Hugo bowed and apologized. Joseph bowed and apologized too! This—this completely caught everyone off guard!
In an instant, the flashbulbs lit up in a continuous streak, their rapid pops making the sudden silence in the ballroom feel eerily tense. Faintly, someone exclaimed, "Fuck! Out of film!" Apparently, someone had been snapping photos too vigorously and had run out of film, followed by the sound of them frantically replacing it. Other than that, only the shutter clicks echoed through the hall.
Anthony was startled by this unexpected turn of events. He had anticipated all sorts of reactions from Hugo, but he never imagined this. Soon, he realized Hugo's strategy: he was deliberately taking responsibility, presenting himself in a contrite, penitent posture to win public forgiveness. But Anthony could not let that happen—he had to regain control. In desperation, his voice trembling, he stammered, "I… I really don't know what I did wrong. Don't hit me, please… don't hit me…"
Anthony tried to regain the spotlight by playing the victim, but unfortunately, in front of him stood Hugo, fully prepared and calm. This time, the ones in control were Hugo and Joseph.
Hugo straightened up and noticed Anthony had stepped back half a pace, as if frightened. But Hugo remained unmoved by Anthony's clumsy act. Once more, he bowed deeply. "I'm sorry. Truly, I am deeply sorry. I apologize for striking you last night. I had drunk too much, and that led to the situation getting out of hand, but that is no excuse. I am sincerely sorry." Hugo fully assumed Joseph's role, taking all responsibility upon himself.
Amid the scattered shutter clicks, Hugo's words rang out clearly. The reporters paused, watching the drama unfold on the stage. Hugo continued, "I should have come to the hospital to see you last night. I am only expressing my apology now, and I am truly sorry. I will take full responsibility for your medical expenses, emotional distress, and lost wages. Money cannot fully repair the harm I've caused, but I hope you can accept it."
Hugo's behavior was impeccable—sincere, respectful, and thorough. Whether or not he truly felt remorse was irrelevant; from the surface, his etiquette was flawless. After all, this was just a fight, not a life-or-death battle. The reporters noticed a critical detail in his words: the alcohol issue. Everything now had an explanation. By assuming all the fault himself, Hugo had defused the tension.
Anthony knew his remaining advantage was shrinking, but there was little he could do. He kept shouting "Don't hit me" to mask his panic. Frantically, he tried to devise a solution, and in desperation, he came up with a half-hearted ploy: "I know you're upset about allegations of diva behavior, but I was just confirming facts—I had no other intentions."
Anthony had thrown a second bomb. Originally, this was meant to be used tomorrow when the newspapers were published—first a fight, then rumors of diva-like conduct, and then, after a series of negative headlines, he could introduce his fabricated plagiarism allegations, which would seem plausible in the chain of events. Hugo would then be trapped in a scandal far worse than the Golden Raspberry fiasco from a year ago.
But now, Anthony had to reveal his plan prematurely, hoping to divert the media's attention back to Hugo and escape scrutiny. Unexpectedly, he noticed a trace of satisfaction in Hugo's eyes, plunging Anthony into confusion. He didn't understand what he had missed—why Hugo seemed completely unfazed and even appeared to anticipate his trap. The feeling was unbearable.
Indeed, Hugo and Joseph had been worried about how to bring up Anthony's malicious slander. If they had done so proactively, it would have looked like an obvious attempt to dodge responsibility—even though it was true, public opinion might condemn any action Hugo took. They had several strategies prepared, but now none were needed because Anthony had raised the topic himself. Even Joseph exhaled quietly in relief.
Facing Anthony's accusation, Hugo quickly hid his inner joy and turned to the thirty-plus reporters, wearing an expression of curiosity. "I'm curious why such things happened. Why, Anthony, do you repeatedly slander me? Perhaps we should lay everything out here, right in front of everyone."
Then Hugo turned to Anthony. "Yesterday, you said I had other ideas about the Golden Globe awards and accused me of diva behavior. I'm very curious—what actually happened? If you have any doubts, I can clarify everything right here, in front of all the reporters."
