Reborn as the Villainess

Eleanor took a deep breath. "Just listen to me. You're older than me, so just call me Ellie." Grace pressed her lips, hesitating for a long time, and said, "I think I'll just call you Eleanor."

6. 6.

"Fine." Eleanor shrugged. "As long as you're not calling me 'Ms. Vanderbilt, we're good."

Eleanor and Grace had barely set foot on the filming set when they heard Victor's booming voice, He was slamming his hand on the table in frustration. "What? We're about to start shooting, and now he says he can't do it? What is he doing until now?"NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Next to Victor stood a lanky man with glasses, hunching over, nervously trying to smooth things over. He cautiously explained, "Please don't be angry, Victor. Honestly, we love the script, too. If we didn't, we never would've signed the contract.

"It's just... Well, Gregory suddenly fell ill. He's been terribly sick vomiting, diarrhea, the works. We didn't want to hold up the entire crew because of one person, so we had no choice but to back out. Rest assured. We'll pay all the penalties."

Victor frowned, clearly not buying a word of it. "Vomiting and diarrhea? Half an hour ago, I saw him bouncing off the walls like a ball of energy. I'd love to know what kind of illness can take someone down that fast."

Carter was struck speechless, caught in his own web of lies. But since he had already spun this far-fetched story, there was no backing out now. His mind raced. 'What illness causes vomiting and diarrhea? Food poisoning? A bad reaction to the local water? Definitely not a nervous breakdown. Oh man, being a manager is exhausting. I'd rather pick up trash for a living.

Seeing Carter stammer and struggle to come up with a plausible explanation, Victor guessed something was off and scoffed, "Just spit it out. What's really going on with him?"

Carter gritted his teeth and sighed, "Victor, the truth is...it's the actor you paired with Gregory. He feels like the match isn't quite right."

Victor's voice turned icy. "And the reason?"

Carter said, "You see, Gregory's career right now is all about staying in the spotlight, riding the wave of popularity. It'd be easy for critics to latch onto any weak point, especially if he's paired with someone who can't act. It could hurt his future prospects, and he's just trying to look out for his career."

Victor almost started questioning his own judgment after hearing that. He shot Carter a look filled with sarcasm.

Carter really had the audacity. Gregory's acting during the audition was atrocious. Victor would have had a heart attack if he had not taken down some fast-acting heart pills beforehand.

If it weren't for the fact that the original author of The Nameless Sea had specifically requested Gregory for the role, even going as far as to announce on Twitter that Gregory had been her inspiration for the character, Victor wouldn't have touched him with a ten-foot pole. Now that the cast list, costume designs, and character sketches had been released, Gregory couldn't just back out at the last minute. That would have ruined all their hard work.

If this had come up earlier, there might've been time to make adjustments, but they were on the brink of shooting. The media had already arrived for the opening ceremony, and now Gregory was saying he wouldn't do it? He was practically begging for chaos on set. "I don't care if he's got food poisoning, the flu, or even a terminal illness. He will drag himself here and finish this movie properly, even if it kills him. Now go, get him here this instant." Victor was so angry his fingers were trembling. Carter hesitated. "I... Uh..." He wasn't unwilling to go. He just didn't dare. He feared that if Gregory showed up, it would only

make Victor even more furious.

Watching the tense scene unfold, Eleanor took a deep breath and stepped forward to greet him. "Victor."

Victor, who had been about to launch into another tirade, immediately swallowed his angry words when he saw Eleanor, though his expression didn't soften much. "Oh, you're here."

Eleanor nodded. She knew all too well how difficult it was to swap actors after everything had been carefully planned, and to make matters worse, the issue had started because of her. She felt she had to take some responsibility.

Eleanor felt the name Gregory familiar. Seeing Victor still frowning, she pressed her lips before cutting straight to the point. "Victor, I overheard your conversation just now. As a newcomer, it's only natural for seniors to have reservations about me. How about this. I'll go talk to Gregory myself. After all, I'm the one he has an issue with."

Carter was impressed by how tactfully Eleanor handled the situation, and his opinion of her improved instantly. "Victor, I think that's a good idea." He genuinely wanted Gregory to take the role, seeing it as a huge opportunity for Gregory to transition his career. It would benefit everyone if Eleanor could convince Gregory to stay on board.

But Victor's brow furrowed even more, and he didn't immediately agree. The plan was sound, but Eleanor wasn't just any actress. She had the Vanderbilt and Lloyd families backing her, and with a 60-million-dollar investment riding on her shoulders, he couldn't risk her getting mistreated. If either family found out Eleanor had been bullied, his entire investment could go up in smoke.

Victor's brows knotted tightly, and his voice took on a frustrated edge. "No. I can't let anything happen to you."

Eleanor blinked in confusion. "What?" Before she could even ask what Victor meant, a playful, high-pitched voice cut through the tension. "Victor, are you worried about Gregory? I can help. After all, I've worked with him before. We got along really well."

The newcomer was a petite girl with flawless skin, braided hair, and the look of a doll. She was flanked by two assistants- one holding a parasol over her, the other lugging around multiple bags of personal items, including a cup with a smudge of lipstick. Everything about her screamed high maintenance and privilege.

Grace, standing behind Eleanor, noticed her glance at the assistants and quickly leaned in to whisper, "Eleanor, I'll take care of you like that starting tomorrow."

Eleanor waved her hands in alarm. "No, no, that's way too much

Grace, however, was adamant. "Mr. Vanderbilt said, 'Never lose face. We can't let them outshine us."

Eleanor sighed inwardly, 'Who instilled this ridiculous sense of competition in her?'

Victor looked over at the girl and nodded. "Oh, it's you, Camilla. Alright then. Since you've worked with Gregory, you might be able to talk some sense into him. Go give it a try."

Camilla flashed a dazzling smile. "Of course, Victor." As she passed by Eleanor, her eyes narrowed, and the cold, unfriendly vibe she radiated was impossible to miss. It hit Eleanor head-on, catching her off guard.

Eleanor frowned, thinking, "Wait, who is this girl, and why does she seem so hostile?'