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The rest of the ceremony unfolded in a haze of surreal moments, each one more dazzling than the last. After I stepped off the stage, still clutching my award like a lifeline, I felt as though I were floating.

The energy in the room was electric, and I could feel the congratulations and admiration radiating from every direction. Carmen stayed by my side, her hand resting gently on the small of my back as we navigated the crowd. 

"You're glowing," she whispered in my ear at one point, her voice low and warm. "I can't take my eyes off you."

Her words sent a shiver down my spine, but I had no time to dwell on the way they made me feel. People kept approaching industry professionals, fellow models, even a few celebrities whose faces I'd only seen in magazines and on screens.

They all wanted to congratulate me, to tell me how much they admired my work.