Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 134: Part of the Plan

Chapter 134: Part of the Plan

"You all are truly disgusting. Ella, we’re leaving!" Eric grabbed a napkin, elegantly wiped the corners of his mouth, and pulled Ella toward the door.

"You brat, did you hear what I said?" James stood up, shouting angrily.

Henry’s eyes flickered as he spoke calmly, "Dad, if he doesn’t want to, it’s fine. There are plenty of people who can mentor me."

Grace quickly nodded in agreement, "James, Henry is right. There are plenty of others who can help him. Let’s not push it."

Ella felt a deep chill in her heart. This mother and son duo were playing the good guys, likely fueling James’ disdain for Eric even more.

Eric turned back, his gaze icy cold. "And what if I did hear you? If you’re so capable, go ahead and disown me. Otherwise, I’m not moving out!"

It was his property, after all—why should he be the one to give it up?

Eric wasn’t about to back down, no matter how much pressure James applied.

The waiter, who was serving the dishes, didn’t dare to breathe loudly. Even as an outsider, he could feel the tense atmosphere, thick with conflict.

"All right, enough. Let’s not embarrass ourselves in front of others. Let’s just eat. Eric, don’t throw a tantrum. Sit down and eat with us!" Grace, assuming the role of the lady of the house, stood up and reached out to take Eric’s hand.

"No, you all enjoy your meal. I’m feeling a bit nauseous, so I’ll be leaving!" Eric replied coldly, without raising his voice, and then firmly led Ella out.

They hadn’t walked far when they heard a roar from the private room: "Ungrateful son!"

Ella’s expression shifted as she instinctively tightened her grip on Eric’s hand. He remained calm, heading downstairs without any visible anger left on his face.

The dinner had clearly ended on a sour note.

Eric decided to have the waiter pack up their meals to take back to their new home.

As they sat in the car, Ella gently patted his back. "Don’t be upset anymore. It’s really not worth it to get angry over people like that. I thought... your grudge against your father was due to past events, but I didn’t realize he was so blatantly biased toward them."

Ella spoke softly, her own memories surfacing. Before her rebirth, hadn’t she been in a similar situation? No matter what she did, Robert was never satisfied, and with Brianna and Hannah constantly stirring trouble, Robert’s disdain for her only grew.

But Robert was clever—he didn’t show it outright because she still had value.

"I try to stay calm when dealing with that old bastard, but when I think of my poor mother, I just can’t," Eric said, leaning back in his seat and taking a deep breath.

"Did you know? The night my mom jumped off the building, I was downstairs playing with a remote-control plane. I suddenly heard a dull thud behind me... When I turned around, all I saw was my mother, who had always been so meticulous about her appearance, lying there with her face twisted in agony, and a pool of blood spreading beneath her, staining her beautiful lace dress..."

"I can never forget that scene!" Eric’s eyes were filled with a venomous hatred.

"I will never reconcile with James. One day, I’ll take full control of everything he and that woman have built!"

Eric’s eyes were full of wrath, the painful memory searing into him, impossible to forget.

Ella hugged him tightly, planting gentle kisses on his face. "It’s all in the past now, so... try not to dwell on it, okay? Even if you want revenge, you can’t let too much of your negative emotions show in front of them!"

"Because if you do, outsiders will only see you as an ungrateful, rebellious son, and they won’t recognize their wrongdoings."

Eric smiled and cupped Ella’s small face, pressing a firm kiss on her lips. "I understand. From today on, I’ll keep my emotions in check. I’m laying the groundwork, and if I act too erratically, it’ll only raise James’ suspicions."

Ella was utterly shocked. So his boldness was all part of a strategy, meant to keep James from realizing his true intentions.

"You’re so smart. I guess he’ll really start to think you’re not capable of achieving much," Ella said with a smile. After all, a man who can’t control his emotions rarely achieves great things.

In James’ eyes, the only reason Eric managed to get shares in the Elite Horizon Club was by blackmailing some minor shareholders with scandalous material.

"Thank you, Ella. If you weren’t here..."

He truly didn’t know how long he would have stayed down in the dumps.

"I... I’ll love you with all my heart!" Ella whispered shyly, her cheeks flushing a deep red as she buried her face in his chest.

"Good girl. I’m starving; let’s head back to our place and have dinner!" Eric chuckled softly, the gloom in his eyes completely gone.

Once Ella was settled, he gently buckled her seatbelt before driving off toward their home.

Twenty minutes later.

Ella arranged six pairs of candles on the dining table, lighting them one by one, then poured two glasses of red wine, setting the stage for a candlelit dinner for Eric.

Eric was outside on the phone, seemingly dealing with another business matter, and he had been on the call for more than ten minutes.

When he finally returned and saw the soft glow of candlelight filling the dining room, a smile curled his lips.

"Honey, you really are romantic."

"As long as you like it," Ella replied, noticing his mischievous grin and realizing that he was no longer affected by the earlier unpleasant encounter.

Eric walked over, kissed her on the lips, and with a passionate touch, pressed her against the edge of the table.

"Not now... We need energy for that! Let’s eat dinner first!" Ella protested.

It was already 6:50 PM, and her stomach was growling with hunger. Although she had nibbled a bit at Sapphire Shores Tavern, it wasn’t enough to stave off the hunger that had been building up.

Eric raised an eyebrow teasingly, "Who said I wanted to do anything? I just wanted to kiss you a little longer!"

Ella blushed and quickly sat down in her seat.

Every word he said carried a hint of innuendo, and Ella felt too embarrassed to argue with him any further.

"Was the long phone call about something at work?" she asked.

"Not really. I was just flirting with a pretty lady," Eric said with a deliberate wink, his playful smile making it clear he was joking.

"Hmph, if you dare cheat, I’ll find myself a younger guy!" Ella huffed. She wasn’t one to be pushed around—if Eric ever betrayed her, she wouldn’t hold back! Of course, if he stayed loyal, so would she. No matter what happened, as long as there was no betrayal, she would always be his wife.

"No younger guy in the world is as fresh as I am, darling. Make sure you take good care of me tonight..." Eric teased.

"Get lost!"

The dining room was filled with Eric’s hearty laughter, dispelling any lingering gloom, leaving only genuine happiness and ease.

Later that evening, Eric was back on the balcony, making another phone call, while Ella went ahead to take a bath. Halfway through, the mischievous man slipped into the bathroom.

"My dear, let me take care of you tonight..."

He wrapped his strong arms around her slender waist from behind, his touch igniting a fire within her.

Ella couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time, knowing that a night of passionate indulgence was about to begin...

Meanwhile, Robert was enjoying a late-night snack with Emily.

"Sweetheart, eat more fish. It’s good for the baby’s brain development during pregnancy," Robert said softly, while Emily smiled back at him.

"Okay, I’ll try to eat more... But I really don’t have much of an appetite. I just don’t know when this nausea will pass," Emily replied, her face showing the frustration of early pregnancy, when a woman’s appetite often disappears.

"It’ll pass soon! But for the next few nights, I probably won’t be able to come. My driver suddenly took sick leave, and I can’t find a good replacement yet, so it’s hard to shake off the private investigators. Tonight, I used a trick to get here, but you need to take good care of yourself over the next few days," Robert said gently.