Hearing the staff's words, for a moment Jean's mind went blank, 'Lilia… you are back?'
He immediately recovered from his shock and asked the staff, "Where?!"
"A-At the exit…" The staff member pointed towards the exit for the backstage area.
Jean immediately ran there. He could hear someone following behind him, but he didn't turn his head. His thoughts were only filled with his fiancée. He arrived at the exit and saw a woman surrounded by staff. The woman was being examined by a medic.
"Lilia!" Jean called out to her in a voice filled with relief.
The woman who had been missing for hours turned around and smiled warmly. Lilia looked very relaxed for someone who was just kidnapped, "Jean! Since when did you come here?"
"This afternoon. Are you alright?" Jean walked over to Lilia and studied her closely.
Lilia nodded, "My head feels a little heavy, but I'm fine."
"Lilia, how did you come back here?" Asked Harold, who had been following behind Jean.
The woman stared at Harold's swollen and bruised cheeks, "What happened to you?" Lilia asked worriedly.
Harold shook his head, "That is not important. Just answer my question."
Lilia frowned, but she replied, "I don't know how I got back. When I realized, I was already here."
One of the staff there also spoke, "We only know that a young man came to bring Miss Lilia. He asked us to call the medics to check on her, then he left before we could question him."
While they were talking, the medic finished examining Lilia, "Yep, you are fine. You can still appear tonight without problems."
Jean looked directly at Lilia, "You still want to go after all that?"
Lilia returned Jean's gaze fearlessly, "Yes, that's why I came here. I don't want to waste this great opportunity."
When she saw Jean unmoved, Lilia changed her tactics, "Jean, let me do this." She gently begged.
Jean sighed and ran his fingers through her hair. He couldn't refuse if Lilia begged like that.
"…Okay." He said, "I'll take care of this incident later."
Lilia grinned at that. She turned to Harold who was standing behind Jean, "Is there still enough time to get ready?"
"Of course!" Before Harold could continue his answer, there was a new voice from behind the man. Alex appeared and motioned for Lilia to follow him.
"Come on in and prepare yourself. We only have one hour before the show starts!" Alex said.
Lilia followed Alex into the dressing room while Harold and Jean went to watch from under the stage. The woman glanced at Alex who was walking in hasty steps. Today the man was wearing a formal pastel suit with a black bow tie. There was an inscription of 'Van' on the chest of his jacket.
"Mr. Alex, sorry for bothering you with this incident." Lilia apologized while walking, "Especially since you've chosen me as your opening model."
Alex waved his hand, "You can repay me by putting your best on the show, okay? Ah, this is our dressing room."
When she entered the room, Lilia was stunned. There were about 12 models being prepared by MUAs, and they all had European faces. Only Lilia had an Asian face over there.
The models stole a glance at Lilia through the reflection of the mirrors on their dressers. She was sure they were surprised to see her arriving so late, but still allowed to appear. Lilia realized that there was a model who looked pale when she saw her appear, but she didn't have time to think about it. Lilia sat in front of her dressing table and her MUA went to work at lightning speed.
Alex nodded in satisfaction when he saw that Lilia wasn't panicking with the little time left before the show started. He turned to his assistant, "Bring me the number one shirt."
The male assistant picked up a large box covered in blue wrapping paper. When the assistant put the box on the table, all the models leaned over to see the clothes that were going to open the show.
They all knew that the Van brand was currently one of the most popular brands in the world. That's why this brand had the honor to open Milan Fashion Week. As its models, they couldn't wait to see Alex's newest outfit.
Alex slowly pulled the straps off the box and opened it. The moment the box opened, there were breaths full of admiration from around the room.
Lilia herself couldn't hide her amazement. It was the perfect blend of traditional appeal and modern style. She couldn't wait to put on the clothes and walk the runway.
*****
Sharply at seven in the evening, Milan Fashion Week began.
