The night did not gently wind down. It sprinted into overtime wearing a tuxedo and demanding quotes.
The post-ceremony interview area looked like a glamorous ambush. Cameras and flashes everywhere.
Another journalist asked a question Alex answered twice already, except this time with a slightly different adjective so it would not sound rehearsed.
"How does it feel to win four Oscars in one night?"
Alex smiled, polite and steady. "It feels like I am going to wake up tomorrow and check my pockets to make sure none of them were rentals."
Laughter followed, though not all of it was warm.
Another interviewer leaned in. "You dominated the ceremony tonight with three films. Do you think the Academy favored you?"
Alex tilted his head, considering. "I think the Academy favored stories. I just happened to be standing near several of them."
That answer traveled fast.
On the other side, Scarlett and Tom were being asked questions. The other winners were also going through the same thing.
Behind the cameras, actors and directors hovered. Some congratulated him with genuine warmth. Others did it with the facial expression of someone congratulating a lottery winner who bought the ticket wrong.
"Truly inspiring," one director said, jaw clenched just enough to crack walnuts. "Alien was… very bold."
"Thank you," Alex replied politely. "So was your film. It terrified me in a completely different way."
That earned a few laughs. It also earned a look that suggested Alex had just been added to a very exclusive enemies list.
The photoshoot came next.
A lot of people were asking Alex to hold the statues differently, like they were rearranging furniture.
"Can we get one with all four?"
"Now just you and Best Picture."
Alex looked directly at the camera while posing. Then Alex posed with the cast and crew of Alien, Lost in Translation, Spiderman and everyone knew that it's gonna make headlines tomorrow.
That photo ended up being everyone's favorite.
Celebrities rotated in and out of frame, congratulating him, standing close enough to be photographed, then drifting away with expressions that suggested complicated feelings they would unpack later with therapists or very expensive wine.
By the time the Governors Ball finally opened its doors, Alex and the girls were no longer running on adrenaline. They were running on hunger and spite toward tiny decorative portions.
The ballroom was bright and beautiful. It had gold decorations and tall flower arrangements. Tables were filled with industry legends who were already thinking about their plans for next year's projects.
Alex had just taken three steps when someone stopped him. At the ball, there were not many media representatives because the celebrities had to go without food or drinks for a long time. Now, at the ball, they could finally eat and rest a little.
Still, he was the target of every media outlet.
"Alex. Congratulations."
"Alex, extraordinary night."
"How does it feel to redefine the decade?"
He responded kindly and patiently. He shook hands, accepted compliments, and skillfully avoided questions about future projects. He seemed to want nothing more than a sandwich and a place to lie down.
Scarlett stayed close, her hand brushing his arm occasionally like a reminder that this was real and that they were still human.
Angelina accepted a glass of champagne and leaned toward him. "Everyone in this room either loves you or wants to destroy you."
Alex smiled faintly. "I was hoping for neutral."
Halle scanned the buffet table like it had personally offended her. "I swear if I see one more micro spoon, I am going to flip something."
Max had already taken two plates. Caroline followed with a third. Evangeline was eating grilled meat.
Alex, Scarlett and Angelina joined them and finally ate something.
More congratulations followed. More photos and strained smiles from people who would never say the word jealous out loud but absolutely felt it in their bones.
By the time they left the Governors Ball, it was like midnight. The city outside was quieter.
The ride back to the penthouse was silent in the best way.
Inside the penthouse, Alex locked the door, leaned his forehead against it for half a second, and exhaled like someone who had been holding his breath for weeks. Then he placed the awards on the desk.
Scarlett kicked off her shoes immediately and placed her award on the night table. Halle followed suit. Angelina dropped her clutch. Max did not even bother with the ceremony. She collapsed onto the bed face-first.
Caroline, Halle and Evangeline took the guest bedroom. Alex flicked the AC on and fell behind Evangelina and hugged her before falling asleep.
...
[Next Morning] [Chloe's house]
Alex took a bath and left early to meet up with Chloe. The girls were still sleeping, so he didn't disturb them.
At Chloe's house, he pressed the bell and she opened the door after a few seconds.
