Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 250: Coming Prepared

Chapter 250: Coming Prepared

James and Grace’s expressions darkened. What was supposed to be a joyous housewarming banquet had turned into an embarrassing spectacle. Though it didn’t directly harm them, the awkwardness and discomfort in the air were undeniable.

Grace, keeping up her mask of kindness, said with a gentle smile, "Well, that settles it then. Young lady, you must be more careful when choosing your friends in the future. Don’t associate with bad company."

Ella, watching from the side, could barely contain her disdain. Grace was really playing the part of the benevolent woman, no wonder James had been deceived by her for decades.

Rachel’s face flushed red, and her eyes welled up with tears. "I’m really not a thief! I’m not... Leah, please tell everyone, that man is a hypnotist!"

Rachel, despite her scheming ways, feared nothing more than losing her reputation in these circles. If she was branded a thief, she would be unwelcome wherever she went. The label of "thief" was like a scarlet letter, and the scornful glances thrown her way made her feel utterly despised.

Leah’s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained an innocent expression as she looked at Rachel, "Rachel, I didn’t know he was a hypnotist. You told me he was handsome and asked for an introduction. I had no idea about his background!"

Leah wasn’t lying. She only knew that Connor was a hypnotist but had no idea where he lived or much else about him.

Rachel felt a mix of shock and fury. Leah had just turned on her! Connor was the very man Leah had introduced to her, and now she was acting like she knew nothing.

"Alright, let’s consider this matter closed," Grace chimed in with a soft laugh. "Everyone makes little mistakes."

Rachel bit her lip and shot a hateful glance at Leah. This incident had certainly left a bad impression on Grace, and any hopes Rachel had of marrying into the Nelson family now seemed far more difficult.

Sean, standing nearby, gave Ella a long, thoughtful look. Seeing her standing calmly beside Eric, he simply nodded and said in a neutral tone, "Leah, be careful who you associate with. Bad habits can rub off."

Leah blushed deeply. Though she had successfully framed Rachel, she knew Eric saw through her little schemes.

"Yes, Grandpa, I understand!" she responded, trying to appear contrite. If she hadn’t been clever enough to pass this task onto Rachel, she would have been the one embarrassed now.

Rachel, tears welling in her eyes, hung her head in defeat. At this point, any further explanations would only make things worse and cause more ridicule.

"Leah... why did you do this to me?" Rachel murmured, her voice full of betrayal.

But Leah averted her eyes, pretending not to hear, and quickly linked arms with Sean as they walked away. The rest of the guests began to disperse, though several of the ladies stayed behind, laughing mockingly at Rachel.

Rachel couldn’t stand it any longer. This little scandal had not only torn her relationship with Leah apart but had also damaged her reputation in a way that might be irreparable. If it weren’t for her fear of further damage to her image, she would never have let things go this far.

Watching Rachel’s defeated figure as she fled, Ella leaned close to Eric’s ear and whispered, "You’re so ruthless. Rachel’s never going to be able to show her face in these circles again."

"People like her have pretty thick skin," Eric chuckled softly. "I just didn’t want someone like that hanging around you—she’s a ticking time bomb."

After exchanging a few polite words with Mrs. Taylor, Eric escorted her to sit down nearby. He glanced at Ella, his eyes gleaming with something darker, more calculating.

"Another show’s about to begin," he whispered ominously. A cold, dangerous light flashed in his eyes. Grace was reveling in her success tonight, throwing this lavish housewarming celebration. But after everything she had done to try to destroy him, Eric wasn’t here just to enjoy the party.

Grace had tried to kill him multiple times. And he wasn’t the type to attend her celebration without a plan.

Ella handed a glass of apple juice to Eric, smiling gently. "Don’t drink so much alcohol—it’s not good for you. Here, have some juice instead!"

A warmth surged through Eric’s heart. "As you command, my queen!" he teased, taking the glass.

Ella giggled softly, her heart filled with sweetness. But suddenly, she felt the intensity of someone’s gaze on her. Lifting her eyes slightly, she saw Henry standing not far away, silently watching her with a drink in hand.

When Henry realized Ella had noticed him, he quickly looked away, a flash of panic in his eyes.

Ella felt a pang of annoyance. Her gaze shifted from Henry and landed on Grace, who was nearby, laughing and chatting charmingly with a man. Beside them stood James, showing a rare hint of respect toward the man.

Eric caught sight of the man as well, and his expression turned cold, a brief, dangerous glint of bloodlust in his eyes before it quickly faded.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson! Both of you have made such tremendous contributions to the charity work in S City. I’m deeply grateful!" the man said with a light smile.

Several other men chimed in with flattery, and a number of well-dressed women gathered around James, eager to ingratiate themselves.

Grace was clearly pleased with herself, her smile beaming with pride and satisfaction. She felt as if she had finally reached the pinnacle of her life—nothing could stop her from having everything she desired now!

A devoted husband, a brilliant son, immense wealth, and a powerful lover—it was the perfect life! So what if James had once strayed with Victoria? Everything belonging to the Nelson family—its fortune, its legacy—was hers and her son’s.

Victoria might have been the original wife, but now Grace was James’s legal spouse, his rightful wife. A dead woman had no chance of competing with her.

The more Grace thought about it, the brighter her smile became, radiating confidence and a mature charm that suited her age. But just then, a murmur of surprise rippled through the guests.

Eric, with a knowing smile, glanced toward the 52-inch TV hanging on the wall in the living room. Ella followed his gaze curiously, noticing the screen had shifted to a completely different scene.

Wait, wasn’t the TV just showing the news? How had it suddenly changed?

On the screen, Grace was seen leading a young girl into a dark alley. Though the lighting was dim, the streetlights nearby illuminated the scene enough for everyone to see clearly.

The TV displayed the entire sequence—Grace pushing the young girl into the alley in full detail.

"Ah... Mommy, don’t leave me! Mommy... Mommy!" the little girl screamed, her voice piercing and sharp, as she was pushed into a heap of trash. Her cries echoed through the room, causing everyone, including James and Grace, to turn in shock toward the massive TV screen.

Grace’s smile froze on her face. She stared at the screen in horror, recognizing herself in the footage.

What was happening?

How had this been filmed? And how was it now playing on the TV in her own home, during her grand housewarming celebration?

The room erupted in whispers and gasps as the footage continued. The shaky video showed Grace rushing back to her car, her face twisted in rage as she furiously cursed the girl she had just manhandled.