Reborn as the Villainess

Chapter

12

"I swear, if a guy as hot as Liath was courting me, I'd have said yes ages ago, Janet gushed, her eyes practically twinkling with

envy.

But Gloria wasn't listening. Her gaze dropped, her lashes casting delicate shadows across her checks as her mind spiraled into a whirlpool of thoughts. Everyone at Aloria High knew Liam had a thing for her. He brought her stuff daily, yet she never gave him an answer.

What they didn't know was the simple yet infuriating truth: Liam never once confessed his feelings. He would just drop off something every day and then leave without so much as a glance back. There was no way she could say yes to someone who didn't even look her in the eye. In the past, maybe she'd have felt a little sorry about it, maybe even a tad regretful. But ever since that fateful night at the party, where she caught a glimpse of that man whose beauty was beyond words, every other boy in school paled in comparison. Liam included Sure, Liam was one of the heirs to the Lloyd family, but everyone knew it was his older brother, Stephen, who held the real power. The entire Lloyd family bowed to Stephen's will..

The Lloyds and the Vanderbilts family had long-standing ties. If she could just get close to Stephen, if she could find a way to sleep with him, she'd be the lady of the Lloyd family. The mere thought sent shivers of excitement down her spine.

At the gates of Aloria High School, a sleek silver-black Rolls-Royce gleamed under the midday sun, drawing the attention of students and passersby alike. People stopped in their tracks to admire the luxury car, some even daring to inch closer for a better look But when they noticed the distinct Lloyd family crest on the license plate, they hesitated and quickly backed off.

No one in their right mind would mess with the Lloyd family. Crossing them could mean being blacklisted from Aloria entirely.

Inside the car, Stephen sat rigid in a perfectly tailored suit, his brow furrowed as he stared out the tinted window. Every few moments, he glanced down at the watch on his wrist, a flash of impatience in his movements. His assistant, Oscar, noticed the tension radiating from Stephen and nervously cleared his throat, scratching his nose. "Sir, Mr. Liarn still has about thirty minutes before school lets out. If you're worried, I could send him a message and have him. come out as soon as class ends." Stephen shot him a cold, withering look. "Who said I was waiting for him?"

Oscar blinked, momentarily confused. "Uh.. what?"

He thought to himself, "Who else in his family is even at this school? Other than Mr. Liam, there's no one Stephen would be here for... right?

Just then, the bell rang, and students began streaming out of the building in droves,

Gloria instantly spotted the luxury car idling at the school gates. Her heart raced, her eyes gleaming with ambition. She quickly adjusted her hair and straightened her outfit, ensuring every detail was perfect before making her move. Slowly, she strutted toward the Rolls- Royce, trying her best to look casual, despite the curious stares from everyone around her. She knocked on the window with practiced poise. "Whoa, that car belongs to the Lloyd family, right? I saw one just like it in a magazine. It's worth millions, someone whispered nearby

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Chapter 12

Another student gasped. Look, Gloria's walking over. Is she actually going to get in?"

"I heard Liam Lloyd had been pursuing her. Maybe he asked his driver to pick her up as well, someone else speculated

The

And then, another voice, tinged with envy, added. "Man, how lucky can one girl get? She's raised in a great family and she's gorgeous, and now she's even got a Lloyd courting her..."

11

These whispers of awe and jealousy filled Gloria's ears, fueling the immense sense of pride swelling in her chest. She couldn't help but smile to herself, thinking, 'Everything I have, these fools can only dream of Oscar heard the light knock on the car door and curiously glanced outside. A pretty, delicate face met his eyes, and a thought crossed his mind. Could this girl be the one Mr. Stephen is waiting for? I

"Mr. Stephen, should I open the door?" he asked hesitantly.

But when he looked up, the disdain on Stephen's face was unmistakable, nearly radiating from him,

Oscar quickly withdrew his hand from the door handle and shrunk back in his seat, trying to become invisible.

