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Chapter 1645 – The World Spinning 

“Ahhhh! Ahhhhhh!” 

It was madness—pure, unfiltered chaos. The ground trembled, the skies quaked, and the entire world seemed swept into a golden storm. Blistering heatwaves twisted the air, turning reality into a shimmering mirage. 

Screams. Cheers. Shouts. Roars. 

Even tears—real, overflowing tears. 

And not just from one or two people. Quite clearly, the audience along the red carpet couldn’t believe what they were seeing—Anson, in the flesh. 

With just one appearance, the premiere of Princess Diaries 2 instantly transformed into an Anson fan convention. The entire mood, the entire vibe, changed in an instant. 

In fact, forget everyone else—even Anson himself was caught completely off guard. 

Looking left, then right, his eyes were full of confusion and disbelief, tinged with a trace of panic—until it melted into a soft, helpless smile. 

Absurd. Hilarious. 

Over the past year, Anson had been to countless events, big and small, and thought he’d seen it all. But what he witnessed now was beyond shocking. He couldn’t believe his eyes. It felt surreal. His first instinct was, “Should I just turn around and leave?” 

He had meant to arrive low-key—to quietly show his support for Princess Diaries 2. After all, tonight was supposed to be Anne and Gary’s moment. Not to mention Chris Pine. He never wanted to steal anyone’s thunder. 

But now, it was painfully clear that he’d completely misjudged the situation. 

Lately, he'd been buried in work and promotions, sealed in a vacuum of media interviews and industry events. Even when he occasionally saw headlines or caught bits of gossip, it all felt distant—never real. 

But now, as he stepped into the real world again, the explosive energy from the crowd stunned him into silence. 

He paused. 

His first instinct was to turn and walk away. He really, really didn’t want to overshadow the actual stars of the night. The wry smile on his lips revealed that inner conflict. 

But—there’s no turning back now. 

(Wait. Is that even the right phrase here?) 

In any case, the situation was what it was. Lesson learned. He’d just have to avoid this mistake next time. As for now—running away wouldn’t solve anything. It’d be better to face it head-on. 

Since he was already standing on the red carpet, he might as well make the most of it—amplify the spotlight and elevate the moment to a whole new level. 

And so— 

Anson adjusted his stance, remained in place, and straightened up. The smile faded slightly, replaced by a calm confidence. He looked up toward the cameras, eyes shining, embracing the dazzling lights without hesitation. 

Ahhhhhh! 

The cheers burst free, unchained and wild. The crowd ignited like a wildfire. Hollywood Boulevard turned into a river of molten lava, flowing all the way toward Sunset Boulevard. 

The screams rose higher and higher, eventually reaching an ear-splitting crescendo—until all that remained was a constant, buzzing roar that throbbed inside the eardrums. 

This was Hollywood Boulevard. This was the beating heart of Tinseltown, where the Kodak Theatre, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and El Capitan Theatre formed an iconic triangle. This place had hosted countless galas and celebrations, basking in the glow of fame and fortune. 

And yet, even for Hollywood—this was something else. 

The world had tilted off its axis—and it was all because of that man. 

It was impossible not to think of that Emmy Awards night three years ago. Back then, Anson was just a supporting actor—yet somehow, he had managed to steal the spotlight from everyone. 

Now, Anson carried his own gravitational pull. Wherever he went, the spotlight followed. Eyes, cameras, hearts—everything was drawn to him effortlessly. 

For a split second, the reporters had a strange thought: Wait, did Anson actually star in Princess Diaries 2? Or was this secretly a sequel called Prince Diaries instead? Did he and Anne switch roles?! 

Speculation bloomed like fireworks—wild, dazzling, and unstoppable. The buzz surrounding Princess Diaries 2 exploded, immediately hijacking the media’s attention. 

Suddenly, things had gotten very interesting. 

August was usually the final act of the summer box office—a period of exhaustion, where films fought like stray cats and dogs, with no clear winner in sight. Still, the summer season remained fiercely competitive, and no studio was willing to back down. 

This weekend, Disney’s Princess Diaries 2, 20th Century Fox’s Alien vs. Predator, and Warner Bros.’ Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie were all going head-to-head. A typical August weekend had suddenly become a crowded, no-holds-barred brawl. 

And none of the films had a decisive edge. Each had its own fanbase. The battle was a stalemate, with the audience holding their breath. 

But now? 

20th Century Fox & Warner Bros.: Damn it, Disney! That’s cheating! 

To be fair, Anson’s appearance was just a surprise guest spot—he didn’t actually star in the movie. It was no different than other premieres inviting A-listers to boost attention. It wouldn’t directly change the film’s box office standing. 

But in terms of publicity? 

Anson’s unexpected arrival gave Princess Diaries 2 an undeniable head start. 

