Reborn as the Villainess

Chapter 31

Eleanor scrunched her nose in annoyance and said, "Can you not call me boss?" It felt so weird being chased around by a guy who was not only taller but also way stronger.

But Liam was having none of it, and he stubbornly insisted, "Once my boss, always my boss. I'm not changing that until I learn your secret skills."

Eleanor sighed, feeling like she was talking to a brick wall. The Lloyd family was a prestigious name, yet their son was so clueless. She felt a bit embarrassed just standing next to him. Liam had no idea what she was thinking. He glanced behind her and asked curiously, "Boss, aren't your parents coming to

pep rally today?"

the

Eleanor dropped her backpack on the desk and nodded. "Yeah, my folks are out of the country, and my brother's on a business trip. No one's showing up."

Wait a minute, Liam is the Lloyd family's kid, wouldn't someone from his family be here...? Eleanor thought.

She suddenly shot up from her seat and nearly bumped into Liam as he was about to sit down. He jumped back, startled, and asked. "Boss, what's up?

She locked her eyes on him, intense and probing. "Who from your family is coming to the rally?"

Her gaze was too overwhelming, and Liam's eyes went wide as he stammered, "N-no one. My grandpa thinks it's a hassle, and my brother's too busy."

A wave of relief washed over Eleanor, and her chest felt lighter. Thank goodness. I've just told Stephen we're keeping things separate, and it would have been super awkward to run into him today, thought she.

She took a deep breath and sat back down. "Well, that's good."

"Good!" Liam's voice shot up, laced with panic. "Boss, you don't know about the crazy stuff that goes on at Aloria High School's pep rally, do you?"

Eleanor frowned, intrigued. "Crazy stuff? What do you mean?"

"Boss, you're new here, and you probably haven't seen it yet. The pep talk is not just a simple cheer. They bring in all these experts who spout off overly sentimental speeches and ask the students to hug their parents. For those whose parents don't show up, Freddie will drag some poor soul onto the stage to hugthose stupid experts. It's the most awkward thing ever."

Eleanor froze, her hand hovering over her books. She hadn't attened high school in her past life and thought pep rallies were just about cheers and motivation. She hadn't realized they included all this emotional bonding stuff.

So, if their parents missed the rally, wouldn't they all have to line up on stage to hug those experts?

Picture it the experts, gripping the mic, passionately recounting tear-jerking stories while the students, sniffling and crying. shuffled up for awkward hugs in front of thousands of students and parents. Just thinking about it gave her the creeps.

Geeze! I should've hired some extras to pretend to be my parents: Eleanor thought to herself.

"So, we're not actually gonna have to go on stage, right? Eleanor asked.

Liam pursed his lips and replied, "Well, we can just pretend to be each other's parents. A little hug for the show, and we can breeze through it

Eleanor shot him a glare that could cut glass, making Liam instantly retract his head. "I... I was just joking, okay? If you're not down for it, no biggie.

1/a

Chapter 31

Meanwhile, Liam thought to himself. "Oh, no, Boss is kind of scary."

Eleanor's eyes darkened behind her glasses. In her past life, she had climbed the entertainment ladder, but the struggles behind that glittering facade were hers alone to bear. On the surface, everything seemed bright, but beneath it all, she was alone and vulnerable. Even at the top, she could be stepped on by others.

The industry was rife with shady dealings, and she had dealt with more than her fair share of sleazy producers and directors who would use any excuse to intimidate her into submission. Shed been drugged more times than she could count, which only worsened her aversion to men.

At first, just talking to a guy would make her feel sick, even to the point of wanting to lash out. After seeing several therapists, she managed to maintain a semblance of normalcy, but any intimate contact with a guy would send her into a panic. If she had to hug some random male expert on stage, she might just lose it entirely.

Thinking about it, she'd rather hug the familiar Liam than some stranger. At least if she lost control, hitting him would be easier to smooth over than punching some expert. "Okay, I guess that could work, but-Eleanor said.

"Who says your family aren't coming!" A cool voice interrupted Eleanor before she could finish.

Both of them paused and looked up to see a tall boy standing at their desk, backlit and striking.

Eleanor was momentarily stunned, and she struggled to process the words. "What do you mean?"

Felix pulled out a chair and plopped down right in front of her. Is it that hard to understand? I'm your actual brother, so it's totally reasonable for me to play the parental role."

He emphasized the word "actual" as if it made all the difference,

Eleanor was confused, and she asked, "But didn't you say you wouldn't recognize me as your sister anymore? And if you do again, I can call you dummy?"

Felix was speechless, unsure how to respond.

Meanwhile, Liam, still furning over Felix cutting in, burst out laughing. "Seriously? Dummy? Yeah, you surely are."

Felix's face turned an icy shade of fury, and his fists clenched tight, looking like he was ready to punch Liam right in his smirking face.

"I only said that because you were pushing around Gloria. If you stop picking on her, I'll still treat you like my sister. Blood ties can't be broken, after all," Felix replied, his voice low and serious. Eleanor had expected him to say that. It made sense; the whole story revolved around six big shots doting on the main character. But even knowing that, she felt a strange irritation bubbling up inside her. With a bright smile, she said, "Well, you might be disappointed, because I plan on still pushing her around."

As she sat by the window, a gentle breeze drifted in, lifting the heavy bangs that fell across her forehead and revealing her smooth skin. The light caught her eyes through her thick glasses, making them sparkle, Not just Felix, but even Liam, who had been laughing just a moment ago, was startled by her stunning face, and they both stared at her in awe.

Felix was the first to snap back to reality. He slapped Liam on the head, glared at him, and warned him. "You better not stare at her like that" Liam quickly turned away, feebly protesting. "I am not." But his gars were burning red

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