Wait, everyone calm down! No, I said don't come out there! Hey, hey! Look out, over there!"
The bodyguards were doing everything they could to hold back the growing crowd. They were no strangers to handling fans at events like this, but today was different. Of course, they knew why - and they had prepared themselves for it. The top star scheduled to arrive at any moment was the reason.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say his debut had shaken all of North America. Over the years, he had steadily built a massive fanbase, and in recent years, his acting skills had finally been recognized, launching him into a peak that could only be described as the height of his career.
There were people who would say - quite
seriously that they'd do anything just to
see him once in their lifetime. There had
even been an absurd incident where someone posted on social media about robbing a bank just to get his attention, turning into a moment of dark humor. So naturally, news of his attendance was more than enough to throw the entire area into chaos.
But no one expected it to be this bad.
The guards hired for the event were already hoarse from shouting, their voices breaking into raspy tones, some of them coughing from the strain. It was all for nothing, though at every opportunity, people kept pushing through the guards, trying to rush forward. They were overwhelmed trying to hold back the masses from the front while watching like hawks for the hyenas slipping through the cracks.
God, let this just be over soon.
That was the one thought echoing through every guard's mind. A few of the invited
guests were starting to arrive, but the most important one hadn't shown up yet. Honestly, it'd be better if he just came, got a few pictures taken, and disappeared inside. That might make things easier.
Beyond their desperate hopes, the crowd kept growing larger by the second.
"Two hours should be enough for the appearance."
Laura, his secretary, spoke calmly beside him.
"They requested that the watch be visible. Something subtle like brushing your hair back should be enough. It's a specially designed piece for Mr. Miller do you like It?"
Laura glanced sideways, trying to read his reaction. The man, who hadn't moved a muscle until then, finally lowered his gaze and stared at the jewel wrapped around his wrist.
The watch, themed after the desert night, featured the brand's signature fine craftsmanship along with an elegant design that drew the eye. At every hour, a
diamond rotated once around the face, its brilliance capturing attention. He opened his mouth slowly.
"Not bad."
That was all he said. Laura gave a strained smile and left it at that. He turned his gaze back out the window. Even though the heavy tint made it so that his own reflection showed more clearly than the view outside, he always stared out that way.
Well, watching his own face was probably more entertaining than watching the street.
Laura accepted that he was a narcissist -
and honestly, who could blame him? She'd worked as his secretary for years now, but even after all this time, there were moments when just seeing his face made her freeze like she'd been hit with a jolt of electricity. Unfortunately, that was only true before he showed his temper.
She was always grateful for how little he spoke sometimes not saying a single word all day. If it weren't for that, she would've quit long ago, unable to deal with his attitude.
Chase, leaning against the door with one hand propping up his chin, slowly closed his eyes. Thanks to that, Laura could take her time admiring the side of his face. A pale complexion that looked faintly tired, elegant bone structure casting clear shadows across his features.
She'd worked for other actors before him and had seen her fair share of celebrities, but never had she met anyone as beautiful as this man. His shirt was buttoned all the way to the top, neatly wrapping around his long, graceful neck, but despite his tidy appearance, there was something indecent about him.
His fingers rested lazily on his thigh, nails neatly trimmed, the shape matching the long, elegant digits perfectly. The first time she saw them, Laura had imagined those graceful fingers wrapping around her neck. Fortunately, that never came to pass.
There wasn't a single part of him that wasn't beautiful. Laura hesitated to use the word "beautiful" for a man, but no other word came close.
With a short sigh, he opened his eyes again, and just like that, Laura was yanked back into reality. The driver informed them. they were nearly at their destination.
Laura, and the security guard riding with them, both tensed immediately. Now came the real task protecting this man from the masses outside. One wrong move, and it could cost lives. But there was no avoiding it.
The car gradually slowed down. Suddenly, he spoke.
Laura didn't catch what he said. She figured it was just a mutter to himself and, as always, pretended not to hear. Chase didn't speak again.
The car came to a full stop. The crowd's screams outside were growing wild. Laura took a deep breath and waited for the door to open.
A guard exited first, quickly scanned the surroundings, then opened the door on Laura's side. She stepped out immediately and moved aside. Everyone already knew who was coming next.
Among the densely packed crowd, a scent
that had no business being there suddenly floated in sweet and unmistakable. At the same time, the screaming reached another level entirely.
"Chase...!"
The shout was so loud it felt like her eardrums might burst. And then, at last, he appeared.
In the blazing California sunlight, the man's golden hair shimmered dazzlingly. With his back straightened, his height neared six-foot-five, and the black tuxedo clung to his lean figure like a second skin.
He stepped onto the red carpet and gave a
brief look around. A fleeting expression of fatigue passed over his face, but without a word, he raised one hand. His long fingers tangled in his soft blond hair, and with the motion, the watch on his wrist was revealed. The sound of camera shutters exploded around him, chaotic and deafening as the crowd.
Chase took just five steps on the red carpet.
Then, one of the security guards, barely holding the crowd back, finally lost his footing. And just like that, the fragile line collapsed all at once