Kevin heaved a sigh of helplessness. It seemed that, in the past few weeks, Anne had been working
hard to design an outfit for Cherry and was now indeed burned out.
Days went by reasonably quickly, and before long, three days had passed.
Anne and Kevin were A City's powerful figures. Besides, they owned a reputable entertainment
company under AN Group, so it was perfectly natural for them to grace the classy awards
ceremony and sleek after-party.
They settled down on the seats in the large venue's center aisle to avoid drawing unnecessary
attention from the packed crowds.
However, despite their efforts to shy away from the limelight, their striking appearances made it
impossible for them not to stand out in a sea of faces.
Most of those who attended the event were celebrity guests wearing fashion-forward outfits. Their
gazes passed over the faces in the crowd, and when they saw Kevin, whom none of them could reach
before, they spared no effort in sucking up to him, hoping to land a good script and more work
opportunities. However, Kevin and Anne remained casually indifferent and received their
courtesies without enthusiasm.
The instant everyone felt the cold shoulder, they knew it was a remote possibility for them to be
noticed. Disenchanted, they returned to their seats.
However, the majority of those who took the long shot was unwilling to give up. Cherry's stature had
instantly been jacked up when the word of Cherry and Kevin's scandal leaked into the press back then.
These people thought that earning Kevin's altruism would boost up their position in the entertainment
circle.
Sad to say, with the exclusion of his wife, Anne, this cold-faced CEO had a tongue-in-cheek wit that
made him take any other woman with a straight face.
Such action of his triggered off a sense of despondency in them.
Whether deliberate or random, many people's gazes landed on Anne as they mulled over how a slut
like her could win Kevin's heart. They weighed up the qualities she possessed for her to warrant
Kevin's love.
The reactions of envied persons were discernible as they felt the need to diminish her through
judgmental stares. Anne had likewise caught the attention of many curious eyes.
If this happened in the past, Anne would have flurried and racked up her nerves.
She unknowingly tightened the grip on her studded purse. When she glanced at her wrist to check the
time, she realized that Cherry would arrive soon.
"Don't get worked up now. Have faith in yourself." Kevin's voice was deep, gravelly, and his words were
slowly spoken. He interlocked his slender fingers with hers, giving her some warmth and a surge of
incomparable energy.
Anne looked up and met his gentle gaze. Her head nodded forward, and she suppressed
the uneasiness in her heart with deep, bated breaths.
At last, her breathing grew steady again.
Outside the grand hall, a sleek, black limousine pulled up on the wide red carpet. Then, a yellow tulle
lace cocktail dress that revealed a pair of long slender legs came down the car for the reporters to see.
Countless camera shutters instantly flashed to document this grand entrance.
Slowly, the female's full figure emerged, and in a flash, everyone appeared stunned.
Back in the day, Cherry would normally put on a dainty dress that looked comfy and sweet. But this
time, she went for a big, off-shoulder dress embroidered with a flying phoenix, highlighting her snow-
white, slender arms.
Her choice of makeup further jazzed up her look, which looked remarkably different from her usual
preference. Today, she outlined her eyes with dark, smoky eye shadows, and she perked up her pout
with a vibrant red lipstick that screamed classic elegance. She even styled her hair in a graceful bun.
Such a striking image made her look absolutely gorgeous. Her every move embodied her
effortless grace and magnanimity.
Although she appeared to be relatively young during her public appearances before, she was only
putting on a front.
As soon as she stepped foot on the red carpet, Cherry blinked slowly. She fathomed that she no longer
had to pretend to hide her authenticity.
With arms lifting slowly, her mouth curled into a playful little smirk, revealing a change in her personality
into something more sophisticated and sexy.
The endless sound of shutters followed by the intermittent flashing of lights came in succession.
In the past, Cherry was like a tiny flower bud that was too shy to blossom. But now, she was like a
spring flower blossoming in a cheerful color!
Her beauty was accentuated further by her maturity and sexy appeal. She looked like a noble queen in
that unique, majestic attire, making people submit and satisfy her every whim!
The crowd's indescribable awe magnified Cherry's confidence as she slowly sashayed forward. Her
adoring fans waiting outside grew silent the second they glimpsed her beauty, momentarily followed by
the sound of their enthusiastic cheers.
This once innocent little girl, who seemed to have matured overnight, suddenly turned into a noble
queen!
With Cherry's arrival in the main hall, countless talks in muted tones rang from every direction. Anne
knew in an instant what it connoted, so she looked back and smiled.
She took notice of Cherry's serious gaze, with the latter's expression looking bitter and arrogant. Also,
a faint smile was tugging up the corner of her mouth.
This woman was the real-life Cherry, unpretentious and blithe.
Kevin also glanced at Cherry with slightly raised brows. The surprise in his eyes was evident.
Cherry straightened up when she spotted Kevin. She was expecting him to eye her a few more times,
but then he looked away and turned to Anne with eagerness.
Her few moments of stolen joy instantly turned into nothing. Cherry frowned and went on her way.
Grinning, Kevin said excitedly, "Oh, my goodness, Anne, that dress! You're such a genius designer."
On his first peek of Anne's creation, Kevin was a bit apprehensive if Cherry could carry it well. But
seeing the actual dress on Cherry blew his mind. It outlined her figure perfectly while asserting her
haughtiness and temperament. The provocative makeup added an extra oomph to her personality.
Besides, her expressive eyes were incredibly beautiful that words alone could not give it justice.
This side of Cherry drove all men to their wits' end!
At some point, Cherry was once the object of sexual desire for some dorks. However, at this stage, she
was every guy's queen!
Now in her seat, Cherry joined in her companions' conversation with a self-satisfied smile.