She stood there in a shirt, hair pulled back loosely, no makeup, holding a mug that said World's Okayest Mom. The sight of her hit him harder than any standing ovation had. She looked beautiful as always.
She smiled slowly. Then she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"Congratulations," she said into his chest.
He hugged her back, resting his cheek against her hair. "Thank you."
She pulled back just enough to look at him. Her eyes were bright, proud, and tired in the way only someone who had been juggling life could be.
"You broke the Oscars," she added. "And made headlines as usual."
Alex smiled. "And made too many enemies in a single night. So, I gotta up my game starting now."
She stepped aside to let him in. The house smelled like coffee and clean laundry.
"Trixie's at school and she'll be at Dan's today," Chloe said as she closed the door. "I finally have a day off. So..." She walked toward the kitchen counter and placed the cup before turning toward him. "...I've been thinking maybe..." She pulled her hair down and shook it. Then locked her eyes with his.
Alex rushed over, and they began to kiss each other passionately as he lifted her onto the kitchen counter. She kissed him back with hunger and moaned softly, fingers moving through his hair before pulling him closer.
Her hands moved to the front of his shirt and undid the buttons one by one, before pulling the shirt out of his pants and pushing it off. She ran her fingers over his back as their tongues danced and explored, hands reaching for her shirt and pulling it up and over her head.
Then Chloe got down while continuing the kissing and pushed him back toward the couch. As soon as he fell on the couch, she saddled up on his waist. Alex watched her smile and lust in her eyes.
Chloe was smiling when she leaned down again, her hands braced on either side of his shoulders, her weight settled comfortably on his waist. Alex's hands rested on her sides for a brief moment before he gently tightened his grip, not to pull her closer but to stop her.
"Hey," he said quietly. "Wait. We need to talk."
Chloe froze, then leaned back just enough to look down at him. One eyebrow lifted in practiced suspicion.
"…Okay," she said slowly. "Is this about you kissing Scarlett onstage last night? Because I had a hard time explaining to Ella why the man I'm seeing kissing another woman on TV."
Alex blinked, genuinely surprised. "Oh. No. Not that."
Her eyes narrowed further, not angry, just alert. "That was my second guess," she replied. "My first guess was that you suddenly realized you left one of your Oscars in your car and someone stole it, so you want to report the incident."
He let out a soft laugh. "I checked. They are all accounted for."
She relaxed a fraction but stayed exactly where she was, legs still bracketing his hips, hands resting on his chest now. "Alright," she said. "I'm listening."
Alex took a breath. The kind that was not for calming nerves, but for choosing honesty.
"I have been thinking about what comes next," he began. "You know... our future."
Chloe's expression shifted, curiosity overtaking suspicion. She did not interrupt.
"I am building a place," he continued. "A dream house for all of us and I'd like you to choose the design for your room and Trixie's room."
For a moment, Chloe did not move.
Her mouth parted slightly, then closed again. She stared at him like her brain had missed a step in the math.
"You want me to… design rooms," she repeated slowly.
"Yes."
"For my daughter and me?"
"Yes."
She searched his face, still sitting on him, as if movement might break the moment.
After a beat, she said quietly, "You want us to move in with you?"
Alex nodded once.
"If you want to," he said. "No pressure. I've only started planning... I just wanted you to know that when I think about the future, you and Trixie are in it."
Chloe looked down at him, stunned. Her eyes shone, not with tears yet, but with something close. She swallowed. "You realize," she said carefully, "that you are saying this while I am sitting on top of you, topless, on a couch."
He smiled faintly. "I considered standing up to deliver it more formally, but you looked very comfortable."
That earned a breathy laugh from her. She shook her head once, disbelief and warmth mixing together.
"You are unbelievable," she said softly. "You know that, right?"
"I have been informed," he replied.
She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his for a moment, still not moving from her place.
"I need to think," she said honestly. "Not because I do not want it. But because it is big. And because Trixie comes first."
"I would expect nothing less," Alex said as he touched her cheek.
Chloe closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again.
"You just won half of Hollywood last night," she said. "And somehow this is what knocked the air out of me."
He brushed his thumb lightly on her cheek. "That feels like the right priority order."
