WebNovels

Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Attending with a Companion

December 9th, Wednesday, it was a fine day with not a cloud in the sky. Hugo had gotten up early. Yesterday, he had suffered from insomnia and did not fall asleep until after three in the morning, but by eight o'clock he was already awake again. His inner nervousness was obvious. Although he had already experienced the premiere of Scent of a Woman, today's premiere of A Few Good Men still did not allow him to relax. Not only because this film was about to be released widely in nineteen hundred theaters, but also because this was yet another brand-new work about to face the test of the audience.

Every time a new work was released, Hugo would likely experience such a process. Perhaps with accumulated experience it might ease somewhat, but nervousness would always remain. It was an expression of respect for the work itself—hoping for positive recognition from the audience and critics alike—something that would never disappear. Perhaps one day Hugo might be able to act entirely according to his own will, shooting a film without the least concern about whether anyone appreciated it. Then he would no longer be nervous. But Hugo did not know when that day might come, or even if it would ever come.

After washing up and preparing breakfast, Charlize and Alex gradually woke up. Seeing Hugo already busy early in the morning, the two of them exchanged looks. They could immediately see his nervousness, but they had no good way to resolve it, since they were not much better themselves.

Charlize looked at the somewhat absent-minded Hugo, took a bite of her cornflakes, thought for a moment, and then said, "You still have to go meet your female companion today, are you ready for that?"

"Oh, right, the companion!" Hugo suddenly realized. Today he would not be walking the premiere's red carpet alone—Uma would be accompanying him in front of the media. Remembering this lightened him considerably; going together with someone was far more reassuring than walking alone.

But immediately, Hugo thought of the fact that he would have to pick up his companion, and then the two of them would proceed together to the Chinese Theater. This complicated the premiere procedure again, causing Hugo's brows to furrow as he hesitated, "Should I give Uma a call?"

Seeing Hugo's troubled expression, Charlize was both absentminded and amused. When she noticed Hugo's gaze falling on her, she calmly lowered her eyes, looking at the cornflakes in her bowl, idly stirring them with her right hand, but spoke steadily, "Did you two agree on the time and place to meet? Oh no—you should give her a call to confirm again. You know, girls always take more time than usual when facing such important occasions, who can guarantee that no accident might happen?"

Charlize finally organized her scattered thoughts into a clear suggestion, and then raised her eyes toward Hugo. His amber eyes were so pure and clear that her messy thoughts calmed a little. "Yes, you should give her a call." Uma was Hugo's companion for the A Few Good Men premiere, so all of this was naturally taken for granted—Charlize told herself silently.

Hugo nodded, stood up directly, and said, "I'll go call her." But after just two steps, he turned back, placed his bowl of cornflakes and spoon back on the table, and then again walked toward the phone. This absentminded gesture made both Charlize and Alex laugh.

Watching Hugo go to make the call, Alex looked at Charlize and casually asked, "Why didn't Hugo invite you to the premiere?"

Charlize froze for a moment, then smiled, "Because we're friends, not dating. I don't want reporters to misunderstand."

"Why can't friends attend a premiere together?" Alex said carelessly. "But Uma is good too. You can tell things are going well between her and Hugo for now." Thinking of Hugo and Uma's interactions, Alex smiled to himself and said, "After they appear together at this premiere, the media will definitely get lively. Whatever the film's outcome, at least the spotlight has already been created."

Charlize withdrew her gaze from Hugo, poured some milk over her cornflakes, and felt her throat was dry and uncomfortable—she had to drink some water. "There are plenty of focal points about the movie, just depends which one the reporters will seize upon." Charlize's tone of watching for drama made Alex even more excited.

Outside of the film itself, A Few Good Men did indeed have many points of focus: Hugo and Demi's discord, Hugo's sparks with Jack—inevitably to be compared with his collaboration with Al, Tom Cruise losing out on the audition and now being collateral damage, Hugo and Kevin Bacon's reunion… There was no shortage of material for the media to exploit. It just depended on how Paramount Pictures intended to play it.

After lunch, Hugo finally made it to three o'clock in the afternoon, and together with Joseph, took the rented luxury car to Uma's front door. It was only three streets away from Hugo's house, the architectural style and surrounding environment much the same, also a gathering place for many chasing acting dreams—so it all felt rather familiar.

