The kiss finally happened between Benjamin and Elizabeth.
The camera smoothly transitioned from a wide establishing shot to an intimate close-up.
The lens clearly captured Benjamin sliding his tongue into Elizabeth's mouth.
Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock.
Her hands tightened into white-knuckled fists at her sides.
Yet she remained perfectly still until Ethan's sharp voice cut through the tension. "Cut!"
The moment the word was spoken, Elizabeth shoved Benjamin away with surprising force.
The actor knew exactly why she was furious, but he couldn't control himself.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Her lips felt impossibly soft and inviting.
He might have continued the kiss indefinitely if the director hadn't intervened.
If Elizabeth hadn't physically pushed him away.
Without a backward glance, Elizabeth turned and began storming off the set.
She didn't care whether the take was usable or not.
"Elizabeth, wait!" Benjamin called after her, quickly catching up.
She spun around to face him, her expression glacial.
"I'm sorry, I just..." Benjamin stammered an apology before lowering his voice. "Ethan told me to commit fully to the scene. He said it needed to feel authentic for our characters to connect..."
A cold, mocking smile touched Elizabeth's lips. "So Ethan Parker specifically instructed you to use your tongue?"
Benjamin immediately realized his mistake.
Her earlier anger had transformed into something sharper, more dangerous.
Her eyes were blazing with barely contained fury.
"Yes, for authenticity's sake," Benjamin murmured defensively.
"Hmmm..." Elizabeth's smirk deepened.
That man had promised he could modify the kissing scene for her.
Instead, he'd allowed this actor to take liberties.
She should have expected such deception from him by now.
As she led her assistant toward her trailer to remove her makeup, Elise was already waiting outside in her car.
She had witnessed the entire scene, including Benjamin's inappropriate behavior.
She'd also noticed Ethan sitting rigidly beside the camera, his expression dark.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Elizabeth said as she slid into the car.
She had already donned a baseball cap, face mask, and oversized aviator sunglasses.
"It's no problem. My schedule is clear for the rest of the day," Elise replied politely.
"Let's go."
Elise instructed Robert to drive them to an upscale restaurant.
Only after they were seated in the private VIP room Elise had reserved did Elizabeth remove her disguise.
Just as they were settling into their chairs, the door opened again.
"Samantha," Elizabeth greeted warmly.
Samantha Summer entered, her curious gaze immediately landing on Elise.
"This is Elise Scott, my bro—"
Elizabeth caught herself mid-sentence. "She's discussing a potential endorsement deal with me."
"Since when did you become so business-oriented?" Samantha teased, clearly comfortable with the additional company.
"Please have a seat, Ms. Summer," Elise said, extending her hand. "I'm Elise from Stellar Group."
"I recognize you," Samantha replied with a friendly smile. "You're Samuel Mitchell's fiancée."
"Former fiancée," Elise corrected smoothly.
Samantha looked momentarily flustered. "My apologies."
"That chapter is long closed," Elise said dismissively, deftly changing the subject. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The feeling is mutual."
The three women settled around the table. Elise had sent Matthew home earlier since this was strictly a ladies' gathering. As waiters began serving their meal, Elise spoke seriously. "Ms. York, if you're comfortable, I'd like to discuss a potential endorsement opportunity with Stellar Fashion..."
Elizabeth responded with surprising bluntness. "I've reviewed your company's portfolio. Stellar Fashion's designs are rather conventional. They don't stand out significantly from what other brands are offering."
Having never spoken with Elizabeth before, Elise hadn't expected such directness.
In her experience, most successful entertainment industry figures tended to be diplomatic to a fault.
She found Elizabeth's honesty refreshing.