Chapter 92

Since there was still time for promotional material to be filmed, they all got into the Alpha shuttle bus to head to the venue. While Winnie was walking the red carpet, Wendy and David went into the venue to wait, while Yulia skipped out to head home for a nap and to keep an eye on the live stream and trending topics. At exactly 3 PM, the red carpet began on time. David had secured a great spot for Mia, and as the opening guest, Mia seemed a little nervous. She wore a complicated petal train dress, walking carefully on the red carpet, her eyes filled with tension. After Winnie finished taking her photos, she sat in the shuttle, watching the live stream of the red carpet. 'Mia's doing pretty well, getting the opening spot. I remember when I won Best Newcomer, I was placed somewhere in the middle of the line-up," she remarked. David seemed to catch the hint of sarcasm in Winnie's voice. He awkwardly spoke up, 'Times are different now. The company's resources are definitely better than when you were starting out, and this kid has some talent too." About twenty minutes before her turn, a staff member from the event knocked on the car window. 'Winnie, are you ready? We can head to the waiting area now." The car door slowly opened, and her long legs, clad in elegant boots, stepped steadily out of the vehicle. In the waiting area, a few stars stood in small groups, chatting casually about half-familiar topics. When they saw Winnie enter, nearly every conversation came to a halt. On the surface, no one said anything, but the tone of their voices all seemed to slow down at the same time. Their gazes shifted uneasily, as if they were trying to subtly assess her with their eyes. On today's red carpet, all the female celebrities were wearing voluminous dresses with long trains, almost like the trailers of big trucks. Turning around was difficult, and each dress required four staff members to follow and adjust it. However, when people's gazes landed on Winnie, they didn't say anything outwardly, but internally, they had mixed feelings. Van was currently in Tanzania and very busy. He hadn't contacted Winnie for three days, and it wasn't until he saw a few selfies from her today that he realized how long it had been since he last replied to her. When he asked if it was a good time to talk, Winnie put on her headphones and stepped out of the venue. "I'm about to walk the red carpet," she lowered her voice, but her tone was soft. The male voice on the other end was deep and magnetic. "Why didn't you call my name?" "I didn't dare, there are people around," Winnie lightly replied. After a few words, a faint blush appeared in her eyes. "I can't call you that anymore," Winnie whispered so softly that it was almost inaudible. She paused for a moment, the blush in her eyes deepening. She knew she could keep up the perfect facade, but when it came to his voice, she felt trapped in his gaze, unable to act as if nothing was wrong. Her legs pressed tightly together, and waves of heat rose within her. "Are you worried?" His voice was low, with a hint of barely detectable teasing. "I'm worried I might trouble you," Winnie whispered in response. Van didn't seem willing to let her off the hook. "Call my name." Winnie's heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned around, gently resting her forehead against the white wall, forcing herself to stand in the most secluded corner. After a brief silence, she finally whispered, "Van." The air on the other end of the line seemed to freeze. Van's breath stopped for a moment. After a while, he seemed to regain his composure, and his tone was calm. "What did you call me?" "I can't call you that anymore," Winnie said hurriedly. She knew that if others heard that name, it could lead to unnecessary assumptions, especially with the yacht involved, making his identity easy to guess. She heard a sound of swallowing on the other end of the line, as if Van was drinking water. "Is it your turn to walk the red carpet?" he suddenly changed the subject, his tone still calm. "Mm." Winnie glanced back and softly responded, "I have to hang up." She hesitated, filled with the urge to ask him if he had thought about her these past few days, but she felt that question was too abrupt. If Van hadn't reached out to her, it meant he didn't care about these little feelings of love. His life was clearly busy and important, and he wouldn't have the emotional bandwidth to care about her. The silence on the other end continued, and then a slight coughing sound broke it. Winnie froze, her nerves tensing. "Are you sick?" "Just a little," Van replied softly. "Did I give it to you?" Winnie asked, concerned. Van chuckled lightly. "No need to worry." "No need to worry? I mean..." Winnie instinctively stopped herself. She suddenly thought about the intimate moments they shared a few days ago in France. Every time he kissed her, it was so passionate and intense. That day on the yacht, in the cinema, he pinned her in the dark, kissed her for ten minutes. The silence around them was deafening, only the sound of their breathing and the intertwined noises filling the air.