Chapter 147: The Sky Has Fallen
[Chapter 147: The Sky Has Fallen]
As night fell, with the stunning sunset over the Atlantic coast, the birthday party on the seaside lawn outside the Fontainebleau Hotel officially began. White canopies fluttered gently in the ocean breeze, and the ground was scattered with an abundance of fresh flowers, turning the place into a fairytale setting. Outside the venue, a large gathering of media vehicles assembled, with photographers and reporters positioned and ready. When the media session kicked off, these individuals would rush into the party.
The white canopies formed a large rectangle, with two rows of tables laid out with various delicacies, from desserts to seafood to main courses and drinks. At one end of the tables was a spacious dance area, complete with a live band and, of course, a DJ booth.
On the south side of the dance floor stood a makeshift stage that, though small, boasted complete lighting and screens. A large "19" balloon hung above, signaling the theme of the evening -- Taylor Swift's 19th birthday party.
Guests started arriving around four in the afternoon, and by then, everyone on the guest list had made it -- from Ryan's familiar DJ friends to Taylor's close friends, making nearly a hundred attendees in total.
Unfortunately, a few uninvited guests showed up too...
...
"I just came to check on Taylor! It's her birthday, can't I come and celebrate?" exclaimed Alexandra Daddario, wearing a low-cut gown, with a wrapped gift in hand.
"And you, you're dressed up a bit too formally, aren't you? Are you planning to propose or something?" she teased as she eyed Ryan, who was in a white suit and black pants.
Ryan was busy greeting guests when he heard the security guard stop someone named Alexandra Daddario. He immediately rushed outside.
"Give me the gift, I'll pass it to Taylor, but you can't attend the party," Ryan said, feeling overwhelmed.
Was she trying to cause trouble? What if she said something to Taylor, and Taylor got upset? The party would instantly turn into an all-out brawl.
"Why not! You're treating me differently! You're being unfair! You spent so much on Taylor..." Daddario shouted, fists clenched.
Several guests looked over, as did reporters at a distance, noticing the commotion.
"Alright, alright, stop yelling. You can go in, but listen, you better keep your mouth shut," Ryan said, making a slicing motion across his throat.
"I won't say much to Taylor. I'm just here to see her," Daddario replied, glancing down at Ryan's shoes.
"And you're showing a bit too much skin. Are you trying to upstage Taylor?" Ryan shot back, calling her out on her obvious intentions.
"Can't I flaunt a little?" she retorted, a smirk on her face.
Ryan waved for a staff member to bring him a suit jacket so he could offer it to Daddario.
"Just tone it down," Ryan said, turning to leave.
""You're just afraid that other men will see me. YYou're almost treating me as your private property," Daddario called after him, realizing that his protectiveness was a sign of his feelings.
...
Ryan returned to greet other guests. Hosting a party was certainly a tiring endeavor, as each attendee required some pleasantries.
"Who was that woman yelling? What was going on?" Abigail asked while holding her drink, as Ryan passed by.
"Just an actress trying to steal the spotlight," Ryan replied casually.
"You're sweating! You've been running around so much," Abigail said, pulling a napkin from her bag, attempting to wipe his forehead.
"I've got it, thanks," Ryan said, quickly saying goodbye as he moved on to the next guest.
...
Not long after, another staff member approached him quietly in the corner, "Three more young women showed up who aren't on the list. One of them is named Amber..."
"Have Berwick send two people to take her to a hotel room and tell her to wait there. And remember, no one can let her out without my command. If she asks, just say it's my expectations."
"And another named Irina, who came with Ms. Kloss and Ms. Fizz."
More unexpected guests... Ryan rolled his eyes.
"And the third?"
"Someone calling herself Teresa, saying she just wanted to check things out."
"Let her in."
...
A while later, Ryan ran into Teresa.
"I just wanted to come take a look. I didn't realize it coincided with Taylor's birthday party, and I didn't have time to dress up," she said, looking a bit embarrassed.
She wasn't in formal wear, just her usual outfit, holding a simply wrapped gift.
"Just being here is good enough," Ryan nodded. Since she came to see the record company, it was his duty to accommodate her.
...
Ryan then met with some of Taylor's other friends. Besides Selena Gomez, whom he had already met, two more caught his attention.