That instant, Cherry was unshakeable in her belief that she would emerge as the winner in the best
actress category.
However, she felt an unspoken acumen in her heart. She realized that while she was dressed for
success, her unique couture dress wasn't tailored by her designer, but by Anne!
The woman with whom she regarded as her lifetime enemy!
But all the credit was due to this enemy who unmasked her exceptional beauty and brought out her
entire best while allowing her present self to thrive completely.
As the night went on, the most awaited moment of announcing the best actress winner finally arrived.
Tight-lipped, Anne fisted her hand, which Kevin had gripped firmly to show his support.
Brushing aside Kevin, Anne clammed up as she focused her attention on the host on the stage.
"And the best actress award goes to… Kristine!"
The proclamation elicited a burst of applause from the audience. Cherry stood up, nodded to the
people around her, and strode onto the stage.
That settled it!
Meanwhile, back at the comforts of the Fu Family's living room, Selma, Sam, Emily, and Rose were
following the live broadcast on TV. They all felt at ease after finding out the winner for the female lead.
Cherry made sure Anne's effort wouldn't end in vain. She finally snagged the best actress trophy!
Up on stage, Cherry delivered a brief acceptance speech before slowly walking off the platform. She
flashed Anne a faint smile that seemed to inform her to relax.
Simultaneously, Kevin also perceived that he should put things in order for Cherry to become the next
superstar.
The award for best actress was the most coveted and most significant achievement for any female star
present during the ceremony. A crowd of reporters flocked around Cherry, begging for interviews.
This kind of life wasn't new to Cherry, having been accustomed to facing the media. While she didn't
know how to divert the topic, she disclosed that her designer was also deserving of some credit.
This naturally led to the spotlight being shifted to Anne.
There was a second of stunned silence from the reporters when they heard it.
In this day and age, whenever Anne's name was brought up, it seemed natural for her to be slut-
shamed.
Any celebrity would never dare talk about Anne on such an occasion, least of all Cherry, who had
spoken ill of Anne on live telecast a few days ago.
The reporters exchanged meaningful glances and soon grew fired up because they knew a more
explosive scoop would come next.
"You were rumored to have bad blood with Miss Anne. I wonder why you chose to wear her design on
this momentous occasion."
"Miss Kristine, haven't you heard about the scandal concerning Miss Anne? Why are you suddenly
bringing up her name?"
"Miss Kristine, what's the real deal in your relationship with Miss Anne?"
The reporters placed the microphone in front of Cherry with anxious expressions as they awaited her
reply.
Cherry smiled, calmly looked down, and carefully straightened the dainty folds in her dress.
When Cherry first laid eyes on the dress, she was impressed and rendered speechless.
When Anne voiced her idea to Cherry inside her office, Cherry thought it was feasible, so she handed
over the design to her private designer, who gladly agreed to help create the unique dress.
However, when she saw Anne's finished frock, she immediately gaped with a wide-eyed gaze. She
decided on the spot that it was the dress fitting for a red carpet walk.
Cherry couldn't help but be amazed about how beautiful the handiwork was that she instantly tried it
on. She couldn't stop ogling at herself in the mirror, seemingly gobsmacked that the dress could
perfectly outline her body while doubling as a great way to bring out her temperament. Plus, her
makeup made her look as dignified as a queen, forcing people not to desecrate her!
As a leading actress, Cherry knew her place in the industry, but at that exact moment, she was
convinced that she was the queen!
She even had absolute confidence that even if she couldn't bag the best actress award, she would still
be the most attractive face of the night at the said event.
At present, not only was she the most beautiful woman in the ceremony, but she also proved to
everyone that she was the best female lead in the business.
"I think you all have a big misconception about Miss Anne!" Cherry said slowly.
Anne's and Kevin's familiar faces stood unnoticed in the midst of the crowd, and they were looking at
Cherry at the same time.
Smiling, Cherry slowly said, "A long time has passed since that issue happened, but Miss Anne had
made no attempts to clear it up because she doesn't consider it a big deal. But as her friend, I feel that
I'm compelled to tell you the truth!
But if you find it hard to believe my words, then you can check the file at the police station!
If I'm ever caught lying, I'd willingly quit my job to prove my point!"
The reporters exchanged glances full of disbelief before directing their attention back to Cherry.
Kristine had just won the best actress. She was young and beautiful, and she had made quite an
impression at today's ceremony. Countless directors and CEOs took notice of her, and she was bound
to have a promising career in the near future!
How could such a female star with lots of potentials make such an absurd bargain at this time?
No celebrity in his or her right mind would have the spunk to say such profound words!
What exactly on earth did Kristine want to clarify? Given this occasion's repute, every word coming out
of Kristine's mouth would be broadcast live.
"Speaking of Miss Anne, there's another name worth mentioning, and that is Kim!" The mere mention
of that name made Cherry's gaze sank. At that time, she was in prison, desperate and forlorn. She
thought that she wouldn't be given a second chance in life.
The man, with a cold aura emanating from his entire body, sat across her.
When he said he was going to get her out of jail, she was full of scorn and even jeered at the man,
taunting him for his naked promise.
After all, in A City, no one dared to offend Kevin.
In the following days, after not hearing even a single update from him, she grew more disappointed.
One sunny afternoon, Cherry recalled clearly that the police let her out of prison.
Standing outside the prison wall was that man!
He helped change her identity, cover-up her offenses, and eventually set foot into show business while
discreetly helping her become a popular actress.
He was her savior. No matter what purpose he had in helping her didn't matter because he was the one
who rallied around her rebirth to a better life!
Sadly, a few days ago, she received news about his execution.
Cherry looked down and closed her eyes slowly. After Kim's death, she had nobody left to rely on.
Now, this was her last chance!
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