Eliza was gripping the steering wheel tightly, waiting for the traffic light to turn green with her churning stomach. The whispering sound in the backseat was agitating, and the moaning and giggling of a woman and a man’s whispering voices were vexatious.
"Slowly, you’re ripping up my clothes," a complaint in a sexy whispering tone from the woman. "Can't you wait until the auction is done?"
"That’s a long hour to wait," The man’s voice was aggressive and deep. "Let me have a taste of you now."
Eliza closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling, her jaw clenched in exasperation. And she kept telling herself to keep her cool and held herself back from going crazy. A tear should not ruin her makeup. She had to show the world how happy she was and keep a perfect image. She couldn't help but notice what was going on behind her in the rearview mirror. And her gaze met Leandro's, and he frowned at her. He was angry at her for peeking at them. She tilted her head up, attempting to draw the tears back to her eyes. She was shaking with rage, but she had to hide it. She wished she could arrive at the auction venue earlier and wanted it to be over. But the blinding light of a traffic cop's flashing light hit her eyes, who was checking on them and looking at the plate number.
She wanted to step hard on the brakes and crash the car into the telephone booth ahead, release all the accumulated disgust from her chest, and stop the lascivious and disrespectful people behind the car. She wanted it to be over. But, of course, that was the craziest thought she'd ever had.
After a few minutes, the traffic officer let them pass.
Eliza slammed on the brakes hard in front of the Gritti Palace Hotel, causing the tires to skid. She pulled her face powder from her bag to retouch her makeup. She drew a deep breath and was about to open the car door when she heard her husband’s voice.
"Wait!" said Mr. Leandro Rodriguez. "Don't open the door just yet."
"Mrs. Rodriquez, please hold it for a few moments; I need to change my clothes," the woman in the backseat said in a tiny, irritating voice. And she changed into a smoke gray with a V neck and a backless long gown with glittering diamond gems aligned from the seams of her chest down to her waist and down to the edge of her gown so that when she walked, she resembled a courtesan with the sparkling diamonds of Leeds Grand Theater.
"I'm done," Carina Garcia said sweetly.
Leandro Rodriguez stepped out of the car and opened the door for Carina Garcia, a well-known model in the city. She stepped out of the car, histrionically, and smiled as Leandro held her hand. Everyone was drawn to Carina Garcia's exquisite beauty in her blonde dyed shoulder-length curly hair. She always steals the show wherever she goes. She stood there, still smiling, the glamorous effect of her appearance on the people pulling them around her. Everyone wanted to greet her.
Then one of the crowds exclaimed, "Hey, that's Carina Garcia! She's with Mr. Leandro Rodriguez! " As a result, they become the center of attention. The lights from various cameras descended on them, and the shutter sounds could be heard everywhere.
Mrs. Eliza Rodriquez was left inside the car. She took another deep breath, forced her shaking hands to open the car door, and walked out as if nothing had happened.
"Miss Garcia, are you also here for the auction?" the male reporter asked, rushing over to Carina with a microphone. Today is a high-level charity auction, and few people from the entertainment industry attend. He didn't expect Miss Garcia to be here, so he snatched an interview, which also served as a unique on-site report.
Carina Garcia gently wrapped her arms around Leandro and smiled, "I came with Mr. Rodriguez today. After all, I am the spokesperson of the Rodriguez Group of Companies. " However, the reporter noticed Mrs. Eliza Rodriguez walking to the door and called her out, "Hey, Mrs. Rodriguez. Could I please have a minute?" He walked past Carina and said, "It's nice to see you here, Mrs. Rodriguez. Mr. Rodriguez appears to be bringing along another female companion. What can you say about it?"
Carina looked at Eliza and quickly took the microphone from the reporter's grasp, saying, "I'm the spokesperson for today's event." But the reporter was curious about the rumors about Eliza and Leandro Rodriguez's shaky marriage that had been circulating. As he was unsure of whom to interview first, he waved his microphone from Eliza to Carina and then back to Eliza.
"As I previously stated, I'm Rodriguez's spokesperson today, and I don't have much time to answer your questions," Carina said with a sarcastic smile. And the reporter realized how significant the occasion was. It was grand in the business world, and being able to interview Miss Carina Garcia would be great news and would be a headline in the tabloids the next day. And seeing Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez together with the top model would be a fantastic opportunity for the reporter to create a story worth reading in the morning.
"I hear you're going to Paris Fashion Week again, Miss Garcia."
"Yeah, I got an invitation long ago," Carina said, raising her chin slightly, smiling, and casting a sidelong glance at Eliza. She triumphantly smiled.
Eliza felt like puking while watching Carina's braggarts. Her husband and his other lover are the stars of a freak show. Carina's braggart gestures were revolting. She wanted to yank Carina from her husband's grasp, but she knew it was wrong. She needed to prove to the world that her husband was the most respectable man on the planet. And that Carina's clinging was nothing more than a friendly gesture. As Leandro Rodriquez's wife, it is her responsibility to protect her husband's image from hyena reporters.
"Madam Vice President?" A man's voice from behind her startled her.
"Andy?" Eliza jolted.
"I'm sorry for disturbing your deep thoughts." He was sorry for what his lady boss was feeling. Mr. Rodriguez's behavior was an affront to his wife. And Andy Miller was well aware of it. And he felt bad for her for having a ruthless husband.
Eliza smiled at Carina, who smiled back before turning to Andy and saying solemnly, "Let's go."