The-Greatest-Showman

"By the way, I spoke with Edith earlier. She mentioned that she saw Henry in New York. Why the sudden visit?"

Renly's question made Matthew pause briefly, his hands faltering for a moment before continuing his movements. He placed the fruit and afternoon tea onto the coffee table, then replied in a calm tone, "Henry is engaged. The wedding date is almost set, so he made a special trip to inform me."

Henry Dunlop, Matthew's older brother and the eldest son of the Dunlop family.

"You made a special trip for this?" Renly raised an eyebrow, a touch of disbelief in his voice. "He came all this way for something like that?"

Matthew stared at Renly for a moment—one second, two—before lowering his eyes with a resigned sigh. "He needs to hire a private investigator to check the background of his fiancée's family and draft a prenuptial agreement. You know how it is. London may be small, but it's full of familiar faces. He hoped I could lend a hand."

"American?" Renly didn't seem surprised; he only raised an eyebrow in quiet curiosity.

"Canadian," Matthew replied coolly, a slight chuckle escaping him when he saw Renly's reaction. "Yes, I know. But... that's how we met. She lives in Quebec, and her parents are second-generation immigrants from France."

Renly shrugged slightly, an almost imperceptible motion.

In North America, there's a certain stigma about Canada—particularly when Americans talk about it. It's often seen as "the countryside" in a derogatory sense, much like how New Yorkers view New Jersey. Europeans, especially the British upper crust, tend to believe that those who fled to the U.S. or Canada were once noble families who fell from grace, struggling to maintain appearances. Canada, in particular, was regarded as second-rate.

Although it's now the 21st century, some conservative aristocrats still hold on to strict standards regarding family background. However, the Dunlops were relatively modern and open-minded, adapting seamlessly to contemporary life and attitudes.

"But I don't think Viscount Dunlop would mind. Remember when we vacationed in the Lake District? Your mother said there's no rush for young people to marry—too early and they might not find happiness, too late and it's not necessarily a bad thing. She regrets marrying young, and your father's face turned green when she said it."

Renly's voice lightened with laughter, nudging Matthew's memory. He smiled, albeit helplessly, before chuckling.

Indeed, his parents were unlike most others. If Andre's parents were the same, they wouldn't have tolerated someone as rebellious as Renly for so long.

"It wasn't my parents' request. They didn't object at all. After just three meetings, they agreed easily. It's Henry's decision. You know him," Matthew said, his voice carrying a knowing weight.

Renly's eyes lit up in realization. "I always thought Henry and Alf might try dating. That would be an interesting sight."

"Is Alf more outrageous than Henry?" Matthew retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you defending Henry now?" Renly shot back with a sly grin.

"..." Matthew blinked, conceding with a small, defeated sigh.

Just then, a knock at the door interrupted the banter. Matthew stood up, opening it with a wry smile at the sight of the visitor. His expression remained composed, but there was a hint of exasperation in his voice. "How did you know Renly was here? Didn't even bother knocking on the apartment door downstairs—just came right up?"

Andy Rogers, ever the cheerful presence, beamed at him with his trademark Maitreya smile. "Is that important? The real question is, shouldn't Renly be here?"

Matthew didn't even bother answering. He moved aside to let Andy in, then closed the door with a light sigh.

He didn't stop there, heading straight toward his desk. Andy's visit clearly had a professional purpose, so Matthew cleared the space for their conversation. It was clear the work was pressing, and he needed to get back to his tasks.

Andy hesitated for a moment, unsure how to proceed. Despite knowing Matthew for a while, the latter's distant demeanor always made things difficult to gauge. Andy and Matthew had no real connection, and there was no clear business or personal rapport to rely on. Andy was left to wonder where to begin.

"Are you sure?" Andy asked cautiously.

Renly, however, waved off the concern, clearly uninterested. "Any news on the 'Fast and Furious' series?"

Recently, Andy had been shuttling between New York and Los Angeles. Outside of Renly's recent hospital stay, his main focus was negotiating with Universal Pictures.

The reboot of Jurassic Park and the Fast and Furious series were both under intense discussion.

Regarding the former, two versions of the script had been released, but Steven Spielberg was dissatisfied with both. Beyond character and plot issues, the overall story arc and thematic core still needed work. A third version was being drafted, and Renly hadn't seen it yet.

At the same time, Renly's relationship with the lead actor of Jurassic Park's reboot was becoming stronger. Spielberg and Frank Marshall had both signed off on Renly's involvement. However, Thomas Tull—founder of Legendary Pictures—still had reservations, particularly regarding Renly's salary. Tull refused to pay through box office dividends, offering a flat $15 million instead. Eventually, he budged to $20 million but remained firm on the no-dividend stance.

Renly had learned that his presence was a strong influence on these negotiations, especially with Ron Mayer, whose stance remained somewhat elusive.

Meanwhile, the Fast and Furious series had also been an area of strategic maneuvering. Renly had used paparazzi to spark rumors about his interest in the series, hoping to apply pressure to Vin Diesel.

The strategy had worked. Universal Pictures had suddenly revived shelved side projects and begun discussing Renly's potential return to the franchise. Diesel had backed down, agreeing to work more amicably with others on set. Production for the seventh film was expected to begin in August, with Paul Walker receiving the formal notification soon.

Andy now turned his attention back to the current status of these negotiations. "It's safe to say, but there are still many variables," Andy responded with a simple shrug. "Nothing is set in stone. Hollywood will experience a shake-up this summer."

Renly raised an eyebrow in skepticism. "A 'shake-up'? You think dinosaurs and racing cars can shake up all of Hollywood?" His tone was disbelieving.

Andy chuckled, nodding. "Of course not. The timing is too sensitive. But when all the pieces come together, things get tricky. And your influence is expanding, which complicates everything."

Renly took it all in stride. "Let's skip to the conclusion," he said, dismissing the excess details. "What's happening with Fast and Furious?"

"Universal is gearing up for the seventh film, and Diesel has compromised. The International Innovation Management Company is playing nice with Paul, Dawn, Jason, and others. If all goes well, production should officially kick off in August. Paul should hear the news in the next couple of days."

Renly understood immediately: Diesel's compromise meant the focus was now on the seventh film, without any distractions from external projects or rumors.

"Understood," Renly replied nonchalantly, "So, I've achieved my goal."

His aim had never been to actually join the Fast and Furious franchise, but rather to rein in Diesel and assert his own influence. With this move, he had succeeded.

"And the dinosaur project?" Renly pressed.

"Probably on hold for now," Andy responded, "But other factors are at play."