Isabella dutifully acted on set for a month, and then received a call from Olivia.
She was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress, so she needed to attend the awards ceremony.
Olivia had already communicated with the crew, and the director approved her three days off.
Then Isabella and Olivia flew back to Ithaca town.
The day before the awards ceremony, Isabella was quite busy, trying on dresses, getting styled, and preparing her acceptance speech in advance.
She kept busy until late at night and didn’t return to her apartment, opting to spend the night at the hotel.
At that time, Andrew was not in Ithaca town but on a business trip in Spain.
When she called him at night, she couldn’t help but complain, “I finally came back, and you’re not here.”
On the phone, his voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of apology. “I can’t attend your awards ceremony tomorrow, but after this busy period, I’ll take you out to relax.”
“It’s just a nomination, and the other nominees are all talented actresses,” she replied truthfully.
He chuckled, “Have you forgotten? I’m your wish angel. Tomorrow, my little darling will have good luck.”
Isabella: “…”
Those words were quite moving, but is such blatant cheat really okay?
The next day’s awards ceremony, she attended in full regalia.
Olivia had prepared for her a modified crimson gown, with a sexy V-neck and exquisite detailing, highlighting her feminine charm. The rosy color complemented Isabella’s complexion, making her skin appear even fairer.
In the car, Olivia lowered her voice and asked, “Have you talked to Mr. Andrew about the Best Actress matter?”
“I should have, no problem,” she said.
“What do you mean ‘should have’?” Olivia looked puzzled. Was Mr. Andrew so unreliable?
“Olivia, is it really okay for us to cheat like this?” Isabella felt somewhat guilty.
“You’re so stubborn. This isn’t an exam. There’s no rule against a little deceit. In this circle, there’s more fake than real. Otherwise, where do all those surprise winners come from?” Olivia said indignantly.
Isabella once again received a lesson.
The car arrived at the awards ceremony venue.
Isabella walked the red carpet, entering amidst the flashbulbs and the gaze of the public.
The Best Actress award was announced last, and she was nearly nodding off from waiting. Until the presenter uttered her name.
After a brief moment of confusion, she composed herself and gracefully stood up, walking towards the stage.
The spotlight and cameras followed her, and at that moment, all eyes were on her.
She ascended the stage, accepting the bronze-gilded trophy from the presenter. Then, facing the audience below, she began her acceptance speech.
The speech was drafted by Olivia, and she only needed to memorize it, a very official statement.
Thanking the director and all the crew for their hard work, acknowledging their collective effort, and so on.
Only the last sentence was Isabella’s own decision.
She said, “Lastly, I want to thank my family and my beloved, thank you for always standing behind me, giving me the strength to carry on. I love you all.”
Isabella’s mention of her “beloved” caused quite a stir in the audience. Who didn’t know that the man behind her was Andrew Turner?
It’s imaginable that tomorrow’s front pages of major newspapers will be flooded again. New Best Actress Isabella publicly declares love for wealthy businessman boyfriend at awards ceremony. What a sensational headline.
Olivia, sitting in the audience, couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on again.
On the evening of the awards ceremony, Isabella posted an new Ins, a picture of her Best Actress trophy, with the caption: “Growing with me.”
On the surface, it meant: The Oscar witnessed her journey of growth as an actress.
However, the person who has accompanied her all the way is Andrew Turner. He has been with her, guiding her from innocence to maturity, caring for her attentively, patiently waiting for her to grow.
And waiting is the most sincere confession.
That night, after Andrew finished reading this Ins, he smiled knowingly.
…
The day after the awards ceremony, Isabella received a call from David.
In the call, David’s tone was unusually gentle, and he even, for the first time, said a couple of encouraging words to her.
Clearly, Isabella being crowned Best Actress has given David a lot of face.
Moreover, Isabella deliberately mentioned her family in her acceptance speech.
In fact, the “family” and “beloved” she referred to were Asher and Andrew. David obviously misunderstood.
David kindly invited her home for a reunion dinner, and she responded perfunctorily, delaying until evening before driving back to the Harris family’s residence.
Usually, when she returned to the villa, she was greeted by Ava.
Today, however, there was a different face.
“Miss Isabella, you are back, please come in.” A woman bent down, respectfully offering a pair of pink women’s slippers to Isabella.
Isabella discreetly assessed her, appearing to be in her thirties, not particularly beautiful, but with some charm. She wore a somewhat worn-out apron that was too big for her, making her look very frail, as if she might be blown away by the wind.
But Isabella knew that this woman was definitely not as fragile as she appeared. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have pushed Ava aside and come to flatter her.
She just politely nodded to her and changed her shoes to enter the house.
In the living room, there were only Mrs. Ada and David; Charlotte and her daughters were not present.
“Isabella, welcome to home.” Mrs. Ada reached out to pull her to her side, then introduced, “You’ve all met her, right? Isabella, this is your cousin, who recently came over from my hometown.”
Isabella was momentarily stunned, looking at the unfamiliar woman in front of her with a puzzled expression. Cousin? Where did this distant cousin come from out of the blue?
Mrs. Ada then explained, “Elowen is the daughter of a distant cousin of mine. Life was tough back in our hometown, so I had her come over to take care of me. Her mother and I were very close before she passed away, so you younger ones shouldn’t treat her as a stranger.”
“Hello, cousin,” Isabella greeted politely.