Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 425: Burned Out

Chapter 425: Burned Out

Netizens flooded the comment section, hurling insults. Eric’s expression grew darker and darker, but he remained silent, choosing not to respond.

In this situation, losing his composure would be exactly what the other side wanted.

Later, Tiffany replied, stating that she would come to the company in two days and cooperate with all the arrangements there.

Tiffany was truly formidable. Over the past three years, Hannah had transformed into the award-winning actress Tiffany, with a sharp mind and calculated moves. More importantly, the person backing her might very well be Eric’s rival.

Eric fell into deep thought. It wasn’t long before his assistant delivered the board members list for the Golden River Award voting in Country W.

He carefully examined the list of fifty members.

These individuals were prominent figures in Country W’s entertainment and arts circles—renowned directors, film critics, screenwriters, and the like.

The information John sent over also included detailed profiles of these people—their marital histories, family backgrounds, education, and even past relationships.

It was nearly 5 p.m., but Eric seemed oblivious to the time, engrossed in studying these profiles.

He had a strong intuition that the conspiracy resurrecting Tiffany—Hannah’s alias—was rooted among these people.

However, Eric couldn’t recall any past encounters with them.

He continued his research until 6 p.m. when John came to knock on the door. "Boss, aren’t you going to eat?"

Prompted by John, Eric finally set the materials aside and massaged his temples, which had grown a bit tense. "Order me a meal box, same dishes as usual."

"Got it, boss!" John was faintly worried. Eric’s intense focus, to the point of neglecting sleep and food, was a clear sign he was dealing with a significant problem.

When the meal arrived, Eric ate while reviewing one particular individual’s profile. John unintentionally glanced over and was startled to see the person in question.

He was deeply surprised but chose not to comment.

If Eric was focusing on this person, there had to be a reason. Eric’s thought processes were unlike anyone else’s. After following him for so many years, John had rarely seen him make mistakes.

Whenever Eric delved into someone’s background, it usually yielded results.

Meanwhile, in Eric and Ella’s marital home, Amanda was sitting on the couch, chatting and laughing with Ella.

Amanda had become increasingly mature and composed in her demeanor. She understood that Ella shouldn’t know about Tiffany at this point, so she refrained from bringing it up.

"Ella, don’t worry about the company or the film promotions. I’m sure Mr. Nelson will handle everything. Just focus on your pregnancy and deliver a chubby little prince!" Amanda said with a warm smile, her eyes filled with genuine envy.

True friends only feel envy without malice, and Amanda wasn’t like Hannah or Leah—women who couldn’t stand to see Ella doing well and would go out of their way to bring her down.

This was precisely why Ella had chosen Amanda as her confidant.

"I know, I’m just eating and sleeping all day, not thinking about anything else. Though, most of what I eat ends up coming back up," Ella said with a gentle, maternal glow. She was a mother now and naturally wouldn’t stress over trivial matters.

"Should we see a doctor? Maybe they can prescribe some supplements to help," Amanda said softly, her concern evident.

"No need to worry about that. By the way, have you taken on any new scripts?" Ella asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and expectation.

"I’m still deciding, but I’m confident I’ll find a great script. Oh, by the way, here are some baby clothes. I bought ten sets for you, along with a few blankets and other items..."

Amanda eagerly took out the adorable baby clothes she had purchased.

Ella’s smile brightened even more as she saw the cute, tiny outfits.

Given her current condition, Eric wouldn’t allow her to go out shopping. He had insisted that she wait until after her first trimester before venturing outside.

Eric had been so busy lately that he didn’t have time to shop for baby items himself.

"Thank you so much, Amanda. Eric has been swamped with wedding preparations, so he hasn’t had time to buy anything for the baby," Ella said with a calm and cheerful smile.

Amanda returned a slightly awkward smile, her brows faintly furrowed with worry.

In truth, Eric wasn’t busy with the wedding; he was preoccupied with managing the fallout of Tiffany’s "resurrection."

Since it had been LXL who publicly announced Tiffany’s death in a car accident, her sudden reappearance now meant LXL bore some responsibility.

Ella noticed Amanda’s fleeting expression and asked, "What’s wrong? Did something happen at the company? I haven’t been online or used my phone these days, but I feel like Eric is hiding something from me. He just won’t talk about it."

Amanda quickly shook her head. "No, no, I’m just... worried about the movie’s box office performance, that’s all."

Ella chuckled, her worry dissipating. "You were brilliant in the film. Don’t worry; the audience will definitely respond positively."

Amanda forced a smile. She knew all too well that Tiffany’s sudden return had caused chaos. The film’s promotional posters had been torn down or defaced with red paint by enraged fans.

The movie itself was being relentlessly dragged through the mud, and both Ella and Eric were facing vicious attacks from fans and online trolls.

If this mess wasn’t resolved before the film’s release, the box office would undoubtedly suffer, and the results would be disastrous.

Not wanting her anxiety to affect Ella, Amanda made an early exit.

Eric arrived home at 10 p.m. By then, Lucas was chatting with Ella in the living room. The TV wasn’t on, but the conversation seemed warm, and the father-daughter bond was gradually becoming more natural.

"Eric, you’re back?" Ella called out, smiling brightly as Eric walked in.

Eric nodded and pulled her into a gentle embrace, his arm resting on her waist. "What are you and dad talking about?" he asked, glancing at Lucas.

He addressed Lucas directly as "Dad," which made Lucas visibly pleased. Despite having heard about the Tiffany situation, Lucas didn’t seem overly concerned.

"Nothing much, just reminiscing about your mom," Lucas replied with a smile as he stood up. "Now that Eric’s home, you should rest. I’m heading to bed too."

Ella nodded with a smile, feeling particularly content. Holding onto Eric’s arm, she led him upstairs. At that moment, she was just a simple woman, waiting at home for her husband. Seeing him brought her a deep sense of comfort.

Back in their bedroom, Ella arched her delicate brows, noting the exhaustion Eric was trying to hide.

She guided him to sit beside her and gently massaged his temples with her slender fingers. "You’ve been working late. Is something going on at the company?"

Eric forced a smile, his charm flickering through his fatigue. "What could possibly be wrong? I’ve just been burning the midnight oil to finalize the design for our wedding. That’s why I’ve been working so late."