Chapter 2
Eleanor’s greatest strength was her unwavering composure. She believed in accepting what came—the outcome was already set, whether in terms of her rebirth or getting her husband switched out. There was no point in making a fuss out of things.
Sebastian would soon disappear for no reason, anyway. She was already used to living like a widow, and she had experience in getting back what was owed to her.
In this lifetime, she could still drive Brenda and her family out of the Sandberg household. She would eventually get back the inheritance her parents had left her, which Brenda’s family had taken possession of for years.
She had one more goal in this lifetime—to find an untainted, handsome man to satisfy her now and then. Sebastian would be her standard for reference. She wouldn’t settle for anyone who couldn’t pleasure her like he had.
Sebastian had no idea what Eleanor was thinking about. He only saw the lingering blush on her face and how she seemed to ooze sensuality as she lay there. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to suppress the urge to have her again.
He got out of bed and put on a bathrobe. Eleanor lay on her side as she took in his broad shoulders and long legs. She also admired his height—six feet and two inches—and flawless proportions.
He was an outstanding specimen of a man—enough to make women want to throw themselves at him.
He and Maurice shared the same father but had different mothers. Half of their genes came from the same person, but Sebastian was much better-looking than Maurice.
Yes, Sebastian and Maurice were half-brothers. The former wasn’t just Eleanor’s cousin-in-law. He was her brother-in-law, too.
He suddenly turned to look at Eleanor, faltering briefly when he caught the odd look in her eyes.
Then, he said coldly and deliberately, “I didn’t know it was you with the lights off earlier. Still, what’s done is done. I’ll take responsibility for this.”
What was that supposed to mean? He hadn’t known it was her. Did that mean he’d thought she was Brenda?
Disgust bubbled in her.
Eleanor didn’t mind having sex with anyone, but her pride wouldn’t allow anyone to mistake her for someone else—especially that bitch, Brenda.
Her anger immediately spiked, and she sneered. “You must be disappointed, then.”
Sebastian’s aloof expression seemed to stiffen for a second.
Eleanor rolled her eyes. She picked up her nightgown from the floor to put it on but found it torn. It went without saying that Sebastian had done it. It was clear how out of control he’d been earlier.
She snorted. She didn’t want to admit that he’d given her a good first time and hadn’t hurt her despite being out of control. After all, he’d mistaken her for Brenda.
She cast the torn nightgown aside and got out of bed. She strutted to the closet beside Sebastian with her head held high and grabbed a bathrobe. She met his gaze as it landed on her, and her hands trembled slightly as she tied the belt.
She just didn’t think there was any point in hiding anything since they’d already slept together—he’d already seen everything there was to see.
However, his gaze was almost tangible as he scanned her, seemingly ravaging her with his eyes. It was overwhelming.
Eleanor had always been proud. Even if she felt shy or embarrassed, she wouldn’t let it show. Before heading to the bathroom, she said, “You can’t make a crude person appreciate the finer things in life.”
She was taking a jab at him for mistaking her for someone else and also ruining her nightgown.
Sebastian was rendered speechless.
…
The bathroom was well-lit, and everything was illuminated with stark clarity. Eleanor stood before the sink and leaned close to the mirror to get a better look at her face.
She was only three years younger than she’d been in her past life but looked much prettier. It wasn’t because a man had just pleasured her, was it?
She’d always known that she looked good—the netizens had dubbed her “Weston Crabapple” after she’d accidentally gone viral online. The nickname was supposed to be a nod at her beauty.
Now, however, she was… a little too captivating. Even she felt shy looking at herself.
This only made Sebastian seem all the more blind. How could he have mistaken her for Brenda? She couldn’t believe it.
As Eleanor stared at herself in the mirror, her expression slowly became grave. She knew why she’d been reborn.
In her past life, after she’d defeated Brenda and her family and gotten back Sandberg Group, which her parents had left her, she’d partied until the wee hours with her friends. She’d later returned to Minharton, where her stomach had suddenly hurt like hell.
Her desire for survival had pushed her to call an ambulance. The last thing she remembered was the medical personnel arriving and performing CPR on her. However, she’d slowly faded out of consciousness until everything had gone black.
This meant she’d died in her past life. Had it been because of an acute illness or alcohol poisoning? Or could it be… murder?
Eleanor had annual medical checkups and had never been diagnosed with anything major. Despite constantly working late, she still felt she was relatively healthy.
Her instinct told her murder was the likeliest explanation. Who could’ve been behind it?
Brenda and her family were the only enemies that came to mind.
Well, it didn’t matter. She would settle old grudges and new scores together.
Eleanor exhaled and took off the bathrobe before heading to the shower. She inadvertently caught sight of her body in the mirror—she was covered in hickeys from her neck to her collarbones.
She flushed. Was that bastard Sebastian a dog or something? He’d gnawed on her like she was a bone!
She even had bruises on her waist. Her skin was soft and supple, so the marks were obvious. She looked rather… horrific. She glared in Sebastian’s direction with the door between them.
Forget it. He would probably be gone when she was done.
Her and Brenda’s weddings had been held on a cruise ship. In her past life, the ship had encountered a storm in the middle of the night, after which Sebastian had gone missing. And so, there’d been rumors that he’d fallen into the ocean.
It didn’t matter whether he would leave Eleanor jilted or fall into the ocean. Either way, he would disappear.
Eleanor silently reminded herself to respect his fate before stepping into the shower. She wouldn’t think about him anymore.
…
Sebastian lit a cigarette as he stood before the window in the suite. As he lowered his head to flick the lighter, the flame illuminated his handsome face. His fringe fell over his forehead, casting a shadow over his eyes, making him seem all the more aloof and distant.
However, if one were to take a closer look, one would notice that his hand trembled slightly as he held his cigarette.
It was like a long-cherished dream had finally come true. He looked calm on the surface, but his emotions were erupting like a volcano underneath the façade. They were held back only by his ironclad self-control, leaving his face devoid of emotion.
“Mr. Whitman.” A man dressed as an attendant approached the window surreptitiously, addressing Sebastian in Criptonese.
Sebastian didn’t even flinch. He turned to glance at the bathroom, only turning back to the attendant when he was sure Eleanor wouldn’t emerge just yet.
The attendant continued lowly, “There was a mistake with the intel. We didn’t find the item, so we’ll cover you while you leave.”
