The True Blood Returns

Chapter 8 - Not Even Thirty Thousand Allowance Money

Helen Holton and Katherine Holton were turned away from the Fairmont estate entrance before even crossing the threshold. Their swift departure caused barely a ripple among the Fairmonts inside the mansion.

Meanwhile, Oliver Fairmont, embarrassed by the earlier events, decided to leave the house with Lily Sanders. As they walked down the garden path, he continued to console her.

“Don’t feel bad, Lily,” he said, voice edged with irritation. “Alexander is just playing favorites. You gave up your doll room, and he still spoke to you that way—just because she’s recently ‘found’? As if that’s some great achievement.”

Lily sighed softly, her tone gentle. “Oliver, I know you’re trying to help, but you shouldn’t say things like that. I’m not really a Fairmont, and all these things should have belonged to Eleanor anyway. Alexander isn’t wrong…”

“What nonsense is that? You’re the only sister I recognize, Lily. That Eleanor Holton? She’s nothing to me!”

As they strolled on, Eleanor’s voice suddenly floated over, stopping them in their tracks.

“This lady here has some bad energy around her,” Eleanor was saying, directing her words at Mrs. Walsh, her expression calm but serious. “If it’s not dealt with, it could affect the family’s feng shui. If Father will pay, I can resolve it for thirty thousand.”

The two of them turned and saw Eleanor, fingers raised, gesturing toward Mrs. Walsh with an air of confidence.

Eleanor had stopped Mrs. Walsh specifically because of the dark energy clinging to her, and now that irrelevant people were gone, it was time to take care of business. She wasn’t accustomed to asking for money, but this would serve as a good opportunity to earn her college tuition while dealing with the lingering energy.

Even between father and daughter, accounts had to be clear.

Charles Fairmont and Alexander Fairmont exchanged a glance, both clearly caught off guard by Eleanor’s sudden turn toward feng shui mysticism. It wasn’t something that seemed to fit with her.

They figured she was just in need of some spending money, using feng shui as an excuse to get an allowance, and felt a pang of sympathy.

When had a Fairmont ever been short on thirty thousand?

Alexander quickly took out his phone. “Is thirty thousand enough? I’ll transfer a hundred thousand to be safe. Just let me know if you need more.”

Charles, not wanting to be outdone by his son, pulled out his own phone, ready to transfer three hundred thousand, only to realize he didn’t even have his daughter’s contact information.

Eleanor, noting their expressions, could tell they’d misunderstood.

“I’m serious,” she said, a little exasperated.

“Yes, of course,” Alexander replied, eyes twinkling with indulgence.

Mrs. Walsh, who had initially been caught off guard, quickly regained her composure and nodded earnestly. “So, the young lady sees something off in my aura? Thank you, Miss Eleanor. Please, do help me resolve it.”

Eleanor couldn’t help but sigh internally. Could they not take her profession seriously?

Just as she was about to explain further, a derisive snicker interrupted her.

“How dare you use such a cheap trick to ask for money? And all for a measly thirty thousand?” Oliver scoffed, unable to hold his disdain, despite the recent scolding. He found her behavior beyond distasteful.

Lily hurried after him, tugging his arm with an apologetic look. “Eleanor, please don’t take it personally. Oliver didn’t mean it that way.”

Eleanor only cast a brief, cool glance at the two of them before refocusing on Mrs. Walsh.

“Your marital line is broken,” Eleanor continued, “which suggests you lost your husband early on. But you have a son, and he’s currently going through a crisis—likely involving money.”

Though Eleanor wasn’t an expert at face reading, she knew enough to make basic judgments. And even the most basic assessment left Mrs. Walsh visibly stunned.

Especially at the mention of a financial disaster awaiting her son, her eyes flashed with an instant of panic.

Eleanor pressed on. “Ordinarily, personal karma like yours wouldn’t impact the main family. But I can see a faint connection between your fortunes and the Fairmonts’. You’ve been stealing the Fairmont family’s prosperity.”

Eleanor’s words, calm but resolute, seemed to pierce right through Mrs. Walsh, causing her to tremble.

No, she must be bluffing. How could she possibly know?

Charles and Alexander had initially assumed Eleanor was playing a harmless joke, but her seriousness made them regard her words with new weight.

Lily’s eyes flicked between Eleanor and Mrs. Walsh in apparent surprise. “Are you saying Mrs. Walsh stole from the family?”

She seemed shocked, but quickly added, “There must be a mistake. Mrs. Walsh has been with the Fairmonts for nearly a decade. She would never do such a thing!”

Mrs. Walsh, who had been increasingly agitated, suddenly adopted a woeful look, protesting, “Miss Eleanor, such accusations are unwarranted. How could I possibly steal from the Fairmont family? Everyone here knows me, and I am not that kind of person.”

She turned to Oliver for support, tears glistening in her eyes. “Young Master, you know me. I would never do such a thing!”

Oliver, still young and impulsive, had grown up under Mrs. Walsh’s care and couldn’t stand to see her accused. He shot Eleanor a glare, his voice raised. “What’s wrong with you? Mrs. Walsh would never steal from the family. You just got here, and you think you know everything? Throwing baseless accusations around just to get a few thousand—do you have no shame?”

In his eyes, Eleanor Holton was little more than a stranger who’d shown up that day. But Mrs. Walsh? She was practically family, and in his heart, the decision between them was easy.

Lily, too, chimed in, subtly fueling the conflict. “There must be some misunderstanding. Did Mrs. Walsh do something to upset you?”

Her words hinted that Eleanor might be retaliating over some petty grudge.

Mrs. Walsh took her cue, feigning distress, her voice breaking as she sobbed, “Miss Eleanor, I understand if you’re upset about Mrs. Holton’s mix-up earlier. I’m just a humble servant; how could I possibly compare to you? You have every right to be upset, but to slander me like this… You’re tearing me apart.”