Straight to the point.
The moment Eddie opened his mouth, he dropped a bombshell, and the air froze briefly.
Anson looked up at Eddie and immediately realized that this was no joke.
But Anson didn't panic. Quite the opposite—he seemed remarkably relaxed. "Alright, what's wrong with the tuxedo?"
Eddie caught the teasing in Anson's tone and gave him a helpless look.
Anson's face lit up with interest. "If I'm not mistaken, the men are all supposed to wear tuxedos, right? So, someone broke the rules?"
Seeing that Anson was still in the mood for jokes, Eddie sighed. "Anson, you know this Cannes Film Festival is different."
Usually, when there's an issue with an outfit at an award show or a film festival—whether it's a wardrobe clash, a styling mistake, or something else—it's already a headache. Such problems can easily snowball into bigger ones if not handled carefully. It's far from just an outfit issue.
What's more, Eddie was fully aware of Edgar and Eve's plans and had been giving his all, using Anson as inspiration to create the latest season's designs.
More than anyone, Eddie wanted Anson to become a fashion icon. After all, Anson was the soul of Dior's menswear line.
In the future, whenever Anson appeared, people would think of Dior; whenever Anson stepped out, the spirit and image of Dior would come to mind. That, for a fashion designer, was the pinnacle of success—far more significant than any single design.
Eddie had been eagerly anticipating the moment Anson would walk the Cannes red carpet, dreaming of witnessing it firsthand.
Then, the unexpected happened.
Eddie was both frustrated and angry. Ever since he heard the news that morning, he'd been restless, like a cat on a hot tin roof.
And Anson?
Anson noticed Eddie's anxiety, raised his hands in surrender, and stopped joking. "Alright, what's the problem?"
Eddie took a deep breath and revealed the answer directly. "Monica Bellucci. She's also going to wear a moon-white evening gown to the opening ceremony."
Anson blinked. "Also Dior?"
Eddie paused, then nodded heavily. "That's the issue. It's also Dior."
Anson's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Oh, I didn't expect that. Should I feel honored to be outfit twins with Monica Bellucci?"
Eddie froze for a second as Anson's words sank in, and then he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
But Eddie quickly got serious again. "Anson, this is a big problem."
It really was.
There were two key points here.
First, Monica Bellucci.
Every year, the Cannes Film Festival invites a host for the opening ceremony. This host doesn't actually run the event and isn't involved with the jury but serves more as the festival's ambassador, representing its image.
In 2001, it was Charlotte Rampling; in 2002, it was Virginie Ledoyen.
And this year, it was Monica Bellucci, a significant choice.
When Monica Bellucci steps onto the red carpet, she represents the festival itself. No one wants to steal her spotlight.
Second, the moon-white evening gown.
Many people mistakenly think moon-white is just white, but it's actually a pale blue—a shade that floats between white and blue, exuding an air of cool elegance with a distinct, understated flair.
On the red carpet, outfit clashes happen frequently. After all, classic colors remain timeless. Design, styling, and overall look often matter more than color. But a unique choice like moon-white is rare.
Eddie had selected moon-white from the start, aiming to stand out.
First, men rarely choose all-white suits because it's hard to pull off without looking like a sleazy middle-aged magician.
Second, men rarely go for light-colored suits as they can come off as frivolous and fail to stand out, often getting overshadowed by the women.
However, Eddie had taken a different approach, hoping Anson would make a bold statement.
Moon-white was a carefully chosen color, one that Eddie had painstakingly deliberated over, aiming to capture Anson's regal and aloof demeanor, showcasing the "other side" of a vampire—distinct from the dark allure typically associated with the genre.
And now?
It was a complete disaster.
This unexpected news had stunned Eddie, making him feel as if all his meticulous planning had been washed away.
Some onlookers might wonder—what's the big deal? Anson and Monica are two different people: one's a man, the other's a woman. One's in a suit, the other's in a gown. Even if the colors clash, it shouldn't matter, right?
But they're missing one key detail:
Anson's appearance at Cannes isn't just any appearance. Remember?
If Anson were merely attending a film premiere, it wouldn't be a big deal. But this time, Anson had an important role at the festival, making the color clash a much bigger issue.
Also!
Even if Anson didn't mind the clash, Monica certainly would.
As the opening ceremony's host, Monica would want to seize this opportunity to be the festival's undisputed center of attention.
Monica absolutely wouldn't want to share the media spotlight with anyone else, especially if that person happened to be more glamorous and eye-catching than her.
And so, things were serious.
Just as Eddie said, this problem was bigger than he'd imagined.
"Alright." Anson shrugged lightly. "I'll call Edgar and have him contact Monica's agent to see if there's any way to resolve this."
Eddie exhaled a long breath. "Anson, it's not that simple."
Anson smirked. "That's because you don't know how persuasive Edgar can be."
Eddie shook his head. "Cannes also wants you to cooperate with Monica."
He hesitated for a moment, his expression conflicted. "And so does Dior."
Despite the difficulty, Eddie finally got it out, closing his eyes in frustration.
"Monica just signed with Dior to represent their cosmetics line."
So that's why.
On one hand, Anson had ended his sponsorship deal with Dior at the end of last year.
On the other hand, Monica had just become a new partner for Dior—not in their fashion division, but still, she had chosen to wear Dior at Cannes. As an official festival sponsor, Dior welcomed the choice with open arms.
It was obvious whose side Dior would take.
This was what frustrated Eddie the most.
"Anson…"
"I told them how important you are to Dior's menswear."
"I also told them that since you're no longer their ambassador but are still choosing to wear Dior at Cannes, it's a better promotional strategy. It's not just you; it's crucial for Dior, too."
"But…"
Seeing Eddie's frustration, Anson actually looked calm and collected, even smiling. He gently finished Eddie's sentence for him.
"But I'm not their partner anymore. Besides, Dior has already squeezed out all the value they could from me. There's no reason for them to offend their current partner over me."
"Eddie, this is business, not art."