Chapter 88
Benjamin's brows furrowed slightly, his eyes showing some disagreement.
But when he spoke to her, his tone was still gentle.
"Be good, don't make a fuss."
He patted her cheek lightly: "We don't know what's going on yet. Taking you there could be dangerous."
"If it's dangerous, I need to go even more."
Evelyn tightened her grip on his arm: "You're risking danger to save someone else, but won't let me go. Are you afraid I'll find out something?"
Knowing she was saying this on purpose, he still patiently explained.
"Celeste is Samuel's cousin. I can't just stand by and let something happen to her."
Then why not call Samuel?
That was Evelyn's instinctive reaction, but she didn't say it out loud.
If she did, it would seem like she was jealous.
Throwing a tantrum at a time like this would make her seem clueless.
She knew women could be demanding, but not when it interfered with important matters.
Benjamin seemed to read her mind, though, and ruffled her hair.
"Samuel coming here wasn't arranged by the Harris family, and he doesn't have any people under him. Sending him in alone might cause more trouble."
Really?
Wouldn't Samuel's status as the Harris family's son be enough to make the Martinez family people back off?
But thinking about how even she had been publicly slandered by the Martinez family at the party, she dropped that idea.
The Martinez family was taking desperate risks, truly not caring about consequences.
"Then we shouldn't waste time, let's hurry and change..."
"Evelyn."
Seeing that he still wanted to stop her, Evelyn spoke first: "If you don't give me a chance to be part of your life, how can I understand you? You wouldn't want us to seem close but actually know nothing about each other, would you?"
How could he not understand her?
Even when he wasn't by her side, he knew everything about the people and things she encountered each day.
He should also give her a chance to understand his real life.
"Go change, and be quick."
Evelyn agreed and immediately got up to go to the dressing room.
While she was changing, Benjamin called Samuel.
"Celeste has been detained by the Martinez family."
Benjamin got straight to the point without any beating around the bush.
Samuel laughed mockingly. Even without seeing him, one could imagine the casual look in his eyes.
"My cousin can't even protect herself, yet she had to turn to you? If that's the case, the Harris family choosing her to marry you is a bit overambitious."
The Harris family and the White family wanted to unite, and marriage was the best way to solidify that.
So both families had such ideas internally, but since Benjamin was already engaged, this became more difficult.
But with interests at stake, some people couldn't help but scheme.
Benjamin's voice remained flat: "You're part of the Harris family. Come along and take a look."
"Fine. I also want to see who's so blind."
After hanging up, he changed clothes and walked out to see Evelyn already dressed and ready.
"Done already?" There was obvious surprise in Benjamin's eyes.
He had deep experience with how long women took to get ready.
Not to mention the times he'd picked up Evelyn before, just accompanying his mother out had taught him that going out with women took a very long time.
Meeting his suspicious gaze, she couldn't bring herself to say that she used to dawdle on purpose because she didn't want to deal with him.
She stepped forward and took his arm, walking out.
"How is it the same? Today I don't need full makeup, just a quick touch-up is fine."
Is that so?
Why did he feel like Evelyn's eyes showed a hint of guilt?
After getting in the car, Evelyn applied foundation and lipstick.
Evelyn was beautiful; even light makeup was enough to make her stunning.
Satisfied, she put away her cosmetics and asked the question on her mind: "Hasn't the Martinez family been taught a lesson from what happened before? Why are they causing trouble again now?"
"The Martinez family isn't that harmonious."
"What?"
"Jeremy is useless, but his father dotes on him, and Zachary spoils him, too. This naturally makes people jealous and breeds those with bad intentions."
Favoritism could happen in any family.
And in wealthy families, it bred all kinds of dirty dealings.
After all, the stakes were too high. Money moved hearts, and someone would always get restless.
"They want to deepen the hatred between you and the Martinez family so they can fish in troubled waters?"
Benjamin acknowledged this but didn't say more.
Evelyn became interested: "Aren't they worried that if you get angry, you'll destroy the Martinez family?"
If the whole family was gone, wouldn't the person stirring up trouble behind the scenes end up with nothing, too?
"The people connected to Jeremy naturally can't be spared. As for the others..."
He paused, the corners of his mouth lifting: "They can still be given a chance."
For deep hatred, eliminating all threats was necessary.
But in business, interests came first.
Benjamin and the Martinez family didn't really need to fight to the death. Getting rid of the people who needed to be eliminated would be enough.
Evelyn acknowledged this: "Then why are you going personally? Isn't the underworld your territory? Wouldn't it be enough to just arrange for people to handle it?"
People in business, no matter how dirty their hands, couldn't compare to those in the underworld.
Controlling the underworld, did Benjamin really need to show up personally to deal with such people?
She pondered this silently, while he turned to look at her.
Her gaze wasn't particularly deep, but he understood she was trying to figure something out.
Noticing his gaze, Evelyn looked up: "Drive properly. Why are you looking at me?"
He didn't speak, turning back to look ahead.
Evelyn's eyes narrowed slightly.
A few seconds later, her red lips curved upward.
When she spoke again, her voice carried a smile.
"Afraid I'll look down on you?"
Before, she'd always used his connections to the underworld against him, always saying his hands weren't clean.
Especially in her past life, she'd said he was covered in blood and scared her.
After that, he cut ties with the underworld, but it was like cutting off his own arm.
If she hadn't pressured Benjamin like that back then, Sophia wouldn't have been able to sell her to Zephyria so easily, would she?
Truly, you reap what you sow.
Benjamin didn't know what she was thinking. His facial features tensed slightly, but his tone was firm.
"Whether you look down on me or not, you can only stay with me for the rest of your life. You have no other choice."
Golden Mirage Club.
Things that were openly allowed and things that weren't—Golden Mirage Club had both.
But to get in and enjoy yourself, you needed not just money, but a strong enough status.
Otherwise, entry wasn't permitted.
This was Evelyn's first time here, and she couldn't help looking around.
The decor wasn't tacky at all, but rather grand and dignified. No wonder it attracted countless Emerald City elites.
Benjamin held her hand as they took the elevator to a large hall on the third floor.
The space wasn't huge, but everything related to gambling could be found here.
Celeste was at a card table gambling with others, but clearly, she hadn't won much. She'd been forced to drink a lot and looked somewhat dazed.
The man at the head...
Around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a scar about an inch long on his brow bone. But it didn't detract from his good looks; instead, it made him more distinctive.
When Evelyn saw him, she froze for a moment and murmured, "How could it be him? He's from the Martinez family?"