The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood! Chapter 33

A scream ripped through the air, and Matthew turned his head just in time to see the set medic racing towards the pier, first-aid kit in hand. Filming had ground to a halt. Britney Spears lay on the ground, her hands clutching one of her ankles, her face contorted in pain.

Had she injured her leg?

Matthew made his way toward the wooden pier, soon reaching the center of the commotion. As he drew closer, he saw that Britney was in so much pain that tears were streaming down her face.

"Get her to a hospital. She's sprained her ankle," the medic announced after a quick examination.

Hearing this, Britney's agent, his face a mask of panic, barked impatiently at two of the male dancers, "You heard the man, get Brit to the hospital!"

The two dancers rushed forward and tried to help Britney to her feet, but with her twisted ankle and the high heels, she couldn't stand.

"Get your hands off me, you idiots!" Two tears immediately rolled down Britney's cheeks. "It hurts! God, it hurts so much!"

"Be careful!" the agent snapped, his frustration mounting. "Gently! Lift her gently!"

Without a word, Matthew pushed through the small crowd. He ignored the strange looks he received, knelt in front of Britney, and said simply, "Let me carry you."

Matthew slid one arm around Britney's shoulders and the other under the bend of her knees, lifting her into his arms.

Britney's agent immediately took the lead, shouting, "Clear a path! Make way for Britney!"

The onlookers parted, clearing a path for Matthew to carry her across the long pier and back toward the restaurant.

Just then, the agent yelled again, "Keep the press back! Don't let them get any pictures of Britney!"

There had been a swarm of reporters on the cliffs this morning, and now, after several hours of shooting, their numbers had undoubtedly grown.

The motion of him walking sent jolts of pain through Britney's ankle, and fresh tears welled in her eyes.

She tightened her grip around Matthew's neck, her eyes shimmering with tears that threatened to spill over at any moment.

"Do you want the reporters to get a picture of you crying?"

Britney was light in his arms, and Matthew carried her without much effort. "Do you want Christina Aguilera to see you like this?"

Britney immediately shook her head. "No! Never!"

She quickly wiped at her eyes with a free hand. Matthew glanced down at her and offered an encouraging smile.

Matthew carried Britney through the restaurant's walkway, steadily making his way toward the exit.

A van was already waiting at the restaurant exit. The reporters, having noticed the commotion down on the pier, had already swarmed the entrance.

Ilana, camera in hand, used her height to secure a prime spot near the entrance. Even though the crew's security kept her a few feet from the van, she had a clear shot of the restaurant's doorway and the vehicle's open door. The conditions couldn't have been more perfect.

The last tip she'd gotten from Matthew Horner had been gold. After some deep digging, she had published a series of articles in U.S. News & World Report, becoming one of the first journalists to bring the personal feud between Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera—the nation's two biggest pop stars—into the public eye. She had turned their rivalry into the gossip on everyone's lips.

Lately, Ilana's focus had been singular: Britney Spears.

Suddenly, a man burst through the restaurant doors. Ilana instinctively pressed the shutter, only to realize he was just a stranger. Judging by his business attire, she pegged him as an agent from an entertainment agency.

"Keep the reporters back!" the man yelled. "Get the van door open!"

Ilana kept her lens trained on the doorway, and a moment later, a tall man in a white jumpsuit emerged, carrying a hot, sexy girl in his arms.

She fired off a shot instantly, and a chorus of clicks erupted around her.

"Him...?" Ilana was stunned to recognize the man's face through her lens, but her finger never stopped clicking the shutter. "Why is he the one carrying Britney?"

How could she not recognize Matthew? They had just met face-to-face recently.

She watched as Matthew climbed into the van, still holding Britney, and didn't emerge before the engine started and the vehicle pulled away. He was clearly going with her.

"Follow that van!" she heard other reporters shouting from all sides.

"Does anyone know who that guy carrying Britney is?" someone in the crowd yelled, desperate to identify Matthew.

