Rewind With A Superstar System

Chapter 222: Regretful Kiss

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Fine Line by Harry Styles>

...

Everyone in the venue was surprised when Perfect Ruins was called up as the winner, but at the same time... they weren’t entirely meant to be.

With Blood Money officially disqualified and its lead actors dragged through the mud of a career-ending scandal, the playing field had been drastically narrowed.

The only other real contender for the People’s Choice Award was When The Grinch Becomes Santa.

Given the critical nature of the Toronto International Film Festival, it wasn’t too surprising that the audience had preferred a passionate romance over a seasonal laugh.

But anticipating a victory and actually hearing it announced were two entirely different things.

Down at the far end of the row, Director Marcus shot up from his seat in surprise.

He was literally shaking with excitement. The week had begun as a nightmare with the reviews. But it was ending with the most coveted trophy of the entire festival.

Marcus turned and grabbed Von by the shoulders, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Von... we really won. We did it."

A grin broke across Von’s face. He held the director’s arms firmly. "Yes, we did! We all deserve it. Now let’s go get that trophy!"

Beside him, Chloe let out a squeal of pure joy. She threw her arms around Von, hugging him fiercely before grabbing his hand and practically pulling him toward the aisle.

The entire Perfect Ruins cast and crew rushed the stage together. The applause in the massive hall was deafening.

Tom Matthews laughed, offering a respectful handshake to Von before handing the heavy, beautiful glass trophy over to an emotional Marcus.

Marcus stepped up to the microphone. Von had never seen him look this happy... The director truly had passion for winning.

"I... I don’t even have a speech prepared for this," Marcus laughed breathlessly, using the back of his hand to wipe his eyes.

"They tried to tell us that this movie was a mistake. They tried to bury us before we even had a chance to breathe. But you... the fans, the viewers... you saw the truth,"

"You felt the passion we poured into this. You saw past the noise and the sabotage. Thank you, from the absolute bottom of my heart!"

The crowd roared in approval. Marcus stepped back, letting out a deep exhale, and immediately shoved the microphone stand toward Von and Chloe.

"Speech! Speech!" a few people in the front rows yelled.

Von chuckled, stepping up to the mic with Chloe pressed excitedly against his side. He adjusted his tuxedo jacket, looking completely composed despite the adrenaline rushing through his body.

"Marcus said it all," Von started with a smile. "But seriously, to everyone who bought a ticket, who ignored the fake headlines, and who believed in Aiden and Camila... this is yours just as much as it is ours. This industry tries to tell you what to like, but tonight proves that the people still have the final say. Thank you, Toronto!"

As Von finished, a chant suddenly started bubbling up from the press pit right below the stage, quickly spreading to the VIP sections.

It was a chant fueled by the romantic narrative of the movie and the high emotions of the night.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

The cameras were flashing like a thunderstorm for Von as he tried to adapt to the chants.

Chloe looked up at Von and her cheeks were flushed pink. Caught entirely in the euphoric rush of the crowd’s chanting and the blinding lights, she didn’t stop to overthink it.

She grabbed the lapels of Von’s tuxedo, stood up on her tiptoes, and pressed her lips firmly against his.

The venue absolutely exploded. The cheers doubled in volume, and the rapid-fire clicking of the press cameras sounded like machine-gun fire.

For a split second, Von was caught completely off guard. But his instincts kicked in.

He knew how the media worked, and he knew what this image would do for the movie’s box office and his own rising star power.

The momentum of the moment carried him. He closed his eyes, wrapped an arm around Chloe’s waist, and returned the kiss for the cameras.

It was a picture-perfect moment. But as he slowly pulled away, opening his eyes, his gaze drifted past the spotlights and found Emily standing and clapping.

He didn’t know why, but he felt a pang of guilt for kissing Chloe... But Von had nothing to do at that moment.

The cast eventually made their way off the stage, ushered backstage by the event coordinators for official press photos.

Chloe was still buzzing, chatting a mile a minute with Marcus about the afterparty. Von stood beside them, holding the trophy for the cameras. But his mind was a million miles away.