Just look at the media on-site—faces lit up with excitement, unable to hide their glee. You could already predict the flood of headlines that would dominate the news cycle. The coming press storm was inevitable. 

At the very least, in terms of buzz, Princess Diaries 2 had already seized the upper hand. 

Credit where it’s due—Disney, that was a genius move! 

Whispers started to spread. Curious eyes swept toward the entrance of the El Capitan Theatre, trying to see more. 

And then— 

The expressions of the cast and crew of Princess Diaries 2 were no less stunned than the press or the audience. One by one, they craned their necks like curious onlookers, eyes wide with disbelief. 

Shock. Confusion. Excitement. Frenzy. Panic. 

Every emotion collided and danced across their faces. Amid the deafening noise, one could almost hear their hearts pounding, nearly bursting from their chests. 

Wait a second—did even the cast not know about this? 

All eyes slowly turned toward Anne. 

She’s… the one most familiar with Anson here, right? 

And yet, even Anne stood frozen in shock, her mind a mess of buzzing thoughts. 

Anson? 

That was definitely Anson—his figure, his smile, his gaze. It was undeniably him. But somehow, he looked like Apollo, bathed in sunlight, radiating a brilliance that made him hard to even look at directly. 

Lately, Anson had been working nonstop, barely sleeping, barely breathing. Anne understood. She’d been through the same grind before. That’s why she kept her distance—quietly cheering him on from the sidelines. 

Just two days ago, Anson had texted her, saying he couldn’t attend the premiere due to scheduling conflicts. 

She was a little disappointed—just a tiny bit. But the feeling passed quickly. She knew this was for the best. 

With his hectic promo schedule, and their shared desire to avoid media speculation, not attending the premiere had actually seemed like the right call. 

It was the smart decision. 

And now? 

Chapter 1646: The Only Focus 

This was a good thing. 

They all understood how aggressive and invasive the glitzy world of fame could be. Just look at Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s relationship—anything exposed under the media spotlight quickly spiraled into chaos, losing its purity in the process. 

And right now, it was only dating. 

Dating and being in a relationship—liking someone and loving them—are two different things. Everything was still in its early stages. If there was any hope for things to develop naturally in the future, then the key was keeping the media at bay. Otherwise, that fragile beauty would be torn to pieces by gossip and tabloids. 

Keep it private. Keep it intimate. Keep it low-key. 

That’s the right way to start a relationship—at least, in Hollywood. 

But today? 

Anne's mind was overwhelmed with question marks, her heart pounding so wildly it felt like it might burst out of her chest. Her ears were ringing, and for a moment, she couldn’t tell whether it was the noise around her or just her own heartbeat. The pressure in her head left her throat dry. 

She couldn't hold it in—lifting her skirt, Anne bolted. 

Chris Pine: ??? “Anne!” 

And it wasn’t just Chris Pine—every other cast member surged forward, following after her, crowding around the entrance of the El Capitan Theatre like any other audience member. Eyes wide in shock and excitement, they stared at Anne’s retreating figure, their hearts chasing after her like moths to a flame. 

Thud, thud, thud-thud-thud. 

There was nothing princess-like about Anne in that moment. She hiked up her skirt and ran at full speed, her white lace gown sweeping across the red carpet like ripples across a pond. 

The crowd’s eyes slowly turned in unison. Cheers and shouts faded into stunned silence as their hearts leapt out of their chests. Their bodies leaned forward, unable to control themselves, their souls charging ahead, chasing after the flying hem of her dress. 

In that surreal blur, it felt like they were witnessing a princess racing into the arms of her prince—a fairytale moment come to life. 

A gust of wind whooshed past. 

Anne managed to hold onto the last thread of rationality and skidded to a stop in front of Anson, breathless, chest heaving, her eyes shining with urgency and longing. She didn’t notice the screaming crowd or flashing cameras—her whole world locked onto those blue eyes in front of her. 

“What are you doing here?!” 

The words flew out like an accusation. 

There was a hint of joy and sweetness buried in her tone—subtle enough that even she didn’t realize it. A mix of embarrassment and surprise poured out in a rush, like a girl caught red-handed in her first crush, trying to hide her feelings but doing a terrible job of it. 

Anson blinked, then smiled softly when he saw the chaos and conflict in Anne’s eyes. He pointed to the black car still parked behind him. 

“Just got back from tour. I hope I’m not late?” 

One second. Two seconds— 

The entire crowd erupted into laughter. 

In The Princess Diaries 2, the official narrative had been that Michael left to go on tour with his band, and his budding romance with Mia never had a chance to bloom. That’s how the sequel’s story began. 

This was already hinted at in the first trailer. 

