Eleanor tugged at the corner of her mouth. "So, Dad, you don't believe a word I say?"
"Emily and Thomas just know each other. If you're talking about an improper relationship, isn't that you?" Edward said calmly.
Eleanor looked at him mockingly and didn't answer.
In her past life, she and Thomas couldn't be considered to have an improper relationship. It was purely Thomas deliberately approaching her, weaving a beautiful trap with Emily, and deceiving her.
As for this life, there was no relationship at all.
But obviously, her father didn't believe her. Emily and Olivia's methods were truly impressive.
"With your relationship with Thomas, it's entirely possible that you colluded with him to frame Olivia.
..
.....And now you're turning around, accusing her instead? This kind of malicious scheme—it's just like your mother's." Edward's voice was filled with displeasure as he looked at her. "Olivia has raised you for so many years. Can't you learn anything good from her? Even if you can't be as kind-hearted as she is, at least don't inherit your mother's viciousness. Stop causing trouble for Olivia!"
Viciousness?
Eleanor's breath hitched as she stared at her father in disbelief. "Kind-hearted? Good-hearted? Dad, how thick are the rose-colored glasses you're wearing?"
Edward frowned.
Eleanor continued, "If we're talking about viciousness, who could be more vicious than Olivia and Emily? I'd love to learn from them, but unfortunately, their skills only seem to work on you."
As Edward's face darkened with every word, Eleanor felt her initial anger cool into something sharper.
She sneered. "Everything—the wealth, the company, the Brooks family's name—was built on my mother's so-called 'viciousness.' But now that you've secured your position, have a doting wife, and live comfortably, suddenly, the past that made you rich is something to be ashamed of?"
"Eleanor!"
Edward roared, his eyes blazing with fury.
Eleanor smirked. "Oh, I see. I struck a nerve."
"Shut up!" Edward was so enraged that he grabbed a golf club from the side and swung it at her.
Eleanor couldn't react in time. Instinctively, she shut her eyes, bracing for impact.
But the expected pain never came.
Instead, she heard a deep groan near her ear and felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, pulling her into a firm, cool embrace.
The icy fabric of his suit pressed against her cheek, and she could hear his steady heartbeat.
"Charles!"
Edward's face twisted in shock at the unexpected arrival of the man before him.
Eleanor lifted her head and found herself staring into Charles's dark eyes—eyes that held a clear reflection of her.
For a moment, she was stunned.
Edward, struggling to mask his unease, forced a chuckle. "Charles, what brings you here so suddenly?"
Charles calmly took the golf club from Edward's grip and tossed it aside with a loud clang.
"If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have witnessed such an interesting scene," he remarked coldly.
Eleanor snapped out of her daze and suddenly realized she was still pressed against Charles's chest, inhaling his scent. Uncomfortable, she instinctively tried to pull away.
But Charles noticed her movement and tightened his grip around her waist, his one hand effortlessly keeping her in place.
Eleanor: ...
Her father, oblivious to the silent struggle between them, laughed awkwardly. "Eleanor is a bit mischievous, so I was just teaching her a lesson."
"A lesson?"
Charles cast a glance at the discarded golf club on the floor.
His tone was casual, but the weight of his words made Edward break out in a nervous sweat.
"I was just trying to scare her," Edward hurriedly explained. "She's my daughter. How could I truly harm her?"
Eleanor's lips curled into a smirk.
He couldn't bear to really hit me?
Her gaze drifted to Charles, wondering if he actually believed her father's pitiful excuse.
Charles's eyes darkened. His voice was ice when he said, "You have no right to discipline her. If this happens again, we won't be proceeding with the Entertainment project."
Edward's expression changed drastically. "Mr. Harrison!"
He didn't even call him "Charles," a clear sign of panic.
Eleanor, amused by the desperation in her father's eyes, leaned back against Charles's support, fully content with watching the show unfold.
Charles's grip on her tightened slightly. He turned to Edward. "Do you think I'm bluffing?"
Edward swallowed hard. His mind raced. He hadn't even had time to question why Charles was protecting Eleanor so fiercely—his only concern was the business deal.
With a stiff smile, he said, "Charles, we're family. Eleanor is my daughter. There's no need to escalate things. I didn't mean any harm, truly. It was just a misunderstanding."
Entertainment project was the business venture he had spent weeks negotiating. The entertainment industry was booming, and securing this deal meant enormous profits. Everything was already in place, the down payment had been made.
But he had no doubt—if Charles withdrew his support, the entire deal would collapse overnight.
Seeing that Charles remained silent, Edward gritted his teeth. "I'll be more mindful in the future. I'll respect Eleanor's opinions and communicate properly with her from now on."
He had no choice. The Brooks family's future still relied on the Harrisons' support. If Eleanor and Charles were truly close, he couldn't afford to risk offending them.
Besides, compared to the financial benefits at stake, losing a single piece of land was insignificant. If he had known earlier that their relationship had improved, he never would have bothered pushing the issue.
Forcing another smile, Edward shifted the conversation. "By the way, Eleanor, what's going on between you and Emily? Weren't you two very close before? Did something happen between you two?"
A scheming sister, an oblivious father, and a dangerous ally at her side.
Eleanor took a deep breath.
This time, she wouldn't be fooled.
Stepmothers became a minor disagreement in his mouth.
Eleanor snorted. "Want to know the truth? Go find out for yourself." She had no interest in explaining, and Edward wouldn't believe her anyway.
Thinking of this, Eleanor realized there was no reason to stay any longer. Coming back today had been a mistake. She pulled away from Charles's hand and turned to leave.
This time, Charles didn't stop her.
"Hey, Eleanor?"
Edward was stunned and looked helpless as he said to Charles, "Eleanor has always been like this. I haven't..."
"Mr. Brooks, we'll be leaving now."
The next moment, Charles left Edward with nothing but his retreating figure.
The Brooks family's servants looked on in surprise as Eleanor and Charles hurriedly arrived and then left.
Outside the Brooks family estate, Eleanor looked at the car parked in front of her and asked, "What are you doing here?" She had planned to ignore Charles and make him wait a few more days.
She hadn't forgotten that they were still in the middle of a "cold war."