Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 1: Ultimatum

"Too late, too late."

Renly Hall glanced at the clock on the wall of the hall and wailed in pain. Although there is no time limit for today's audition and you can arrive at any time of the day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. But if it weren't for the fact that he worked until 4 a.m. last night, and the alarm clock couldn't wake him up, he should have been waiting in the line at this time. Who knows if the people queuing up for the audition today would fill the entire theatre.

Just then, the phone abruptly rang, the melody of Bach's Solo Cello Suite filling the air, flowing gently in the golden sunlight, but for Renly, it only made him more frantic. He picked up the phone, glanced at it, then threw it directly into the backpack. Grabbing the keys on the TV stand by the door, he picked up his skateboard and quickly left the room, leaving behind a "bang," as the wooden door groaned and complained.

Running downstairs, he raised his hand, and a yellow taxi quickly pulled over by the roadside. The only benefit of being late was avoiding the rush hour. Otherwise, in the big city of New York, there are tens of millions of taxis, but not a single one can be stopped in an emergency.

"Broadway, Sixth Avenue," Renly shouted, then opened the car door. The taxi immediately started its engine again.

The phone in his backpack continued to persistently play the melody. He lifted his chin, quickly tidied his messy hair in the rearview mirror, the golden-brown short curls stubbornly stretching out. His long fingers threaded through the strands, trying to comb them all in the same direction. Then he buttoned up all the buttons on his shirt, confirming there were no flaws in his attire. Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hello, this is Renly Hall." Renly quickly answered the phone.

"Renly, what are you doing! You should know that it is very rude to refuse to answer my call." A dignified, elegant but stern voice came from the other end of the phone.

Renly could effortlessly envision the figure on the other side in his mind—a white lace shirt paired with coffee-colored straight-leg trousers, a pristine sky-blue suit jacket, today's issue of 'The Times' laid out in front, with the aroma of red tea and pastries wafting in the air.

"Mother, you should know there's a time difference between us. It's ten thirty in the morning here." Renly slowed down his speech, calm and composed, with a touch of gentlemanly manners, but also with a hint of hidden sarcasm in his words, he fought back.

On the other end of the phone, it was Renly's mother, Elizabeth Hall, who lives in London, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and owns an art gallery on Piccadilly Street, not far from Somerset House.

"Are you telling me that you just woke up?" Elizabeth's voice raised slightly, with a posture of no anger and prestige, "You shouldn't let yourself live like this, and you know that." Renly pursed his lips, his eyes showed a hint of disapproval, but there was no plan to refute. They had already argued enough, and there was no need to repeat them.

Elizabeth seemed to realize this, took a deep breath, and readjusted her emotions, speaking again, "I know your dream of an actor. After careful consideration, your father and I believe that we should give you a chance to show yourself, at least to prove your talent. So, buy your ticket today and come back to London. In March next year, 'Hamlet' will be staged again in the West End of London. We have won the opportunity for you to perform."

"What? 'Hamlet'?" Renly's eyes lit up. As one of Shakespeare's four most famous tragedies, the reputation of this drama was unquestionably significant. If you can become a member of the fixed cast, it is absolutely a golden opportunity of a lifetime.

However, after the surprise, Renly then began to question. Since childhood, his father and mother have never supported his actor dream, and even strongly opposed it. Why have they changed their attitude today? He has been in New York for three months. Even if he wants to change, he has already missed the opportunity. Is there anything special today?

"Are you serious?" Renly's brows frowned. "Then what happened to your prejudice against actors? Don't you worry that after I become a real actor, there is not turning back?"

"Are you really going to treat acting as a lifelong career?" Elizabeth's tone sounded somewhat harsh, even without deliberately raising it, the hidden coldness was undeniable, "You are going to show your face outside for the rest of your life. Pray for job opportunities, expose yourself to the spotlight and sell your privacy, use yourself to entertain other people, and become the world's after-dinner conversation? As an actor, you will always be someone else's plaything! You will always be just a joke! Renly Hall, you should know that your last name is far more noble than this!"

