Reborn as the Villainess

65

Eleanor hadn't gotten far into the book My Six Bigshot Brothers before setting it down. Other than Albert, there wasn't a single other character with the surname "Lloyd" in sight. She thought. If they haven't shown up yet, they're probably just background characters. As long as I steer clear of the male lead, I should be fine.

With the commotion escalating to this point, both Diana and Zack had no choice but to step in, awkward smiles plastered on their faces as they apologized profusely to Albert. "It's just a little misunderstanding between the kids," they explained, trying to smooth things over. Diana even instructed Gloria to apologize to Eleanor.

However, Gloria-too proud to apologize publicly to someone she held in contempt-dragged Eleanor into the garden. Once there. Gloria clenched her tists tightly, took three sharp breaths, and spat through gritted teeth, "Eleanor, I'm sorry. I was being thoughtless. Don't hold it against me, alright?"

Eleanor glanced around. The garden was quiet, tucked away from prying eyes. 'So, she thought with a cold smile. "Gloria has some shame after all, finding such a secluded spot to apologize. How considerate of her!

But Eleanor wasn't about to let the moment pass without taking full advantage of it. It'd be a waste of such prime real estate not to make something memorable out of this.

Without warning. Eleanor's hand shot up, delivering a sharp slap across Gloria's right cheek. The loud crack echoed through the empty space. "Gloria, this one's for falsely accusing me, she sneered.

Before Gloria could even register what had happened, Eleanor'shand came down again, this time across her left cheek. "And this one is for being a backstabbing snake." Eleanor hissed, her voice dripping with venom.

She remembered clearly how, in the book, the Vanderbilt family had spiraled into bankruptcy far faster than expected, thanks to Gloria's betrayal. Gloria had teamed up with a gigolo from a rival company, and in the final hours, she'd even stolen the family's emergency funds to flee the country.

Normally, Eleanor wouldn't be one to resort to violence-far too much effort. But seeing Diana, who bore such a striking resemblance to her own mother, and knowing how Gloria's actions had ultimately led to Diana's heartbreak and tragic death in the book, filled her with a fury she could hardly contain

Gloria stood there, stunned, her face reddening from the two slaps. After a beat, she snapped, finally realizing what had just happened. Lunging at Eleanor, she screamed, "You wretch, How dare you hit me? I'll kill you! You'll regret this, you-

But Eleanor was ready. She may have looked slender and delicate, but all that time spent learning stage combat for her acting career paid off. She grabbed Gloria's wrist in one swift motion, stopping her in her tracks, then yanked her down by the hair, forcing her to her knees.

Her voice cold and unforgiving. Eleanor whispered, "If you want to keep living comfortably in the Vanderbilt family, you'd better cut out the scheming. Flatten those claws of yours. Because if you keep trying me, I won't hesitate to send you to an early grave."

Her eyes burned with a fiery intensity, dark and merciless, like something straight out of a nightmare. Gloria froze. paralyzed with fear, her body trembling under Eleanor's fierce gaze.

"Y-you..." Gloria stammered, too frightened to finish her sentence.

With a disgusted snort, Eleanor flung her away as if she were nothing more than a piece of trash. Calmly, she pulled out a wet wipe from her pocket, methodically cleaning her hands. "Ugh, so filthy, really, she thought.

Unbeknownst to her, a man had been casually observing the entire encounter from the southeast corner of the garden. His strikingly handsome face carried a hint of amusement, his lips curving into a slight smirk. The ruthlessness with which Eleanor dealt with Gloria was oddly familiar-something that reminded him of himself.

His phone buzzed, snapping him back to the present. "Mr. Stephen, are you still not here? General Lloyd is losing his semper again," Ralph said on the phone.

11:25 Wed, Oct 30 BUB D

65

Stephen blinked, the moment broken. On my way, he responded, his expression returning to its usual cool indifference.

Meanwhile, Gloria, clutching her bruised cheeks, had already fled back into the house after having got those two slaps, likely running to tattle to Diana. Eleanor, however, remained completely unbothered, scofling softly at the thought.

