Chapter 21: Chapter 21: She Is Not Allergic to Mangoes
The entire dining room suddenly plunged into a dead silence.
Estelle paused her movements. With a faint, mocking smile, she feigned ignorance. "What are you doing, Mr. Sloan? It’s just a piece of mango. Since when is it fatal?"
After speaking, she reached out to grab another piece.
Nathaniel grabbed her wrist abruptly. Staring straight into her eyes, he enunciated each word carefully. "You can eat mangoes?"
Estelle acted as if she had just heard a joke. "Why wouldn’t I be able to? Mr. Sloan... you didn’t think I was allergic, did you?" She suddenly lowered her head and took a bite of the fruit perched on top of the cake. "Then you were wrong. I’m not allergic at all."
Half a minute, a minute, five minutes...
As time ticked by, Estelle still showed no signs of an allergic reaction. Nathaniel stared at her intently, trying to find even the slightest hint of abnormality in her smile.
How could this be? He had guessed wrong again.
Estelle let out a derisive scoff. She knew, of course, that Nathaniel was starting to suspect her true identity. But so what? He didn’t have any proof. After all, to his knowledge, she had a severe mango allergy. In reality, she had no such thing.
It was only because when she first returned to the Lockwood Family, Noelle had intentionally brought out an array of high-end fruits and asked if she had ever tried them, all to make her look like a country bumpkin.
Before she could even answer, Noelle had prattled on, "Oh, Estelle, I’m so sorry. I should have considered your feelings. You’ve never even seen these fruits before, so how could you have eaten them? Mom said you’re allergic to mangoes, so I figured I shouldn’t bring those and brought these instead... It’s all my fault for hurting your pride."
At the time, desperate for familial affection, Estelle hadn’t dared to say another word and silently accepted the false claim that she was allergic to mangoes.
To think Nathaniel actually remembered... But what was the use of remembering? His supposed understanding of his wife had come entirely from another woman’s mouth, and the information was completely fabricated.
Estelle’s smile grew increasingly contemptuous as she said coldly, "Can you let go of me now, Mr. Sloan?"
Nathaniel snapped back to his senses and abruptly released her hand, his eyes filled with suppressed emotions. "Since Dr. Lockwood isn’t her, please mind your behavior."
Estelle couldn’t even be bothered to look at him. "Mr. Sloan, you really don’t have to act like this. It’s just the two of us here. There’s no need to pretend you loved your ex-wife so much."
Nathaniel gave her a flat look. Since she wasn’t Estelle, there was no need to explain himself.
"Just mind your own business, Dr. Lockwood. Christian needs his routine checkup tonight. Remember your responsibilities." With that, he walked straight upstairs.
Estelle rolled her eyes. After finishing her breakfast, she headed to the company.
As soon as she arrived, she recalled the photo she had seen in Nathaniel’s hand the night before. Frowning, she called her assistant. "Buy a paper shredder and have it delivered to Imperial Crest."
Henry Kendrick and Penelope Sullivan happened to overhear this as they pushed the door open. "A paper shredder? What did your ex-husband do to you this time?"
Estelle downplayed it. "Nothing. He was just holding our picture in the middle of the night, reminiscing about the past all by himself."
Henry raised an eyebrow. "You guys only have one photo together. If you destroy it, it’s gone forever."
Estelle’s eyes curved into a smile, but the warmth didn’t reach them. "So what if it’s gone? What does that have to do with me?"
She would have loved to take more photos with Nathaniel back then, but did he ever give her the chance? While taking their wedding photos, Nathaniel had been called away halfway through because Noelle claimed her heart hurt. After that, Rose Lowell and Noelle would always make excuses, claiming that a country bumpkin like her was too camera-shy to take pictures.
And Nathaniel actually believed them.
Penelope pondered for a moment. "Why do I get the feeling your ex-husband still cares about you?"
"Does he?" Estelle completely dismissed the idea, not caring in the slightest. "It’s time. Call everyone up for the meeting."
Imperial Crest. In the study.
Nathaniel gently rubbed the surface of the photograph. Taken seven years ago, it was the only picture he and Estelle had together. Estelle hadn’t liked having her picture taken, so this was the only one they had.
"Nathaniel, why did you send Christian to kindergarten? Noelle has told you so many times that his health isn’t suited for it! You shouldn’t have listened to that doctor. What does an outsider know?"
A woman’s voice grew louder as she approached, abruptly pushing the study door open. She wore a deep frown, her face full of disapproval. The newcomer was Mrs. Sloan, Nathaniel’s mother, Laura Jennings.
Nathaniel set the photo down and lifted his gaze impassively. "Why are you here?"
"Why shouldn’t I be here? My precious grandson is about to be tormented to death by that quack doctor, so of course I had to come see for myself! Wasn’t Noelle doing a perfectly fine job taking care of him? Why did you insist on hiring someone else?"
Nathaniel’s eyes turned icy as his gaze swept toward Noelle. "You said Yara is a quack doctor?"
When Noelle saw the photograph, she ground her teeth in silent fury. Estelle again! It had been five years, yet Nathaniel was still thinking about her! However, in the next second, a gentle and proper smile graced her face once more. "Nathaniel, I’m just worried..."
Laura said indignantly, "Of course Noelle didn’t say that. She’s so kind-hearted; how could she possibly come to me just to tattle? She just let it slip by accident, and that’s how I found out you’d rather trust an outsider over her! Nathaniel, what did we agree on at the beginning? We said we’d let Noelle spend more time with Christian so they could bond. And look at what’s happening now!
"You actually embarrassed Noelle in front of so many people! Do you know what everyone outside is saying? They’re all calling her a mistress! I won’t allow Noelle to be wronged like this. Fire that doctor, immediately!"
Nathaniel’s eyes darkened gradually. "She is Christian’s doctor."
Laura couldn’t care less. "There are plenty of good doctors in the world. Does it have to be her? She wronged the hostess of the house, so she deserves to be fired!"
"She didn’t wrong Christian. It was my idea for him to go to kindergarten."
Laura slammed her hand on the desk. "Are you really this dense, or are you just playing dumb? I’m talking about Noelle! She wronged Noelle! Noelle is the future lady of Imperial Crest. Having a female doctor live in your house is a direct insult to her!"
Nathaniel’s gaze shot over to Noelle, and he questioned her flatly. "The lady of the house? Is that what you think too?"
Noelle’s throat tightened. Nathaniel had never promised that she would be Mrs. Sloan in the future. All the rumors circulating outside were entirely her doing.
Feigning grievance, she said, "Nathaniel, that’s not what I meant. Your mother misunderstood..."
"Enough! Why are you blaming Noelle? Nathaniel, it’s time you settled down! Noelle has waited for you for so many years. What exactly are your intentions? She’s wasted her entire youth on you, and now you won’t even fire a doctor for her!
"Back then, I told you to marry Noelle, but you insisted on marrying Estelle. After Estelle died, your life should have gotten back on track! I know that Yara bears some resemblance to Estelle, but Noelle is her actual sister. Have you forgotten Estelle’s final letter?"
Nathaniel raised his eyes and looked coldly at Laura. "Are you done?"