Reborn as the Villainess

Chapter 71

James hadn't been bluffing. The next morning, Eleanor stepped onto campus to a buzz of gossip that Brock, the star athlete, had withdrawn and left the country. His departure was so abrupt that he hadn't even returned to pack up his books-he was simply gone. On the school field, the muscular aerobics instructor, who doubled as the sports coach, was sobbing uncontrollably. He wailed about losing his prized pupil, lamenting that his carefully nurtured talent had been uprooted before it could bloom. and showcase the fruits of his dedicated training. Concerned about the spectacle, the head of student affairs crouched beside him, trying to offer comfort while gently reminding him not to tarnish the school's image.

This advice only intensified the coach's grief. His heart-wrenching cries echoed across the campus, filling the air with raw

emotion.

For reasons Eleanor couldn't quite explain, she felt a twinge of guilt tugging at her conscience. If Brock had stayed, he could've aced the University Admissions Testing with his talents. He might have joined the national team, served his country, and shone in his field. But because of her, this boy with a bright future now had to cross the ocean.

She sighed, offering a tissue to the misty-eyed coach. Guilt weighed heavy on her shoulders as she spoke. "Coach, try not to take it so hard. I know Brock was a star athlete, but don't beat yourself up over this."

Eleanor considered talking to Stephen about it. After all, ruining someone's future wasn't exactly something she could just shrug off.

The coach felt a bit embarrassed seeing the top student of the senior class - a future valedictorian - trying to comfort him. "Thank you, Eleanor, but... Who told you Brock was a star athlete?"

"Huh? He wasn't?" Eleanor was caught off guard. 'If he wasn't good, why on earth are you crying so hard?'

The coach wiped away his tears and began counting off on his fingers. "Brock was always late or leaving early. He never took PE seriously, always slacking off. He'd jump from one thing to another, never finishing what he started. In short, he was a complete mess. To be honest, his absence should make my life easier."

Eleanor was speechless, her lips twitching.

The coach continued, "You know what? When Brock was here, I never had to worry about stragglers. The other kids were too scared to keep him waiting. They'd all show up early, saving me the headache of herding cats. Now he's gone, and it's chaos. Can you blame me for being a little upset?"

He threw his hands up dramatically. "It's like Batman without his gadgets, or Iron Man without his suit. Heck, it's like me without my morning coffee!" He paused, noticing Eleanor's retreat. "Hey, where are you going? Can't you feel the gravity of this situation?"

Eleanor was at a loss for words. Mentally, she thought, 'Thanks, I've suddenly gone deaf. I can't hear a thing. She immediately regretted her decision to approach him.

Eleanor found herself wondering if schools these days had given up on hiring serious, dignified teachers. 'What's the point of employing a class clown?' she sighed. "To liven up the atmosphere?'

As Eleanor entered the classroom, Liam intercepted her before she could even take a seat. He pulled her aside, his voice hushed and conspiratorial. "Boss, I've got news. Brock left, and he's gone abroad. Did you know about this?"

Eleanor nodded numbly. "Yeah, I knew." What she didn't say was that she'd listened to the coach crying his heart out about this.

Liam continued, his voice low, "Listen, there's more to this story. He didn't just up and leave on his own. There's some

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Chapter 71

behind-the-scenes stuff going on."

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Eleanor froze, her hand hovering over her textbook. She stared at Liam in disbelief. "You know inside information? Did your brother tell you?"

Liam blinked, looking utterly confused. "What's my brother got to do with any of this?"

Eleanor remained silent, thinking to herself that Liam couldn't have figured this out on his own, given his intelligence level. "Oh? So tell me, what inside information do you have?" she asked, her tone laced with skepticism.

Liam glanced around, making sure no one was eavesdropping, before he leaned in and whispered, "Actually, he left because of me. I found this fortune teller-a real mystic, I swear-and had him cast a spell to make Brock buzz off. Can you believe it actually worked? That's why they call 'em mystics, I guess. Pretty wild, huh?"

He continued, excitement building in his voice, "You wanna know how good this guy is? He took one look at me and knew exactly which school I go to. Now that's skill, right?"

Eleanor fought the urge to roll her eyes. She thought to herself, You're wearing an Aloria High School uniform with the school crest embroidered on it. Even a complete idiot could figure that out.'

"This fortune teller is something else," Liam chuckled. "He charges others 200 dollars for a reading, but he gave me a discount - only 150 dollars! I went ahead and got myself a VIP membership. Dropped three thousand dollars on it right then and there. Boss, if you want your fortune told, feel free to use my card."

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stick to my materialist beliefs."

Suddenly, she realized the Lloyd family had been quite foresighted. They'd given almost all the company shares to Liam's brother, leaving Liam with just enough to live comfortably. The message was clear - the family fortune and Liam were both Liam's brother's responsibility.

After all, given Liam's way of thinking, he probably wouldn't have survived this long without the Lloyd family's protection.

Liam caught her look and frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's the same way my brother looks at me."

Eleanor couldn't help but ask, "So, your brother often looks at you this way too?" In fact, she wanted to ask, "So even your brother thinks you're an idiot?"

Liam scratched his head. "Well, he was looking at me the same way you just did. Maybe he thinks I'm incredibly smart and feels proud to have such an amazing brother. That's probably why he couldn't take his eyes off me."

Eleanor was speechless. It struck her that the universe really did have a twisted sense of balance. It had opened one door for Liam but sealed all his windows shut.

"Please stop talking to me," Eleanor sighed. "You're having too much of an effect."

"Oh? Am I distracting you from your studies?" Liam asked, clueless as ever.

Eleanor shook her head. "No, you're lowering my IQ"

Liam fell silent, finally at a loss for words.

Thankfully, after this little episode, everything proceeded smoothly for the next month leading up to the University Admissions Testing. Life settled into a peaceful routine, free from further disruptions.

June 7th, the day of the University Admissions Testing, dawned overcast.

Surprisingly, it was Andrew who seemed the most nervous in the Vanderbilt family. He had deliberately wrapped up all his work at the company two days early, clearing his schedule to be home and support Eleanor during the test days. 12:35

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"Ellie, did you check your ID? Do you have it with you?" Andrew asked. "What about your pencil case? I'm not sure if they need anything else. Maybe I should call your teacher to check."

Andrew's anxiety stemmed from his lack of personal experience with the test. He had been directly admitted to university without taking it, and so much time had passed that he couldn't recall the details. Andrew had heard stories of students forgetting crucial items on test day, even needing police assistance. He was determined to be prepared, wanting to avoid any last-minute hiccups.

Even though it wouldn't matter if Eleanor scored zero. After all, he could take care of her for life. Andrew didn't want to crush her enthusiasm. He hated seeing Eleanor upset. Andrew pulled out his phone, ready to make a call.

Eleanor quickly stopped him. "Andrew, we're all set. You've had Vincent check everything over twenty times. It's definitely

fine."

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