Rewind With A Superstar System

Chapter 224: Returning Home With More Awards!

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Girls Like You by Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B>

...

By the next morning, the Toronto International Film Festival was officially over, and the city was quickly returning to normal.

Marcus was standing near a station by a pile of luggage, talking animatedly on his phone. He hung up and turned to Von and Chloe with a triumphant grin.

"That was Eagle Eye Studios," Marcus announced. "The deal is signed. Perfect Ruins is getting a global theatrical rollout next month."

Chloe cheered, clapping her hands together. "We really did it!"

Von smiled and stepped forward to shake hands with the director. "Congratulations, Marcus. I told you we’d win."

"I couldn’t have done it without you two," Marcus said warmly. He hugged Chloe, then turned back to Von.

"I’m flying straight back to LA to finalize the theatrical cuts. Keep your phone on, Von. We might get more of those interviews soon."

Chloe turned to Von, offering a bright, relaxed smile. "I guess this is goodbye for now. I’ll be staying behind in Canada... My uncle has been occupied with some stuff, but I’ll fly back with him when he’s sorted everything."

Von pulled her into a friendly hug. "It was beautiful working with you. Get some rest, you’ve earned it."

"You, too," Chloe replied before pulling away. Her eyes shifted briefly to Emily, who was standing a few feet away with the travel bags.

Chloe gave her a supportive smile and Emily smiled back, a silent understanding passing between them.

A black SUV soon pulled up to the curb outside the glass doors.

"I guess Zack is back with the ride," Emily recognized and notified Von.

Von grabbed his duffel bag. They waved one last time to Marcus and Chloe before stepping out into the brisk afternoon air and entering the backseat of the SUV.

Zack glanced at them through the rearview mirror and called out from the driver’s seat. "Well, this was a fun vacation if you ask me."

Emily let out an exhausted breath and leaned back against the leather seat. "Yeah, it was a nice vacation for you. I barely had any time for myself here, and the same goes for Von. It was just meetings and dodging reporters."

"Exactly," Von agreed, resting his head back and closing his eyes for a brief second.

Zack just shrugged his shoulders, keeping his eyes on the busy Toronto traffic.

"Well, I did have fun. I got to explore the city, ate some great food, and... I even got a girlfriend," he added with a proud smirk.

Von opened one eye, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Oh, really? Does she have four eyes too?"

Emily laughed at the joke, but Zack didn’t miss a beat. He quickly snapped back, looking at Von through the mirror.

"She might use glasses, but at least she didn’t eat whole fishes on live television for the whole world to see."

The entire car went completely quiet for a split second before everyone couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Eventually, as the laughter died down and they got closer to the airport, they transitioned to normal talk.

"So... Where will you be going when we get back to Miami?" Von asked, looking out the window at the passing buildings.

"Oh, my home, of course. I just want my peace and silence. I need to focus on the books I’m writing. And then there’s my firm to look after, too. Things are starting to pick up."

"Wow, that’s cool," Von said, offering a genuine nod of approval.

Deep down, Von was incredibly happy that Zack was doing so well. It was satisfying to see him achieving all the dreams the previous Zack had managed to attain.

With the way things were going, he could easily surpass his past peak much faster this time around and he was ready to contribute in every way he could.

Zack decided to ask. "What about you, Emily? Are you still looking for a house down in Miami?"

Emily crossed eyes with Von. For a brief second, a subtle blush rushed to her cheeks but she quickly hid it behind her usual composed expression.

"No, not yet. I’ll be staying at Pinecrest for the meantime."

"Hmm," Zack muttered from the front seat with a knowing smirk. He didn’t say anything more, letting the comfortable silence fill the SUV as they continued their drive to the airfield.

**"

The flight from Canada was smooth and uneventful. A few hours later, they touched down in Miami.

Bunny was already waiting for them by a their Cadillac parked right outside the terminal.

He gave them a respectful nod as he loaded their luggage into the trunk. That was where they officially parted ways with Zack, who called his own cab to head straight back to his peaceful home.

The drive to the Pinecrest estate was quiet and relaxing. But when the heavy iron gates swung open and Bunny drove the car up the long driveway, Von noticed that the front doors of the mansion were slightly ajar.

Entering the estate, Von was instantly caught off guard. The second he stepped through the main doors, a loud pop echoed through the grand foyer, and colorful confetti rained down on his head.

Max walked out from behind a marble pillar, wearing a ridiculous, colorful party hat and blowing loudly into a paper party horn.