Diminishing someone so effortlessly, without even using foul language is enough to make people tremble with anger. But for Renly, he was already used to all this.

"Pass me the phone." A majestic voice came from beside him, from afar, then the powerful and resonant voice reached him, "You should know, this is your last chance."

This is his father in this life, George Hall, a British aristocract and the current owner of the hereditary baron title. He works for Barclays Bank and is responsible for managing the trust funds of the wealthy family.

"I've arranged everything. You'll join the cast of 'Hamlet' and play Laertes. Whether you'll be in the main cast or the second cast depends on your ability." George's cold voice was devoid of any warmth, issuing orders decisively, "The play will run for three months in London's West End. After three months, you'll return to Cambridge University to complete your studies. We will arrange your future work for you."

So that's it.

They had arranged everything, giving him three months to pursue his dream, then obediently returning to the development track they expected. This was their compromise, expecting him to accept it with joy, and then to worship them with gratitude.

But he didn't want to, and he couldn't.

"No!" With a brief but powerful answer, Renly resolutely stated his position again.

"What? Are you crazy?" George's voice not only didn't erupt, but it sank more and more, and the anger simmering within, "We have allowed your absurd request and gave you three months to realize it. Are you still not satisfied?"

"I want to become an actor, a real actor." Faced with his father's oppression, Renly did not flinch from the slightest, his eyes sparkling with determination, "I will work tirelessly towards this goal, even if the end is the abyss, I will never regret it."

"Heh." Angrily retorted, the low laughter rolled in George's throat, "Should I say you are naive or stupid? You should know that there are hundreds of thousands or millions of people in the world who want to be actors. But how many of them can really reach the pinnacle and create great deeds? Everyone thinks he is special, everybody thinks he is a genius, everybody thinks he is unique, but I tell you, they are not, and neither are you. There are not so many geniuses in the world, and there are not so many miracles. You are a dreamer, a fool. The chance of success is equal to zero. !"

"This is my dream." Renly said word by word, like a lighthouse in a storm, about to be destroyed, but indestructible.

"A dream that will never come true!" George said coldly, not caring that his son was on the other end of the phone, and he spared no effort to hit him, "You are not a genius, never! A true genius should know how to measure himself. You should also know how to put yourself right, and you should also know the difference between choosing to give up and choosing to persist. You are not a genius, you have seen what a real genius should be since childhood, there are too many geniuses around you. So, you should understand that the meaningless persistence is stupid, not only a waste of your time and energy, but also a hindrance to everyone around you. You are not stupid, you should at least understand how to give up."

Facing his father's bombardment, Renly did not respond. He just listened silently, like a statue, silently, and the other end of the phone came with an ultimatum from the other side of the Atlantic, "Did you hear me? You don't have the talent for acting, you should give up! If you don't know how to give up, then it's time for us to give up on you. So, come back to London, participate in 'Hamlet's' performance, this is my concession, and your last chance."

After he finished speaking, George didn't wait for Renly's response, and he hung up the phone. The "beep beep beep" busy signal pounded on Renly's eardrums like a drumbeat, earth-shattering.

Renly softly exhaled, looking at the bustling scene outside the window, somewhat absent-minded. The last ultimatum, today, he finally encountered his first audition opportunity in New York after three months, but also encountered the last ultimatum from home.

He knows the authority of his father, George is a man who does what he says. Although, in the past three months, he has completely relied on his own hands to persevere without taking a cent from the family; he knew that today's ultimatum is different, and it probably means they are giving up. Exile him completely. Even if they hadn't driven him out of the house, it should not be far away.

Maybe, as George said, knowing when to give up is the ability of a smart person, but giving up dreams and giving up freedom, does it mean giving up on life? In the previous life, he chose to go by the book; in this life, will he have to continue to repeat the same mistakes?

No, he refused! God gave him a chance to start over, this time, he will not miss it!