Scorned Heir’s Second Life: The Rebirth That Made My Brothers Weep
Chapter 21 Christmas Day
Finished
Under the soft glow of the moon, Eleanor sat in her golden long–sleeved dress decorated with floral patterns. Her slim figure was outlined by the light, and her side profile looked delicate and graceful. Her skin was smooth and radiant, as though she had taken on the beauty of plum blossoms and fresh snow.
From a young age, Sadie had always known Eleanor was an incredibly beautiful woman.
But Eleanor rarely smiled.
In Sadie’s memories, she always looked annoyed cold when facing Quincy.
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Sadie never really understood why Eleanor, someone so lovely, would marry a man who wasn’t very good- looking, came from a simple background, and didn’t have any outstanding talents.
Eleanor hardly cared about her children, not bothering much with whether they were well–fed or warmly dressed, and she seemed even less concerned about their futures.
If Quincy hadn’t been so eager to build a connection with the Gates family and hadn’t knelt down and begged Eleanor to take one of the children to the Gates Estate, Sadie believed Eleanor probably wouldn’t have taken any of them at all.
Eleanor would often stare off into the garden, lost in thought, her eyes hiding a sea of emotions.
Sadie never really understood her, not in the past and not now.
She gave a deep bow and said warmly, “Greetings, Mother. Wishing you a joyful Christmas!”
Behind the screen, Eleanor showed little
response.
Sadie lowered her head and looked at her embroidered shoes. “It’s Christmas today. I was wondering if you had something special to eat this morning. The food here is really tasty. I ended up having two helpings.”
Eleanor stated quietly out the window, as if she hadn’t heard her.
The snowy light shone through the windows, casting a pale glow on her face. It highlighted her cool elegance, her black hair, and her red lips. She looked like a snow fairy standing beneath a plum tree.
Sadie guessed her mother didn’t really want to see her.
She handed a muffler to Eleanor’s head maid and said softly, “I made this muffler myself as a gift to keep you warm. I hope you won’t find it displeasing.”
She gave another bow and politely stepped back.
Unlike the quiet atmosphere in the main house, Pine Manor where Talulla stayed was full of life.
When Sadie arrived, both Zephyr and Alexander were already there.
She greeted Talulla and brought out the gift she had prepared. “The academy was on break recently, and I had a bit of free time. I made a headband especially for you, Grandmother. I hope you like it.”
It was a satin headband in royal blue, decorated with a matching sapphire. There was a bat pattern woven into it, a symbol of luck and happiness.
The sapphire was actually a gift from Talulla to Sadie. She had chosen to place it in the headband, thinking
Chapter 21 Christmas Day
the color matched well. With mink fur around the edges, the headband looked even more graceful and luxurious.
Talulla had given Sadie many lovely things lately.
Sadie had always felt uneasy receiving them since she had nothing of equal value to give in return. So she decided to make small gifts by hand to bring some joy to Talulla during Christmas.
Talulla had no granddaughters of her own, and the gifts from her grandsons were often not very thoughtful But that day, she was truly happy. She praised Sadie over and over and put the new headband on right away
Sadie then brought out two pairs of new boots. “I also made boots for my dear brothers.
Alexander looked shocked. “I get a pair too?”
Zephyr, ever composed in front of his elders, simply said, “Thank you.”
Sadie lowered her gaze.
The boots she made for Alexander were made with care and effort.
However, she wasn’t sure Zephyr would actually wear the boots she made for him. For all she knew, he might toss them aside the moment she left.
Not wanting to waste time on something that would likely be ignored, she focused only on appearances. Though the boots looked refined on the outside, they were carelessly made on the inside.
Even though Alexander was a son of the Gates family, he had lost his mother early and had no sisters. This was the first time he’d ever received handmade shoes from a sister.
He quickly put them on and smiled brightly. “Did you make a pair for Madison, too?”
“I did.” Sadie replied. “I had someone deliver them to the coffin home. Garrett is still away in the western region, and I don’t know when he’ll return. Our seamstress doesn’t have his measurements, so I haven’t made him a pair yet.”
“Don’t worry about him. Sewing takes a lot of effort. Don’t push yourself too hard!” Alexander sprung up from the round chair, strutting around proudly in his new boots. “Not bad! They fit just right, and they’re quite comfortable too! I’m going to go out and show them off!”
Seeing his joy and excitement made Sadie smile.
Back when she lived with the Francis family, she often made shoes for her older siblings.
But they barely reacted and simply told her to leave them somewhere, treating her no differently th maid.
Seeing Alexander’s honest happiness now warmed her heart.
After lunch at Pine Manor, Alexander left the estate to meet his friends. He was eager to show off his new boots. Zephyr, on the other hand/ went to the High Court.
Sadie stayed to spend time with Talulla, watching a few scenes from a play, and later returned to her manor as the sun began to set.
She was tidying up her desk when Clifton appeared with a message. “Miss Francis, Lord Zephyr would like
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Chapter 21 Christmas Day
to see you at Sage Manor.”
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