Blair was a bit anxious. Every now and then, she would look up and glance around—
The crowd was slowly thinning.
Not quickly, just in twos and threes. It didn't seem like a lot, but over time, the gaps in the crowd were growing.
"Blair."
A voice called Blair's attention back. She saw Gloria's bright smile, which made Blair a little embarrassed.
"Gloria, aren't you worried?"
"No, I'm not."
"But..."
"This was a voluntary event from the beginning. Remember? Before it started, we were worried that not enough people would show up, and it might not work. But look at how many came. No matter what happens next, I won't be disappointed. We've already achieved our goal today."
Gloria was serious.
After all, this was the first time in Hollywood that a group of fans had organized a collective protest because of a casting decision or a studio replacing an actor. It was unheard of.
In Hollywood, fan culture doesn't exist like it does in other places. Even in the world of rock and roll, where fans are passionate, they don't unite like this.
So today, they were making history.
Not only had they made the audience's voice heard, but Sony-Columbia had also responded. There was no doubt that this was a major victory.
Plus—
More than a thousand fans had gathered peacefully outside the Sony-Columbia offices, with no incidents or disruptions. That alone was something to be proud of.
So Gloria wasn't anxious or nervous. Whatever happened next was just a bonus.
But Blair didn't feel the same.
"What if they still go ahead and replace Anson?"
She finally said it—that was Blair's biggest fear.
Standing in front of a giant like Sony-Columbia, she didn't have much confidence.
Gloria smiled, "Then Anson will need our support even more."
"No matter what Anson does next, whatever role or project he takes on, we'll need to show our support. We'll stand right behind him and make Sony-Columbia realize what they've lost."
"They're a beast. They have the power to make any decision they want, and we're still too small to change that. But we can make them realize their stupidity, and maybe even regret it."
She paused, then looked at Blair with a smile.
"Or do you have a weird thing for Anson in a Spider-Man suit?"
It took Blair a second to react. Her face flushed, and she let out a scream, "Gloria, you crazy person!"
Nearby, Karen and Elaine were laughing uncontrollably.
Blair was in disbelief. "Elaine, I can't believe you're laughing too!"
Elaine covered her mouth, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "I'm an adult, okay?"
"Elaine! I won't allow it! Weren't you supposed to be the sweet little princess?" Blair screamed.
Laughter broke out around them.
After some playful banter, Blair calmed down a bit, her nerves relaxing slightly.
For the moment, she could breathe again.
Instinctively, she looked around, and then stopped, confused.
"Wait, is it just me, or does it feel like the crowd is growing again?"
Karen waved her hand dismissively. "You're imagining things. It's the same as when you thought the crowd was shrinking earlier. It's just your imagination."
Blair frowned, "Karen, I'm not joking. Look for yourself."
Karen finally turned to look around—
Blair was right. The crowd in front of Sony-Columbia was indeed growing again. The street seemed to be getting lively once more.
But Karen didn't think much of it. "It's probably just rush hour. People are leaving work."
"Even if they're not leaving, maybe they're taking a break for dinner before heading back to work for some late-night overtime."
That explanation made sense.
After all, this was Midtown Manhattan, one of the busiest areas for office workers. It was normal for the after-work rush to start early.
Blair felt a bit disappointed. She had hoped people were coming back.
But thinking it through, it didn't seem likely. Anson wasn't exactly the Backstreet Boys or 'N Sync. There's a difference between a pretty-boy actor and a pop idol.
Yet, Gloria was quietly observing, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"Wait. Something's happening..."
Following Gloria's gaze, they watched for a bit longer and saw that, indeed, many of the passersby were heading toward them.
At that moment, a tall woman in a chic dress approached them and asked politely, "Excuse me, are you here to support Anson? I mean, are you protesting Sony-Columbia?"
Gloria quickly stood up. "Yes, we are. Can I help you?"
The woman smiled. "Great. I made it in time."
Gloria and the girls exchanged glances. "What's going on?"
"Well," the woman began, "I think Sony-Columbia should apologize. Not just apologize—they should be condemned and punished."
"What?"
"For lying. How can they blatantly deceive people like that?"
Gloria, Blair, and the others were dumbfounded. They had no idea what she was talking about.
The woman paused, realizing they didn't know. "Oh, right. You've been here the whole time, so you haven't heard what happened, have you?"
Seeing their confused faces, she quickly filled them in.
The report from US Weekly, TMZ's repost, and the internet uproar.
"What they've done is absolutely unacceptable, with no moral standards."
"At least, that's how I feel. I can't find any reason for them to replace Anson, nor any justification for how they've handled this situation. It could've been so simple, but they've turned it into a mess."
"If we should criticize the paparazzi for their role, we should criticize Sony-Columbia even more—120% more."
"I just can't tolerate it."
"So, I thought, since Monday has already gone this crazy, why not do something meaningful and let Sony-Columbia know that we won't be manipulated?"
Her words came out in a rush, leaving Gloria and the others stunned—
They had never expected another twist to unfold in just one day.
The US Weekly report had landed a hard blow on Sony-Columbia, and now their initial response to the protest had backfired, exposing their weakness and deceit, sparking even more public outrage.
This turn of events was something even US Weekly hadn't predicted, let alone Michael Lynton.
At this point, Michael had completely lost control of the situation.
Everything was spiraling into a full-blown disaster—for Sony-Columbia.