Emma Stone, an actress who had recently become friends with Taylor. The other was Dianna Agron, another actress who was introduced to Taylor through Emma. She was a blonde beauty with striking features, looking even more stunning when she smiled.
"Taylor's here!"
"She looks gorgeous!"
"Like a Disney princess!"
While Ryan chatted briefly with the three women, he suddenly heard a gasp from nearby.
...
Everyone turned to see Taylor entering the venue, holding her mother's arm. She wore a custom light blue gradient gown from Swarovski that sparkled with lake blue crystals, complete with long gloves up to her biceps. Her hairstyle was reminiscent of the one from her music video, although today she wore a sparkling tiara that glimmered under the lights.
A few strands of hair framed her face, accentuating her fresh-faced makeup, momentarily mesmerizing all the guests.
In terms of looks, Taylor was really stunning, though fans felt she hadn't quite found the right stylist.
Before Ryan could make a move, a swarm of women gathered around her.
"Darling, you look absolutely stunning!" Abigail exclaimed, moving closer.
"I can barely take my eyes off you!" Selena said, lifting her skirt.
"I'm so happy for you!" Emma smiled.
"Ryan's going to love it," Karlie tossed in, also stepping forward.
"Sister, you seriously dressed to the nines! Is Ryan really going to propose?" Austin joked, chuckling.
"Quit it," Taylor playfully chided, her eyes crinkling in delight due to the sea of compliments.
...
On the other side, a few people led by Daddario whispered among themselves about Taylor.
"Can you imagine how heavy that dress is with all that crystal? Really, it must weigh a ton," Daddario murmured.
"When will I ever get to wear something like that..." said Elizabeth, looking enviously at Taylor.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Irina shook her head.
The three women had participated in Ryan's music videos previously, but today is the first time they met.
They exchanged glances, silently appraising one another.
"16," Elizabeth said.
"17," Irina frowned slightly.
"I'm 18," Daddario speculated, eyeing the other two.
They all intuitively recognized that their experiences likely aligned.
...
Next up was the cake-cutting ceremony. A massive cake was wheeled into the center of the dance floor by two waiters. Ryan and Taylor sliced the cake, and soon everyone was dancing under the orchestral rhythms of the live band. Unfortunately, the young crowd wasn't particularly engaged.
Then, Ryan had a clever idea to step in as a DJ. When the familiar electronic music began to play, the energy lifted, and even Taylor joined in the fun, dancing in her dress, creating a lively atmosphere.
As time flew, after around two hours, Ryan sensed that guests were getting tired and decided to let the press in.
The main event was about to unfold.
...
Ryan snapped his fingers, and eight hotel staff members, clad in uniforms and gloves, entered with black lacquer boxes.
He opened each box, showcasing exquisite jewelry sets from brands like Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Piaget, and Harry Winston. Following this, nineteen servers approached, each admiringly holding large bouquets of roses, with various colors providing a visual feast, culminating with rare and expensive Juliet roses.
As Ryan took the last bouquet, he walked up to Taylor. By this time, the room had fallen completely silent.
"I can't be dreaming, can I?" Taylor was momentarily dazed, unable to grasp that she was the star of the event. Her eyes widened as she noticed something sparkling in the midst of the flower arrangement!
Ryan picked up the object, kneeling on one knee.
Taylor immediately raised her hands, covering her mouth in disbelief.
Not only she but many onlookers were equally stunned -- even Trey, as Ryan hadn't shared his plans with anyone.
Flashes of cameras went off in a frenzy.
Tears streamed down Taylor's cheeks as she reached out with her left hand.
Ryan cradled her hand with one hand and gently slipped the ring onto her fourth finger with his other. The roar of applause and cheers erupted around them.
Taylor's parents looked utterly bewildered, and Ryan had succeeded in keeping everything a secret.
...
"Isn't it a bit too early?" Taylor's mom stuttered, both of them still under 20. In some countries, they weren't even at the legal age for marriage.
"Even if they don't marry right away, she's still his fiancee," Taylor's dad murmured, feeling a mix of emotions -- having raised his daughter for so long, only to see her off so suddenly.
Daddario turned and covered her face as she dashed away.
Even Karlie unexpectedly felt a pang of heartbreak.
Elizabeth stood frozen, feeling the weight of the world crash down on her.
*****
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