Reborn as the Villainess

Chapter 8

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Eleanor didn't believe that a mere high school entrance exam could be anywhere near as challenging as her PhD dissertation at Eastwood University. This will be a breeze, she thought, confidently settling into the back seat of the car as they headed towards the school. Next t to her, Gloria sat with an air of smugness, her lips curving into a self-satisfied smile. She had done her research on Eleanor's

's past schooling-a small, average high school where Eleanor's grades had been mediocre at best. And now she thinks she can get into my school? Gloria scoffed internally. 'She's in for a rude awakening. This is going to be fun to watch. Eleanor, on the other hand, couldn't be bothered to guess what was swirling in Gloria's head. Eleanor closed her eyes. leaning back to rest, serene and unbothered.

The atmosphere in the car was deceptively quiet. While the two girls appeared calm, Andrew sat in the back, furiously texting his assistant, Oscar Spencer, his brows furrowed in deep frustration.

Andrew: [How's it going? Did you manage to get Eleanor in? Did the headmaster of Aloria High School agree to bend the rules!]

Oscar: [Mr. Vanderbilt, Mr. Evans flat-out refused]

Andrew: [Refused? Is he offended by my donation? Fine, I'll fund three more buildings if that's what it takes. Whatever it costs, Eleanor's getting in.]

After a pause, Oscar replied again: [Sir, no amount of buildings will change his mind. The seniors only have two months before the UAT, and Mr. Evans is adamant about not risking the school's success rate for university admissions.] Andrew's fingers tightened around his phone in irritation. Andrew: [Incompetent fool. If Eleanor's

Thankfully, Vanderbilt Manor wasn't far Spirit gets crushed because of this, I'll tear Aloria High to the ground.] Oscar wisely chose not to respond, not knowing how to deal with Andrew's growing temper.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

from Aloria High School, and soon, the car pulled up to the front gates. As soon as Eleanor stepped out, the lively, youthful energy of the campus hit her full force, and despite her heart being weighed down by two lifetimes of experiences, she couldn't suppress the flutter of excitement. Her lips curled into a smile. 'Finally, the place I once dreamed of-it's real now, right in t in front of of me. While Freddie Evans, the headmaster, was staunchly against breaking the rules, the power of the Vanderbilt name still loomed large. Clearly intimidated by the family's financial clout he greeted them nervously at the gates. With forced politeness, he led Eleanor to a separate room, arranged specifically for her entrance exam.

The exam consisted of four subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Spanish, and a choice between Physics or Social Studies, English, Mathematics, and Spanish were each worth 150 points, while the chosen subject-Physics or Social Studies -was worth 300 points. To pass, students needed to score at least 600 points, Eleanor glanced over the questions and immediately got to work her hand moving across the page with confidence. Her pen didn't hesitate, and soon the paper was filled with her swift strokes. The invigilator, David Smith, was taken aback by her speed. She's not even checking her work?' he thought in amazement. Is she really answering these questions just by glancing at them The exam was supposed to last four hours, but after just one, Elenor stood up and placed her pen down with finality. "Mr. Smith, I'm done. I'd like to hand in my paper, she said, calm but resolute. David blinked in shock. "Are you sure you don't want to finish all the questions or use the extra time to double-check?

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11:25 Wed, Oct 30 Chapter &

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Eleanor smiled politely. Thank you, Mr. Smith, but that won't be necessary. I'm confident I've got enough points."

His brow furrowed as he picked up her test paper. Good grief, he thought as he flipped through it, she only answered the first few questions and left the rest blank. How can she be so sure?" Andrew noticed the blank sections as well and frowned. Assuming the questions had been too difficult for her, he leaned in to reassure her. his tone casual and dismissive. "Don't worry about it. If you didn't pass this sorry excuse for a school, I'll find you a better one." Freddie, standing nearby, stifled a sigh, inwardly rolling his eyes. Does he really have to be that blatant? David was quick with the grading, his initial impression being that Eleanor had blown her chance. But as he continued reviewing her answers, his shock deepened. She had attempted fewer questions, yet they were all flawlessly correct. This wasn't just a lucky guess- every single subject followed the same pattern. When he finally tallied the scores, it added up to exactly six hundred points. No more, no less.

