Chapter 44
In the study on the second floor, Stephen stared at the computer screen with a serious expression as he tried to focus on his work. But after half an hour, he hadn’t absorbed a single word.
He couldn’t help it. His mind kept drifting back to Eleanor, wondering, Did she like the room he had prepared for her? Did she feel safe staying over at his place? Was she, like many other girls, afraid of thunderstorms and strong winds?”
After a while, Stephen couldn’t take it anymore. He raised his hand and rubbed his forehead hard, trying to calm the strange frustration building inside him, but it didn’t help much. He glanced out the window. The storm outside was still raging, with lightning and thunder shaking the sky.
He couldn’t help but question what had gotten into him today. He’d been so absent–minded, even he couldn’t believe it- Eleanor’s impact on him had reached the point where it was interfering with his work.
Letting out a heavy sigh. Stephen stood up and decided to stop dwelling, figuring he could use a cup of coffee to clear his
head.
He preferred quiet, so there were only a few servants in the villa, all of whom were professionally trained and knew how to maintain discretion. They typically finished their tasks and returned to their own quarters, allowing the owner ample space.
When Stephen came downstairs, the lights on the first floor had all been turned off, except for a few dim nightlights glowing softly around the room.
He moved effortlessly to pour himself a cup of coffee, took a sip, and the bitter taste spread across his tongue, sharpening his senses just a little. But the moment he turned around, a figure by the floor–to–ceiling window caught his eye.
The figure, completely absorbed in her own world, hadn’t noticed that someone else was behind her. She rose on her tiptoes, lifting her head. Her long hair was tied up, revealing her elegant neck and delicate collarbones.
Her graceful, soft waist twisted as she spun, leaped, and twirled through the air like a fairy, untouched by the troubles of the world–so pure and beautiful
Stephen couldn’t help but feel that such a perfect person belonged to him and only him. He wanted to lock her away, to hide. her, never letting anyone else see her. From that moment on, every morning and every night, her eyes should see only him.
The instant the burning coffee hit Stephen’s palm, it jolted him back to his senses. He felt like he had truly lost his mind for a moment, actually thinking about locking her up.
Eleanor saw Janet’s message and quickly recalled the general plot of the book, getting a rough idea of what to do ne
next.
Eleanor remembered that in the book, Gloria had performed a flawless spin in front of Victor, and with berdelicate and bright appearance, Victor had decided to cast her in the supporting role for the movie.
Luckily, in Eleanor’s past life, she had learned ballet. She was so talented that even a famous ballet artist made an exception and took her on as their last student. Unfortunately, she had been fully focused on acting, instead of practicing ballet.
Having nailed the perfect landing after a grand leap, she brushed the sweat from her forehead and smiled, thinking. Thankfully, the bones of this body are soft, and none of the movements feel stiff. It’s even starting to feel as natural as my body from my past life
If that’s the case, landing that movie role shouldn’t be a problem
Eleanor began doing some muscle relaxation exercises contentedly, not wanting the intense workout to make her muscles.
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sore. Shaking her head and stretching her arms, she was rotating her shoulders when she suddenly noticed a figure behind
her.
“Ah she screamed in surprise.
Stephen had initially planned to leave right after watching Eleanor without getting caught. But she was like a poppy flower- the more he watched, the more addicted he became. He knew he should’ve left, but his feet wouldn’t move.
When she finally noticed him, even getting startled by his sudden appearance, Stephen felt a pang of regret. “Sorry. Did I scare you? I was just coming down to get some coffee when I heard some noise and decided to check it out.” But the coffee in his hand had already gone cold.
Eleanor had only been startled. When she saw it was him, her first instinct was to reach for her glasses. Once she confirmed they were still on, she sighed in relief, “It’s fine. This is your house anyway. You don’t need to apologize.”
The floor upstairs is inlaid with gemstones, and it’s a bit slippery. It’s not really suitable for dancing. So when I came down and saw how spacious it was here. I figured it’d be better to practice down here,” she explained.
Stephen nodded thoughtfully and, after considering her words for a moment, asked, “Do you not like the gemstone–inlaid floor?” He figured, well, those ordinary gemstones really didn’t seem to match her exquisite grace.
Eleanor was utterly taken aback. “Huh?”
She pondered. Didn’t I just say the gemstone floor is slippery, so I came downstairs to dance? What does whether I like it or not have to do with this? Those gemstones are worth a fortune. How could I not like them? But even if I did like them, it’s not like I could just pry them up and take them home!‘
Stephen hadn’t noticed Eleanor’s confusion and continued to immerse himself in his own speculation. “Since you don’t like gemstones, how about gold? Do you like gold? But is gold too tacky?”
Eleanor was at a loss for words, her mind scrambling to keep up with his wild ideas. After a moment, she couldn’t help but ask. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll go bankrupt with all this extravagance?” Even though the Vanderbilt family was quite wealthy. they had never been this lavish.
To her surprise, Stephen shook his head honestly. “Nope, not really. I’ve got plenty of money. If I went bankrupt over spending this little, then I’d be a real loser.”
Eleanor couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It sounded like the most absurd kind of talk only a wealthy person would make. She then asked, “How much money do you even have?”
That question seemed to stump Stephen a bit. He furrowed his brow, quickly doing some mental calculations, and finally replied. “Not counting fixed assets like real estate, the liquid cash I’ve got is around 250 billion dollars. But most of it’s tied up in Lloyd Group. Right now, I only have about 100 billion dollars readily available.”
Eleanor’s jaw almost dropped at the casual mention of 100 billion dollars. The most she had ever seen in her two lifetimes was a mere 30 million dollars–and even that wasn’t real.
She gave a dry laugh. “Aren’t you afraid I might figure out a way to steal all your assets now that you’ve told me?”
Suddenly, Stephen’s expression turned serious. No, it wasn’t serious. It was excited
His eyes lit up as he gazed at Eleanor with an eager intensity, his face completely earnest. “Do you really want my money? 1 can transfer everything to you, including all my assets. If you want, I can have a lawyer come by tomorrow morning to handle the paperwork. You could sign on the spot and it’ll be official
Eleanor was so startled that she waved her hands frantically. “No no, no! I was just joking”
Almost the second she said that, it was obvious Stephen’s eyes dimmed slightly as if a tiny flame had just been extinguished. For a brief moment, he had really thought he could take his wife home for good. What a disappointment.
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Chapter 45