Anthony was furious. This was not the Hugo he knew. Though wearing his usual gentle, courteous smile, Hugo's words carried an undeniable weight, leaving Anthony off balance. This unexpected composure left him in a dilemma.
Anthony knew that if he stayed silent, Hugo would speak; but if he spoke, Hugo was prepared with a counterargument. Last night was over, and now Anthony had no choice but to respond, hoping to provoke Hugo further.
"I have reliable sources that say you were certain you would win Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes. When you found out the award went to someone else, you became very angry," Anthony said. He wanted to add embellishments to make his claim more credible, but his mind slowed under the pressure, and his words came out pale. Resigned, he tried to assert dominance through force of tone.
But Anthony forgot one thing. Until now, he had played the role of the weaker party. His earlier "don't hit me" persona had vanished. And he didn't notice the reporters' stunned expressions—they had all noticed the dramatic contrast. No one was blind.
Hugo didn't raise his voice or rush forward. Calmly and warmly, he explained, "I'm certain I never said any of that. I think Gene deserved the award; I greatly admire his performance. I'm curious—what are your sources? Can they come forward for verification? I am confident I never said those things."
Hugo's clear, principled explanation handed the ball back to Anthony. Anthony frowned, unable to respond coherently. He mumbled something like, "The source is confidential; I cannot reveal it," but he knew the reporters would investigate. His advantage was dwindling. Then, recalling another point, he asked confidently, "Then you dare say you weren't being a diva?"
This event had actually happened, so Anthony felt no fear. He straightened up and pressed aggressively, "After Christmas, you went to Chicago to record the Oprah Winfrey Show. You appeared at the corner of Evergreen Street, surrounded by a group of enthusiastic fans. But you scowled, ignoring all their requests. You didn't sign autographs, didn't take photos, didn't even greet them—you just turned and left. Did this happen or not?"
Hugo opened his mouth to respond, but Anthony, as if he had caught Hugo red-handed, continued loudly, interrupting him. "Did it happen or not? You ignored the fans' enthusiasm and tossed aside their heartfelt gestures as if they were worthless! Can you deny this?"
Hugo and Joseph exchanged helpless glances. When they had left Evergreen Street that day, Hugo had already mentioned this incident to Joseph, who had reassured him that it was okay. Now, of course, the rumor of diva behavior had spread!
"Yes, it happened," Hugo admitted calmly. Anthony immediately grew triumphant. "See? You've achieved a bit of success, and now you're acting like a diva! I tried to confirm this with you, but you attacked me—that's indisputable proof!" Anthony even showcased his bruises, trying to provoke Hugo.
But this time, Hugo did not fall for it. He calmly asked, "Are you going to give me a chance to explain?" That single question left Anthony speechless. Shutter clicks echoed as the reporters turned their attention back to Hugo.
"The truth is," Hugo began, "that evening I did go to Evergreen Street to have dinner…" He then briefly explained the situation to the reporters. As the old saying goes, a clear conscience fears no accusation. Hugo laid everything out; if anyone still claimed he had been acting like a diva, he could accept it, because he knew the truth in his heart.
"Out of concern for personal safety and to avoid potential chaos on the street, Joseph and I had no choice but to leave hurriedly. That's the whole story. I sincerely apologize to the fans whose wishes we couldn't fulfill, but I absolutely do not consider this behavior to be diva-like," Hugo stated firmly. Anthony was left dumbfounded.
The reason Anthony had provoked Hugo so effectively the night before was that he had refused to listen to Hugo's explanation, stubbornly pouring accusations onto him one after another, driving Hugo to anger. But now, with everything laid bare, Anthony could no longer ignore Hugo's explanation without appearing unreasonable, and the situation reversed dramatically.
Yet Hugo had no intention of letting Anthony off the hook. "If your doubts are now cleared, can you answer my question? Why did you refuse to listen to my explanation and continuously defame me? You spread false claims about my Golden Globe opinions and diva behavior, and you even tried to accuse me of plagiarism—that is absolutely intolerable! I demand that you apologize for your slander!"
....
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