Clearly, Garry Marshall and Disney didn’t want to mislead fans. News about Anson not returning for the sequel had been widespread, and the announcement of a new male lead stirred plenty of discussion. They didn’t want fans to come in expecting something else and leave feeling duped. 

As for the misleading marketing tricks that followed the explosion of Spider-Man 2? 

Different times, different strategies. That was just a PR stunt to stir up buzz. Garry and Anne had stuck to the official story in interviews, repeating over and over that Anson wasn’t in the sequel. 

But no one expected Anson to actually show up at the premiere—meaning Disney’s stunt couldn’t exactly be called “misleading.” 

And now— 

Anson was still Anson. 

With just one line, he seamlessly bridged fiction and reality. Right there on the red carpet, in front of the El Capitan Theatre, under the spotlight and the stares of thousands, he broke the fourth wall and stepped directly into the world of Mia and Michael, merging movie and reality with stunning perfection. 

Anson’s surprise appearance, Anne’s emotional reaction—suddenly, it all made sense. 

Even better, it gave the premiere a one-of-a-kind moment. After today, people wouldn’t just remember the masquerade ball—they’d remember this. 

Up on the second floor, even Bob was stunned. All the rumors in the world couldn’t compare to seeing it with his own eyes— 

Wait, you can do that?! 

Ha! Hahaha! 

Laughter exploded across the venue, mixing with cheers and whistles. The premiere wasn’t just about screams now—it had morphed into something more magical. 

Including Anne. 

She blinked in surprise, a beat behind the rest, but the smile that spread across her lips was completely unstoppable—bit by bit, it bloomed fully. 

Happiness. Sweetness. 

A bright, intense feeling swelled in her chest, pushing out all the nerves, fear, and surprise—leaving behind nothing but the simplest, purest kind of joy. 

So it could be this simple, after all. 

Anne cleared her throat lightly and clenched her fists behind her back: Okay, mouth, stop smiling or I’m gonna blow my cover. 

But her eyes stayed locked on Anson, completely still, all the noise around her fading away. 

And then she saw the smile in his eyes. He gave her a small look, pulled back his lips just slightly, then bent down into a courtly bow—offering his hand in an elegant, formal gesture. 

Anne froze—wait, this was… 

In The Princess Diaries, Michael had fought through everything to show up at the ball, where he crossed the room to ask Mia for the first dance. Back then, Michael didn’t know the proper etiquette, so Mia gave a small curtsy to show him the way. 

Now, the roles were reversed. 

Everything felt so familiar—almost identical—only flipped. 

Anne suddenly understood. It was ridiculous, hilarious, and a little shy, but the smile breaking across her face betrayed how she really felt. 

She pursed her lips, trying to stay composed, then lifted her skirt slightly and returned the bow with the royal grace she’d learned from the film. 

So absurd—using movie lessons in real life? Was this a movie now or real life? 

If Anne was this confused, imagine how the audience felt. 

Everyone lining the red carpet were diehard Princess Diaries fans—most of them had watched the film more than once. They immediately recognized the reference, and one by one, they got swept away in the pink cloud of romance, clasping their hands together and letting out soft gasps. 

“Ohh…” 

Behind them, Chris Pine gave a wry smile. 

This battle hadn’t even started yet—so why did he already feel like he’d lost? 

Chapter 1647: Like a Dream 

The noise surged all around. It was loud, overwhelming, and dizzying. 

At the entrance of the El Capitan Theatre, the premiere of The Princess Diaries 2 had reached its true climax—the perfect reunion of the original cast on the red carpet. 

But Anne couldn’t care less about any of it. Her focus, her thoughts, her heart—everything—was consumed by the man standing in front of her. 

“...Do you still remember the steps?” 

That deep, familiar voice whispered in her ear. Anne’s cheeks flushed slightly as she realized she’d zoned out. She lowered her eyes for a second, took a breath to collect herself, then looked back into those striking blue eyes. Lifting her chin and rising on her toes, she placed her hands into his large, warm palms. 

“Of course I do,” she said. 

Then she paused and added with a playful smirk, “Shouldn’t I be asking you that instead? Don’t tell me you forgot—I’ve been learning more royal etiquette and even attended an official ballroom event.” 

That was a line straight out of The Princess Diaries 2—clearly, Anne was teasing Anson for missing the sequel's filming. 

Anson played along perfectly, putting on a dramatically wounded expression. “So... are you trying to make me jealous? Because you danced with Chris Pine?” 

Under the intensity of Anson’s gaze, Anne’s heart pounded wildly, like it was about to burst from her chest. Her face was burning, but surrounded by cameras and fans, she had no idea how to respond. She just took a deep breath and blurted out, “It’s not my fault.” 

Honestly, she had no idea what she was saying. 