After discarding the used wet wipe with a graceful flick of her wrist, she lifted her head, only to meet a pair of cold, penetrating eyes staring back at her. The man standing there radiated an aura of danger, his gaze as dark as a bottomless lake, as if daring her to fall into his depths. Eleanor frowned slightly. 'Great, she thought. He must've seen me slap Gloria, Who the hell is this guy anyway?"

Undeterred, she raised her hand and formed a fist, then slowly dragged her thumb across her throat in a deliberate motion -a silent, unmistakable warning. Without waiting to see his reaction, she turned on her heel and walked back toward the hall, her expression cool and composed.

Stephen watched her retreat, his eyes gleaming with interest. He let out a low chuckle, unable to contain his amusement. "Did she just threaten me? For the first time in a long while, Stephen Lloyd found himself entertained.

When Eleanor stepped into the grand hall, she was immediately greeted by the pitiful sight of Gloria, clinging to both Diana and Zack, tears streaming down her face as she wailed, "Mom, Dad, look at what Eleanor's done. She hit me, and it hurts so much." Before Diana could even react, a low chuckle echoed through the room. "Crying over a little slap! Where's the proper lady?" Albert's voice boorned. "Back in my day. I took three bullets in the leg and didn't make a peep." grace of a

"Well... Zack and Diana exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to respond, both too intimidated to say a word to comfort

Gloria

Albert, thoroughly unimpressed by the spectacle, suddenly glanced toward the entrance and snorted. His face shifted into a proud yet mischievous expression as he banged his cane on the floor. "Hey, you. Come here, you rascal." Stephen, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, strolled in, exuding his usual air of sophistication and ease. "Grandpa, you said you weren't feeling well. Should I take you to the hospital?"

Eleanor's heart skipped a beat as recognition hit her like a freight train. Wait a minute, why does he look so familiar? Isn't this the man from the garden?"Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

Her brain buzzed in panic, her entire carefully curated image ofa delicate, demure lady in front of Albert shattering in an instant. 'Oh no... Albert's grandson has seen through me, she thought in despair. Albert waved her over with a brisk motion. "Eleanor, come here,

Taking a deep breath, Eleanor approached, a tight smile on her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes. "General Lloyd, she said, trying to sound polite while internally bracing herself.

Stephen raised an eyebrow, his expression one of amused curiosity. So this little firecracker from the garden can play the role of a sweet little lady too? She's like a hedgehog hiding its quils

Then, with no preamble, Albert clapped his hands together and declared, 'Stephen, didn't I tell you? You've been promised to Diana and Zack's daughter since childhood. Meet your fiancee Eleanor Vanderbilt." The whole room went dead silent. Stephen blinked, his face completely unreadable. "Granulpa, when exactly did this happen? Because this is news to me.

Diana and Zack looked equally stunned, Zack's voice cracked as he stammered, "General Lloyd, is there some mistake?"

Albert let out an indignant hut. "Do I look like the kind of man who'd lie about things like this? This was settled ages ago.

Zack's father, Kieran, lost a bet to me over a chess game and wagered his granddaughter's hand in marriage to our family. What do you think you can back out now!" 'Lost a chess game...and bet his granddaughter?' Diana and Zackexchanged wide-eyed, bailled looks, both struggling to comprehend the absurdity of the situation. Sure, Albert and Kieran had a long history as war buddies who often played chess, but this was the first they'd heard of such bizarre wager.

And with Kieran currently in a hospital overseas, there was no way to confirm any of it.

Stephen, his hands in his pockets, shot Eleanor a teasing glance Grandpa, it seems Miss Eleanor Vanderbilt isn't exactly thrilled about this arrangement. She doesn't look too keen on the idea, does she?"

His lips curled into a smirk, his eyebrow arched in playful mockery. To Eleanor, he looked more infuriating with every passing second, and she felt an undeniable urge to slap that smirk right off his face.

'He's doing this on purpose, she thought, her jaw tightening in frustration. Her teeth ground together as she fought to keep her composure, already imagining how satisfying it would be to wipe that smug expression off of him. Diana, sensing the tension, turned to Eleanor with concern in her eyes. "Ellie, sweetheart, are you okay with this? Do you agree to the marriage?"

Eleanor hesitated, the weight of everyone's eyes on her. What am I supposed to say now?' she pondered. She bit her lip, torn between her own desires and the pressure of the moment. "L'

0