Hugo stood beside the black stretch Lincoln, waiting for Uma's arrival. Today, this Lincoln was not rented by Joseph, but provided by Paramount Pictures; otherwise, with Hugo's current finances, he could certainly not afford such a luxury car. Clearly, Paramount was sparing no effort in promoting A Few Good Men.

After waiting nearly twenty minutes, Hugo finally experienced firsthand a woman's ability to drag out time with makeup and dressing. Only then did Uma walk out of the building.

Today Uma had swept up her blonde hair into a simple, elegant bun, revealing her ears adorned with two sleek metal hoop earrings. To coordinate with Hugo's attire, she had chosen a clean-cut outfit: navy jeans with a white deep V-neck tank top underneath, and over it a bright blue open-collar casual suit jacket. On her right shoulder bloomed a giant organza petal, occupying the entire shoulder and stealing countless glances, yet still unable to conceal the faintly visible cleavage, dazzling under the brilliant afternoon sun.

Uma already possessed a unique and mysterious feminine quality, and when she paired it with this sharp pants outfit, the spirited and heroic charm made it impossible to look away. The understated yet undeniable curves of her figure, even hidden beneath the fabric, radiated a distinct allure of femininity.

Hugo could not help but sigh, stepping forward to give Uma a big hug, and even offered a simple cheek-to-cheek greeting. "You really look stunning today."

The smile that had always been on Uma's face blossomed further, while her eyes glimmered with a mischievous spark. "So does that mean I'm not beautiful normally?"

Hugo was instantly stumped, dazed for a moment. That blank expression made Uma laugh even more brightly. Hugo, helpless, could only explain, "You know I don't mean that."

"I don't know." Uma said triumphantly, leaving Hugo with nothing but a smile, not knowing what else to say. Seeing her prank succeed, Uma no longer pressed on. Instead, she looked Hugo up and down. "If you hadn't told me you weren't planning on wearing a suit, I never could have imagined your outfit today. But…" Uma paused, "I still have to say, you really look unbelievably handsome, almost enough to take my breath away."

Uma's compliment actually made Hugo a little embarrassed. In the end, he could only reply, "That really lets me breathe a sigh of relief."

When choosing his premiere outfit today, Hugo had hesitated for a long time. In the end, he went with Givenchy, but not a suit—instead, a more casual and laid-back ensemble.

A sky-blue casual crew-neck T-shirt, with its loose neckline and draping fabric exuding nonchalance; bluish-gray jeans paired with black blunt-tipped high-top leather shoes; and finally, a black woolen overcoat with asymmetrical buttons, knee-length. The coat's sharp epaulettes continued the style of naval uniforms, while the long coat was also a classic element of military attire. Yet paired with a T-shirt and jeans, it softened the military austerity, adding a touch of youthful aristocracy along with a lazy, carefree air.

Hugo had slicked back his short dark-golden hair neatly, fully revealing his striking brows and heroic features, polishing the casual style with a more formal touch. Finally, he chose a pair of bright red leather gloves, concentrating the highlight of the entire outfit.

It must be said, Hugo's attire was perfect on him. His tall figure and imposing aura blended with youthful vitality; amidst the handsomeness there was a touch of languid charm, and the red gloves were the finishing touch—enough to ignite everyone's gaze.

What Uma had said was the truth. She really did feel her breath tighten. Although she had always known Hugo's charm was formidable, today—compared with the premiere of Final Analysis—his carefully styled appearance, far from diminishing his presence with casual attire, instead made him all the more commanding: this was a man born to wear clothes, with a soul-stirring charisma that shook the heart.

"Please, get in." Hugo's voice interrupted Uma's reverie as he gallantly invited her into the car, his right hand shielding the top of the doorframe to protect her head from bumping.

Uma took a deep breath. She knew today was her chance—the moment she would stand beside Hugo under the gaze of all the media. Before getting in, she clenched her fist for encouragement, then turned to flash Hugo a radiant smile and stepped into the car.

Hugo followed and got in as well, closing the door behind him, then gave Joseph, seated opposite, a confirming smile. Joseph turned and tapped on the glass between the driver's seat and the back, and the car slowly started up, heading toward the venue of the premiere of A Few Good Men at the Chinese Theater.

....

Hi For access to additional chapters of

Director in Hollywood (40 chpaters)

Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)

Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)

Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(40 Chapters)

Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(40 Chapters)

The Great Ruler (30 Chapters)

Join pateron.com/Translaterappu

More Chapters