Below the stage, people from different countries gathered and chatted with each other. Those who attend this fashion show were mostly celebrities from the world of fashion and entertainment. They were all looking forward to the Van brand clothing collection that had the potential to create new trends.
Both sides of the wide room were covered by giant bookshelves that store various types of books. Apart from that, famous paintings were also displayed on the walls. The decor of this room made the audience feel like they were in the 19th century.
Their conversation was interrupted when the lighting in the room dimmed. When the slow and melodious ancient music started playing, everyone's attention was drawn to the stage. A woman's figure appeared before the audience.
With her black hair, the woman looked as if she had melted into the darkness. Every step was in tune with the music being played. The woman stopped in the center of the T-shaped stage and stood still for 3 seconds.
Then the music turned into a more dynamic and lively one. Just as the woman placed her hands on her waist, the stage was flooded with light from the floodlights.
The dramatic effect of the change in atmosphere left the audience holding their breath and looking forward to what would happen. But when they saw the model's face clearly, most of them looked surprised.
This was the first time an Asian model appeared as the opening model on the first day of Milan Fashion Week!
Lilia stood on the stage confidently, unfazed by the audience's surprise. Her long hair was lifted and arranged in a traditional Japanese style. Her face looked as if she was without makeup, accentuating her natural beauty. Her clear eyes looked straight ahead without any sign of nervousness, as if this wasn't her first time standing on the international stage.
But everyone's attention was fixated on her clothes. Lilia was wearing a blue and black dress that swept the floor. The dress was a blend of kimono called furisode and modern European style. The clothes fit perfectly into Lilia's slender body, as if they were made especially for her.
Dozens of camera lights flickered non-stop, capturing Lilia's every move as she started walking on the stage. Her footsteps made the distinctive sound of the Japanese wooden shoes she was wearing. Even so, each step remained calm and full of certainty.
Alex watched the show from the screen in the dressing room. He rubbed his chin while smiling broadly. Lilia's appearance could only be described by one word—perfect!
Out of all the talented models chosen by Alex, only Lilia could exert the fascinating allure of this outfit to its full potential. It was not only because she had an Asian face, but also because she was able to make the audience unable to take their eyes off her.
He believed Lilia's popularity would skyrocket after tonight's show. The woman would be known as the newest face for the Van brand. Alex took out his phone and sent a message.
[Alex]: "Thank you for letting her appear! Your fiancée is more amazing than I imagined!"
Everyone watching the show on the internet was in an uproar.
Who was that model? Where did she come from? How did she become the opening model for Milan Fashion Week? Questions like that flooded social media timelines.
Only one thing was certain, the opening night of Milan Fashion Week was dominated by Lilia Pangestu!
Meanwhile, the woman who was causing all the excitement was walking to the end of the T-shaped stage. In the middle of her steps, she saw a tall man sitting in the front row. Lilia walked step by step until she finally arrived right in front of Jean. For an instant, Lilia's lips curved into a smile full of happiness.
In Jean's eyes, it was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.
Unfortunately, that private moment didn't last. Lilia turned around and started walking back to the backstage.
Even after Lilia's figure disappeared from the stage, the audience was still discussing the model excitedly. Fashion shows in Europe roughly had Asian models as opening models.
When Lilia was heading to the backstage, she came across the model who turned pale when she saw her. It was the model's turn to appear after Lilia. The model gave Lilia a vengeful look, even though she wasn't familiar with that model. However Lilia could guess the reason behind her gaze.
"Next time, you don't need to use dirty methods like that." Lilia said while stopping beside the woman.
Lilia's words made the model's steps pause for a moment.
"If you want to beat me, show your skills as an international level model." Lilia said coldly, "You embarrass me as a fellow model."
Lilia walked back on without looking back. However Lilia could hear the model's footsteps getting shaky, as if she had lost all confidence. Self-confidence was a model's main weapon. Without it, her performance would never have captured the hearts of the audience.
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