Rewind With A Superstar System

Chapter 221: Award Ceremony

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Love Lost by Mac Miller, The Temper Trap>

...

The morning sun had barely risen over the Toronto skyline when the internet exploded.

At exactly 8:00 AM, Sammy Howkins’ released a statement that instantly vaporized the ongoing Critics vs. Consumers debate.

[OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SAMMY HOWKINS]

[To my fans, the festival jury, and the cast of Perfect Ruins,

It is with regret and profound shame that I issue this statement today. Over the past few days, I became aware of an unethical campaign orchestrated by my co-star, Julian West, and my agent, Kelvin.

Together, we utilized undisclosed funds to financially incentivize several prominent film critics to publish defamatory reviews regarding the film Perfect Ruins.

I allowed my own insecurities regarding the award season to cloud my judgment, and I failed to stop this bribery when I had the chance. I take full accountability for my role in this deceitful plot.

As a result, I am officially withdrawing my name from all Toronto International Film Festival award categories, and I will be stepping away from the industry indefinitely to reflect on my actions. I offer my sincerest apologies to Von Varley, Chloe, and the entire production team of Perfect Ruins. You earned your success, and I am deeply sorry for trying to tear it down."

Within some hours, the statement had generated over a hundred thousand likes and retweets.

The backlash was instant. The publications that employed the corrupt critics immediately issued emergency statements. Pop Tea Daily announced that Derek Salmon had been fired on the spot, and other outlets quickly followed suit, completely retracting their negative reviews.

The name Sammy Howkins was dragged through the mud, but the internet reserved its most vicious venom for Julian West.

***

Inside his luxurious hotel penthouse, Julian was abruptly jolted awake by the incessant ringing of his phone.

He groaned, rubbing his eyes as he blindly reached out and swiped the screen to answer.

"Hello?"

"Pack your bags," a voice growled from the other end.

Julian froze. All the sleep vanished from his system in a second. It was his father, Rayan West. And his voice was colder and more terrifying than Julian had ever heard it.

"Dad? What are you talking about? It’s the morning of the award ceremony—"

"There is no ceremony for you, you absolute disgrace!" Rayan roared, the sheer volume making Julian pull the phone away from his ear.

"Have you seen the news?! Sammy Howkins just confessed to everything! He named you, Julian! He told the whole damn world that my son is a cheating, untalented fraud!"

Julian’s heart stopped and his blood ran ice-cold.

"No... no, that’s impossible," Julian stammered, his hands shaking so violently he almost dropped the phone. He quickly pulled the phone away and put it on speaker, opening his browser.

His face turned a sickly shade of white as Sammy’s official statement filled his screen. Sammy had actually done it. He had thrown him completely under the bus.

"Dad, listen to me! I can explain! Sammy is lying, it was his idea—"

"I don’t care whose idea it was!" Rayan snapped ruthlessly. "You got caught! And you dragged the West family name into a criminal bribery scandal. Do you know what this makes me look like?! It makes my entire empire look like a corrupt joke!"

"Please, Dad! I’ll fix this. Just let me talk to my PR team—"

"You don’t have a PR team anymore," Rayan cut him off. "I am pulling the entire marketing budget for Blood Money immediately. The theatrical release is canceled. I’m dumping it straight to a streaming service to cut my losses and distance my studio from your toxic face."

"You can’t do that!" Julian cried out, tears welling up in his eyes. "That movie is my entire career! You promised me—"

"Shut your rubbish hole!" Rayan interrupted him again. "I gave you a chance, and you failed me. Your bank accounts are frozen. The penthouse lease is terminated. You are officially cut off. Don’t ever call this number again."

The line went dead.

Julian sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the wall. The phone slipped from his trembling fingers and bounced onto the carpet.

He had nothing. No money, no movie, no awards, and no father. His life was a mess now.

***

(Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto - Evening)

The atmosphere outside the venue was electric. The red carpet was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with screaming fans, flashing cameras, and aggressive journalists desperate for a scoop on the biggest scandal of the decade.

Julian West never showed up. Sammy Howkins was nowhere to be seen either. No one even knew if he was still in Canada.

