Chapter 59
Sir Whitmore nodded again, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Thrilled, Annabelle hooked her am through his. “Next time you go fishing, Grandpa-
He cut her off with a genial laugh “Elle, what did you bring for your grandpa?”
Annabelle’s smile froze, embarrassment flashing across her face. She had spent a small fortune, yet the old man ignored her gits and eagerly awaited whatever scrap Ellie had brought. Fury fixed–the clenched her fists until her knuckles whitened.
Ellie moistened her lips. “Sir Whitmore, perhaps after the banquet –
“Ellie!” Annabelle raised her voice. “I’m dying to see your gift, too. How about showing everyone right now?”
Sir Whitmore looked at her, eyes bright with anticipation.
Annabelle added sweetly, “Grandpa treats Ellie like his own granddaughter, so her present must be something truly special”
The guests, their curiosity thoroughly piqued, leaned forward.
Annabelle darted over, seized Ellie’s gift, and said, “Let me unwrap it for you!”
“Hold it.” Sir Whitmore’s tone turned firm, “I will open Ellie’s present myself”
Annabelle’s smile remained fixed. “Of course–please, Grandpa.
The gift was a rolled canvas secured with a red silk ribbon. Sir Whitmore untied it, peeled away the outer wrapping, and reve
crimson ground
When he unfurled it completely, a Hundred Longevity Characters scroll emerged–each character penned in a distinct, vigorous script, every stroke brimming with life. But the largest longevity character at the center had been smeared, the ink blurred into a grimy blotch,
A wave of whispers rolled through the hall, “What is this? Miss Elena actually gave Sir Whitmore such a
a mess?“–“Outrageous! No wonder she tried to
hide it.”
Ellie gaped at the scroll–when had the piece she’d penned so carefully been defaced? Beside her, Sir Whitmore stood rooted to the spot, stunned into
silence.
Annabelle let out a theatrical sigh. “Ellie, how could you be so careless? Even if you didn’t want to spend money, Grandpa deserves better than a botched gift like this!”
One of the guests sneered, “Miss Bennett was right–Elena Dennett, how could you present something like this? Do you think Sir Whitmore’s birthday i some casual affair you can treat so lightly?”
Mocking Laughter rippled through the room, rising like a tide that threatened to swallow Elena whole
Sir Whitmore’s expression remained kindly as he called her by the childhood nickname, “Elbe, tell Grandpa–did you write this calligraphy yourself?”
o you
Elena gave a quick nod and murmured, “I’m sony, Grandpa, it must look ridiculous to
Sir Whitmore traced the bold strokes with obvious appreciation. “The brushwork is strong no one would guess a young woman wrote it. Only, here in
the center…
Clena’s mind raced, but she owned the mistake with poise “Grandpa, a little water must have splashed and blurred that section, I’d like to give you a small surprise..could we letch some paints and brushes?”
Sir Whitmore’s eyes lit up, he immediately had the servants bring over a full set of paints and fresh brushes,
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Chapter 59
Elena unfurled the canvas on the table and, entirely at ease, began working over the blurred spot in the Hundred Longevity Characters Scroll.
Within minutes, two
a lifelike immortal cranes emerged from her brushstrokes, seeming almost ready to lift off the paper.
A low, collective gasp spread through the onlookers.
Someone in the crowd whispered, “Fake heiress or not, the eldest Bennett girl is truly gifted–her calligraphy is gorgeous, and now her painting looks almost alive!”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.