From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Pizza, wait, why is there pizza?

Michael ultimately accepted the pizza. Opening the box, he saw that the pizza had no toppings, but was instead decorated with rainbow candies that spelled out: "Sorry."

Looking at the pizza in his hand, Michael couldn't help but be stunned.

Hiss!

The sound of gasps filled the darkened screening room, but no one dared to speak, instinctively covering their mouths to control themselves.

Gloria was the same.

She was conflicted.

On one hand, she hoped Michael could forgive Mia, and that the lovers would be together.

On the other hand, she felt that Michael shouldn't forgive Mia so easily. Just a pizza? Even if it had Michael's favorite rainbow candies, it was still too simple, not romantic at all.

So, what would Michael decide?

Anxiously and nervously, they waited for an answer, waiting for the story to unfold, their hearts rising high, almost blocking their throats.

Heavy rain, pouring down.

Meanwhile, Mia's Mustang stalled again, abandoning her on the street. It looked like she was going to miss the National Day banquet, and fate played a joke on her.

At the crucial moment, the Queen's chief steward, Joe, appeared, saving Mia once again.

Although Mia managed to get to the consulate, she didn't have time to change into an evening gown. She could only go on stage in sportswear, her wet hair like seaweed, looking like a drowned chicken.

The moment Mia saw the podium, she wanted to run away. The nightmarish memory of giving a speech in front of everyone surged up again.

However, this time she couldn't escape.

After taking a deep breath, Mia still went on stage.

The Genovian royal family had already received the news that Mia would refuse the title of princess, which meant that the Baron family, unrelated by blood to the royal family, would inherit the throne.

At this moment, the Baron looked at Mia taking the stage, raising his chin triumphantly and telling his Baroness, "You just wait to be crowned."

Standing in front of the podium, Mia, with her plain face, looked very nervous.

"Hi… um, uh, everyone."

"I'm Mia."

Her stuttering murmurs were barely audible. Mia was basically talking to herself, which made the media and guests in front very confused. No one responded, and the atmosphere gradually became awkward.

"Um… the rain has stopped."

Mia made a joke, announcing good news, but obviously, the joke was completely out of place, and the atmosphere became even more awkward. No one knew what was happening.

This made Mia a little frustrated, but at least, this time she didn't run away.

Mia took a deep breath, baring her teeth and making a face.

"I'm really not good at public speaking. Usually I get so nervous that I faint or run away, or even throw up…"

Oh.

The audience gasped, and all the guests stepped back, while all the media focused, waiting for a classic moment. The completely opposite reactions caused low laughter to ripple in front of the big screen, slightly easing the tense atmosphere.

Mia blinked frantically, waving her hands repeatedly, suddenly feeling a parched throat.

"But, uh, you really don't need to know that."

Mia tiptoed and landed again. Her wet leather shoes were like two small boats, filled with water. From the insoles to the socks, everything was soaked, but this actually helped Mia regain her composure.

Taking a deep breath, a smile crept onto the corner of her mouth.

"Now I'm not so scared anymore. My father helped me."

Helen stood in the crowd, full of confusion, not understanding what Mia meant.

Immediately afterwards, Mia gave the answer.

"Earlier tonight, I wanted to give up my throne, and my mother helped me, telling me it was okay and supporting me as always."

"But."

"After that, I wondered what it would feel like to give up the title of Princess of Genovia, would I feel relieved or sad? Then I realized how many times I foolishly used 'I' in one day?"

The smile, fully bloomed.

Pure and clear, bright and beautiful.

It was hard to imagine that Mia, with her bare face, was so beautiful and so moving. Even in such a mess, the bravery and faith shining in her eyes made her radiant.

"Actually, maybe everything I've done is just thinking about myself."

"That's really terrible."

"I mean, there are another seven billion people living on this planet…"

Crackling, faster and faster.

The Queen cleared her throat silently beside her, "Ahem."

"But what I thought was, if I could consider the other seven billion people, instead of myself, my life might be more meaningful."

"Look, if I am the Princess of Genovia, then my thoughts, the thoughts of people smarter than me, can be heard by more people."

Under the stage, Lily was in tears, because Mia finally understood her thoughts, and even more because Mia finally mustered the courage to face responsibility and pressure.

In front of the screen, Gloria's eyes shimmered with tears.

"Maybe those thoughts can be put into practice. So when I woke up this morning, I was still Mia Thermopolis, but now, I choose to forever be…"

Mia looked at the Queen, whose eyes were also shining with excitement.

"…Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Princess of Genovia."

The audience burst into thunderous applause.

Not only in the movie, but also in the screening room, there was a sea of tears and surging hearts. A kind of excitement and happiness that was difficult to accurately describe in words swelled in their chests, like cotton candy, filling them in an instant.

Next, was the coronation ceremony—

The moment that millions of girls dreamed of.

The ball, began.

The Queen led Mia, who had finished dressing up, onto the stage. The entire screening room held its breath. Mia in her full attire was breathtakingly beautiful.

A pearl-white strapless, off-the-shoulder chiffon dress, with golden snowflake patterns blooming all the way down the skirt; silky smooth long hair was neatly coiled up, wearing her first crown, revealing her delicate and beautiful face.

With each step, the skirt fluttered, elegant and noble, with a generous demeanor. The composure and dignity revealed in her gestures completely transformed her.

Entering the dance floor, the Queen took the lead in dancing with the Duke, but Mia did not.

Mia stood in the center, looking around, trying to find her dance partner. She saw Lily, saw Helen, saw faces, familiar or unfamiliar, wrapped in the spotlight, but this time she was not nervous, not restrained, and not afraid. Instead, she greeted all the scrutinizing gazes with grace, even nodding and smiling in greeting.

At this moment, the light of the whole world fell on her and paled in comparison.

However, Mia was a little dazed.

She looked around again and again, but still couldn't find the figure she was looking forward to. She stood quietly in place, lifting her skirt, and the light falling lightly on her shoulders seemed lonely and cold.

The smile lingered on the corner of her mouth and then gradually became lonely and bitter.

Now, Mia finally understood the feeling of being rejected, forgotten, and abandoned. A touch of fragility appeared in her eyes, trembling gently in the light like butterfly wings.

In the screening room, there was silence, and even the heart temporarily forgot to beat:

Could it be that Michael didn't appear?

Just then, Mia froze, and the stiff corners of her mouth began to smile again.