But when a specific black limousine pulled up to the curb, the crowd erupted into a deafening roar.

The door opened, and Von stepped out. He was dressed in a sharp, perfectly tailored midnight-blue tuxedo.

He looked completely unbothered, radiating an aura of effortless confidence. He turned and offered his hand, helping Chloe out of the car.

She looked stunning in a flowing sky blue gown, her bruised shoulder carefully hidden beneath a silk shawl.

As they walked down the red carpet together, the press lost their minds.

"Von! Von! Over here!"

"Chloe, how does it feel to have your movie vindicated?!"

"Von, did you know about the bribery before Sammy confessed?"

"Von! Chloe! Are the two of you dating?"

"Can you have another kiss for the cameras, pleasee!?"

Von didn’t stop to answer the chaotic questions. He just offered the cameras a smile, waved to the screaming fans who were chanting his name, and guided Chloe into the venue.

After entering, they went to find the chairs allocated to them and wait for the rest of the cast to arrive at the destination.

***

Soon enough, the massive hall was packed with the most powerful figures in Hollywood.

Everyone in the room knew exactly what had transpired that morning, and the energy heavily favored the underdogs.

After several minor awards were handed out, the lights dimmed, and the grand announcer stepped up to the podium to deliver the last minor award.

"And now, for one of our newest addition to this event," the announcer said, his voice echoing through the silent hall.

"The award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year."

The massive screen behind the podium flashed with the nominees. Julian West’s face briefly appeared for his role in Blood Money, prompting an awkward, heavy silence from the crowd.

Several other faces appeared on screen, but then Von’s face appeared on screen, showing the incredibly intense scene where Aiden snapped at Camila.

The crowd immediately broke into loud cheers.

"The festival jury has made their decision," the announcer said, opening the golden envelope. He smiled warmly.

"The Breakthrough Artist of the Year is... Von Varley, for Perfect Ruins!"

The entire venue erupted in applause and celebration. Von had completed the cross-over successfully and was now a recognize star in Hollywood!

Von stood up, buttoning his tuxedo jacket. He hugged everyone sitting on the same row as him before walking up the stairs.

The veteran announcer, a striking woman in her early thirties, beamed with a bright smile as she looked toward the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the man himself... Von Varley!"

Von smiled, adjusting his tuxedo jacket once more as he walked up the short flight of stairs to the stage. The applause followed him all the way to the podium.

He shook the announcer’s hand and graciously accepted the trophy, which was a beautifully crafted mini glass globe.

He stepped up to the microphone, looking out over the sea of A-listers and executives.

"Uh... It’s a really big honor for you guys to choose me for this award. It makes me glad to know that I and the entire crew of Perfect Ruins managed to bring it to life despite all the hurdles. This award is dedicated to them, for believing in me to play Aiden. Thank you!"

Von did a small bow after his short speech. The audience immediately went into a loud round of applause once again.

He offered one last wave before walking off the stage and returning to his seat next to Chloe.

Once the cheers settled down, the host stepped back up to the center podium, ready to continue the show.

"Now, moving on from the minor categories, the next one is the biggest one of the night," she announced, her voice filled with rising excitement.

"I’ll be inviting a very popular actor to the stage to present the award. We all know him as Superman... give it up for none other than Tom Matthews!"

The audience didn’t need to be told twice. Everyone joined their hands to welcome one of the most famous actors in the world.

Tom Matthews stepped up to the podium, wearing a sharp suit and a mildly embarrassed, teasing expression. He leaned into the microphone as the cheers continued to ring out.

"Enough with the clapping already," Matthews joked, rubbing the back of his neck. "I’m not used to it."

Everyone burst into genuine laughter, perfectly catching the self-deprecating reference. But Matthews was quick to get back to business. He looked down at the golden envelope resting on the podium before him and carefully slid it open.

He pulled out the card, a massive grin spreading across his face.

"Okay, ladies and gents," Matthews said, building the tension for just a second.

"The winner for the 2020 People’s Choice Awards is... Perfect Ruins!"