Chapter 292 The Art of Being Enchanted
Nora hailed a taxi and made her way back to the residence of Quinn. As she arrived, the household was on the brink of settling down for their evening meal. The tantalizing scent of the food wafted through the air, coaxing a smile onto Nora's face. "My, that smells divine. Might there be a place set for me?" she inquired.
With a mischievous curl of her finger, Quinn beckoned her. "You've arrived just in time. Come, sample my attempt at culinary mastery!"
Stepping into the dining room, Nora surveyed the table laden with an array of dishes, her surprise evident. "You prepared all of this?"
Quinn arched an eyebrow, casting a glance towards Hollis. "Indeed, I did. Mrs. Brown was kind enough to provide some guidance."
Hollis scrutinized her with a critical eye. "One cannot sculpt a masterpiece from rotten wood. Look at your handiwork—what does it resemble?"
Undeterred, Quinn retorted, "Mrs. Brown, the initial attempts are always a bit rough around the edges. With practice, I'll surely improve. A few more attempts and I'll have it down, won't I?"
Maintaining her stern demeanor, Hollis instructed, "What are you loitering around for? Fetch the bowls and cutleries."
"Very well, just a moment." Quinn, still in high spirits, made her way towards the kitchen to retrieve the necessary tableware.
As she turned, Nora noticed the faint traces of fatigue etched around her eyes. It was no simple task. Being a female CEO undoubtedly came with its own mountain of responsibilities. Yet, here was Quinn, preparing a meal for her future mother-in-law after a long, exhausting day. Despite her best efforts, her culinary skills failed to garner any praise. She was even expected to carry out menial tasks such as fetching bowls and cutleries. The constant challenges seemed a tad too severe.
Nora's gaze softened as she took a seat next to Quinn, who had just returned with a bowl and utensils. "Quinn, you appear a bit under the weather. Allow me to check your pulse," Nora offered.
Quinn's eyes flickered, but she remained silent. Nora examined her pulse with a grave expression, then withdrew her hand. "Quinn, you're quite frail. Have you been overexerting yourself recently? I must remind you, although you're still young, a woman's body begins to age gradually after she turns twenty-five, both internally and externally. It's crucial to maintain your health."
"You can't continue to push yourself this hard, it'll take a toll on your health. Your health is your wealth; if that deteriorates, it might hinder your ability to bear children in the future."
Upon hearing this, Quinn blinked, momentarily taken aback and at a loss for words. Hollis, seated across from them, instantly furrowed her brows at the latter part of Nora's statement. "Nora, is it truly that grave?" Could Quinn face difficulties in conceiving? That was utterly unacceptable. She couldn't let her family line come to an end!
"Mrs. Brown, as a company CEO, Quinn has likely been pushing herself to the brink, leading to her current frail state. It's probable that she's been overworking even more recently, hence her weakened pulse. If this continues, her ability to bear children could indeed become a concern," Nora explained earnestly.
A knot formed in Hollis's heart as she shot a glare at Quinn. "When I advise you to consume more nourishing food, you turn a deaf ear. What are you, a bird? Do you merely require a handful of birdseed?"
Quinn responded with a plea, "My appetite is only so large, and I've already been trying to eat more these past few days."
Hollis's face hardened. "Eaten more? The amount of potatoes in your bowl is so scant; I could finish it in two bites! No, you must consume two full bowls of potatoes today."
Two full bowls? If Quinn were to do that, she might require a trip to the hospital to digest it all!
Quinn drew a sharp breath, her gaze shifting towards Nora.
Nora, seizing control of the conversation, addressed Mrs. Brown, "We shouldn't compel Quinn to overindulge in food. Moderation is key. As long as her food intake aligns with her stomach capacity, the priority should be to ensure she gets adequate rest and refrains from overexertion."
Quinn's eyes flickered with emotion at these words. She responded with a playful retort, "Sis, I'm perfectly fine. You medical folks always seem to make a mountain out of a molehill."
"Enough of your backtalk," Hollis admonished. "Are you questioning Nora's expertise in medicine? Finish your meal and head straight upstairs to rest." Quinn nodded in acquiescence, and as she lowered her head to eat, she shot Nora a mischievous wink.
Her quick wit was undeniable.
She had immediately grasped that Nora's comments were intended to give Hollis a respite from her self-imposed torment.
What a remarkable sister-in-law she had!
After dinner, Quinn moved to clear the dishes.
However, the moment she made a move, Hollis reprimanded her.
"Did you not hear what I said? Go upstairs and rest."
She wouldn't even allow Quinn to handle the dishes!
Quinn responded with a smile, "Alright, I'll listen to you! But don't get so angry; it's bad for your liver and accelerates aging. I'll get some whitening face masks for you later."
"I'm old enough to not care about looks anymore," Hollis grumbled in response.
Quinn's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Come on, there are no ugly women, only lazy ones. Trust me, once your leg is better, I'll give you a makeover and take you out. My friends will be falling over themselves to call you 'sis'."
Hollis looked at her for a moment before muttering, "A Judas kiss."
Yet, her heart fluttered at the thought.
She found herself dreaming of the day she could stand on her own two feet again.
Observing their interaction, Nora couldn't help but smile.
Living with Quinn, she felt she could be influenced by her sister-in-law's charm.
Perhaps even her emotional intelligence could see a boost!
"Nora, put that down too. Don't worry about it; go rest upstairs," Hollis said, noticing her tidying up the dishes.
"I'm not tired," Nora replied.
"Be good, you all have jobs. Leave these chores to someone else," Hollis insisted.
"That’s right, we've got it," Mary chimed in, busy with the dishes at the side.
Nora didn't argue further and headed upstairs to freshen up.
Just as she entered her room, Quinn followed her in.
"Sis, thanks for earlier. These last few days have been exhausting," Quinn said, collapsing onto the couch and taking a deep breath.
Nora chuckled, "No worries, what are sisters-in-law for?"
Quinn raised an eyebrow playfully, "Oh, so you're acknowledging our relationship now? Sounds like things with you and Aaron are getting serious!"
Nora, realizing the implication, felt a blush creep up her cheeks.
"I mean, who keeps calling themselves my little sister-in-law?" Quinn giggled, her smile teasing, "I don't care, in my eyes, you're totally my sister-in-law."
Nora scratched the bridge of her nose, attempting to change the subject, "Why don't you sit for a while? I'm going to take a shower."
Quinn, noticing her discomfort, couldn't resist teasing, "Sis, you're off to shower, but aren't you going to let Aaron get a little sneak peek?"
Nora stumbled, her face a picture of speechlessness.
"Quinn, do you let Baldwin watch when you shower?" Nora retorted.
Quinn nodded earnestly, "Yep."
That Quinn sure had guts!
Nora nearly choked on her own saliva.
"What if he gets all hot and bothered?" Nora fired back.
Twirling a fingernail, Quinn said in a coy voice, "Then I'll just have to take care of it myself, won't I?"
Nora chuckled, "Aren't you worried he'll go looking for another woman to satisfy his needs?"
Quinn tossed her wavy hair seductively and gave Nora a flirtatious wink, "With a knockout like me, do you think he'd even give a second glance to someone else?"
Nora found herself nodding in agreement, unable to refute. A stunner like Quinn, once a man's had a taste, everyone else would surely pale in comparison.
"Alright, go take your shower. But remember to give Aaron a show!" Quinn stood up, a mischievous smirk on her lips, "Just remember, no matter how upstanding a man might seem, they're not usually so noble at heart. So, when it's time to be romantic, you have to lay it on thick. That's the only way to make a man never forget you, Nora."
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