Reborn as the Villainess

Andrew cast a sidelong glance at her before continuing, "When we took you in, Dad, Mom, and I sorted out the legal stuff. The system only let us adopt you until you turned eighteen. It's quite a coincidence that Ellie's return coincides with approaching eighteenth birthday. Perhaps it's fate."

your

He cleared his throat. "But don't worry. We're still family. I'll give you a five percent stake in Vanderbilt Group's dividends. That'll ensure you're set for life. Of course, if you want to work, can arrange a respectable position for you within the company." As Andrew spoke, Gloria's face drained of color. Her fingers curled inward, palms sweating profusely. Her entire body trembled uncontrollably. At that moment, she felt as if her world had crumbled to ash, leaving her utterly devastated. 'Was it all just a dream?' she thought. 'My life as a princess for over a decade - is this how it ends? No. It couldn't be. It shouldn't be. I'm Gloria Vanderbilt. Heiress to Vanderbilt Group. My birthright isn't something to be tossed aside on a whim. "Andrew, I don't want to go," Gloria pleaded, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm a Vanderbilt. I was born a Vanderbilt, and I'll die a Vanderbilt. I can't leave."

Dylan chimed in, protesting, "Andrew, Gloria is our sister. We've been together for so long. How can we just send her away? Who knows if these people are even her real family? What if they treat her like dirt?"

Samuel added anxiously, "That's right, Andrew. If the adoption contract has expired, we can just renew it. I'm sure Mom and Dad wouldn't want to send Gloria away either." Andrew remained silent, his eyes fixed on Gloria's ashen face.

If Gloria had been obedient and well-behaved, he would have gladly supported her for life, even treating her like his blood. But the reality was far from that rosy picture. Pushing aside past life's grievances, Andrew considered the present situation. 'Ellie has only recently been welcomed back into the family fold. Yet already, Gloria has stirred up trouble for her time and time again, both openly and behind the scenes. Ellie has dodged these attempts so far, but who knows if her luck could hold out forever?'

Tonight, when Ross came to see Ellie, her excitement was palpable. She radiated a joy that Andrew had never witnessed during her time with the Vanderbilt family. It was clear that she had always maintained a subconscious guard and distance there. Andrew had to admit, seeing this difference tugged at his heartstrings.© NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

This decision wasn't just for Ellie's sake but for his own as well. It was a chance to atone for the mistakes of his

past

life.

"Alright," Andrew said, expressionless. "We'll discuss the details once we have the test results. As for Mom and Dad, I'll explain everything to them personally. Let's leave it at that for now. You should all get some rest," With that, he stood up and walked away, paying no heed to the three people he left behind,

Gloria slumped in her chair, looking utterly drained. Her eyes were rimmed with red, a picture of misery.

Dylan's heart ached at the sight. "Don't worry, Gloria," he sighed. "Andrew was probably just blowing off steam. He's always doted on you. I'm sure he won't really send you away. I'll talk to him again in a bit." Samuel chimed in, "Yeah, I bet Andrew was just trying to scare us. He's not that kind of person."

But as Samuel spoke, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt Andrew hadn't looked like he was bluffing.

Gloria could no longer hold back her fear. She broke down completely, sobbing uncontrollably, "What am I supposed to do? I can't leave! I can't stand the thought of being away from you all of being...thrown away!" Despite her usual arrogance, Gloria was still a minor under eighteen. For all her scheming, faced with this situation, she was reduced to tears, her facade crumbling. 10:33 Thu, Nov 7 O

45

Seeing her cry, Dylan and Samuel immediately became anxious "Gloria, don't cry," they urged. "We're here for you. As long as we're around, no one can touch you."

Gloria hiccupped, her voice small and uncertain. "But... But what about Andrew? Will he even listen to you guys?"

Samuel hesitated. "Well..." He knew his own limitations. There was no way Andrew would listen to him.

Gloria's cries intensified.

Dylan pressed his lips together. Being older than the other two, he naturally handled the situation with more composure. "We might not be able to help, but there is someone who can," he said thoughtfully. Samuel couldn't stand the suspense. "Who is it? Come on. Don't keep us in the dark at a time like this."

Gloria's sobs quieted as hope flickered in her tear-stained eyes.

Dylan slowly explained, "Grandpa's surgery was completed a while back. By now, he should be recovered enough to return home."

Samuel's eyes lit up. He clapped his hands excitedly. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that? We might not be able to stop Andrew, but Grandpa sure can. Gloria, call him right away!"

Gloria hastily wiped away her tears, nodding as she pulled out her phone and started dialing.

*****

Meanwhile, Ross had barely taken two steps when his phone buzzed insistently in his pocket. The screen lit up with a string of gibberish characters.

He answered, only to be greeted by a tirade of profanity blasting through the speaker. "Ross, you bastard! Did you steal my clothes? That was my competition entry, and I hadn't even revealed it to anyone yet!"

Ross grimaced, holding the phone at arm's length until the shouting died down. "Yeah, I took them," he replied coolly. "But Y didn't steal anything. I left you payment."

The

person on the other end was on the verge of exploding with rage. Ross could hear chairs being kicked over in the background.

"Payment?" King scoffed. "You left me a freaking debit card without the PIN! I bet there's not a dime on it, is there? Or what, maybe a lousy buck?"

Ignoring the sarcasm, Ross simply stated, "The PIN is 091652."

King's jaw dropped as he scanned the account using Ross' password. He started counting the zeros, his finger tapping the screen. "Holy shit! We're talking millions of dollars here! Don't tell me you've dumped all your mission earnings into this?" Ross' eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Not all of them." But it was pretty close.

"Damn, you're one generous bastard," King mumbled. "This is blood money we're talking about. Who's so special you'd blow most of your cash on a dress? Is she really worth all that?"

The question hit Ross like a ton of bricks. His mind flashed to Eleanor's face - her eyes dancing with delight, her smile outshining the stars when she saw the dress. Worth it? He'd give his life for that look. At that moment, she was priceless. "Hey, hey, Ross? You still with me, man?" King shouted.