Chapter 3 Sounding Him Out

• Benjamin narrowed his slanted eyes before his large hands took Eliza’s. Then, he pried her fingers apart one by one, startling her for a moment.
• “Didn’t you want to put on a show in front of someone else?” Benjamin lowered his voice so that only the two of them could hear. “I’m putting my future at risk by play-acting with you, so wouldn’t you be letting me down if you don’t put in your best effort?”
• His words rendered Eliza speechless.
• The reporters—who came after hearing the news about Benjamin and Eliza—got excited again at the sight of what Benjamin was doing.
• However, before they could ask anything, Cody’s tall figure had pushed the door open and entered, instantly silencing everyone at the scene.
• Cody stared at Eliza. “Miss Walker, aren’t you going to retrieve the cosmetics that you’ve left in my car?”
• The reporters looked at each other in surprise upon hearing his words.
• Eliza’s face turned pale; even Benjamin had an unfathomable expression on his face.
• “I don’t like keeping anything that belongs to women in my car.”
• With that, Cody turned around and walked out of the glass door right away.
• Eliza stood still in place. She remained calm on the outside, but she knew very well that Cody was angry.
• She knew that she had to catch up with him, but she couldn’t find the courage to go with him under so many vulturous eyes.
• What surprised her even more was how Cody made his relationship with her sound so dubious in public.
• As a matter of fact, Eliza had had all the good resources to herself ever since she entered show business. Therefore, ever since rumor spread that she was a kept woman, Cody had been the first person suspected to be her sugar daddy.
• It was only because she and Cody concealed their relations very well that they lived in peace for the past five years.
• The only fate awaiting the woman with whom Cody disclosed his relationship before jilting would be total banishment from show business. They might not even be able to remain in Lake City.
• Eliza had really panicked this time.
• Staring at Eliza, Benjamin raised his brows and spoke calmly. “No wonder you couldn’t find your lipstick. So you left it in President Brooks’ car, huh? Why didn’t you notice that when we got out of the car together just now?”
• Eliza picked up on his question pretty well. “I probably forgot it in a hurry.”
• With that, they narrowly escaped the brouhaha Cody had caused without mishap.
• Eliza then walked toward Cody’s black Bentley Continental in Benjamin’s company.
• The reporters looked a little huffy. However, they knew that Cody was the investor of a drama that would begin filming in Lake City soon. The lead actor and actress for this drama hadn’t been finalized, so it wasn’t strange for Eliza and Benjamin to show up in Cody’s car.
• Still, the gossip about Benjamin and Eliza dating for real after playing a couple on-screen was sensational enough to be played up by the reporters for several days.
• Eliza walked to Cody’s car alone in fear. Louie had led the reporters and fans away, so it was only natural that no one would notice her.
• She had just stopped in front of the black Bentley Continental when the car window was wound down as Cody ordered coldly, “Get into the car.”
• Right after the car door was closed, the world suddenly spun around Eliza, who found herself pinned against the leather seat.
• “Mr. Brooks—”
• Before Eliza could finish her sentence, Cody snapped, “How dare you oppose me after winning the Best Actress Award! Eliza, don’t you think you’re a little too audacious?”
• Eliza’s expression changed slightly before she assumed a lamblike manner with a languid air. Her arms, which were previously clutching the seat, were now wrapped around Cody’s neck before she retorted in a careless tone, “You were holding Miss Watson’s hand, after all, so I had to find myself room for maneuver. Am I right?”
• Cody raised his brows without speaking.
• “I at least deserve some recognition for sleeping with you for so many years, Mr. Brooks. Why didn’t you ever let me appear hand-in-hand alongside you?”
• Eliza asked in a half-bantering way that suggested both playfulness and protest, but her true purpose was to sound him out.