Chapter 123

After hanging up the phone, Van's other hand finally settled fully on Winnie's body. He pulled her tightly into his embrace, and she felt herself surrounded by the warmth of his presence, her whole being consumed by it. The staff members remained quietly waiting by the side of the hallway. When Van stepped out first, Winnie followed right behind him, her earrings gently swaying, catching and reflecting faint flashes of light. "Winnie, your earring..." One of the staff members noticed that one of her earrings had tilted slightly and walked over to adjust it for her. "Thank you," Winnie said softly, giving Van a pointed glare as she did so. After just over a minute of waiting, they arrived backstage. The award presentation had just finished, and the next winner was about to be announced. It was their turn to take the stage. "Winnie, you're familiar with the procedure, so please just follow along when the time comes," a director said as she approached them, offering a smile. She then turned to Van, adding, "You don't need to worry either; just stick to the script, there's no improvisation." The atmosphere backstage was relaxed, and the wait wasn't long. Moments later, as the interlude ended, music began to play. Winnie took a deep breath, putting on a poised smile, and walked toward the stage with Van. Anne had chosen the perfect crimson gown for her, which complemented her fair skin, making her stand out as both elegant and commanding. The live stream's comments erupted with excitement: "I can't wait! The passing of the torch between the old and new Best Actress!" "Winnie is so young, yet already able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the top actresses. She's incredible!" "All the nominees are older than Winnie—should we say the others are late bloomers, or is she just too outstanding?" Van, dressed in a dark suit, quietly stood beside Winnie. Though he didn't speak much, his presence was undeniable. "Isn't that the CEO from the red carpet?" "I didn't expect him to be announcing an award with Winnie." "These two look so good together. Can we ship them a little?" In the front row, Wyatt saw the camera sweep over him. His expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious, as though he was dissatisfied with the attention. The camera quickly cut away, clearly an accidental moment, but the online comments were already buzzing with discussion: "Wyatt doesn't look too happy." "Where's Mia? Is she upset?" However, these online comments didn't affect the atmosphere on stage. The two of them smoothly delivered their lines, and next came the announcement of the nominees. On the big screen, clips from the nominated films played one by one, with the voiceover filled with emotion. The applause from the audience was continuous. Winnie opened the envelope and gently invited Van to announce the winner's name with her. They stood even closer now, and the camera followed their every move. Though Van maintained his calm and composed gentlemanly demeanor, with just a hint of distance, the audience on the screen couldn't help but start commenting: "The red and black together, it looks like a wedding scene." "Winnie is smiling like a bride, holding her marriage certificate and giggling." "Why does Winnie look so soft today? Her aura seems completely gone." Van hadn't expected that, as a representative of the sponsors, he would unexpectedly draw so much attention. He had assumed that at this star-studded event, no one would even notice him. After all, he was low-key, reserved, and unassuming. However, when Eric received a message from the PR officer and saw the flood of comments online—buzzing with terms like "big shot," "luxury watch," and dramatic speculation about him and Winnie—he couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Twenty minutes later, as Van finished presenting the award and stepped off stage, he received a call from Eric. By the time the call ended, the company's PR department had already received their orders: swiftly delete all press releases containing Kim's photos and ensure that public misconceptions were eradicated. At the same time, a new statement was issued: Kim is married and has a child in middle school. Please don't misunderstand. Everyone, calm down. This is just a regular business collaboration—nothing worth shipping. To Winnie's fans: stop spreading rumors, and don't make us the next target of online hate! The PR department executed this operation with pinpoint precision, but Van could never have guessed that his younger sister, Paris Marlowe, would skillfully handle the situation and successfully defuse the crisis. Feeling smug, Paris dialed Van's number. "You owe me a thank-you, don't you?" "What do you want?" Van replied warmly. Paris raised her brows with a hint of challenge. "I want to stay at your house for a few days." "No." Van refused without hesitation. "Why not?" she whined in a sweet, coquettish voice. Eric, listening from the side, was speechless. He knew full well that Van had been rather enamored lately with bringing certain actresses home. "You already have a boyfriend, so it's not convenient for you to stay at my place," Van replied coldly. "Hmph!" Paris was relentless, letting out a couple of sarcastic laughs. "What exactly did you go to the film festival for? Are you chasing someone?" Van casually denied it. "Kim wasn't feeling well, so I'm attending in his place." "Hmph," Paris scoffed again. "Do you really expect me to believe that..." The call ended, and Van turned his head, noticing that Winnie had been quietly listening to their conversation. She seemed deep in thought, and the gentle tone he had used while speaking to Paris appeared to have made her uneasy.