Reborn as the Villainess

Stephen caught the signal from Albert and curled his lips into a light smile. "Mr. Andrew Vanderbilt is right. We may have

been a bit too hasty.

Andrew, noticing Stephen's tact, gave a nod of approval. "Thank you for your understanding."

Eleanor, hearing the exchange, finally let out the breath she'd been holding. Her shoulders, which had been tense with worry, relaxed. Thank goodness; she thought. the last thing I want is to be forced into marriage the moment I step foot here. Especially to him-that clearly dangerous man

Memories of her threats in the garden flashed through her mind. If I ended up married to him, who knows how he'd take his revenge on me?

Though Eleanor was hiding behind Andrew, Stephen still noticed her relief. The corners of his mouth tugged into a subtle, knowing smile. 'No rush. A little hedgehog only curls up when it feels threatened. Once it lowers its guard, it lets other people get close to its softest spot.

The next morning, when Eleanor made her way downstairs, everyone was already seated at the breakfast table, waiting for her.

The moment Gloria saw her, she plastered on an exaggerated, bright smile, though her eyes still bore traces of swelling. "Good morning, Eleanor."

The overly sweet tone made Eleanor frown slightly, but she gave a small nod in return.

Andrew waved her over gently, his voice soft. "Ellie, come sit next to me."

Eleanor obediently nodded and took her seat beside him.

Without missing a beat, Andrew carefully placed a peeled egg onto her plate, his voice low and affectionate. "Ellic, have some protein."

Eleanor's gaze fell on the boiled egg, and she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose in disgust. Boiled eggs were at the top of her hate list-especially the yolk.

Back when she was an actress, she'd been forced to eat boiled eggs almost every day to keep her figure in check. Just the sight of one now made her stomach turn.

"Eleanor, did you sleep well last night? Mom told me your room was decorated just like mine. I hope it wasn't too unfamiliar for you. If anything needs to be changed, just let me know. I'll help you get it done in no time, Gloria chimed in, her voice dripping with false warmth. At the sound of her pretentious undertone, Eleanor's brow furrowed deeper. Between the boiled egg and Gloria's stupidity, her good mood had vanished without a trace.

It was all too clear what Gloria was implying-Eleanor was nothing more than a replacement, a stand-in.

Eleanor chuckled inwardly, Pathetic.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

But now, seeing how Cloria had bounced back, cheerful as ever, as if she had forgotten what had happened yesterday, Eleanor figured it was obvious she'd already wormed her way back into their parents' good graces, "Smart move, Eleanor mused. Not entirely dumb after all!

No matter how unruly Eleanor could be, she was still Zack and Diana's biological daughter. Now that she had returned, there Chapter 7

was no way they'd send her away. But Gloria wasn't so lucky. G the Vanderbilts had fulfilled their duty. If she couldn't keep Zac

Life in the Vanderbilt household was a dream for Gloria-lavis she lost that, she'd be nothing. The thought of riding public tra apartment would be unbearable for someone like her.

Diana, ever so pure and kind-hearted, was blissfully unaware o "Ellie, if you need anything, just let Mommy know."

Though Eleanor couldn't stand Gloria, she genuinely liked Dia in Eleanor's expression melted into something softer. I slept re

Diana sighed in relief, her face lighting up, Tm so glad to hear

"By the way, Eleanor, Gloria chirped with an arched brow and school you'd like to attend. I've got friends at Greatoak High Sc eye out for you."

Greatoak High School was the very definition of average-not

But before Eleanor could even react, Andrew's expression darke own sister, attending such a mediocre school? Absolutely not

"No," Andrew said, his voice calm but firm, cutting through the a The facilities there are second-rate. Ellie, I know the headmaste and you'll go there! He said it as if the matter were settled. Willowpark High School was one of the most elite schools in Al didn't care much about grades since most would end up studyir academic institution.

Eleanor, on the other hand, knew that Andrew meant well, but t second chance at life, and she was determined to make the mos time mingling with people who didn't care about school. "Andrew," she said, her voice steady, her eyes locking with his, "T School."

Her words hung in the air like a thunderclap, and everyone arou

Aloria High School wasn't just any school. It was a battlefield for dream of getting in. Its acceptance rate to elite universities was

But Aloria High School's headmaster, Freddie Evans, was notori status could buy anyone way in there. The only ticket was pure,

No matter how high up their parents were or how powerful the exams. If they didn't make the cut, they were shown the door, n

Andrew hesitated, caught off guard. "Aloria High School?" He sci expected her to aim so high.

Gloria, of course, couldn't resist the chance to take a dig. With a "Eleanor, Aloria High isn't somewhere you just waltz into. Felix by and get in. Her voice was dripping with pride, barely maskin Even then, she had barely made the cut.

000:65%

"And let's not forget, Gloria continued, her eyes gleaming, "there are only two months left before the UAT exams. The pressure at Aloria High School is intense. I doubt you'll be able to handle it."

The UAT, the university admissions testing, was the big, terrifying hurdle every senior had to clear before even thinking about.college.

Eleanor's eyes narrowed, a sly smile curving her lips. There was no hiding the mockery in her tone. "Really? Then I guess you two must be incredibly thick."

"What did you just say?" Gloria's face turned beet red, her throatrightening with fury.

She prided herself on her Aloria High pedigree-people constantly praised her for her bright future by associating with the school, though her grades weren't exactly top of the class. No one had ever dared to call her stupid to her face.

But Eleanor didn't care about Gloria's anger. She calmly set down her knife and fork. "Andrew, my mind's made up. I'm going to Aloria High. Don't worry, I'll get in on my own merit."

Andrew, seeing the fire in her eyes, relented with a resigned smile. "Alright, I believe in you. Just don't push yourself too hard: Remember. I've got more than enough money to support you. Even if you decide to spend the rest of your life doing nothing but having fun. I've got you covered."

He was dead serious. In his mind, he wanted nothing more than to protect Eleanor for the rest of her life, to make up for all his regrets from his past life.

Since he'd been given this second chance, he'd evaluated the company's failing projects and steered clear of potential pitfalls, taking every step to safeguard their family's fortune from the mistakes that had led to their downfall before. With his business experience and foresight from his previous life, there was no way the Vanderbilt family would ever face bankruptcy again

But Eleanor didn't know the storm of thoughts running through his mind. Hearing him casually offer to support her for the rest of her life, she stifled a laugh. 'Let's see who ends up taking care of whom, she thought, remembering the tragic fall of the Vanderbilt empire from the novel.

Her determination wasn't just about putting Gloria in her place, though that was certainly a bonus. Eleanor had more than enough confidence in her abilities.

In her past life, she'd been known as a genius in the entertainment world, always maintaining a cool, intellectual persona. And while she hadn't gone to college, she'd made up for it by studying relentlessly, eventually earning a PhD from Eastwood University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the world

That degree had solidified her reputation, and she was more than capable of pulling off a repeat performance here.