The Crew paused filming. Britney didn't know when she would recover, so Matthew temporarily had nothing to do. The next day, he simply returned to the performing arts school for class, but as soon as he entered the classroom, he noticed many people staring at him as if he were a giant panda, including Rachel McAdams, with whom he had a good relationship.
"What's going on?" Matthew walked over to Rachel McAdams in the corner and asked curiously, "Do I have something dirty on my face?"
Rachel McAdams didn't answer; instead, she asked curiously, "Did you hook up with Britney Spears?"
"No," Matthew replied, having already seen the newspapers. "You believe the hype in the tabloids?"
He explained, "Britney was injured yesterday, and I carried her into the car. A reporter probably took a picture."
Rachel McAdams walked to the back, pulled a copy of the American News Report out of her bag on the floor, and handed it to Matthew. "What it says sounds exactly like the truth."
Matthew had already seen this newspaper when he woke up that morning. On the front page was a photo of him holding Britney yesterday, accompanied by a huge headline: Britney's Romance Exposed!
Not only that, but the report also revealed his identity in detail, vividly describing how he managed to land the lead actor role in the MV with Britney's help, and so on... At the end of the gossip report, the reporter's name was listed: Elena Boyar!
Matthew guessed that Elena Boyar must have been among the reporters yesterday, but since he was carrying Britney at the time, he hadn't paid attention to the reporters around him.
Rachel McAdams put away the newspaper. "I thought you were tough enough to actually hook up with Britney. Turns out it's fake."
"What do you mean, fake?" Matthew spread his hands. "Ask the guys in this class how many of them don't want to hook up with Britney?"
He shook his head. "The problem is that Britney isn't someone you can just hook up with whenever you feel like it."
Just then, Matthew's phone rang. He pulled it out of his bag, pressed the answer button, and the voice of Helen Herman came through.
"Congratulations, Matthew. You're famous."
Matthew gave two dry laughs. "I just helped out a little; I didn't actually do anything."
Helen Herman continued, "Have you seen today's American News Report?"
"I've seen it." Matthew nodded.
"Alright, long story short," Helen Herman got straight to the point. "Because the conflict between Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, previously disclosed by the American News Report, has been confirmed, today's report has also attracted widespread attention. As far as I know, many paparazzi and entertainment reporters are digging into your background and will likely find you soon."
She asked, "Where are you now?"
"The Los Angeles School of Performing Arts," Matthew replied.
"Good then, remember one thing," Helen Herman instructed. "If reporters or paparazzi find you and ask about you and Britney, absolutely do not speak carelessly, understand?"
Matthew understood what she meant. "I know."
Helen Herman continued, "The best way is to say nothing! Neither confirm nor deny."
Having spent the last few months mixing in Hollywood, Matthew understood Helen Herman's meaning after just a moment's thought, and immediately said, "I get it."
By not acknowledging this completely nonexistent gossip, he naturally wouldn't have to worry about pressure from the record company or Britney's management agency; by not denying it, he would leave room for media reporters to write sensational stories, which would help boost his fame.
Without a doubt, Helen Herman's strategy was the most beneficial for him.
Matthew could also imagine that,
the record company would definitely issue a clarification later, and might even ask him to come forward himself, but until the record company spoke up, he could remain completely silent.
Hanging up the phone, Matthew put his cell phone away. Rachel McAdams suddenly said, "Your Agent is very smart."
"Huh?" Matthew was a bit confused.
"I wasn't deliberately eavesdropping." Rachel McAdams made a gesture of holding a phone to her ear, reminding Matthew, "You should replace your phone. It leaks sound terribly."
Matthew pulled out the old, second-hand phone, looked at it, and said, "So that's what it is."
When a phone leaks sound, the person answering the call often doesn't realize it. If Rachel McAdams hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have known that this old, second-hand phone leaked sound so severely.
Fortunately, it was just him and Rachel McAdams in this corner, otherwise it would have been embarrassing.
Then, he thought of something: when Martin Jackson called him, Michael Sheen was nearby. Since the phone leaks sound, did Michael Sheen hear his conversation with Martin Jackson and that's why he went to the hotel?
Matthew glanced at the old phone again. Sound leak, sound leak—it ended up getting someone's butt exposed.
However, with the phone leaking sound so severely, it really was time to get a new one. He wasn't sure how expensive phones were in this era.
