The Rise Of The Legendary Superstar

“And the Best Actor Award goes to…”

The audience inside an enclosed venue held their breath as the presenter in the middle of the stage momentarily stopped his words to open the sealed envelope in his hand.

The presenter, a known idol in the music industry had a huge smile on his face as he read the name inside.

“Oh…?”

With the presenter still in silence, the audience at the venue, and the fans watching on their televisions and cellphones couldn’t help but be on edge, their hearts beating faster.

However, nothing could beat the emotions that the nominees were feeling at that very moment.

A few were holding their hands together with closed eyes, as if praying to the heavens to let them win. The rest were tightly holding onto their seats as anxiousness reflected on their frozen faces.

However, there was this one guy.

A guy in the middle front row had a collected expression on his handsome face. His back was perfectly straight up, his hands on his thighs, sitting calmly. He was just looking at the stage plainly without expecting anything, yet he could feel the stares of the people piercing from behind.

“It’s no other than…”

“Liam Ashton!”

As soon as the guy heard his name being called through the microphone, a smile slowly rose on his lips. At the same time, claps, followed by a few loud cheers filled the venue.

Liam slowly stood up, looking around his fellow actors and nominees. He exchanged a few pleasantries with them as he received a tremendous amount of greetings.

‘I wonder how many awards like this have I owned already…’ Liam thought as he made his way to the stage calmly. Every step he made was captured by the hundreds of cameras all around, each wanting to get a perfect shot of his handsome face.

Being in the industry for so long, Liam was a versatile star who had already received all kinds of awards from being the best actor to having the best song album.

However, although he was still happy and very grateful, after quite some time, things like this didn't excite him anymore.

Arriving at the stage, Liam shook hands with a couple of people at the side. They were high-profile judges consisting of numerous directors, producers, and the founder of the awarding ceremony who evaluated each nominee to see who is qualified to be the right winner.

“Congratulations, Liam!”

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“This is your 62nd Best Actor Award, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Liam answered before going to the middle of the stage where a spotlight was already waiting for him. The light was blinding, highlighting his overall outfit and showing his face. The fans went wild because of it.

“AHHHHHHHH!”

“Liammmm! Liammmmm!”

“Please marry meee!”

“Your fans are going crazy,” Shean Mcdez, the presenter of the award, happily shook Liam’s hand as he lightly teased him about it. “But, I’m very honoured to present the award. Congratulations,” He offered a sincere congratulations before handing Liam the golden trophy and stepping to the side.

As Liam held the trophy in his hand, the familiar cold feeling of it slowly enveloped him. He slightly raised it to show it to the camera, letting the journalists and the camera director take a picture of him.

“I would be lying if I say that I’m not used to receiving this award…” Liam uttered under his breath as he stood proudly in the middle of the stage to deliver his winning speech.

“But despite that, I’m very grateful to everyone. From the staff who worked tirelessly to make every production a success, to my co-workers who shaped and helped me, and, of course, to my beloved fans. I wouldn’t be here standing in front of you all if you didn’t shower me with your love and support. Know that each one of you is the reason why I’m here today…”

Liam momentarily stopped his speech as his fans inside the venue cheered and screamed out loud as if they were hyperventilating.

“LIAMMM!”

“Liam!”

“Liam! Liam!”””

“Ehem…” Liam took a deep breath, his smile still present, though it faltered slightly. The applause slowly died down, and the atmosphere in the room began to shift as if everyone sensed that something unexpected was about to happen.

Liam adjusted the microphone in front of him and glanced at the golden trophy in his hand as if memorizing every detail of it. His fingers wrapped around it with a touch of finality, and his eyes, usually shining with quiet confidence, now seemed clouded with a faint sadness.

The cold weight of the trophy seemed heavier tonight.

“I’ve stood on stages like this many times,” he began, his voice steady but softer than before. “And every time, I’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude. The roles I’ve played, the stories I’ve told, and the people I’ve worked with… all of it has shaped me into who I am today. And I will always carry that with me.”

There was a slight pause as he surveyed the audience, his gaze landing on familiar faces—fellow actors, directors, and friends who had been part of his journey. His heart tightened as he saw the expectation in their eyes.

“But…” His voice wavered, and the word hung in the air like a fragile glass. “As you know with every journey, there comes a time when one must stop and reflect on the path ahead.”

The silence in the room grew heavier. A ripple of confusion passed through the crowd, and even the cameras seemed to zoom in a little closer to his face, capturing the subtle change in his facial expression.

Liam's grip on the microphone tightened as he forced himself to continue. This will surely  be hard.

“This will be my final award ceremony,” Liam uttered with determination. His words hung in the air, heavy and final. The crowd began to murmur, while others remained frozen in their seats, processing what they had just heard.

