Chapter 665 - 661: Perfect

The value of this jewelry collection was astronomical. No wonder there were four burly men in black suits and sunglasses standing guard outside Lily Sterling’s door.

It was the first time Lily Sterling had seen the jewelry set, and her eyes widened in awe. It was so beautiful, so magnificent. Each of the colorful gemstones was like a flawless work of art.

After Leila Smithson came back to her senses, she sized up Lily Sterling’s look once more.

The dress itself was already stunning. Jewelry was meant to be an accessory; it couldn’t be allowed to steal the show.

"The necklace in this set is too intricate and extravagant. It would draw all the attention away from the dress and Lily herself. We can’t use it."

"She’ll wear the earrings, but she can only choose one between the ring and the bracelet."

Leila Smithson picked up the ring and bracelet to compare them, ultimately choosing the ring.

"Come on, strike a pose for me," Leila Smithson instructed, taking a few steps back to look at Lily.

Lily immediately struck a few red carpet poses. She was undeniably beautiful. The dress and accessories complemented each other perfectly, and her hair and makeup provided excellent support for the overall look.

But Leila Smithson was a perfectionist. She stared at Lily’s look for a long time before finally spotting the problem.

The earrings instantly elevated the upper half of her look, which in turn made her overall silhouette seem top-heavy.

’As expected of high-end luxury jewelry. A single pair of earrings, and they were already this eye-catching.’

"Is there a problem?" Connie asked, unable to resist when she saw Leila Smithson fall silent.

Leila Smithson kept her eyes fixed on Lily, her mind racing. Then, her thoughts landed on the bracelet, and inspiration struck.

A smile touched her lips as she walked over and personally picked up the gemstone bracelet. To everyone’s astonishment, she knelt and fastened it around Lily Sterling’s ankle.

Lily’s perfectly proportioned, slender white legs, which were exposed by the dress, were instantly imbued with new vitality.

"Perfect!" Leila Smithson clapped. "Let’s head out!"

"Wait, wait! We still need to take the official photos!" the company photographer interjected, quickly raising a hand.

But seeing they were short on time, Lily Sterling suggested, "Then let’s just take them in the hallway!"

Once they were out of the room, Duane immediately stepped forward. "Please hand over the unused jewelry and the safe."

Connie personally handed the safe to Duane, but Leila Smithson turned to the men in suits. "Excuse me, handsome," she said. "Would you mind being our backdrop?"

Duane and the other men exchanged confused glances.

And so, the official photos for Lily’s awards ceremony look ended up featuring four imposing, suit-clad toughs in the background.

Lily lifted the hem of her gown and ran down the corridor. Every candid shot was dynamic and alluring, capturing a beauty that was almost otherworldly.

Downstairs, Lily Sterling was escorted to her car by a human wall of security guards. The goal was to keep her look under wraps until its official debut on the red carpet.

The cars were provided by the event organizers. All the artists attending the gala rode in the same model, so there was no hierarchy.

Only after getting into the car did Lily Sterling realize that the person sharing it with her was none other than Andrew Sutton.

"Oh?" Lily Sterling said, a look of pleasant surprise on her face. "Andrew, we’re in the same car?"

Andrew Sutton was instantly captivated by her look. It took him a moment to collect himself before he smiled. "Yeah. We were the on-screen couple in the show, so of course we’d arrive together."

He followed up with unreserved praise. "You look absolutely beautiful today. Is that one of Ms. Smithson’s designs?"

Lily Sterling smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

The two hadn’t seen each other in a while, but they had kept in touch via WhatsApp, so there was no awkwardness between them. For one, Andrew Sutton had moved on, and for another, Lily Sterling had matured considerably.

A convoy of four cars departed, heading for the red carpet.

By now, nearly every media outlet in Cathay had gathered outside The Hexagram Performing Arts Center. Hordes of fans had also arrived to cheer on their idols. Along the way, the streets were lined with fan banners. It was always the fans who had it toughest at these events, spending both their money and their energy.

That’s why Lily Sterling had informed Jared Keaton, the president of her official fan club, well in advance. She’d told him to let all the official fans know that no offline support activities were needed for this awards ceremony.

She didn’t want to cause such a drain on their resources. Besides, those things didn’t mean much to her.

’Winning an award tonight—that’s what’s most important and meaningful to me!’

On the red carpet, a host was enthusiastically introducing the guests. Just then, they were interviewing the veteran artist Jett Hughes—the same Mr. Hughes who had worked with Lily Sterling on *March Alley*, playing her father.

"Mr. Hughes, could you make a prediction for us? In your opinion, which actors do you think are guaranteed or most deserving of an award tonight?"

"Trying to put me on the spot again, are you?" Jett Hughes scoffed.

The host simply smiled. It was her job, after all, to liven up the red carpet and create some buzz, since topics from the awards gala always started trending in real time.

"You’re a highly respected senior in the industry, so your prediction is bound to be a professional one. Of course, the competition is fierce this year. Just feel free to make a prediction from your own perspective, even if—"

Before the host could finish, Jett Hughes raised a hand, signaling her to stop. He took the microphone and declared, "I predict Lily Sterling is guaranteed to win an award tonight."

"Oh?" The host’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t expected the normally tight-lipped Mr. Hughes to be so forthcoming. "Lily Sterling is nominated for two major awards tonight: Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Actress. Mr. Hughes, you’ve worked with her before, so it seems you think very highly of this new actress?"

Jett Hughes nodded, lavishing her with praise. "Lily is incredibly gifted. This is nowhere near her limit. She’s a young woman with a very bright future ahead of her."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Hughes. We’ll be eagerly awaiting tonight’s results to see if they match your prediction. Please proceed to your right, into the main venue."

In less than ten minutes, the trending topic "Jett Hughes Predicts Lily Sterling Win" had already shot to the top of the charts.

Fans from Lily Sterling’s official fan club may not have been organizing any offline support, but they were ready and waiting online. They immediately swarmed the topic, pushing it to the number one trending spot in under half an hour.

Watching on television, the Sterling family grew very excited hearing Mr. Hughes’s words. Earning a veteran’s approval was truly something to celebrate.

Soon, four cars pulled to a slow stop at the end of the red carpet. A staff member stepped forward and opened the door. Andrew Sutton quickly exited, circled around to the other side, and gallantly offered a hand to help Lily Sterling out.

The roar from the fans at the scene instantly reached a fever pitch, and the broadcast cameras descended into chaos.

"Yuna Sutton! Yuna Sutton!"

"Gideon Hale! Gideon Hale!"

"Andrew Sutton! Andrew Sutton!"

"Sophie Grant! Sophie Grant!"

"Lily Sterling! Lily Sterling!"

The competing fan groups unleashed a deafening barrage of cheers, each trying to out-scream the other. Even Lily had local fans in attendance, including some of her old high school classmates.

The host snapped to attention, raising her microphone. "And now, approaching us is the cast of *Heavenly Destiny as Phoenix*, the show with the highest ratings of 2025..."