The classroom door was pushed open from the outside, and David Astor walked in. The morning's acting class began once more.
Meanwhile, inside a newspaper office in Los Angeles, the editor, wearing glasses, sat behind his desk and looked at the tall Female Reporter across from him with a complex expression.
"Well done, Elena." The editor seemed very pleased with Elena Boyar's recent work. "First the personal conflict between Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, and now Britney's new romance. You've given me many surprises."
Elena Boyar smiled, giving a preemptive warning. "Sir, I want to reiterate that Britney's romance is fake."
"It doesn't matter!" The editor waved his hand dismissively. "As long as the readers like it, and as long as it boosts our newspaper sales, then it's real!"
Instead, he asked curiously, "Where did you get these tips? And you confirmed that Matthew Horner's identity quite quickly."
"A source provided them," Elena Boyar said, not foolish enough to reveal her resources. "Plus a little luck."
Seeing that Elena Boyar was unwilling to talk, the editor knew it would be difficult to get anything out of her, so he simply said, "Your bonus is doubled this month. Keep up the good work!"
"I will," Elena Boyar replied, though she frowned slightly.
"Alright, go back to work." The editor waved his hand at her. "Keep digging into this lead."
Elena Boyar turned and left the editor's office. After closing the door, the dissatisfaction on her face was obvious.
The position of section deputy editor that the editor had previously promised was not even mentioned now, as if he had never said it.
"F**k!" She couldn't help but curse. "That son of a bitch!"
Facing a superior who wanted to suppress her, Elena Boyar had no better option than cursing; she could only continue working.
In a hospital room, Britney stared listlessly at the ceiling. Thinking of the gossip her Agent had told her earlier, she internally cursed the reporters for being boring enough to write about such things.
Britney admitted that Matthew Horner had left a good impression on her, but strictly speaking, they had only truly met yesterday, right?
Those guys were utterly ridiculous, even more shameless than Christina Aguilera.
Suddenly, the hospital room door was pushed open from the outside. Britney saw her father, Jamie Spears, holding a newspaper and storming in angrily. Her Agent, who had gone out earlier to make calls and understand the situation, rushed in right behind him.
"Look at what you've done!" Jamie Spears threw the newspaper directly onto Britney's hospital bed and demanded loudly, "Look at the kind of person you're dating! A poor kid from Texas!"
Britney, who had grown up controlled by her father, could only try to explain, "Dad, it's not..."
"Bu Bu, I told you!"
Her words were roughly interrupted by Jamie Spears. "Your career must be the priority now! Even if you want a boyfriend, you need to find someone on your level!"
Britney was powerless to fight Jamie Spears. She turned to look at her Agent for help. The Agent stepped forward, blocking Jamie Spears, and said, "Jamie, calm down!"
"How can you tell me to calm down!" Jamie Spears' voice showed no sign of lowering. "Bu Bu is about to be tricked by a poor kid!"
"Jamie!" The Agent had no choice but to raise his voice. "This is tabloid hype! I was there yesterday. Bu Bu and Matthew Horner only just met!"
Before Jamie Spears could react, he added, "I was just contacting the record company and Matthew Horner's Agent. We are preparing for all three parties to clarify this matter together!"
Jamie Spears paused for a moment, then asked, "Really?"
The Agent felt the urge to bang his head against the wall. He finally understood why Britney's thinking was always so simple—it was hereditary.
"Of course it's true!" he emphasized. "Do I have any reason to lie to you? Not only do you not want to see Bu Bu dating a minor actor, but our agency and the record company don't want to see it either!"
While these two were talking, they completely ignored Britney Spears standing nearby.
"A minor actor?" Britney didn't see it that way at all. "Matthew is very nice—enthusiastic, cheerful, and cool..."
With the father who had controlled her since childhood still present, Britney only dared to think it; she absolutely didn't dare to speak it aloud.
Jamie Spears believed the Agent's words and asked, "Have you contacted the record company and that guy's Agent?"
"I've already contacted the record company; they are very concerned about this matter too." The Agent then frowned. "But Matthew Horner's Agent, Helen Herman, is temporarily unreachable. Her cell phone is switched off. I called her company line, and her assistant said she went on a business trip out of town and forgot to take her phone."
"When will she be back?" Jamie Spears asked again.
"Maybe two or three days." The Agent vaguely felt that something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it, as business trips are common for entertainment Agents. "Her assistant said she would help us contact her."