Liam took another deep breath before continuing, his voice weak and much lower.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. It’s not a decision I’ve made lightly. But I feel that it’s already the right time to step aside and make room for the new generation of talent, to let them carry on the legacy that I had started.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

There was a stillness in the room, the gravity of the moment settling in. Even Shean Mcdez, who had been smiling beside Liam moments before, seemed to be at a loss for words.

“After my next movie that is scheduled to be broadcasted next month, I’ll step out of the limelight already. I’m officially announcing my retirement. Thank you for 15 years, everyone.”

With the silence from the crowd, Liam took it as an opportunity to take a step back. He bowed deeply, showing his deep gratitude to everyone. Afterward, he silently went down from the stage. The crowd and even his fellow actors remained unmoving as he went back to his seat.

As the ceremony came to an end, the usual fanfare of the final speeches and music felt muted. The hosts struggled to maintain the enthusiasm, their words stilted as they wrapped up the event.

The mood had shifted irrevocably, and no one in the room truly managed to recover from the shock of Liam’s announcement.

Even in their homes, fans who had been watching the broadcast remained frozen in place. Their cellphones and television screens reflected their stunned faces. Many were still holding their breath, as though waiting for him to come back and say that it was only a prank.

But after seconds and minutes, there was none.

That's when the reality slowly sank in — Liam Ashton, the most popular star whom the people loved and adored for so long, was really stepping away from the limelight for good.

In a matter of just a few minutes, the topic was already trending online, with fans sharing their deepest sentiment and sadness over the news.

Back at the venue, Liam moved quietly among his fellow actors and workers offering soft goodbyes as the event ended. He exchanged embraces with directors and old friends, all of them offering congratulations tinged with sadness.

“We’re going to miss you,” one of his co-stars, Will, murmured as they hugged.

Liam gave a small smile, his eyes reflecting a deep weariness. “I’ll miss you all too but it’s already time.”

The evening had been exhausting. The weight of his decision pressed heavily on his shoulders, but there was a sense of relief. He had said his piece. Now, he could step into the quietness he had craved for so long.

As he left the venue, Liam was greeted by his assistant, Ben, who had been waiting by the entrance.

“Everything went well?” Ben asked, though his tone was hesitant. He knew beforehand of the announcement, but still, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness.

Liam gave a tired nod. “Yeah, I guess it did.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the cool night air a welcome contrast to the bright lights and overwhelming energy inside the venue earlier.

“I called the van,” Ben said, looking around. “It should be here in any minute.”

“Alright.” Liam nodded as they waited in front of the venue. A lot of his co-stars were also waiting, although they had their own spots as if providing everyone with privacy after a long and tiring night.

With the silence, Liam’s thoughts drifted back to the ceremony and the faces of the people he’d just said goodbye to. There was an odd, surreal feeling in his chest — like the world had just shifted beneath his feet, but he hadn’t quite caught up to it yet.

‘Maybe it’s just reality sinking in my brain…’ he thought silently.

“Oh, the driver said he’s near. Let’s get to the side already.” Ben called out Liam’s attention as he received a message on his phone.

“Ok,” Liam took a few steps forward, landing on the side of the road just in front of the venue where cars usually drop off or pick up their passengers.

The two stayed there to wait for a few more seconds for Liam’s own van.

Just then, a car engine roared in the distance, louder than it should have been. Liam immediately looked at the side, seeing a familiar vehicle.

‘Oh, I guess the driver is here.’ he muttered silently before taking another step forward. However, the van sped up, with no signs of slowing down or stopping as it continued to move.

“What the—” Liam’s eyes widened as the speeding van came barreling down the road, out of control.  He barely had time to react when the van grew closer — too close.

“Shit!”

Everything happened in an instant. The screech of tires, the flash of headlights, and the loud shouts.

“Huh?”

Liam just froze when he heard his name. His body started aching all over, and a second later, he realized that he was lying down on the ground with blood dripping down his forehead.

The impact of the crash was too sudden. The world spun in Liam’s eyes, and for a moment, everything slowly became blurry.

“LIAMM!” Ben’s scream echoed into the night. He had a few scratches on his arms and legs but that was not his focus right now

‘What happened?’ Liam asked at the back of his mind in a state of confusion. He felt as if his whole body was out of energy that he couldn’t even open his mouth to reply to his name being called.

“Liam! Hey! Can you hear me?”

Liam caught a glimpse of Ben anxiously kneeling besides him. However, before he could even see him clearly, his eyes slowly closed, his vision completely turning black.

“Liam… Liam?”

“Help! Help!”

“Someone! Please call the ambulance!”

“No… No… No…”

The people in the venue panicked at the sight of Liam on the ground, covered with bruises and blood. That day, not only did Liam’s retirement dominated the headlines, but so did the tragic news of his unfortunate accident.