Rewind With A Superstar System

Chapter 212: Eavesdropping

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Mine by Bazzi>

...

To pull off his undercover mission, a simple hoodie and face mask wasn’t going to cut it for Von.

Not for a two-hour seated event in the most heavily visited venue in Toronto.

Earlier that afternoon, Von had secretly arranged for a professional makeup artist to visit his hotel room. It took over an hour, but the results were nothing short of cinematic.

When Von looked in the mirror, he couldn’t even recognize himself. The artist had applied a realistic, slightly unkempt fake beard and moustache to his jawline.

His normally styled hair was flattened and parted down the middle. He wore a pair of dark shades that completely hid his violet eyes, and he had swapped his usual clothes for a suit.

He looked exactly like a middle-aged critic. It was the perfect cover.

With his new disguise, Von walked straight through the front doors of the massive Roy Thomson Hall completely unnoticed.

The venue was absolutely breathtaking. It was the biggest and most prestigious theater being used for the festival, and it was filled to the brim.

Thousands of people were finding their seats. A-list celebrities, top-tier critics, and elite industry executives were all rubbing shoulders.

It was very clear how much expectation they had for Blood Money. The movie was the heavy favorite for the festival, and the crowd was buzzing with anticipation.

Using a fake name, Von had secured a ticket right in the middle section, sitting directly among the cluster of invited film critics.

He found his seat and made himself comfortable, leaning back in the plush chair.

The people around him were already deep in conversation. However, as Von listened closely, he realized that despite everyone being here for the highly anticipated Blood Money premiere, they weren’t talking about Rayan West or Sammy Howkins.

They were talking about him.

"The hype makes sense given the surprise of the red carpet reveal," a female critic sitting in the row ahead of him said to her colleague.

"But do you really think he’s going to actually pull it off? I mean, a pop star leading a heavy drama like Perfect Ruins? Is he going to embarrass himself on the big screen? I’m really curious. It would be an iconic moment if he actually succeeds."

"There’s no iconic moment happening here," a familiar, bitter voice replied from the seat directly beside Von.

Von turned his head slightly. He instantly recognized the man. It was Derek, the exact same journalist from Pop Tea Daily during the press conference a few days ago.

"There are thousands of musicians who have tried to cross over into acting and failed miserably," Derek scoffed while crossing his arms.

"And Von Varley won’t be an exception. He’s way too arrogant to actually take the craft seriously. He just wants the spotlight."

Von, who was sitting right next to the journalist gritted his teeth in anger.

Arrogant? Really? That was what they were calling him now? Despite all his efforts to remain respectful during the exhausting press interviews.

A guy like Derek was still determined to paint him as the villain just because he didn’t give him a viral soundbite.

Luckily for Von’s rising temper, he didn’t have to speak up to defend himself. There were a few sensible critics sitting around them.

"No, Derek," the female critic shot back. "You’re simply being bitter. You can’t judge his performance without actually watching the movie first. Just be patient until Saturday. As for me, I have a gut feeling he’ll actually do well."

"Me, too,"

"Me, three," someone else agreed. "I’m a huge fan of his music, and his music videos always have great cinematography. So I’m really interested in seeing how his acting translates."

Derek had an ugly scowl on his face seeing so many of his fellow critics turn on him and actively support Von.

"Enough, everyone," Derek muttered, waving his hand dismissively. "The premiere tonight is for Blood Money. We shouldn’t make this all about Von Varley. Let’s focus on the real actors."

With that, the group dropped the topic and resumed reviewing their notes.

Meanwhile, knowing it would still take a few more minutes before the lights dimmed and the trailers started playing, Von decided to get up and buy some popcorn from the concession stand in the lobby.

He slipped out of his row and walked out into the brightly lit hallway. The lines were relatively short now since most people were already seated. Von joined the back of a line, keeping his head down.

But as he stepped up, he heard two very familiar voices right in front of him.

It was Zack and Emily.

They were standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the counter. Von froze for a second, but then calmly stood behind them, watching them quietly.

He didn’t think they could possibly recognize him with the heavy makeover, the fake beard, and the dark shades, but it was still better to be safe than sorry. He kept his face turned slightly away.

From where he stood, he could easily overhear their conversation.

"Two large popcorns, please. And two sodas," Zack told the cashier.

Emily reached into her purse to pull out her wallet. "I can pay for mine, Zack."

"No, you don’t have to," Zack quickly stopped her, holding his hand up with a warm smile. "Put that away. I’ll pay for the two of us. It’s my treat."

"Oh... thanks, Zack. That’s so kind of you."

Emily said with a smile and Zack smiled back at her before proceeding to tap his card on the machine.

But from a few feet behind them, Von felt a sudden pang strike his heart.

’Zack... Emily? No, it can’t be... Zack wouldn’t do that.’

But then, his intrusive thoughts immediately began to wander.

What if they’ve liked each other all along? They spend so much time together working on my contracts and schedules. Maybe coming to see this movie tonight wasn’t just about scoping out the competition. What if this is just an excuse to go on a date?

The thoughts swirling inside Von’s head tried to overwhelm him. He actually felt a knot of jealousy form in his stomach.

He found it entirely ridiculous. For some reason, simply seeing Emily get along so well with Zack was making him feel hurt and left out.

’It’s my own fault,’ Von sighed inwardly, trying to force the jealousy down. ’There was never anything between me and Emily. She’s my agent. I’m just overreacting.’

Feeling like he was intruding on a private moment, Von decided he didn’t even want the popcorn anymore. He was about to turn around and quietly return to his seat when he suddenly heard Emily’s voice.

"I really wish Von was here," Emily said softly, looking down at her popcorn bucket. "He really wanted to see this movie."

Von instantly paused mid-step, his ears perking up at the mention of his name.