensational!

Cornell was practically bursting like fireworks.

"Yes!"

A simple and succinct monosyllabic response came from Natalie.

This surprised Renly. Out of respect and politeness, he hadn't directly denied it. However, Natalie's answer caught him off guard. He couldn't help but turn his head towards her, his eyes showing a hint of amusement.

Not only Renly, but Gavin and Cornell as well, all looked on with great interest. Natalie could feel three pairs of eyes focused on her shoulders, burning hot enough to set her skin on fire. She couldn't help but close her eyes, a headache developing. Things seemed to be getting more complicated.

"Natalie? What are you doing here? I've been looking for you for a while!" Apparently, things could get even more chaotic.