The next second, Anne felt Anson move closer. His shadow fell over her, enveloping her completely. Before she could even figure out what he was doing, she felt warm breath against her ear. The heat shot straight to her face, turning her ears bright red. 

“Congratulations. You did it.” 

Anne froze. Her ears rang as if a wave had crashed inside her. Her thoughts spiraled out of control as she was swept up in Anson’s waltz steps, the world around her spinning like a carousel. 

He—he actually whispered something like that right here, in front of everyone?! But no one else heard. It was their secret. 

This bold, secret-sharing moment was thrilling, electric, and just a little insane. Anne’s heart raced more wildly than it ever had before, pounding in her chest as if to keep up with the spinning of the entire planet. 

The crowd was stunned, swept up by the magic of the moment. People couldn’t help but follow the rhythm of Anne and Anson’s dance, their hearts spinning like laundry in a dryer. 

Part curiosity about their secret, part awe at their unspoken connection, everyone felt it. The sweetness between them was pure and effortless—like a sixteen-year-old boy riding his bike with the wind in his face, his white shirt billowing behind him in the golden sunlight. 

There was no music, no orchestra. Just the two of them, dancing awkwardly in total silence. It should’ve looked silly. 

But it didn’t. 

Her dress fluttered, his jacket swayed, and as they spun in slow, dreamy circles, the world blurred. Gold and red lights twisted together into a breathtaking whirl. Before anyone could process what was happening, they were completely enchanted. 

Slowly, gently—they drifted down. 

A little dizzy. A little breathless. The feeling of being just on the edge of losing control made every heartbeat louder, clearer, like a drum in her ears. 

And in that glittering sunlight, Anne’s heart soared. 

So this... this was happiness. 

Eventually, spinning in time with the waltz, Anson and Anne reached the center of the red carpet. There, they stopped. Anson held Anne’s right hand and bowed with her for their curtain call: 

Left. Right. Forward. Back. 

And with that, the fairytale came to a close. 

The magic faded. The spell was lifted. Their hearts, floating in the air, finally returned to earth—and the crowd exploded. 

👏👏👏 

Applause swept through the crowd like a tidal wave, growing louder and louder until it became a thunderstorm of cheers. 

👏👏👏! 👏👏👏! 

One by one, the crowd lost themselves in the moment, shouting, cheering, screaming their lungs out. The whole world felt like it was boiling over. 

The heatwave rippled outward from the El Capitan Theatre like a stone dropped in a lake. 

At the center of it all stood Bob, watching from above. He had witnessed the entire thing—and even he couldn’t help but feel captivated. 

Some people are simply made for the spotlight. They don’t have to speak, don’t have to move. Just by being there, the light finds them. 

And right now, not just one, but two of those people stood before him. 

Even in a sea of people, shoulder to shoulder, packed wall to wall, the two figures on the red carpet stood out like a lighthouse in a storm. 

They looked calm, at ease, strolling through the chaos as if they belonged there. That kind of presence—natural, unforced—was impossible to ignore. 

Even after they finished their bow, the crowd didn’t stop clapping. The cheers only grew louder. From the crowd, voices began to rise— 

“Encore!” 

Encore? 

Had the El Capitan Theatre just turned into a Broadway stage? The fans refused to let the night end, begging for more like it was the finale of a musical. 

Again and again, they shouted: 

“Encore!” 

“Encore!” 

The chant made Anson and Anne glance at each other. Anne was instantly reminded of their little whispered secret—and her heart just exploded. Her smile bloomed wide and bright, completely unstoppable. 

At that moment, the red carpet host, who had been waiting patiently nearby, finally made his entrance. 

He could’ve waited a bit longer—after all, Anne and Anson were supposed to head to the photo area next, where the cameras could get their perfect shots. 

But this moment? It was too good to pass up. The energy was off the charts. He knew it. 

“Welcome, welcome!” 

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve waited and waited, and now—finally—we have a surprise guest tonight! Let’s give a huge round of applause for...” 

A dramatic pause. 

“Anson—AHHHH!!” 

The crowd erupted, the cheers thundering louder than ever, soaring into the sky like fireworks. 

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. 

It wasn’t just the El Capitan Theatre shaking—across the street, even the legendary TCL Chinese Theatre seemed to tremble slightly. The place that had owned the summer box office now looked a little lonely by comparison. Tonight, all of L.A. could feel the ground quake from the sheer energy. 

Anson looked at the host in disbelief. “Sorry—what is this, an award show? Did I walk into the wrong event? My bad. I should’ve checked the address first.” 

A quick joke, poking fun at the host's over-the-top introduction—like he was emceeing the Grammys, not a movie premiere. 

HA! 

Laughter rang out. The whole place buzzed with excitement. 

(End of Chapter)