"Click!" (xN)
Halsey had just stepped out of the car and was greeted by the 'baptism' of various camera flashes.
Despite the one-meter isolation barrier and the security hired by the organizers, a large number of reporters were still crowding toward the red carpet.
Especially after learning that it was William's motorcade arriving, the pressure became even more intense.
This was the owner of Umbrella, after all; getting even a few decent photos meant a bonus from their newspaper.
However.
When the reporters saw an unknown woman get out of the car, they were stunned.
Especially since she was wearing a man's trench coat.
And she was exceptionally beautiful.
This...
This wasn't just 'decent' material!
This was a huge scoop!
Focus, aim, press the shutter, and snap photos frantically.
.
Halsey had never seen this kind of scene before. She tried her best to maintain a cold and aloof expression, waiting for William to get out of the car and take her into the cinema.
But the on-site reporters who could interview other stars on the red carpet were not to be underestimated in terms of their'sense of smell'.
They immediately noticed Halsey's presence, left the bewildered stars behind, and began to gather around her to ask questions.
"Miss, are you Mr. Russell's new lover?"
"Miss! What is your opinion on Megan Fox?"
"I heard that Umbrella Film is going all out to promote a newcomer. Is it you, Miss?"
.
"Uh... no... not... at all."
Halsey looked at the reporters holding microphones in front of her, as well as the cameramen following them, and her mind went blank.
"Everyone, let me speak for her."
Finally.
William arrived just in time to rescue Halsey, and very naturally wrapped his arm around her shoulder, smiling at the reporters:
"She is... my girlfriend, and she will not be participating in any film shoots."
"Huh?" Halsey was a little bewildered.
When did she become his girlfriend?
Wait a minute...
What about the confession?
Was he just going to gloss over it like that?
Halsey went into a brief state of 'offline'.
The reporters, however, had green lights in their eyes, wishing they could extract every secret.
"Mr. Russell, what about Miss Fox then?"
"Mr. Russell!"
However, William couldn't be bothered to waste so many words on the reporters. While holding the dazed Halsey and walking toward the cinema, he fobbed them off:
"Megan is just an employee of my company. I have only ever had one girlfriend, and also..."
(He looked up at the promotional poster hanging on the wall to the right)
"This is the premiere of starship troopers 2, everyone should focus more on the film. My private life is nothing worth paying attention to."
"Besides, all screenings at the Empire Theater tonight have been bought out by Umbrella Film. Friends, feel free to watch starship troopers 2 a few more times."
Speaking of which.
The Alphas following behind William split into two teams. One team blocked the chattering gossip reporters, while the other team, led by Hank, protected William and Halsey as they entered the cinema.
— — — — — — —
...
Inside the cinema;
Once they entered the main lobby of the cinema, the noisy clamor from the outside was temporarily cut off.
Apart from the staff providing service at the front desk or the cleaners responsible for sweeping the floor, there were only the audience members entering the screening hall.
At this moment, Halsey had recovered from the shock.
She somewhat unhappily used the heel of her high heels to lightly step on the toe of William's leather shoe, and with her arms crossed over her chest, she complained:
"Hey, there wasn't even a confession, so how did I become the girlfriend of a black-hearted boss like you?"
Seeing Halsey's expression, William instantly associated it with a cat.
Taking her out for a stroll, she was so scared by the reporters that she couldn't speak, but in private, she acted as if she was the most important person in the world.
Isn't this just a cat?
"Hmph."
Immediately, he curled his lips into a mischievous smile, reached out, and firmly wrapped his arm around her slender waist, quickly shortening the distance between them.
Seeing this.
The Alphas consciously formed a circle, facing outward, creating a unique private space for the boss and the Dr.
!
Before Halsey could react, William had already lowered his head and touched his lips to hers.
"Mmph! Mmph... Mmph~"
After a long while.
"Hah... hah..."
Halsey no longer had that 'arrogant' attitude from before. Instead, she buried her head in William's chest, panting and not daring to look up.
William looked down, admiring the beauty who had been'subdued'.
After a pause, he smiled and said:
"The reporters outside will spread the news that I have a girlfriend to the whole world overnight. Doesn't this... count as a confession?"
Halsey just nodded slightly without saying anything, but the hands gripping William's back pinched him hard.
It seemed to be saying that she reluctantly accepted the confession.
"Heh."
Feeling her playfulness, William shook his head and smiled helplessly.
Then, he looked through the gaps between the Alphas toward the screening hall, and gently patted Halsey's back.
He reminded her: "Let's go in first. It wouldn't be good to delay the premiere."
Halsey reluctantly pulled away from William, looked up, and whispered:
"Oh, I know."
William just smiled faintly at Halsey, then took her small hand, walked inside, and said calmly to the Alphas:
"Let's go, guys."
"Yes, boss."
— — — — — — —
...
Today is December 26, 2007, which is also the premiere day of starship troopers 2.
The two leads and James Cameron were in charge of promotions in San Francisco on the U.S. West Coast.
William, on the other hand, had come to New York, which is on the East Coast like Hafa City.
Iron Man, released a month ago, was a huge success in terms of both box office and reputation, kicking off the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
So, besides confirming his relationship with Halsey, he also needed to come here to support Umbrella Film and take the opportunity to promote it.
Even if the economies of the United States and other Western countries were sluggish, there was still huge consumption power.
After all, a starving camel is bigger than a horse.
.
William, Halsey, and the others arrived at the second-floor private box with the best view to enjoy this cross-century masterpiece together with the audience from all walks of life.
The lights went out.
The screen lit up.
The opening started with a black screen and the monologue of the protagonist, Johnny Rico:
"Peace? Talk peace with the Bugs? Ridiculous. Buenos Aires, my hometown, was burned down by those bugs. They took my parents, my comrades, my... lover. War is our only option."
As the voice faded, the screen gradually brightened.
Human Soldiers wearing green power armor shuttled through the ruins of the city, engaging in fierce battles with the mountain-like swarms of enemies.
Explosions.
Dazzling snakes of fire spewing from guns.
The fusion of realistic props and top-notch CGI technology gave the audience an immersive feeling.
As expected of James Cameron, his control over large-scale war scenes was simply handy and highly enjoyable.
However...
[Host. This system has detected the appearance of Elizabeth · Greene from Prototype. Please be careful, Host.]
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