Archie hung up the phone, his face burning with age.
Theodore had already escorted Eleanor out of the car and was now walking her toward the
entrance.
Fans erupted in cheers at the theater gates.
Reporters, eager to catch any buzz before the red carpet officially began, swarmed the pair for interviews.
Theodore stood beside Eleanor the entire time, a perfect gentleman, steady and composed.
While most of the media attention was on Eleanor, one reporter turned their microphone toward Theodore and said, “Mr. Baker, you recently posted about designing a dress inspired by Eleanor. After being away from the industry for so long, is your return all because of her?”
Theodore graciously adjusted the mic.
The young reporter blushed slightly, just as Theodore answered without hesitation, “Yes. Els my only muse. Every piece I design is made for her.”
The scene fell silent. It was as if someone had pressed the pause button. Even the cameras from the event organizers picked up the moment and immediately streamed it live.
Theodore remained calm and unhurried, flashing a smile at the camera lenses. “I’ll admit. I’m biased. I only want El to wear my designs. That’s why, for the past month leading up to this award show, our company has politely declined commission requests from several other
celebrities and studios.
“Let me put it bluntly. If I see someone else wearing my design tonight, I’d take it as an insult to my work, and even more so, an insult to El.”
Theodore wore a coat in the same color palette as Eleanor’s gown, looking polished, and his
voice sounded rich and comforting as he spoke. But when his eyes landed on her, there was restraint and longing in his gaze.
The livestream exploded. Viewers unfamiliar with the full story were immediately drawn in.
“Ah! I’m officially Team Theodore now!”
“A top actress and a devoted fashion designer? My new favorite ship is unlocked!”
“I’m staying right here to see which poor soul dares show up wearing Mr. Baker’s design tonight!”
“Wait a second… Remember that tweet from Theodore a couple of days ago? Could it be because talks fell through with Jocelyn’s studio?”
“If that’s the case, then wow. Jocelyn’s side must ve really crossed a line.”
A gleam flashed in Eleanor’s eyes
After exchanging a glance with Theodore, her expression quickly softened–touched, even. She truly loved surrounding herself with intelligent people.
In just a few sentences, Theodore had not only cleared the air about his tweet, which many
had speculated was aimed at Jocelyn, but also planted a perfect little landmine for Jocelyn’s upcoming appearance.
Eleanor thought that it was brilliant.
For other baiting questions from reporters, Theodore simply smiled and deflected them. “El and I are just close friends. Please give more attention to her incredible work.”
Eleanor, holding onto his arm, chimed in right on cue, “Theodore is one of my dearest friends.
Her comment set Twitter ablaze. The livestream viewership skyrocketed, surpassing its previous record.
Some curious fans noticed that Jocelyn’s team hadn’t released any official styling photos for that night’s event on their studio page.
Speculation turned into certainty.
“Jocelyn! If you don’t have a gown, you can dig for it in the trash. Don’t embarrass yourself by stealing from Eleanor!”
“I realized that Jocelyn doesn’t just have bad taste in men. She’s rotten to the core.”
“People were saying she’s the frontrunner for the Best Actress award this year. If she wins, it’s probably rigged!”
“I’m just a neutral viewer, but can Eleanor’s fans chill? Jocelyn’s acting is good. This award show is about performance, not a beauty contest.
“LMAO, okay neutral viewer. So, you admit that Eleanor’s hotter than that desperate, lovestruck mess? Sorry, but El won her Best Actress award at the age of 24. Try again.”
The red carpet event hadn’t even started, but the online hate against Jocelyn was already boiling over.
By the time Jocelyn’s fan arrived, the narrative had been completely hijacked by Eleanor’s
supporters.
The internet was a war zone, and onlookers were glued to the drama. Everyone was waitir a statement from Jocelyn’s side.
At this point, it seemed like the moment Jocelyn stepped onto the red carpet, even the most
humiliating rumors–like her wearing adult diapers could surface.
Veronica locked her phone screen, frowning deeply.
By the looks of it, whether Jocelyn spoke or not, opportunists would twist her every word. Veronica thought that this entire incident was vicious.
