Reborn as the Villainess

Listening to the awkward flattery from the computer, Eleanor's nerves wholly unraveled. Her face flushed red with embarrassment. She flopped back onto the bed and pressed her face into the pillow like an ostrich trying to bury its head. She screamed inwardly, 'How

humiliating. This is even worse than forgetting to zip my pants at a concert.

Stephen was amused by the sight of her face buried in the pillow. Worried Eleanor might suffocate, he quickly ended the video meeting. "Alright, let's wrap it up here. Just report the details to Oscar," he said as he closed the tablet and walked over to the bed. "The meeting's over. You can come up for air now.

Eleanor peeked with a pout, only lifting her head fully after confirming the tablet was indeed shut. "Why didn't you tell me you were in a meeting? Now I've embarrassed myself."

This was the first time Eleanor had acted so adorably sulky in front of Stephen, and he enjoyed every second of it. He liked this playful side of her. "I didn't think you'd wake up so early," he explained earnestly. "It won't happen again."

"There won't be a next time." Eleanor huffed, glaring at Stephen. Now get out of my room. I need to change."

Stephen didn't budge, calmly reminding her, "Take a look around. Are you sure this is your room?"

Eleanor glanced around, her words catching in her throat. She thought, 'This...really is not my room. While Andrew had arranged a suite at the hotel for her, it definitely wasn't this extravagant. The floor-to-ceiling windows and the lavish outdoor pool on the balcony were far more luxurious.

"You were drunk last night and wouldn't let me leave, so I had no choice but to bring you here," Stephen explained, seeing her confusion.

At that, Eleanor frowned, trying to recall the events. She thought, 'Drunk? That part sounds familiar. But clinging to him? I just can't believe it.'

"Are you lying to me? I have a good tolerance for alcohol," Eleanor said, though a hint of uncertainty crept into her voice. After all, Eleanor had never really been drunk before, so she had no idea how she behaved once she crossed that line.

Eleanor thought, 'Still, there's no way it was as dramatic as he claimed. Clinging to his sleeve and refusing to let him go? Impossible.' She could barely stand being around men without feeling nauseous. The fact that she hadn't thrown up in front of Stephen was already a sign of restraint.

Seeing Eleanor's doubtful expression, Stephen raised an eyebrow as if he'd been expecting this. He pulled out his phone and opened the gallery. "I knew you wouldn't believe me once you woke up, so I recorded a video to prove my innocence."

The video showed everything crystal clear. There Eleanor was, face flushed, sitting upright on the bed, gripping Stephen's sleeve as though her life depended on it. "You can't leave. I don't want you to go," she whimpered, her voice on the verge of tears.

In the video, Stephen subtly tried to free his wrist, but Eleanor grew more desperate. Her eyes widened, and she stood up, pulling harder on his sleeve, tears streaming down her face. "You can't leave. Don't abandon me. You can't leave me." She sobbed, looking at him like he was some heartless traitor.

Eleanor was utterly dumbfounded. She thought, 'Is that really me? The tear-streaked, desperate mess clinging to Stephen like a lifeline-could that actually be me?'

Stephen put his phone away, giving Eleanor a look filled with amusement. "Anything else you'd like to say now?"

The video evidence was irrefutable. Whether Eleanor liked it or not, she had to accept the truth.

Eleanor rubbed her nose, feeling so embarrassed she might as well dig a hole to hide in. She chuckled awkwardly, "Well, I always knew that Mr. Lloyd, you are a true gentleman. You see? I guessed right.

Chapter 108 73%

"You're so gracious, Mr. Lloyd. Surely you won't hold a grudge against a drunken fool like me. Could you, uh, do me a favor and delete the video? After all, I am a public figure. If this ever go out, how could I possibly show my face again?"

Eleanor thought, "This is so embarrassing. Not even the sharpest mind could figure a way out of this awkwardness. And why did the video have to end up in Stephen's hands, of all people? Aber how I'd treated him, now that he has this on me, he surely won't let it go.

As expected, Stephen didn't answer directly. Instead, he stood up and headed toward the door, his words deliberately vague. "Let's eat first. We can discuss it after breakfast."

Eleanor muttered, "Stingy." She swore to herself that she'd never touch alcohol again. No way she was giving these scheming corporate types any more ammo to use against her.

The hotel served a light breakfast, perfect for soothing a stomach ravaged by a hangover. The warm, mild oatmeal was just what Eleanor needed.

After eating her fill, Eleanor felt like she had been reborn, strength flooding back into her limbs. Setting her spoon down, her wide, eager eyes fixed on Stephen. "Mr. Lloyd, I'm done eating."

Stephen responded with an indifferent "Mm," standing up as he spoke. "Get ready. I'll drive you to the set."

"Wait, wait, wait..." Eleanor hurriedly blocked Stephen's path. "Didn't you say we'd talk about the video after breakfast? Well, I'm finished now. You can delete it, right?" she pleaded, her eyes filled with hopeful anticipation. Stephen glanced down at Eleanor's eager expression and sat back on the sofa. "Okay."

Eleanor hadn't expected Stephen to agree so easily. A surge of joy rushed through her, her eyes lighting up. Even her usual grudge against Stephen seemed to dissipate a little.

"Mr. Lloyd, I never imagined you'd be so reasonable. I really didn't know who I was dealing with before. Not only did you not hold a grudge, but you've generously forgiven my mistake.

"Honestly, my gratitude toward you is like a river flowing endlessly. You truly are a leader of the modern age..." Eleanor laid it on thick, showering Stephen with compliments, each more exaggerated than the last.

But Stephen's expression didn't change at all. When Eleanor finally finished, he handed her a glass of water, thoughtfully allowing her to soothe her throat. "I'm a businessman," he said calmly.

Eleanor blinked, confused about what that had to do with the video. "I know that."

Stephen smirked slightly. "So, what will you offer me in exchange for deleting the video?"NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

Eleanor was speechless. She thought, 'Unbelievable. He was just waiting to trap me like this. She ground her teeth in frustration. Just moments ago, she had felt Stephen had reformed, that deep down, he might have some shred of kindness, but it was nonsense. A capitalist would always be a capitalist. Even if they evolved, they would become even more cunning, never philanthropists.