The Bargain Undercover

The Damaged Bumper

“It’s OK, Mr. Warner. The bus stop is right ahead.” Eliana refused his offer politely.

She couldn’t take his car. She was heading toward somewhere no one else should know.

But Jeffrey insisted, “Then I’ll drop you off at the bus stop. Come in.”

It was inappropriate for Eliana to refuse him again. In the end, she got in. “Thank you, Mr. Warner.”

“Don’t say that. I’m looking forward to our cooperation.” Jeffrey had an amiable voice, like a caring senior. “Do you live far from here?”

“Um... Sort of,” Eliana answered vaguely.

“Our shooting site is nearby. I can pick you up when we shoot.”

“Mr. Warner, you don’t have to.” Eliana curried favor like an expert with the manager of Starcase. “It’s Starcase. I mean, who cares how far it is?”

Jeffrey laughed heartily, “Good point. Good point. You know, when Tyler told me that you would join him, I started to think about the makeup for you. Do you prefer black hair or red hair?”

Eliana let him make the decision. “Whatever goes better with the theme.”

Jeffrey stopped at a red light and turned to size her up. “You have a perfect face. We need to emphasize that. Let’s do lighter clothes and heavier makeup. What do you think?”

As he said that, the traffic light turned green. Honestly, Eliana had never taken a bus nearby, so she wasn’t sure where the nearest bus stop was, but she saw very clearly that there was one right across the road.

She thought Jeffrey also saw it.

“Sure. We can do that.” She pointed at the bus stop about a hundred feet in front of them. “Mr. Warner, you can drop me off there.”

However, Jeffrey didn’t speed down as if he hadn’t heard her or seen the bus stop. Eliana watched as their car whooshed past it, hearing Jeffrey murmuring, “What about the lipstick? Red? Purple?”

Seeing him so immersed, Eliana didn’t want to interrupt his inspiration. It also seemed he threw questions at her out of habit but didn’t really need her to answer.

So, she had to wait until Jeffrey came out of his brainstorming and pulled up the car in a park.

Eliana glanced at the sign not far away.

Millwich Center Park.

At this time, it was quiet with few people in the park.

“Oh, sorry!” Jeffrey’s reaction was exaggerated. “Did I miss the bus stop?”

The deserted park and his sharp voice sent an implicit dread crawling onto Eliana.

Was she overthinking? Maybe. But if worst came to worst, she needed to protect herself.

”Yes. It’s two blocks back,” Eliana said politely as she pulled out her phone sneakily from the right-side pocket of her jeans, unlocking the screen with her thumb.

Her thoughts were running fast. Who should she turn to for help? Who might still be around?

Xander.

The Artist Director must be the last one to leave GALA.

She couldn’t let Jeffrey notice what she was doing, so she turned her head to the right, pretending to look out of the car window, but scrolling down her contact list to find Xander.

Suddenly, she felt someone grab her left hand.

She was startled, retreated her hand, and looked back at Jeffrey, only hearing him say, “Your skin will go with silk perfectly.”

Eliana was finally sure that Jeffrey had brought her here on purpose. She didn’t hesitate any more and pressed the “call” button.

Jeffrey grabbed her hand again, and she shook it off again.

“What are you doing, Mr. Warner?” she reached out to open the car door.

Sure enough, it was locked.

Jeffrey laughed, “Hey, I need to know you well before I shoot for you.”

“So you bring me to Millwich Center Park when no one is around and touch my hand?” Eliana retorted word by word.

Jeffrey was still carrying his amiable smile, but now it looked dreadful somehow. “Come on! Don’t be so serious!”

Eliana had nowhere to hide in the car, her back tight to the car door. “Let me out.”

Jeffrey reached his hand toward her chest. “Let me feel you. I can design the best costume for you.”

“Stop! Let me go!” Eliana shrieked, waving her arms to block his hand.

Jeffrey grabbed her wrists roughly, getting closer to her, a little impatient. “Eliana, I’m the manager of Starcase. What can you lose?”

“Let go of me! Stop!” Eliana struggled with all her strength but couldn’t break free. Jeffrey was much stronger than her, his body taking up all her sight, his grip hard as stone.

The power gap between them made her hopeless. She could only wish that her call went through, and that Xander got her hints and was nearby.

Jeffrey wanted to touch her chest again. Eliana struggled like crazy.

Suddenly, she felt a slap on her face.

Jeffrey growled like a beast, his face contorted, “Eliana, don’t test my limit!”

The heavy slap gave Eliana dizziness with a drumming in the ears. Losing all her strength, she could only pray for miracles to happen...

Right at this moment, some car bumped into Jeffrey’s car from behind.

Jeffrey was startled, letting go of her. He opened the car door and looked back, cursing, “What the f**k are you doing?”

