Chapter 121

With a light smile, Winnie stood up to greet the familiar film producers in the room. At the end of the red carpet, a man in a black suit walked steadily toward the cameras. His simple outfit was only complemented by an understated silver wristwatch on his arm and similarly discreet glasses perched on his nose. When signing his name, he hesitated for a moment; the pen paused briefly before he smoothly wrote "Kim." Before the marker was passed back to the hostess, he nodded gently, and the words "Thank you" escaped his lips. His deep voice and composed manner, though aloof, made those around him instinctively blush. The host, a seasoned presenter from the movie channel, wore a dignified smile and asked, "Kim is here today as a representative of MARS Real Estate. Could you share with us which nominated films tonight you are particularly fond of?" Although there were only a few stars left on the red carpet, the mood in the venue shifted dramatically with Kim's arrival. The live comments section also surged with excitement: "Kim is just too handsome!" "That height, those legs, the aura is off the charts!" "MARS Real Estate representative, feels like I'm going to a campus recruitment event." "That hand! I can't take it, hand fetish alert." "Those abstinent fingers—could pierce my heart." "Such strong presence." Wendy was completely engrossed in watching the live stream. When Van made his appearance, she immediately spat out her drink. Eric, watching from the side, felt a whirlwind of emotions. Facing all these adoring comments, he was starting to feel overwhelmed. He couldn't shake the feeling that it was like watching the young master of the family parading through the streets, his heart filled with deep, painful regret! Van didn't usually watch movies, so when the host asked him a question, he politely nodded and responded with his deep voice, "I'm interested in all the nominated films." The host kept the atmosphere steady and then asked, "Kim, could you share a message of encouragement for tonight's filmmakers?" Van gave a slight smile and answered coolly, "Wishing Hollywood continued success." After taking a photo with the event's jury panel, Van smoothly made his way off the red carpet. While walking the red carpet wasn't the main event, the blinding flashes from cameras were overwhelming, and even being in the spotlight for a few seconds made it slightly irritating. Van adjusted his wristwatch, looked up at the staff, and briefly said, "Thank you for your hard work." The receptionist inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself as she replayed Van's commanding presence in her mind. Her heart fluttered wildly, almost as if it had stopped altogether. Unlike the dazzling celebrities she was used to, Van had an aura about him that made everything around her seem to fade away, leaving her feeling almost breathless in his wake. Nervously, she led him to his seat, her voice barely steady as she spoke, "Kim, this is your seat. You'll be presenting an award with Miss Loxley tonight..." As they reached their spots, the sound of their heels and dress shoes clicking in perfect rhythm filled the space. Winnie's gaze dropped instinctively to the glossy black leather of Van's shoes, the meticulous creases in his trousers catching the light. Slowly, her eyes moved upward, tracing the flawless line of his jaw, the subtle sophistication of his black shirt, and the crisp precision of his tie. Then, her gaze lingered, inevitably drawn to his eyes—those eyes that held her captive at that very moment, leaving her unable to look away. Winnie couldn't help but feel nervous, almost instinctively standing up. Her red evening gown swirled around her as she rose, the fabric swaying with a life of its own, almost out of control. Van remained expressionless, but the gaze behind his clear lenses was deep and piercing, as if it could see through everything, yet there was no hint of emotion in his face. However, his staff could sense the subtle shift in Van's aura. The coldness and impatience he once exuded seemed, for a brief moment, to soften into something gentler. The receptionist continued her introduction, "Mr. Chandler, this is Miss Loxley, the Best Actress at the Celestial Excellence Awards." Then she turned to Winnie and added, "Miss Loxley, this is Mr. Chandler, the CEO of MARS Real Estate." Winnie froze for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. It suddenly dawned on her that this meeting with Kim was no coincidence. Van extended his hand, his tone calm yet firm, "Nice to meet you, Miss Loxley." His simple, respectful greeting carried a hint of distance, but it stirred an inexplicable flutter in Winnie's chest. She took a deep breath, offering a sweet smile. She lowered her head slightly, her fingertips brushing against his palm before gently squeezing. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Chandler." Outside, the red carpet ceremony came to an end, and the lights in the venue began to dim in an orderly fashion as the awards ceremony was about to begin. The two of them sat down side by side. Winnie lowered her gaze to flip through the event program on her seat, her mind racing. "Mr. V... Kim." She almost spoke his name aloud, but just then, she heard a deep voice beside her, "You're not allowed to call me Mr. Marlowe." She pressed her lips together, quietly asking, "Mr. Chandler, how did you end up here?" Van smiled faintly. "It's a coincidence." Winnie flipped through the event program, looking somewhat unconvinced. "Such a coincidence?" Van replied seriously, "I truly didn't expect it." He had oriTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTlly thought there might be a chance to encounter her at the venue, but he hadn't anticipated the script of the night turning out so perfectly, aligning so well with his intentions. "Really just a coincidence?" Winnie couldn't help but laugh, a playful glint flashing in her eyes. "Don't tell me you really came here just because of a coincidence." Van's voice dropped lower. "I arranged part of it, the rest... was fate." Winnie turned her head, a slight pout on her lips, but her eyes were bright. "So, which part was arranged, and which part was fate?"