Chapter 111
Chapter 111
“Let me go!” Once Eliana and Raphael were out of sight, Hannah wrenched free from the security guards. Her face was twisted like a damn banshee’s
She thought, ‘Perfect. Now even Raphael is siding with Eliana if that’s how the cookie crumbles, I’m not holding back.
Meanwhile, in the nanny van, Raphael finally snapped, “She’s
s your sister. How
Eliana smirked coldly. “Because she throws fits, you automatically think
Raphael balked, then growled, “I just bailed you out. Show some
“Did you? Looked like you were saving Hannah’s ass. You saw me pull this,” you yanked her back.”
She’d always carried the damn thing for safety, never expecting the first threat
Raphael’s eyes shifted. ‘So she knew,‘ he thought.
He inched away, half expecting a shock to the gut.
uld.
you
steal her boyfriend?”
the victim and I’m the villain?”
”
said, opening her palm to reveal a stun gun. “You were afraid I’d use it, so
be her own sister. ‘Pathetic,‘ she thought.
Ed leaned in, holding a compact and concealer, putting on a friendly smile. “Mrs. Russell, that scratch on your cheek–let me cover it.”
No wonder he was sucking up. After Hannah’s rant, Ed figured Eliana might just become Starlight Media’s boss lady.
“Got it.” Eliana dug out her own kit.
In the mirror, a thin scratch ran down her cheek. She snorted, thinking, ‘Hannah tried
scar
They watched as she dabbed the blood with a tissue, then layered on concealer–each stroke like buckling on armor.
Most women would’ve lost it over a facial injury, but Eliana didn’t bat an eye.
For Raphael, who treated his looks like his life, this was unnerving. He thought, ‘She isn’t just ruthless with her sister. She’s just as hard on herself.”
Eliana wasn’t emotionless. Growing up, she learned that screaming and crying got her nowhere.
Whether it was her parents or everyone around her, they always took Hannah’s side. So she learned to rely on herself.
When they reached Vellum Glow, Eliana opened the car door and said, “Get out of the car.”
She added, “One last thing. Mr. Yates isn’t like me. You can act up with me, but don’t try that with him. You’ll only end up hurting yourself.” After all, Felix had humiliated Dorothy during the wedding ring selection–proof he was all smiles on the outside but dangerous underneath.
Raphael almost fired back, then he saw the faint scar on Eliana’s face and fell silent. He thought, ‘I could’ve stopped Hannah, but I’d held back.‘
And there she was, staying professional, making his earlier tantrum look like a kid’s temper fit.
After pressing his lips together, the young defiant boy’s face showed signs of yielding for the first time. “I’ll play it smart. Just focus on your own job.”
“Better.” Eliana got out first.
Sun, 15 Jun
Chapter 111
In the product department, Raphael Nipped when he saw the ladies‘ watch campaign. “Eliana, I’m a guy. How can you make me promote wament watches?”
Eliana apologized to the manager, then dragged Raphael aside. “Did you even skim the contract? It says right there—ladies‘ watches, in bold letters
He’d been too caught up in his bet with Eliana and trusted Nolan wouldn’t throw him under the bus, so he’d signed the contract without so much as skimming it.
Now staring at Eliana, Raphael could only curse his own stupidity.
“No way I’m endorsing women’s stuff,” he snapped.
“What’s the problem? Some male celebs even endorse tampons.” Eliana tried to reason with him.
“Those are other guys.” Raphael whirled around, jaw clenched. “Not happening with me.”
His touchiness made Eliana wonder if her earlier dig about his stage antics was to blame.
She stepped in front of him, dead serious. “If my words bugged
you, I’m sorry. You actually ooze major testosterone on stage–not sleazy at all.”
Even though he’d heard similar compliments a million times, the honesty in Eliana’s eyes still struck a chord.
But then memories hit. Debut days when “pretty boy” insults followed him everywhere. He’d busted his ass to shed that label and wasn’t crawling back into it.
Just then, Eliana took the watch from the product manager. “The manager said this watch is all about confidence and charm,” she mused, turning it over.
She continued, “It’s about empowering women to own their smarts and glow. Doesn’t that match the whole vibe you give female fans? I can’t think of a better fit than you.”
Raphael eyed her with a mix of emotions.
He thought, ‘She has a real knack for words. No, scratch that. She’s a master at sweet–talking. No wonder she could twist powerful men around her finger like that.‘
Ed piped up, “Come on, Raphael, just try it. The silver design is dead classy.”
Eliana jumped in, “Exactly. And even though it’s marketed to womeh, maybe guys’ll start buying once you rep it.”
Before he knew it, Raphael was talked into slipping on the watch–part coaxing, part trickery.
The second it was on, Eliana covered her mouth with a gasp. “Oh my god, it’s like the watch was grafted onto you. Perfect fit!”
Raphael’s eye twitched. “You could lay it on thicker, you know.”
‘Acting in front of an actor? Amateur move,‘ he thought.
Eliana turned to Ed. “We should snap a test shot for Mr. Yates right now, don’t you think?”
While Raphael was still debating ripping off the watch, Ed grabbed his wrist. “Let’s do it.”
By the time they stepped out of Vellum Glow, Raphael’s stare at Eliana was pure caution.
Chapter 112
