Reborn as the Villainess

Since Stephen seemed much more relaxed, Victor loosened up during the second half of the dinner. He enthusiastically brought out a bottle of imported liquor and started praising himself.

He said, "Mr. Lloyd, your visit today has greatly honored our humble crew. This bottle was a gift from one of the actors on set, and I've been saving it for a special occasion. Let's say tonight we crack it open to welcome you."

Victor continued with a flattering smile, "I do hope you'll keep me in mind, Mr. Lloyd. I've got some fantastic scripts waiting to be made into movies." Without sponsors and investors, even the best scripts were just useless stacks of paper. This was the perfect chance to curry favor with Stephen. Perhaps he could secure funding for the next film.

Just as Victor was about to pour Stephen a glass, he suddenly remembered Stephen's notorious germophobia and awkwardly stopped.

"Ellie, why don't you pour Mr. Lloyd a drink?" Victor suggested, not wanting to risk irritating Stephen, who had finally calmed down. He had seen Eleanor serve Stephen food earlier, and he had eaten it without so much as flinching. Surely pouring a drink wouldn't be a problem.

Eleanor's eyes lit up as she gingerly took the bottle. "Of course, Victor." She had been eyeing this bottle all evening, practically drooling over it, and had almost given up hope of tasting it tonight. But fate had a funny way of working things

out.

In her past life, Eleanor was a wine fanatic with a deep passion for tasting different kinds of alcohol. If she found a good bottle, she could happily drink it alone in her room all day.

This particular bottle had captured Eleanor's attention from the moment it was placed on the table. Its rich color and intoxicating aroma signaled that it was top-tier. The fact that she had never tasted this kind of wine only made her crave it more. Now that she finally had the chance, how could she not be thrilled?

Stephen watched blankly as Eleanor filled his glass. But when she began pouring herself one, his brow furrowed instantly. With a swift motion, his hand blocked the bottle mid-air, his voice cold and disapproving. "You don't need to drink," he said Eleanor was speechless, thinking, 'Damn it, I was so close to filling my own glass!"

Seeing the tension, Victor quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, Ellie, you're still young. No need to drink."Content is © by NôvelDrama.Org.

The scent of the wine lingered at the tip of Eleanor's nose, and she swallowed hard, glaring at Stephen, who had just blocked her. She was so furious she could practically feel her teeth grinding.

With a forced smile that couldn't have looked more fake, Eleanor turned to Victor and said, "Victor, Mr. Lloyd doesn't visit often. We should show him proper respect. As an actor in the crew, it's only right that I toast to him to express my gratitude." Stephen raised an eyebrow. He thought, 'Gratitude? Her expression, with gritted teeth and a bristling attitude, looked more like that of a prickly little hedgehog than someone trying to be thankful.

Before Victor could respond, Eleanor had already seized the chance and poured herself a glass. She licked her dry lips and handed the full glass to Stephen, her eyes crinkling with a wide smile. "Mr. Lloyd, I'd like to toast to you and thank you for being here." Stephen let out a quiet laugh. He thought, 'This little hedgehog is claiming to toast me out of gratitude, but her eyes are glued to the wine glass as if she is about to dive into it. The desire in her gaze is practically overflowing. Ungrateful little thing.' Eleanor noticed Stephen hadn't made a move, so she shot him a fierce glare, her eyes demanding he pick up his glass. The look she gave him said, "If you dare not take it, I'll kill you right here."

Stephen chuckled inwardly, 'Heh, Little Hedgehog. A hint of fondness flickered in his eyes. He reluctantly picked up his

glass and clinked it against hers, his deep, magnetic voice resonating. "Alright, just take a sip. You don't need to-"

Before Stephen could finish, Eleanor tipped her head back, and the entire glass of wine slid down her throat. The fiery liquid burned its way down, filling her mouth with its rich flavor. That long-missed joy rushed straight to her head. It had been ages since she'd tasted such a good wine. Pure satisfaction was the only word she could think of to describe it.

Just as Eleanor reached for the bottle to pour herself another glass, a pair of large hands whisked it from her grasp. Her eyes widened in shock as she turned to glare at the culprit, puffing up in indignation.

But Stephen, completely unfazed, placed the bottle far out of her reach.

"I can hold my liquor," Eleanor protested. "I never get drunk, no matter how much I drink."

Stephen calmly responded with a simple "Mm," placing a glass of water in front of Eleanor. His voice was gentle as he said, "Have some water."

Eleanor gritted her teeth, still holding a grudge against Stephen for taking her wine. She tilted her head as she said, "Stingy," her mouth still carrying the aroma of the wine.

Eleanor's words were soft and sweet, with a hint of a childish pout, like a gentle brush sweeping across Stephen's heart.

After drinking, Eleanor became even more docile, sitting there with her wide eyes blinking in a wordless complaint. She had no edge to her now, more like a delicate doll.

A surge of possessiveness welled up uncontrollably in Stephen's chest. He stared at Eleanor intensely, saying nothing. He wanted to hide her away. So that only he could see her.

*****

As the group exited the hotel, everyone remained surprisingly sober. Not a single person was drunk. After all, under Stephen's icy vibe, they hadn't even dared to eat much, let alone drink. However, following behind them, Gregory let out a loud belch. He had spent the entire dinner stuffing his face.

With the rest of the crew already boarding their cars, Gregory hesitated, staying close behind Eleanor. He spoke concernedly. "Ms. Vanderbilt, how about I take you back to the hotel?" Eleanor rubbed her temples, which had started to throb with a dull ache. She took a deep breath of the chilly night air, trying to clear her head. "No need. Grace is coming to pick me up in a bit."

She thought, 'It's strange. In my previous life, I could drink all night and not feel a thing. How had one glass now left me feeling so unwell?'

Eleanor had been fine while still inside, but the moment she stepped into the cool night air, dizziness and nausea hit her like a wave. Her thoughts became sluggish, and the world around her began to spin. In the next moment, everything tilted. Her head lolled to the side, and she collapsed to the ground.

Gregory, standing beside Eleanor, was utterly terrified. "Oh my goodness! Boss... Ms. Vanderbilt, don't scare me like that. I'm not cut out for this."

As Gregory fumbled, trying to lift Eleanor, a pair of large hands suddenly appeared and effortlessly scooped her off the ground.