Chapter 429 Discord Among Siblings
Soon, Noah returned with the medication. When he saw how they were chatting vivaciously with each other, he eyed them with suspicion. Nonetheless, he knew better than to take part in their conversation. After all, he had always been a gentle person in front of Stephanie.
“Isabella, I got you some medication. Other than the wounds on your hand, are you hurt anywhere else?” Noah asked as he put the medication on the table and prepared to help Isabella apply it.
“Only my elbow,” Isabella answered.
After dressing her wound, Noah instructed, “It’s done. When you shower the next few days, just be mindful not to get it wet.”
“Thanks, Noah,” Isabella replied obediently.
Just when Stephanie was about to say something, her phone rang at the inopportune moment. When she picked it up, she saw that it was her mom on the line.
“Mom,” Stephanie answered as she put a finger to her lips to shush everyone else.
“Isabella, where are you?” Olivia inquired softly.
“Mom, I’m with Noah and Isabella now. Noah and I were on our way to the office to invite Oscar and Isabella out to dinner. Unexpectedly, Oscar threw Isabella to the ground in public on Amelia’s account.” After giving it some thought, Stephanie felt it was necessary to relate the incident.
“What? Is it true?” Olivia’s tone turned grim. “How is Isabella doing? Let me talk to her.”
Stephanie handed the phone to Isabella. “Mom wants to speak to you.”
After receiving the phone, Isabella adjusted her composure. “Mrs. Clinton.”
Isabella, I heard that Oscar has hurt you. Don’t you worry, I’ll lecture him for you,” Olivia asked with concern, “Were you hurt when Oscar threw you over his shoulder in public?”
Despite feeling the sting from the question, Isabella didn’t show it on her face.
“Mrs. Clinton, I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. Although my elbow was scraped, it will recover in a few days. Hence, there’s no need to worry,” Isabella reassured her sensibly.
“Good girl. I’ll make sure to admonish Oscar. Also, I’ll drop by to see you tomorrow. If the wound is serious, I’ll teach him a lesson on your behalf,” Olivia declared grimly.
“Please don’t, Mrs. Clinton. It was just a misunderstanding. Oscar has always disliked me. Now that Ms. Winters is back, his interest in me will further wane. If you scold him, I’m worried that he will just resent me more.” The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she felt. Even her eyes were already red. “Mrs. Clinton, my feelings for Oscar are true. So please don’t lecture him about it.”
Olivia grew anxious. “Isabella, are you crying?”
Isabella wiped her tears and replied, “Mrs. Clinton, I’m fine. Don’t worry.
“All right then, you take good care of yourself. Pass the phone back to Stephanie, as I have a few words to say to her.”
After Isabella handed the phone over, Stephanie repeatedly acknowledged whatever that was said to her over the phone.
After ending the call, Stephanie said, “Isabella, my mom wants you to have a good rest. Also, she will visit you tomorrow.”
“Stephanie, please tell her there’s no need to trouble herself. I’m fine after all,” Isabella added quickly.
“It’s all right, my mom is just worried about you.” Stephanie waved her hand. “Anyway, I’m heading home first. Noah, stay with Isabella, and send her home later.”
Noah walked over and gave her a peck on her lips. He then asked attentively, “Are you heading home now?”
Stephanie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. Pulling away, she replied, “All right now, stop dilly-dallying. I’m leaving now.”
The moment Stephanie left in a huff, Noah’s expression darkened.
Lying casually on the sofa, Isabella remarked, “Noah, it seems that your acting skills have improved significantly. How do you think Stephanie will react once she finds out that you’re just faking it? Would she feel surprised? Shocked? Fearful? Outraged perhaps? When the time comes, I’m certain it will be very interesting.”
Noah shot her a glance and sneered, “You had better take care of your own affairs. Even though you have Mr. and Mrs. Clinton eating out of your hands, you have spectacularly failed at getting close to Oscar despite trying desperately for two years. Today, I’m sure you have become famous in Clinton Corporations after being thrown over by Oscar in public. Given the disastrous reputation you have built for yourself, you’re nothing but a disgrace to the Walker family.”
In response, Isabella’s expression drastically changed. Gritting her teeth, she seethed, “Noah, what’s the point of ridiculing me like that? Don’t forget that we’re in the same boat. If I become a laughing stock within the Clinton family, there’s no way you will not be affected by it.”
Folding his arms, Noah looked down at Isabella and snapped, “You’re such an idiot to the extent I feel ashamed that we’re even on the same side. Looks like you’re less competent than Rachel. If she was the one doing this, she would likely see more success than you have with Oscar.”
Isabella sprang to her feet and thundered, “Noah, what’s that supposed to mean? Since when am I inferior to Rachel? Ever since I was young, there are plenty of guys who have fallen for me.”
“That’s because they’re all blind.”
Clenching her fist, Isabella grimaced in anger. “Noah, ever since I was a child, I was better than Rachel. However, you choose not to show your true self to anyone else but you have always been nice to her. Both of us are your sisters, so why are you biased against me?”
“You and I are too much alike. Do you think I will like someone that’s equally devious as I am?”
“Noah, how can you say that about your own sister?”
Noah raised his hand to stop Isabella. “I have never seen you as my sister before. Not only are you evil and conceited, but also extremely stupid. I think this is as far as our collaboration goes. At the rate we’re going, you’ll just end up dragging me down with you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m getting Stephanie to stay away from you.”
Putting her hands on her hips, Isabella sneered, “Noah, why are you burning bridges before you marry Stephanie? Aren’t you worried that I reveal your secret in a fit of rage? I wonder what Stephanie will say once she learns that you actually love someone else.”
“Are you threatening me?”
Isabella walked up to him and sniggered, “Noah, that isn’t possible. After all, I admire you greatly and hope to follow your example. It’s just a shame that you look down upon me. Hence, I hope you understand that I’ll do whatever it takes to achieve my goals.”
Facing up to Isabella, Noah warned softly, “Isabella, sometimes, you can be too smart for your own good, so you had better watch out for yourself. I won’t interfere with what you’re going to do about Oscar, but I must warn you not to go overboard, for fear of infuriating him. If for any reason I fail to marry Stephanie, I will never let you off easily.”
Isabella retorted, “Noah, whether you end up marrying Stephanie or not boils down to your own competence. Don’t you think it’s ridiculous to blame me for it? But given how exceptional you are, it isn’t a bad thing to make a mistake once in a while.”
With his eyes glistening behind his spectacles, Noah snapped, “You stupid woman!”
Picking up the medication from the table, he threw it into the garbage. “Whenever you embarrass yourself in front of Oscar, you had better not get the Walker family involved. The last thing we want is to have you drag the family’s reputation through the mud. When I saw you being thrown to the ground today, I couldn’t be more humiliated by it.”
With that, Noah left the room.
With her fists clenched tightly and lips pursed, Isabella’s eyes burned with rage, causing her chest to heave rapidly.
“Noah, one of these days, I’ll make sure you regret insulting me today. Since you care so dearly for that woman, I will make sure she never steps foot in the Walker family. Now that you are desperate to marry Stephanie, I will use her to torture the love of your life,” Isabella hissed through her gritted teeth. “I believe you will enjoy letting the love of your life suffer on your account. As for me, I just can’t wait.”