Silence stretched in the air.

Eliana also looked back. The dazzling headlights made it hard for her to see anything. Jeffrey probably couldn’t see anything, either. He lost his patience and stepped out, yelling, “What the f**k!”

Someone came out of the car behind, saying in a deep voice, “Mr. Jeffrey, good evening.”

It was Xander’s voice.

It lit up the endless darkness.

Eliana suddenly felt all her strength back. She banged on the car door again and again, shouting, “Help me! Let me out!”

“Xander?” Jeffrey obviously recognized Xander as well, but his voice was still angry. “What are you doing here?”

“Just passing by.” Xander raised his chin as he walked over, signaling the “car accident”. “I called the police.”

Jeffrey shrank a bit when he heard that. He glanced at Eliana with guilty eyes, saying to Xander, “No need to call the police. It was just a minor bump. I can fix it myself.”

“No. We’d better let the police deal with it.” Xander kept walking until he stopped at the passenger seat of Jeffrey’s car, glanced into the window, and then looked at Jeffrey coldly. “Where are you taking my dancer to?”

Jeffrey immediately showed a flattering smile. “It’s late, so I wanted to send her home.”

“Help me! Let me out!” Eliana kept shouting.

Xander ordered Jeffery, his voice icy, “She wants to get out.”

Jeffrey had no choice but to unlock the car door on her side.

In a split-second, Eliana rushed out of the car and stuck herself close to Xander, her voice trembling. “Director Lane, he sexually harassed me.”

“I didn’t! You lying b***h!” Jeffrey immediately denied it.

“He slapped me when I fought back!” Eliana raised her voice, showing her burning cheek to Xander.

Xander glanced at her cheek but said nothing, standing slightly in front of her to protect her.

“Nonsense, b***h!”

“The police will tell who’s lying!” Eliana’s voice was still trembling, but she spoke out loud.

With Xander standing in front of her, she didn’t need to be scared.

“I’m not wasting time here.” Jeffrey wanted to get in his car and leave, but Xander held his car door.

“Jeffrey, I want to get this settled tonight.”

Jeffrey raised his eyebrows and snorted, “Mr. Xander, I thought we’ve had and will always have nice long-term cooperation.”

“It has to end if you hurt my dancer,” Xander said with no hesitation.

Eliana peeked at him, feeling surprised but also gratified that he chose to protect his dancer over keeping a long-term business partner.

Jeffrey knew Xander’s stand now. Xander stood with his dancer, leaving no room for negotiation.

It was done. He was done. He glared at Eliana with the most vicious look in his eyes as the police siren came nearer and nearer.

***

It was almost midnight when they left the police station.

Even though Jeffrey was dealt with, Eliana was still haunted by a lingering fear, a bit blank when Xander ordered her to get into his car. She climbed into the passenger seat, hearing him asking, “Where do you live?”

Tonight was the night for her to serve Xander in his villa. She didn’t want to break the schedule because of her.

She rubbed her eyes, trying hard to stay focused. “No worries, Director Lane. I’m OK with tonight.”

Since she said so, Xander didn’t insist. He started the car, turned on the heat, and stayed silent.

The coldness in the car soon dissipated by the warm heat. Eliana finally felt her tense nerves relax and started to sense the surroundings. The air had a faint smell of cedarwoord, just like the smell on Xander. In the counterchanges between lights and shadows, Eliana peeked at Xander’s profile.

Under the cover of night, his usual sharpness blurred, revealing a more tender side.

Quietness kept stretching, until Xander pulled up in front of his villa, got out, and came to open the car door for her.

“Thank you.” Eliana got out. Finally conscious enough to notice Xander’s damaged bumper, she apologized like a pitiful cat, “I’m sorry...”

Xander seemed not to care. “Not a big deal. I’ll send it to be fixed tomorrow.”

“You have car insurance, right?” Eliana looked at him with innocent eyes, murmuring, “But I heard if you use it, your premium will go up.”

Xander said nothing, opening the door to his home.

Eliana followed him into the villa, still murmuring, “But you’re way richer than me. It’s not big money for you, is it?”

Xander sighed, “I assume you feel better now.”

Eliana showed him a bright smile, walked close to him, and buried her head in his chest.

The tranquil night gently braced the two, moonlight softening their edges.

“Yes. I feel better. Thank you for picking up my call. Thank you for getting my hints. Thank you for saving me.”

Xander didn’t hug her back but also didn’t push her away.

“Does your face still hurt?” he asked.

“A little bit.”

Then neither of them spoke again.

A few seconds later, Eliana pulled away from his chest and breathed deeply, shaking off all the bad memories of tonight. “Alright, I’m taking a shower now.”

“Eliana,” Xander called out to her.

“Yes?” Eliana stopped and looked at him, wondering what he was going to say.