Chapter 5 - My Sister, Who Shall Not Endure Injustice
1183 Words
On one side of the living room, Charles Fairmont sat expressionlessly in an armchair, his tea cup leaving water rings on the table before him.
After a long pause, he slightly turned his gaze toward Oliver Fairmont and spoke in a calm tone, though the question he asked was pointed. "Eleanor is my daughter—my daughter. Does she not deserve to be your sister?"
The boy, who had been brash just moments before, visibly shrank at the words.
"Uncle, I—I didn’t mean it that way..." he stammered.
Beside them, Alexander Fairmont smiled gently as he observed how his father’s glance had silenced the boy. Turning smoothly, he addressed Lily Sanders instead.
"Lily, do you feel wronged living in the Fairmont family?" he asked.
Lily Sanders, who had been called out, turned pale, quickly denying, "No, Alexander Fairmont, you misunderstood me."
"Then don’t speak in a way that might lead others to misunderstand," Alexander Fairmont responded, still smiling with the same warmth in his eyes, his voice soft yet carrying a weight that left no room for defiance.
Lily Sanders opened her mouth, but eventually lowered her head, silenced by the pressure, her lips biting down in quiet frustration.
At that moment, Andrea spoke up, trying to ease the tension. "It’s my fault for not managing things properly; it's just a room, no need to make a fuss."
"Indeed, Aunt Andrea’s arrangement was less than ideal," Alexander Fairmont replied without hesitation. As the eldest grandson of the Fairmont family, he spoke with unfiltered directness, even to elders. "Eleanor is my sister, the young lady of the Fairmont family. To place her in a room once used as a dollhouse for someone else—such a thing would be laughed at if it spread."
With that, he suddenly pulled Eleanor in closer, his arm protectively draping around her shoulders. "My sister is home, and she’s not here to endure such indignities."
The words, whether intentional or not, made Lily Sanders’ cheeks flush with embarrassment.
She had just implied that she was the one wronged, yet Alexander Fairmont turned the tables, suggesting that Eleanor was the one deserving of sympathy.
Wasn’t this a slap in the face?
Meanwhile, Eleanor, who had been unexpectedly pulled into his embrace, stiffened, unsure whether it was because of Alexander's gesture or his words.
As for feeling wronged, she couldn't truly say she was.
Compared to the hardships she had faced in the Holton family, these few words were nothing.
But this was the first time someone had cared whether she was treated unfairly.
A warmth spread through her chest, as if for the first time, she was experiencing what it meant to have family.
Andrea, on the other hand, felt a bit awkward. Internally, she cursed Alexander Fairmont for showing no regard for her feelings, but outwardly, she kept her composure, glancing at Charles Fairmont and the elder of the Fairmont family. When she saw they remained silent, she swallowed her frustration and forced a smile.
"Alexander Fairmont is right. Aunt Andrea’s arrangement was indeed lacking. I’ll have it corrected immediately."
Alexander Fairmont gave a nod with a smile. "Thank you, Aunt Andrea, for taking care of it quickly."
He then turned to the others. "I’ll take Eleanor for a stroll in the garden."
Without waiting for any further comments, he led Eleanor away toward the garden.
As soon as they left, the atmosphere in the living room grew tense. Andrea, feeling humiliated, was about to offer an explanation when the butler entered.
"Master, the gatekeeper called to say that Mrs. Holton has come to visit," he announced.
Holton. The room went silent as everyone instinctively thought of Eleanor Holton.
"Is she here to see Eleanor?" someone murmured. "It seems she’s unwilling to part with the child."
"She must have come to bring Eleanor her luggage," smiled the third Mrs. Fairmont, trying to lighten the mood. "It’s only natural; after all, Eleanor is the daughter of the Fairmont family. The Holton family wouldn’t forget something so basic."
But the butler hesitated, then spoke again. "Mrs. Holton says she is here to visit the third mistress."
The third Mrs. Fairmont’s smile faltered, confusion crossing her face. "Me?"
Why would Mrs. Holton be here to see her, instead of her child?
Meanwhile, in the garden.
The Fairmont family garden was a picture of classic European design. The vintage fences along the side of the villa were draped in blooming roses, and the well-maintained lawn spread with a rich, vibrant green, the brilliance of summer only enhancing its beauty.
Eleanor followed Alexander Fairmont as he casually pointed out details about the garden, but her thoughts had wandered back to the earlier moment when he had defended her in the living room.
It was a strange, subtle feeling.
After a long pause, she couldn’t help but softly say, "Thank you."
Alexander Fairmont paused, looking at her, before smiling and ruffling her hair. "No need to thank me, little sister."
Eleanor, with her hair tousled, stood there looking at him, and for some reason, her innocent expression made her seem almost childlike, causing Alexander’s smile to deepen.
Just as he was about to speak again, his phone rang. Glancing at the caller, he signaled for her to wander on her own and walked off to take the call.
Eleanor continued on, taking about ten more steps, when her eyes landed on a middle-aged woman in the corner of the garden, wiping down some chairs and tables.
The woman appeared nondescript, but from Eleanor’s angle, she could clearly see the faint dark energy surrounding her, a sign of a person tainted by malevolent deeds.
Eleanor usually avoided meddling in such matters, as doing so could draw unwanted consequences.
But the energy surrounding this woman was so strong that, if left unchecked, it might affect others in the house.
She walked over to her.
The woman, holding a cloth, was mechanically wiping down the surfaces, her expression dazed and vacant, her eyes occasionally glancing off toward a distant direction. It wasn’t until Eleanor reached her that the woman snapped to attention and hurriedly greeted her.
"Miss... Miss Eleanor."
"You recognize me?" Eleanor asked, surprised. She had only been in the house for a little over half an hour, and the Fairmont family had not had time to properly introduce everyone.
"The butler showed us all your picture, so we all recognized you beforehand, to avoid any... unfortunate accidents," the woman explained with a nervous smile.
Eleanor hadn’t expected the Fairmont family to be so thoughtful, arranging everything so quietly but thoroughly—such care was typical of a noble family.
"Is there something I can help you with, Miss?" the woman asked, noticing Eleanor’s silence.
Before Eleanor could respond, she heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching from the garden gate. Looking up, she saw two figures emerging.
It was Helen Holton and Katherine Holton.
Both women were escorted into the garden by the butler, and when they spotted Eleanor sitting in the pavilion, their expressions froze in disbelief.
"What are you doing here?!"
- Writer
