Chapter 440 Schemes Unveiled
Elsa bumped into Lola, then swiftly spun around to address the elder Medicis. "Mr. and Mrs. Medici, which fruits would you prefer? I'll wash them all at once," she offered.The sudden jolt caused Lola to nick her finger, a thin line of blood seeping from the small wound.Feigning surprise, Elsa spun back around. "Oh, Lola! What happened? Did you cut yourself? You must be more careful! Mom, call the nurse quickly. An infection from such a wound is no trivial matter."Lola's temper began to simmer beneath the surface."Lola, are you in pain? Hold on, the nurse will be here shortly," Elsa soothed, snatching the fruits and knife from Lola's grasp with a pretense of concern. "You should go and get your wound dressed. I'll handle the rest. Unfortunately, I can't arrange a fruit platter... we'll have to wait until you're recovered to prepare one for Grandma.""Lola hurt her finger?" Winslow queried, her attention drawn by the arrival of the nurse. "Take Lola to have her wound examined," she instructed."Certainly, Grandma Medici," the nurse complied, promptly leading Lola away.Elsa washed the fruit, her thoughts drifting back to the past. "Lola was once clueless about arranging fruit platters. She didn't even know whether to slice the fruit horizontally or vertically, let alone peel it," she sighed. "Unlike me, who was forced by my mother to learn such tasks from a young age..."Margaret feigned indignation at her daughter's words. "Forced? I was merely trying to teach you!" she corrected.Elsa shrugged, her tone nonchalant. "Well, you don't have the Medici couple doting on you like I do," she retorted. Turning to Winslow, she complained, "Mom, look at your granddaughter..."But Winslow seemed lost in thought.Elsa's earlier comment about Lola's newfound skill in fruit preparation had struck a chord. Had Lola learned this skill to please her family? The thought was somewhat disheartening."Grandma, my mom is gossiping about me again. You should intervene," Elsa interjected, noticing Winslow's thoughtful expression. A sense of satisfaction filled her, believing she had successfully planted a seed of doubt.Meanwhile, Abella observed the unfolding drama, silently judging Lola's naivety. Not only had Lola failed to defend herself, but she had also allowed others to tarnish her reputation. However, Abella chose to remain indifferent, considering it none of her business.Elsa stole a glance at Abella through the mirror, feeling slightly unsettled by her lack of reaction to their earlier conversation. She had intentionally mentioned the Medici couple's favoritism towards Lola, hoping to incite jealousy in Abella. But Abella remained unmoved.Elsa finished preparing the fruit, setting aside a small portion on a separate plate. "This plate is for Lola, no one else is allowed to touch it," she declared.Winslow chuckled at her antics. "You two sisters always enjoy your games, but in times like these, you still think of each other.""Grandma, try the fruit I prepared for you," Elsa suggested, offering a plate of freshly cut fruit to Winslow. She took a bite of an apple slice and handed it to her. "See if the fruit I cut is sweeter than Lola's."Winslow couldn't help but be amused by Elsa's competitive spirit. "Why must you always compare yourself to Lola?""Because you're biased!" Elsa retorted playfully, flashing Winslow a charming smile. After a moment, she offered the fruit to Abella. "Abella, would you like some too?"Winslow laughed at Elsa's unconventional approach. "She doesn't offer it to her own parents or the Medici couple first, but to her sister instead. It seems she truly adores her sister.""Who wouldn't adore Abella? She's exceptional," Elsa replied, feigning innocence.But Abella remained unimpressed, responding calmly, "I can't eat."Elsa feigned hurt, "Is it because the fruit I cut doesn't look appealing?"All eyes turned to Abella, their gazes filled with confusion as they tried to comprehend her refusal of Elsa's offer.
Abella spoke with a serene air, "In the past, my body produced an excess of insulin, neuropeptides, and cholecystokinin. The fiber in fruits has the ability to adsorb electrolytes, trace elements, and organic acids. The bananas on the plate also contain some tannic acid, which can bind with trace elements like iron and calcium, forming more insoluble substances and thereby increasing the strain on my pancreas."A stunned silence fell over the room...Her words were met with blank stares...In simpler terms, she had eaten something prior to her arrival, and now consuming fruits would interfere with her digestion and absorption.Yet, her explanation was lost on the crowd. As she spoke with such confidence, they found themselves nodding along, one by one.Winslow, concerned, advised, "Then don't eat for now. We don’t want you falling sick."Elsa, on the other hand, felt as though Abella was playing games with her, but she had no proof...All she could do was pass the fruit to others...After a while, Elsa glanced at the clock and voiced her concern, "Why hasn't Lola returned yet? I'll go check on her.""Elsa is always preoccupied with Lola," Winslow chuckled.Margaret joined in, laughing, "Indeed. Even though they bicker every time they meet, they can't seem to forget each other when they're apart. That's sisterhood for you."Meanwhile, outside the ward.Having just finished bandaging her finger, Lola bumped into Elsa, who was on her way to find her.Lola was seething, looking for an outlet for her anger. Seeing Elsa's smug expression, she marched over and began to interrogate, "Elsa, you..."Before she could finish, Elsa abruptly pinched her bandaged finger. "Lola, are you okay? Grandma asked me to look after you and ensure your finger is alright..."Lola yelped and jerked her hand away. The sudden pain made her wince.Before Elsa could be pushed away, she squeezed Lola's wound harder, causing her even more pain.Noticing the nurses glancing their way, Elsa feigned concern, "Lola, is it the nurse's fault for not bandaging your finger properly? Is that why you're upset? Don't be like this. She was just doing her job."Hearing this, the nurses were moved, thinking, 'Miss Elsa is so kind.'"Elsa!" Lola hissed through gritted teeth.Elsa crossed her arms and casually remarked, "You should know that grandmother despises ill-mannered people the most. Even if you're right, causing a scene here will only tarnish the Medici family's reputation. Do you understand?""Just you wait!" Lola retorted, turning to leave.Unexpectedly, Elsa stuck out her foot and tripped her.This time, Lola could no longer hold back her anger. She raised her hand to strike Elsa, but Elsa swiftly dodged, raising her voice, "Lola, are you upset because I defended the nurse? You want to hit me?""You bet! I'll hit you right in your face!" Lola lashed out, kicking at Elsa.Elsa recoiled, "Don't do this. We'll get caught... This is a public place. Even if you don't care about the Medici family's reputation, don't you value our sisterhood?"
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