Others were already frantically on their phones, sensing a major scoop. "Some guy just carried Britney out and got in the van with her. I'm sending you the photos now—find out who he is, immediately!"

With Britney gone, the set had lost its news value. Ilana got in her car and started to follow the van, just like the rest of the press pack.

Hanging back from the van in her yellow Chevrolet, her mind raced. From the chatter she'd overheard, almost none of the other reporters knew who Matthew Horner was. This meant she was holding a major exclusive.

Matthew was the lead actor in Britney's new music video. That fact alone was a goldmine for speculation.

An angle was already forming in her mind. She could spin this into a story that would grab the public's attention—something about Britney finding love on set.

She even had a working headline.

"Britney and Her Music Video Co-Star: A Set Romance!"

Pair that with a few of the intimate photos of Matthew carrying Britney in his arms, and the effect would be explosive!

With that thought, Ilana broke off her pursuit of the van. She turned onto a different road and raced directly to her newspaper's office. There was still time to be the first to publish the story in U.S. News & World Report and see her byline on the front page tomorrow.

Back at the Paradise Cove restaurant, Helen went to Matthew's dressing room. She collected his clothes and shoes from the makeup artist, stuffed them into a large bag, and left. She drove straight for the hospital the van had been heading to.

She had seen everything that had just transpired.

Helen had mixed feelings about Matthew as a person, but she had to admit he possessed a rare quality: Matthew Horner knew how to spot an opportunity and seize it.

"Even Britney's injury became an opportunity he could capitalize on," Helen thought as she walked to her car.

...

The van pulled up to the hospital entrance. Matthew lifted Britney into his arms again, got out, and hurried toward the emergency room, murmuring reassurances. "It's going to be okay."

Britney just nodded, seeming to place her complete trust in his words.

A nurse met them at the door with a gurney. Matthew gently placed Britney onto it and walked alongside as she was wheeled into the emergency wing.

Standing a short distance away, Britney's agent watched Britney on the gurney, then glanced at Matthew, who hadn't left her side. He frowned.

He knew Britney's personality well. She projected a friendly, simple-minded image, but in reality, she was no different from any other young celebrity who had shot to fame. She had all the airs of a diva, convinced the world revolved around her.

So why was she on such good terms with a bit-part actor?

The agent hadn't said anything on the way over, but he'd observed every interaction between Matthew and Britney. The two were clearly well acquainted and shared a rather unusual rapport.

An unsettling thought suddenly crossed his mind.

His eyes landed on Matthew's tall frame. He decided he needed to learn more about this leading man.

The gurney reached the doors of the emergency room, and Matthew prepared to stop. But then Britney glanced back at him, and he gave her an encouraging nod.

Britney bit her lower lip lightly and nodded back.

The gurney disappeared into the ER. Matthew sat down on a bench near the door while Britney's agent stood nearby, dialing a number on his phone, likely contacting a specialist.

A moment later, Britney's assistant and someone from the record label arrived.

Matthew knew he had done all he could. He said nothing, sitting quietly on the bench and looking down at the white jumpsuit he was still wearing. He felt a little out of place.

He shook out his hands, waiting for the ache in his arms to fade, then rubbed his face with his large, calloused palms.

Suddenly, a bag was thrust in front of him. Matthew looked up and saw Helen.

"Your clothes and shoes," she said.

Matthew took the bag, a surprised look on his face. "Thanks," he said. "I'll go get changed."

Helen gave him a slight nod. Matthew found a men's restroom, washed the makeup from his face, changed into his own clothes, and returned to the ER entrance. By then, Britney's father had arrived.

Helen was sitting alone on the bench. Matthew walked over and sat down beside her. She nodded toward a middle-aged, fair-haired man standing nearby.

She didn't fail to tell Matthew, "That's Jamie Spears, Britney's father. From what I hear, he sees her as a cash cow and keeps her on a very tight leash."

Matthew just shrugged, dismissing her words. "What's that got to do with me?"

The test results came back soon after. Britney had sprained her ankle, and filming for the music video would have to be put on hold.