The Paris trip quickly came to an end, though it felt as if it spanned a lifetime. Despite the brevity of the visit, nothing happened between Anson and Winona that afternoon.
As Anson had said, they simply strolled along the Seine, walking in the glow of the orange sunset, without trying to escape or hide—just engaging in casual conversation.
The paparazzi trailing them found this rather frustrating.
They were convinced something unexpected might happen, but after waiting and waiting, nothing ever did. It was dreadfully boring.
Initially, the paparazzi wanted to fabricate a scandal—
After all, creating something out of nothing is their specialty.
But there was a problem: After leaving the crowd, Anson and Winona maintained a polite distance, without any hint of intimacy. They were entirely in the friend zone.
Of course, the paparazzi could twist the truth or create a story from the photos: "Anson and Winona strolling along the Seine, enjoying a romantic date." With the right images, the public could fill in the blanks themselves. But in this case, too many people had witnessed the events firsthand, including other members of the media, making it much harder to fabricate a story without getting caught.
If they weren't careful, the truth could come out, leaving the paparazzi to face public outrage and backlash.
With no sneaking around, there was no dark corner to let imagination, slander, or defamation thrive.
And so, it became awkward.
The paparazzi were left helpless, as Anson and Winona were too open and honest to be cornered.
Eventually, the paparazzi gave up and scattered, leaving just a few stragglers, including the disgruntled "Jerry Lewis" among them.
Unfortunately, they had nothing to show for their efforts.
Before nightfall, Edgar successfully located Anson and Winona, arranging for a car to escort Winona back to her hotel, while he and Anson took another vehicle back to the Four Seasons.
… And that was it?
The paparazzi, who had followed them to the end, were disappointed. But Anson had warned them, and it was their own fault for not believing him. Anson simply shrugged it off.
Some paparazzi remained skeptical, convinced there was something between Anson and Winona, so they stayed up all night on watch. But again... nothing happened.
Nothing. At. All.
Incredibly!
Winona didn't leave her hotel, and neither did Anson. There was no movement, no contact—
At least, the paparazzi couldn't capture any evidence.
The next day, all of Paris was buzzing with the story of how Anson had fooled the paparazzi. The details of the tale, heavily embellished, turned into a mysterious legend as people retold it with their own added flair.
Clearly, many people who couldn't stand the paparazzi's behavior were thrilled to see them fail and eagerly spread their own versions of the story.
This wasn't Anson's intention, but it was likely he had become the paparazzi's new target.
As Anson spent another 24 hours in Paris, attending several fashion parties, his trip finally came to an end.
"Mr. Wood."
In the hotel lobby, Jean-Louis Carven approached Anson. His demeanor was warm yet reserved, striking the perfect balance.
"Thank you for staying at the Four Seasons. I hope our service met your expectations."
Jean-Louis displayed impeccable manners.
Anson returned his smile. "Everything was great. Thanks for the warm milk last night and the lemon water this morning. It really helped."
It eased his hangover.
Jean-Louis didn't respond with false modesty, simply nodding in acknowledgment. "I hope we have the honor of welcoming you back the next time you visit Paris."
Anson joked, "Well, that depends on whether 'Fashion' magazine wants to sponsor it."
Jean-Louis smiled back, just as the car was ready. He personally escorted Anson and Edgar to the vehicle, watching as it drove away.
A bellhop quickly approached, "Manager, your insight was spot on."
Jean-Louis had predicted that Anson would succeed, but even he hadn't anticipated it would happen so quickly. Overnight, Anson had become the talk of Paris, the city buzzing about this new fashion darling.
For a moment, Paris felt like Hollywood—
Overnight fame is Hollywood's specialty, like fast food, quick to come and quick to go; whereas Paris and the rest of Europe value depth, where such sudden stardom is rare.
It was… shocking!
Even Jean-Louis himself hadn't expected his prediction to come true so soon.
However, Jean-Louis didn't let pride go to his head, nor did he seize the opportunity to show off in front of the bellhop. His gaze remained fixed on the departing car.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I have a feeling this is just the beginning."
Jean-Louis muttered to himself, the sense of intuition growing stronger. It was as if everything they had witnessed in the past few days was just a glimpse of the grandeur to come. His heartbeat quickened with excitement.
…
When they arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Anson froze before even getting out of the car.
Edgar was also scanning the surroundings. According to Dior's marketing department, the first edition of the posters should have already been released. Then he spotted it. "Anson, over there."
The airport, the gateway to a city and even a country, is one of the busiest hubs in Europe. At Charles de Gaulle Airport, on one of the walls in the arrival hall, a poster that looked like a painting came into view.
It was Anson, dressed in Dior's upcoming spring/summer collection: a heart-stopping white shirt paired with a black suit. He stood tall and lean among sycamore trees and fallen yellow leaves, gazing directly into the camera.
The impact was immediate and powerful.
This was Anson's first endorsement.
In 2001, it wasn't yet common for actors to be the face of fashion brands. Brand sponsorships were frequent, but brands often avoided being closely tied to a single actor. Luxury and fashion needed their own distinct image, and even models were carefully selected.
Dior's case was unique, largely due to Eddie's persistence. Dior signed a one-season contract with Anson for the 2002 spring/summer collection.
From sponsorship to runway appearances to endorsements, their collaboration deepened, and Anson's presence in the fashion world became official.
As part of the deal, Anson shot a series of advertisements and product catalogs for Dior, earning him a $3 million check.
A successful collaboration!
Even Edgar, who had seen the ads at the airport, was stunned by the overwhelming impact and intensity of the imagery.
Clearly, before leaving for Paris, they hadn't anticipated this level of development.
Edgar was excited. "Now every traveler passing through Charles de Gaulle Airport will see your image. Dior's marketing team mentioned that there are a few corridors in the airport where posters of you in different poses line the walls. It must be quite a sight."
When he didn't hear a response, Edgar thought Anson didn't like the idea—
After all, this would only deepen his association with the model image.
He turned to look at Anson. "Are you worried?"