Right behind him was Olivia, carrying a beautifully decorated small cake with her.

"Broo! Yet another win!" Max cheered at the top of his lungs, walking up to give Von a massive high-five. "Congrats on yet another award! You’re speedrunning Hollywood already!"

Von was genuinely surprised. He looked around at the decorated house entrance, touched by how they had all planned this surprise.

All the current occupants of the massive estate were present, save for Patch, who had flown out recently to return to New York, and Naomi, who had already gone back to California to finish up her school term.

"Wow, Max. This was so thoughtful of you. Thank you guys. Really."

Emily said with a bright smile seeing how much effort Max had really put into making the house feel welcoming.

"Of course," Max bragged, tapping his temple with his index finger.

"I’ve got big brains, you know. I planned the whole thing. Now, how about you two step inside already? Marcelo has been in the kitchen all day. He prepared an absolute feast."

The faint, mouth-watering smell of roasted meats and baked bread drifted down the hallway.

"Oh, yummy," Von muttered. He was already salivating as he thought of what he was about to have.

But Loki was a second faster. No one had even noticed that the small, fluffy cat had been with Von all along.

With a sudden burst of energy, Loki sprinted right in between Max’s legs, completely ignoring everyone else, and raced straight over to meet her Marcelo, her favorite person in the mansion.

Everyone already used to Loki’s antics, immediately burst into laughter.

"Oh, I’ve missed this," Von grinned, before finally stepping fully inside the house with Emily.

They all moved into the massive dining room. The long wooden table was entirely covered in food. Marcelo had outdone himself, preparing huge platters of steaks, pasta, fresh salads, and a variety of desserts.

Everyone grabbed a plate, passing bowls around and sharing stories. Max demanded to hear every single detail about the award ceremony and the movie stars they had met.

The atmosphere was incredibly warm.

After eating a heavy plate of food, Von gently tapped his glass with a spoon to get everyone’s attention. The room quickly quieted down, and all eyes turned to him.

"I just wanted to say something quickly," Von started, his voice sincere and filled with gratitude.

He looked around the table at Max, Olivia, Marcelo, and the rest of the household staff standing nearby.

"All of you are like family to me. The past few months have been crazy, especially with the lockdown keeping everyone trapped inside. But you all kept this place running and supported me through all of it. Thank you for everything."

A warm chorus of appreciation echoed around the room.

"You’re the best boss anyone could ask for, Von," Max said with a wide grin, raising his glass. "We’re proud of you."

"Well, since I’m the best boss," Von continued, a playful smile returning to his face,

"I have an announcement. I’m giving all of you a mandatory two weeks break. Fully paid. And no, it doesn’t count against your normal vacation days."

The foyer was completely silent for a second. The staff exchanged shocked, wide-eyed glances.

"I want you all to go home, see your families, and just relax," Von told them gently. "The lockdown was a long period for you to work without a proper break, so this is the least I can do."

The room suddenly erupted into excited gasps, cheers, and massive smiles.

"Are you sure, sir?" one of the maids asked with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Who will take care of the house while we’re gone?"

"I think I can manage to survive for a week or two," Von laughed, waving them off dismissively. "Go pack your things. Take two weeks off. That’s an order."

***

Within just a few hours, the energy in the house completely shifted. The staff joyfully packed their bags, thanked Von profusely, and departed the estate.

Even Max, who initially didn’t want to leave his comfortable setup, eventually had to pack a bag after remembering he had promised to meet up with some of his old friends. He realized he needed to stop being so much of a hermit for a while.

"Don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easily," Max said, standing by the front door with his duffel bag. He shot Von a funny, dramatic glare.

"I’ll be back to disturb your peace soon enough."

"Sure, boss. Drive safe," Von chuckled, clapping his friend on the back.

After seeing Max off and waving as his car disappeared down the driveway, Von pushed the doors closed.

The sprawling mansion was finally completely empty. Save for Bunny, who stayed outside in the security quarters to guard the perimeter, it was just Loki, Von, and Emily.

The sudden silence of the house wrapped around them. Emily, who had been leaning against the hallway wall watching everyone leave, slowly walked toward Von.

She let out a soft sigh and threw her arms around his neck, looking up into his violet eyes.

"Too bad. I guess I won’t be getting any vacation time."

Von simply smirked. He wrapped his arms firmly around her waist and effortlessly lifted her up against his chest.

"Who said so? Your vacation is right here with me."

Without another word, they both leaned in and connected their lips and tongues for another intense kiss.

It was going to be two long weeks for the two of them.