The realization hit him like a brick-Eleanor wasn't just smart; she was controlling her score. If she had bothered to finish all the questions, she could've easily ranked among the top students of the entire year. This is so surreal. Not only is she a genius, but she knows how to game the system, he thought, shaking his head in admiration.

David clutched the test papers, feeling like he was holding a gold nine. He approached Eleanor with a grin, hoping to persuade her. "Miss Vanderbilt, your scores are excellent, enough to pass. What do you think about joining Class B?" he offered The senior class of Aloria High School had four classes, Class A, B. C, and D, which were ranked by achievement. Class reserved for the crème de la crème-the top students, David hoped to pull Eleanor into his Class B.

But Eleanor's expression was apologetic. "I'm sorry, Mr. Smith, but I'd like to join Class A

A was

Her ambition wasn't just to get into Aloria High School. She had bigger dreams-she wanted to see her name at the very top of the leaderboard, just like she had in her previous life.

Freddie, standing nearby, beamed from ear to ear and quickly said, "Of course, of course Miss Vanderbilt can go to any class. she wants. Mr. Smith, please go inform Miss Mille that she's getting a new student."

In his head, Freddie was practically dancing. 'Sure, classes are typically assigned based on grades, but it's crystal clear that Miss Vanderbilt is holding back on purpose. With her accuracy, she could easily claim the top spot. This girl is a hidden gem. David, on the other hand, slumped slightly in disappointment. "Yes, sir, he muttered, walking away.

But before leaving, he turned back to Eleanor and whispered, "Miss Mille can be a bit... tough. If she gives you a hard time, feel free to come back to me. I'll always welcome you" Eleanor smiled and nodded politely. "Thank you"

Meanwhile, Andrew was still standing there, stunned, holding Eleanor's test results. Eleanor really did this? he wondered. 'She only answered half the questions and still got a perfect six hundred. If that's not genius, I don't know what is. "Frame this," he said to the family's driver, handing over the test papers. "I want it hung in my office."

In Andrew's mind, this was a masterpiece. 'Eleanor was thoughtful enough to only answer one side of the sheet, knowing. that framing it would only display one face. Smart girl:

Eleanor rolled her eyes and sighed, "Andrew, isn't that a bit much?"

Most

CEOs had famous artworks or rare collectibles decorating their offices, but Andrew wanted to hang up his sister's test sheet like it were some priceless relic, which was too baffling for her to understand. 11:25 Wed, Oct 30 BUB. Chapter 8

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however, was completely unfazed, making it clear that he did not see anything wrong with this arrangement.

"Adults handle their own business, Ellie. Don't worry about it. Just focus on your classes. The driver will pick you up after school, and tonight we're going to celebrate.

Seeing no point in arguing further. Eleanor just let out a quiet sigh of resignation.

In the office, Betty Mille looked up when Eleanor walked in for enrollment. Betty's expression turned icy the moment she laid eyes on her. "So, you're the one who just barely passed the entrance test?" Eleanor nodded politely. "Yes, Miss Mille!

Betty's face twisted in frigid disdain as she eyed Eleanor up and down. The Vanderbilt family really has pulled some strings this time. A student who barely passed will be in my Class A Unbelievable." Her mind was already racing with the implications. To her, this meant one thing-that the new addition would inevitably lower the class average. And with the university admissions testing just around the corner, this was the last thing they needed. What the hell was Mr. Evans thinking?

Her irritation boiled over, and Betty's voice took on a sharp edge as she directed all her pent-up fury toward Eleanor. "Do you know what the average score in my class is? Six hundred and eighty points. And it's been that way for the last five years."

She slammed a hand down on the desk for emphasis, her finger lapping angrily against the wood. "I just did the math. Thanks to your little six hundred, we're down to six sixty. Do you know what that means? That's Class G territory. We are Class A. The room echoed with her frustration, but Eleanor didn't flinch. In fact, she remained perfectly calm, even slightly amused "What if I told you I could raise the average to seven hundred?"