Reborn as the Villainess

After waiting for what felt like ages with no response, Eleanor looked up in confusion, her gaze locking instantly with a pair of eyes as deep as a still pond.

Eleanor froze on the spot, her eyes widening in disbelief.

the investor Victor mentioned actually be Stephen?'

are you doing here?" She thought, 'Wait a second... Could

When Victor saw Eleanor bump into Stephen, he practically jumped out of his skin. It was true that what one feared most always seemed to happen.

Just moments ago, Gloria had merely brushied against Stephen, and he was so furious that he shoved her and stormed out. Now, Eleanor had practically thrown herself into his arms. It'd be a miracle if Stephen didn't tear this place apart. Panicking, Victor quickly reminded her. "Ellie, be polite. This is Mr. Lloyd, the CEO of Lloyd Group and the investor for this film. Mr. Lloyd is heading back to the hotel now, so why don't you just say hello to him?"

Eleanor breathed a silent sigh of relief at Victor's words. Fortunately, she hadn't blurted out Stephen's name earlier, or there would've been no explanation for that.

Despite her annoyance, Eleanor managed to maintain her composure. After taking a few steps back to create some distance, she smiled politely, her expression distant yet respectful, "Good evening, Mr. Lloyd. I'm Eleanor, playing Megan in the film.

"It's a pleasure to meet you today. Though I regret hearing you have to leave early, it's a shame we couldn't dine together. I do hope we get the chance to collaborate again in the future."

But internally, Eleanor was glad to know that Stephen was leaving. She could barely keep from grinning ear to ear. Stephen raised an eyebrow as he looked at Eleanor standing 10 feet away. His face darkened slightly. He thought, 'This ungrateful girl. Is she really that happy that I'm leaving?" He asked, "Do you truly regret not dining with me?"

Eleanor was stunned by the question. She thought, 'What? Of course, I don't regret it. I could practically blow a trumpet for three days in celebration.'

But Eleanor knew better than to speak the truth in this situation, so she feigned disappointment and said, "Yes, of course, it's a regret. Dining with Mr. Lloyd is something we all dream of." She screamed inwardly, 'Lies. Just leave already

Stephen suddenly looked up at Eleanor, his gaze sharp enough to pierce her soul. Whether intentionally or not, he smiled, a smile so perfect it almost seemed crafted.

But seeing that smile made Eleanor's heart skip a beat, and a wave of dread washed over her.

As expected, Stephen nodded and said, "Well then, since Ms. Vanderbilt enjoys dining with me so much, how could I possibly disappoint her?" And under Eleanor's incredulous gaze, he calmly sat back in his seat.

Eleanor was speechless. She thought, "This jerk... He's doing this on purpose. She took several deep breaths and suppressed the urge to tear him to pieces.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

The entire room fell stunned as everyone stared wide-eyed. They couldn't fathom what had just happened. Eleanor bumped into Stephen, and not only did he not react angrily, but he also decided to stay for dinner just for her.

They wondered why Stephen was treating Gloria and Eleanor differently. In that instant, everyone couldn't help but glance sympathetically at Gloria.

Gloria clutched her throbbing hand as she sat back in her seat, biting her lip hard. She hated those looks of pity. She thought, 'What right do they have to look at me like that? No matter how embarrassing this gets, I'm still the heiress of the Vanderbilt family. Who are they to dare cast such looks my way? What's mine will never be taken away.

Just then, a bright, excited voice called out, "Ms. Vanderbilt, over here."

It was Gregory, eagerly waving Eleanor over and patting the seat next to him, motioning her to sit down.

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Once Eleanor sat down, Gregory leaned in, whispering conspiratorially in her ear, "Ms. Vanderbilt, you missed quite the show earlier."

Eleanor blinked. "Oh? What kind of show?"

Gregory said, "Tsk, it's that Gloria who's always lurking around you. She tried to cozy up to Stephen, but it totally backfired. Too bad you weren't here. If you had seen it, you'd be in stitches

Eleanor glanced over toward Gloria, who was now sitting at her spot, eyes red and brimming with tears, looking utterly pitiful. She thought, "Tsk, tsk. Who would've thought that even a top-tier manipulator like her could fall flat? How amusing

"Well, she sure knows when to yield and when to press on," Eleanor said with a calm indifference.

"Exactly. And still, sitting here so composed? I'd have died of embarrassment and run off by now," Gregory said, clearly impressed.

Eleanor was speechless.

Meanwhile, Victor, seeing Stephen return to his seat for the meal, was almost in tears of joy as he showered Stephen with flattery.

Stephen, however, wasn't listening to a single word. His eyes were glued to Eleanor. As he saw her lean in closer and closer to that pink-haired man, their heads nearly touching, his expression darkened. He thought, 'What could they possibly need to discuss so closely, head to head like that?'

But neither Eleanor nor Gregory seemed to notice the storm brewing on Stephen's face as they continued chatting casually, shoveling food into their mouths rapidly.

After a long, exhausting day, Eleanor was absolutely famished. Sitting in front of a table full of delicious food, she simply couldn't resist.

The dishes prepared by the five-star hotel's chef were divine. The lemon garlic butter shrimp was light and fragrant, with a perfect balance of flavors that melded seamlessly with the shrimp. It was precisely to Eleanor's taste. Her eyes lit up. But just as she reached for a second, the dish got carried away.

A second later, the shrimp appeared in front of Stephen.

Eleanor gritted her teeth, muttering inwardly about how petty Stephen was. She quickly moved on, aiming for the roasted chicken. It was delicious. The skin was perfectly crispy, and the meat was tender and flavorful. But the dish got carried away again as she reached for another bite.

Refusing to be defeated, Eleanor went for the dish right before her. She thought, 'I'm not picky. I can eat anything. There's no way he could take everything for himself, right?'

However, Stephen actually could. He casually mentioned that he liked the dish, and in an instant, Victor jumped to his feet with a grin, rushing to bring the food over to Stephen. Eleanor was speechless. Now, there were barely any dishes left within her reach, and all the best ones were sitting right in front of Stephen. Gregory, oblivious to the growing tension, leaned closer to gossip. "Ms. Vanderbilt, I heard you fell into the water earlier? Are you alright?" Eleanor took a deep breath, angrily pushing the spaghetti around on her plate. She shook her head, muttering, "I'm fine."

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But Gregory's comment jogged Eleanor's memory. Zane had pulled her out of the water, and she hadn't thanked him yet.

Even though Eleanor wasn't fond of Zane, the fair was fair. He'd saved her, and she had to show her gratitude, whether she liked him.

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