***

(The Festival Afterparty - 11:30 PM)

The exclusive TIFF afterparty was being held in the grand ballroom of a five-star hotel downtown.

It was the kind of event that cost mad money to put together. The bass from the DJ’s speakers rattled the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and waitstaff in tailored suits wove seamlessly through the crowded room carrying silver trays of expensive champagne and delicate hors d’oeuvres.

It was a big celebration, and Von was the center of the room.

Everystudio executive, legendary actor, and elite music producer in the room wanted to shake the hand of the kid who had just dethroned the West family empire and proved he was a dual-threat powerhouse.

A tall man with a thick beard and a Rolex intercepted Von near the ice sculpture.

"Von, incredible work tonight," the man said, offering a firm handshake.

"I’m David, A&R at Republic Records. We’ve got a couple of massive stadium tours coming up next year, and we’d love to talk about getting you in the studio with some of our top producers. Let’s make some magic."

"I appreciate that, David," Von said with a polite smile. "Hit up my management, we’ll see if the schedules align."

No sooner had David stepped away than a prominent casting director swooped in, handing Von a business card.

Von politely nodded through the conversations, smoothly dodging questions about his upcoming music projects and acting gigs.

He was functioning on pure autopilot. Every few seconds, his eyes would dart across the crowded ballroom, scanning the faces of the elite.

He had been looking for Emily for the past hour. He had checked the VIP booths, the main bar, and the lobby. He had texted her already, but she wasn’t online.

’Maybe I’m just overthinking it, Von muttered to himself, grabbing a glass of water from a passing tray. ’She’s probably just busy with a lot after the success.’

It was a logical excuse. But even as Von tried to cope with those words, he still felt sick inside.

The heavy knot in his stomach wasn’t going away, and it forced him to confront a truth he had been trying to ignore: maybe it was because he really liked Emily.

He pulled out his phone. He could easily call her to know exactly where she was, but his thumb hovered over her contact name. He let out a soft sigh, slipped the phone back into his pocket, and decided to let her be for now.

He was about to turn around and continue networking when he spotted a familiar figure walking up to him.

It was Chloe. She had stepped away from her group and looked a bit sheepish as she approached him in the corridor.

"Hey, Von," she started, rubbing the back of her neck. "I wanted to apologize for the kiss earlier on stage. I let my emotions get the better of me at that moment."

Von offered a reassuring smile. "Oh no... I understand. There’s no problem at all."

Chloe let out a breath of relief. She looked around the crowded room and then back at him. "So, what are you up to? Hiding from the big names?"

"Nothing... Just walking."

Chloe tilted her head, studying his face. "Are you sure? You look like something is wrong."

Von considered it for a while. He wasn’t used to opening up, but Chloe was a friend, and they had just been through a lot together.

"Actually, I have something to tell you."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, giving him her full attention.

"There’s someone I like," Von said vaguely, keeping the specific details to himself. "And I feel like the kiss and everything tonight might have made her have a bad impression of me."

Chloe’s eyes widened. She was genuinely surprised that Von had a crush on someone, but she respectfully didn’t intrude on his privacy. Instead, she laughed softly.

"No, Von. You’re an actor. I’m pretty sure she’ll understand."

"Hmm... You really think so?"

"Trust me," Chloe said earnestly. "It’s sad, but that’s just our job and how it works. But have you made your feelings clear to her yet? As long as she knows your love for her, she won’t be offended much by your job."

Von rubbed his jaw, looking away. "Actually, no... She’s not aware of anything."

Chloe immediately facepalmed, letting out an exasperated groan. "What are you waiting for? If you think you have feelings for her, go ahead and tell her!"

"But..." Von started, wanting to argue that he wasn’t entirely sure yet and didn’t want to complicate their current dynamic.

Before he could finish, Chloe gently pushed his shoulder, steering him away from the conversation. "That’s for you to figure out. But if you really do like her, then just talk to her."

With a final nod, Chloe turned and walked away to rejoin her friends. She left Von standing alone in the corridor, wondering to himself exactly what to do next.

’I’ll find Emily.’