**Chapter 106: Parting Ways**

In the end, Anne Hathaway finally said it.

She felt a huge sense of relief wash over her. She had thought that this might be the most terrifying and disastrous moment of her eighteen-year life, but after facing it head-on, she realized that maybe it wasn't as bad as she had imagined.

Of course, it was still pretty embarrassing—her cheeks were burning so intensely that she could probably fry an egg on them. But the sky didn't fall, and the earth didn't shatter as she had feared.

So, Anne didn't avoid it any longer. She summoned the courage to look at the flight attendant, and seeing the surprised look in her eyes, she nodded lightly, confirming the truth once again.

The flight attendant: ...Huh?

Even the flight attendant was a bit flustered. She never would have imagined that the truth was like this. She tried to mask her reaction, but her eyes betrayed her emotions.

Nevertheless, her rich experience allowed her to regain her composure. She smiled at Anne, "It's okay, everything will pass."

Retracting her gaze and standing upright, she looked at Anson again and noticed that the situation with him was a bit different than what she had imagined.

There was no anger, no anxiety, no ridicule, no mockery.

There were no negative emotions that one might expect after being wrongly accused or misunderstood. He remained calm and composed, patiently waiting for communication, patiently waiting for the truth to be revealed.

Even when their eyes met, there was no air of superiority or smugness—he was still as serene and composed as ever.

The flight attendant couldn't help but feel a sense of respect. She crouched down beside Anson, looking up at him, "I'm sorry, sir. Please forgive my misunderstanding."

Anson gently waved his hand, "You were just doing your duty. As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up, it's fine."

With a light smile that carried the ease of someone who lets things go without a fuss, the flight attendant, who was about to avert her gaze, found herself lingering for just a moment longer.

Quietly, their eyes met.

Then, the flight attendant gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, stood up, turned, and left, returning to her colleagues to prepare for the landing and to bid farewell to the passengers. Curious and concerned gazes followed her as they tried to unravel the mystery of the earlier incident. Before she could even speak, someone noticed the change.

"Ah, why are you smiling so much? Did something happen?"

The flight attendant was taken aback and instinctively raised her hand, trying to touch the corners of her mouth. Only then did she realize that she had unconsciously been smiling. She turned back to glance at the man again, her eyes sparkling with a certain gleam.

Not only the flight attendants but also the curious, gossiping eyes from around them had surrounded the two main characters, attempting to piece together what had happened.

Anson didn't mind at all.

With a calm expression and clear eyes, he met those gazes. Instead of avoiding them, he even returned the looks, offering a smile and a nod in acknowledgment.

That gesture spoke more than a thousand words—it was the best response:

"I'm not embarrassed. You are."

The curious gazes around them quickly withdrew under Anson's watchful eyes, like a game of Minesweeper, and the surroundings soon fell silent.

"I'm sorry. This is all because of me."

Annie also noticed what was happening. Without needing an explanation, she understood the situation. Not only was this gentleman not angry, but he even took the initiative to help.

Her voice was full of frustration and defeat, and her shoulders slumped again.

Anson withdrew his gaze and turned to look at her.

The girl had finally calmed down. Although she still looked disheveled and had a bit of baby fat, lacking the future grace of Audrey Hepburn, the bright eyes and radiant smile already hinted at a similar charm, confirming Anson's earlier vague guess.

This must be Anne Hathaway.

The production team of "The Princess Diaries" had finally decided on the lead actress after much deliberation—

Even up until the final stages, the entire crew still believed that Liv Tyler would emerge as the winner. Even Garry Marshall himself agreed, thinking that the unique charm Liv displayed in "Stealing Beauty" would undoubtedly bring Mia's character to life. It seemed like the right choice.

However, Garry could never forget Anne Hathaway. He was deeply impressed by Anne's reaction during the audition when she accidentally fell off a chair due to nervousness and blushed from embarrassment. This was exactly the Mia Garry had envisioned in his mind.

So, how to choose?

Surprisingly, Garry's granddaughters thought that Anne should be chosen because she had "princess hair," which became the key to changing the outcome.

Anne stood out and won the role in "The Princess Diaries."

Luck?

Maybe a little.

But in real life, luck is also a part of one's ability.

And so, it all happened.

Before this, Anne had been in New Zealand filming a low-budget independent biographical film, "The Other Side of Heaven." She only had a small supporting role, but because of this, she couldn't just leave or end the work casually. Her schedule had to align with the lead actor and director.

Not until filming was complete.

The filming location was a remote paradise, with inconvenient transportation; plus, in 2000, there were no direct flights from the United States to New Zealand.

So, after much traveling and hardship, Anne finally returned to civilization.

Looking at the girl now, she seemed like just an ordinary, slightly immature high school student, far from the dazzling star she would become on the big screen. Even though she had been chosen as the lead in a mainstream commercial film, the future was still unknown, and there was no way to predict whether the movie would be successful.

More accurately, at this moment, the most important thing for Anne wasn't the opportunity to star in "The Princess Diaries," but the most embarrassing moment of her life.

Even though she had calmed down, her cheeks were still burning red.

You could tell she was still young, with thin skin, and would want to crawl into a hole over the smallest thing. After a few years of experience in the world, facing various situations, her skin would gradually toughen, and she would be able to face things calmly.

As someone more experienced in life, Anson was much more at ease.

Anson knew that if he took things too seriously now, it would likely make things even more embarrassing. So, he decided to make a joke instead.

"So, not embarrassed anymore?"

Annie's eyes widened in disbelief, filled with innocence and confusion. She stared at Anson blankly for a moment, then caught a glimpse of the smile in his eyes, like moonlight shimmering on a gentle stream, a mischievous tease flashing by.

Ah!

Annie panicked, lowering her head in embarrassment and turning her gaze away. She smacked her head hard, but the force was too much, and she grimaced in pain. Still, she didn't dare to cry out, feeling that she had embarrassed herself enough already, and there was no need to add to it. Taking a few deep breaths, she regained her composure.

She muttered gloomily under her breath.

"Yeah. Embarrassed. Embarrassed to death. Can't we just pretend nothing happened?"

Anson's lips curved into a slight smile. "And then, while waiting for the plane to land, we sit here like wooden figures, avoiding each other's gaze, imitating a couple married for forty years, close yet completely ignoring each other?"

Annie sneaked a glance at Anson, mumbling vaguely, "Yeah, that sounds pretty good. I don't know you, you don't know me, and it would be best if we never see each other again. It's like nothing ever happened."

Second update. More to come tonight.