She leaned down and kissed him, slow and deliberate, then pulled back just enough to look at him again.
"We will talk more," she said. "But for the record…"
"Yes?"
She smiled, eyes bright. "I am not saying no."
Alex smiled back, relief and something like peace settling into his chest, while Chloe leaned down again and they resumed their makeout session.
...
[2 days later] [Titan HQ]
Alex stood beside Rachel before the new hall. Oh, Rachel wrapped up whatever High Table business she was doing and came back last night.
The sign above the entrance was simple.
TITAN STUDIOS
HALL OF FAME
Rachel crossed her arms. "You realize," she said, "that this was supposed to be a modest display."
Alex nodded. "It still is. We just have very ambitious definitions of modest."
She snorted quietly and reached for the handle. "Ready?"
"As I will ever be," he replied.
The doors opened.
The room was big and everything looked expensive. Warm lights lit up the dark wood walls and metal accents. The floor was all marble. And everything was locked behind reinforced glass. There were cameras covering every corner of that place.
The first thing that caught the eye was the names.
Large panels lined the walls, each etched carefully with film titles and the people who made them. Directors, writers, actors, cinematographers, editors, sound designers, production designers, animators. Alex gave credit to every single person he has ever worked with so far and well... the list was big.
Then there were the records of the books that he had written so far and the awards he got.
Alex stepped forward slowly.
At the center of the room stood a long, curved display wall. The Oscars were arranged there. Each one was paired with a small plaque beneath it, listing the film and date.
At the far end of the hall stood the final installation. It was not an award display.
It was a timeline.
Six years of Alex's projects ran along the wall, each marked with release dates, festivals, nominations, wins, and box office numbers, risks taken. Some films had trophies. Others had nothing but critical notes and audience scores. All of them were there.
Alex stopped in front of it.
"This is my favorite part," he said quietly. "The continuous timeline... This is only for me and this will tell the story of my legacy in the future."
They stood there for a moment.
Alex then turned toward Rachel and noticed that her eyes were glossy. She was holding back her tears. He walked before her and hugged her tightly.
"C'mon, don't cry."
Rachel buried her face in his chest before whispering. "You put my name beside yours in every single thing..."
Alex held her without rushing her, one hand steady at her back, the other resting lightly at her shoulder. He let her breathe, let the moment land, let the weight of the room do what it was meant to do.
Then he spoke...
"What would I be without you?" he said. "I burdened you with so many things that I cannot even count them anymore. You carried responsibilities that were never supposed to be light, and you carried them anyway."
Rachel shook her head against his chest, but he continued, gently insisting on the truth.
"You are the reason I was able to do all of this without a single worry pulling me apart. No matter how hard it got, you never complained and you never said no. You just solved problems before they reached me. You protected the work, the people, and me, whether I deserved it or not."
She lifted her head slightly, eyes glassy now, lashes damp.
"So you deserve your name beside mine," he finished. "Every single time. So, you better get used to it."
For a long moment, Rachel could not speak. Then she let out a breath that was half laugh, half sob.
"You realize," she said, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand, "that I was fully prepared to be stoic and professional today."
Alex smiled. "You lasted longer than most people."
She pulled back, looking around the hall again, this time differently. Not as an assistant, but as someone seeing proof that the years had meant something.
"I spent so long making sure none of this collapsed," she said softly. "I never stopped to think about what it would look like if it stood."
Alex nodded. "It looks like this."
She exhaled, then squared her shoulders, the familiar Rachel composure sliding back into place, though warmer now.
"If you keep doing things like this," she said, "I am going to have to schedule crying on my calendar."
"Put it under legacy maintenance," Alex replied. "Quarterly check-in."
That earned a real laugh from her.
Rachel and Alex kissed passionately for a moment before she pulled back.
"You have seven meetings today," she said. "Three congratulatory, two suspicious, one that will pretend it is casual but absolutely is not. And the final one is with me..." She moved her mouth near his ear and whispered. "...on your desk. FYI... I'm wearing a butt plug."
She kissed his cheek before walking away with her usual smirk.
---[Words: 2.5k]---
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