I

Gloria knocked several times, but there was no response from inside. The silence started to feel suffocating, and the whispers from the students passing by grew louder. She could feel their mocking eyes on her, the heat rising to her cheeks in embarrassment. No. I can't just walk away like this' Gloria thought, clearing her throat. She softened her voice, calling sweetly, "Stephen, are you in there! It's me, Gloria. We met at Vanderbilt Manor last night." Silence hung thick in the air, almost palpable, as if the world held its breath.

The whispers around her became more taunting, their volume increasing, Gloria felt stuck, unable to leave or move.

Just then, a crisp,

youthful male voice cut through the noise, sharp and cold. "Why are you knocking on our car?"

Gloria turned, her heart dropping for a

a second before she spotted Liam, walking toward her with a backpack slung over his shoulder, Relief flooded her. "Oh, Liam" She forced a charming smile. "My driver couldn't make it today. Do you think you could give me a lift?"

Liam's expression didr didn't t soften a bit. "No."

Gloria blinked, stunned. "Isn't he supposed to have feelings for me? Is this how someone treats the person they have a crush on? She couldn't wrap her head around it.

Meanwhile, Liam wasn't about to play nice like Gloria. He marched up to the car and banged on the window with both hands, his voice loud and impatient. "Open up. It's boiling out here. Come on, open the door."

Oscar sat frozen, terrified to make a move without Stephen's approval.

Inside, Stephen sat calmly, brow slightly furrowed as he absently traced his fingers over the dial of his watch on his left wrist, ignoring the commotion outside. The thudding on the window barely registered.

But then, something-or rather, someone-caught Stephen's attention out of the corner of his eye. His usually cold and indifferent gaze suddenly brightened, like stars flickering into existence in his frigid eyes. His stern lips twitched upward into the faintest of smiles. He straightened his tie and adjusted his cufflinks before finally speaking, his voice smooth and composed, "Open the door."

Oscar snapped to attention, startled. "Yes, Mr. Stephen," he responded before quickly unlocking the door.

The moment the door clicked open, Oscar's head was met with a solid thwack from Liam's hand.

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Chapter 12

"Take it easy, Mr. Liam Oscar winced, rubbing his forehead.

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Liam rubbed his wrist, still tingling from the relentless pounding on the car window, and grumbled, "You were in there the whole time? I was knocking for ages. I thought no one was inside Oscar could only stare at hith, thinking, If you thought no one was inside, why keep banging on the window?"

Liam was about to step into the car when he caught sight of Stephen in the back seat, his face stern as ever. Liam's confident stride faltered, and he awkwardly retracted his leg.

"Stephen, you're here too?" Liam mumbled, a little sheepish. He had figured only the driver had come to pick him up, not expecting to see him here.

His eyes lit up

Stephen had been distant ever since Liam declared he wanted to pursue a career in eSports, and they hadn't spoken much since. "Maybe, Liam thought, he's finally come around. Maybe he realizes I'm onto something with eSports with excitement, and he moved closer, grinning. He asked with a hopeful gaze, "Stephen, do you think I've got I get t lost."

potential now? Is t that why-

Shut

up

and

Stephen's figure gradually disappeared into the distance.

Stephen cut in icily, not even sparing a glance at his brother. He stepped out of the car with effortless grace, brushing past Liam as if he were nothing more than a fleeting shadow, leaving his brother standing there, speechless. and deflated, as Nearby, Eleanor stood with a look of pure annoyance etched across her face, staring down at the person in front of her- Glona.

Moments earlier, Gloria had been left humiliated by Liam's blunt rejection, unsure of how to recover. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eleanor walking out of the school gates, her backpack slung casually over her shoulder. The shock hit Gloria like a lightning bolt, electrifying her senses. Forgetting her embarrassment, she rushed forward, blocking Eleanor's path. "What are you doing here? Did you just come out of Aloria High School?"

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Wed, Oct 30