Reborn as the Villainess

Chapter 67 74%

James signaled, and a group of graceful servers entered, carrying trays and efficiently serving the dishes.

Oscar watched as the parade of food continued for half an hour, his brow furrowing in disbelief. This was beyond extravagant. In all his time working for Stephen, he'd never seen anything quite like this.

Finally, unable to contain himself, he spoke up. "Mr. Byron, isn't this a bit much? There are only three of us. We can't possibly eat all this."

The table was laden with what seemed like hundreds of dishes, a dizzying array of culinary delights. It rivaled, if not surpassed, the legendary imperial feasts of ancient times.

James chuckled and explained, "Truth be told, we didn't plan on going this overboard. My son invited a classmate over and got it into his head that they needed a 'proper banquet. So the kitchen staff really outdid themselves and whipped up... Well, all of this. And I figure that since you two were coming, they might as well do a bit extra."

Oscar was completely stunned. "The young heir of the Byron family is really something else, throwing such an extravagant event for a simple invitation. It must be nice to have Daddy's deep pockets to dip into.

"Is your boy inviting a girl?" Oscar inquired.

James chuckled warmly, "Indeed. My son, you see, was born when my wife and I were older. He's quite spoiled at home. But don't let his impulsive actions fool you - he's never been one to waste money. This girl must be something special

As James spoke about his son, his eyes sparkled with undisguised affection.

Oscar didn't think much of it. After all, it was perfectly normal for a teenage boy to have a crush. It was the age of hormone driven passion, after all.

Stephen, on the other hand, couldn't care less about their conversation. He sat there, brow furrowed, lost in his own world.

He opened his phone, closed it, and then opened it again. This cycle repeated over a dozen times before he finally threw the device onto the desk in frustration. Leaning back in his chair, he let out a heavy sigh.

'No rush,' he told himself. 'Just wait. The exam is in a month, I'll find her after that'

The thought drew a wry smile from him. He'd never imagined feeling such a deep-seated longing, where every moment without her felt like an eternity.

As the dinner came to a close, James insisted on seeing them out, his enthusiasm undiminished.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

Oscar couldn't help

but be impressed. For a CEO to show such humility spoke volumes about his sincerity. His opinion of James rose significantly.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Byron," Oscar said politely.

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Spencer. This way, please," James replied, leading them out. He led them toward the nearest bank of elevators to wait for an express lift.

Just as the three of them rounded a corner, a plaintive voice suddenly reached their ears. "Eleanor, why are you rejecting me?"

Though the speaker's voice wasn't particularly loud, the hallway's silence and the partially open door allowed every word to carry clearly to those outside. Stephen froze mid-step.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Eleanor massaged her temples in exasperation. She couldn't understand why teenagers these days had to keep pushing for answers like that. Steeling herself, she continued, "I've already made myself clear. We're both

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students, and our studies should be our priority right now. Withhe University Admissions Testing just around the corner. do you really think I'd say yes to your confession?"

Brock felt at a loss in the face of her cold, clear-headed demeanor. Still, he tried to salvage the situation. "But I promise 1 won't bother you," he pleaded. "I'll be good and wait until you graduate. Would that be okay?

Eleanor closed her eyes briefly before delivering the final blow. I'm sorry, but I don't have feelings for you. There's no need for you to wait." She stood up, her chair scraping softly against the carpet. "I've given you your gift and we've had dinner. It's time for me to go home. Happy birthday."

"No. You can't leave." Brock jumped to his feet, agitated. "At least tell me what you don't like about me. I can change!"

Eleanor's carefully maintained cool facade crumbled as she saw him blocking her path. A hint of anger flashed across her face. She regretted her decision now. If she'd known Brock would be such a handful, she wouldn't have come at all.

"I just don't like you liking me. You should change that," Eleanor said bluntly.

"I... I..." Brock's face instantly turned pale.

Outside the door, Oscar couldn't help but snicker at overhearing this exchange. He never expected Eleanor to be so sharp-tongued, hitting her opponent's weak spot with pinpoint accuracy.

Earlier, when Oscar saw Stephen suddenly freeze, he thought something serious had happened. As he approached, he overheard someone confessing to Eleanor, nearly making him weak in the knees with shock.

Others might not have noticed, but as Stephen's right-hand man, Oscar had observed all of his unusual behavior lately. Stephen was clearly smitten with this girl. Now, with someone else suddenly making a move, Oscar could only imagine Stephen's blood was boiling. He wouldn't be shocked if Stephen was ready to tear someone limb from limb.

Oscar swallowed hard and sneaked a glance upward. Sure enough, Stephen's face had darkened to an alarming degree. The murderous intent in his eyes was unmistakable, and the air around him seemed to crackle with tension.

Oscar was way past worrying about the Byron family's project. At this rate, the entire Byron family's survival seemed to hang in the balance.

Lucky for them, Eleanor had been steadfastly refusing Brock's advances. That alone was likely what had kept Stephen from unleashing his fury...so far.

But Stephen wasn't leaving. He wasn't going in either. He just stood there at the doorway, brazenly eavesdropping. Oscar couldn't help but wonder if this was really appropriate behavior

Inside, Brock remained persistent, refusing to give up. "Are you absolutely sure you won't give us a chance?" he pleaded. "I'm tall and great at sports. Sure, my grades aren't the best, but I can easily get into college on a sports scholarship. I really like you. You..." you, and I swear I'll never like anyone else but

Eleanor raised her hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Stop. I need to make something clear to you. I'm already engaged. It's an arranged marriage from childhood. No matter what you say, I can't betray my fiancé."

As soon as the word "fiancé" left Eleanor's lips, Oscar distinctly noticed Stephen's expression soften somehow. 'Wait, was it just my imagination?' he wondered.

Brock wasn't buying it. "I don't believe you. You must be lying You've only just returned to the Vanderbilt family. How could you possibly have an arranged marriage?" He had done his research in pursuit of Eleanor, after all.

Eleanor raised an eyebrow. "Why not? It was arranged when I was very, very young." As she spoke, Stephen's face suddenly flashed through Eleanor's mind, causing an inexplicable twinge of guilt.

Eleanor wondered, 'If Stephen knew I was using him as a shield, would he be furious?' Shaking off the thought, she reasoned. 'It doesn't matter. Brock doesn't know who Stephen is anyway. Let's just get through this first. Besides, it's just the two of us