Chapter 156 Revenge
Richard asked skeptically, "Really all better?"
"Yes! All better!" Lionel said like a little kid, breaking into a smile through his tears. "It doesn't hurt anymore! Really doesn't hurt! Wait, it still hurts a little bit."
I dusted off my hands and said flatly, "A dislocated wrist isn't too serious. I put the bone back in place for you, but your hand is still sprained. Don't use force for the next few days and rest up properly."
Lionel nodded repeatedly, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, you're a doctor! I heard you're good at developing medicine, but I didn't know you could treat dislocations too!"
"Dislocations aren't hard to treat," I said.
"Thank you," Lionel said, noticing my coldness and scratching his face awkwardly. "Bella, I'm sorry I almost hurt you just now. But it really was an accident. I was watching the frisbee and didn't see you."
Richard pressed his lips together, glanced at Lucas, and apologized to me too.
They no longer treated me with their initial contempt. Besides awkwardness and discomfort, there was now some genuine recognition and gratitude.
"It's fine," I said, softening my tone. "Do you remember who threw that frisbee?"
Although the target area had machines that launched frisbees, they could still be manually controlled.
Richard and Lionel shook their heads and said they didn't know. Fiona and Loris, who came over later, both looked at Sophie.
"Sophie, was it you?" Richard blinked, asking in surprise.
Sophie's lips were pale, her hands at her sides gripping the corners of her clothes tightly.
Lucas looked at her coldly. "What happened?"
Everyone's eyes focused on Sophie, accompanied by whispers.
Sophie hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "I was controlling the launcher. I didn't see Isabella. It's my fault. Isabella, I'm sorry."
"Why didn't you admit it earlier?" I asked.
Sophie tapped her head in distress. "I was going to say something, I just didn't get the chance."
Richard hesitantly tried to persuade me, "Isabella, this was just an accident. Sophie didn't do it on purpose. Don't be mad at her."
I thought Richard's brain might not work too well. "If she had explained earlier, Lucas wouldn't have said things like cutting ties with you all."
Richard frowned, seeming not to understand what I meant.
Lucas let out a frustrated breath. "If you can't play, then don't play. If someone dies here, even if I don't punish you, your families will punish you hard when you get home!"
Richard said somewhat defiantly, "We already apologized. Why are you still being so aggressive?"
Lionel grabbed Richard's shoulder. "Say less. I think Lucas and Bella have a point."
Sophie stood there gripping her clothes, resentment and unwillingness churning in her eyes. I stared at her, and she quickly adjusted her expression, putting on a cheerful smile. "Lucas, it's my fault. Let me treat you all to dinner to make it up to you."
Lucas looked at me. I pulled my hand away from his. Lucas pressed his lips together and said to Sophie, "Treating us to dinner isn't necessary. Let's just end this here."
The commotion here attracted others. A steady male voice came from far to near. "Lionel, are you okay?"
Lionel quickly answered, "Dad! I'm fine!"
The crowd automatically made way.
A middle-aged man in a dark custom suit jogged over. His resemblance to Lionel made it obvious they were father and son.
"Grant Caudill, number three in the Caudill family. Lionel is his only son," Lucas whispered in my ear.
"I heard you crying out in pain. What happened?" Grant looked at Lionel's tear-stained face, momentarily speechless and disgusted. He took out a handkerchief and handed it to him. "Wipe your face!"
Several people came with Grant, all familiar faces—Simeon, Gerald, and Beckett.
"This is Gerald. Where are you hurt? Let him take a look," Grant said.
"My wrist was dislocated!" Lionel raised his hand. "But Isabella already fixed it for me!"
Grant looked at me in surprise and extended both hands. "Isabella? Thank you!"
I shook his hand calmly. "Just a small thing, don't worry about it."
Although Lionel said he was fine, Grant was still worried and asked Gerald to check Lionel's wrist.
"Isabella's medical skills are completely trustworthy," Gerald said, reaching out to Lionel while turning to ask me, "You don't mind, do you?"
Some doctors really minded when patients they'd treated were examined by other doctors, as it suggested the patient didn't trust their skills. That's why Gerald asked if I minded.
"I don't mind," I shook my head, feeling a bit puzzled. After just a few days, Gerald's attitude toward me seemed more distant.
Gerald carefully examined Lionel's wrist and came to the same conclusion as me. Grant was finally relieved.
He thanked Gerald with a smile. From their conversation, I learned that Gerald had been invited to visit the Caudill family.
Many mafia families specifically trained doctors to treat and heal family members. The Caudill family, because of their high casualty rate, required all family members to study medicine in addition to training their own doctors.
Gerald had been invited to teach classes to the Caudill family members.
Grant looked at me appreciatively. "I've heard about you from Simeon. Although Simeon works hard, he's always lacked a bit of talent in medicine. If it weren't for you, he almost treated an allergic patient as heart failure and killed them!"
With a sincere smile on his face, he invited me, "Isabella, if you have time, come to the Caudill family and give some guidance to those idiots in my family. You might not believe this, but Simeon has the best grades among those idiots!"
He laughed a few times, patted my shoulder, and said suggestively, "If you're willing to come, when the five families discuss minor issues, I won't let the Sorelli family suffer."
I narrowed my eyes slightly, not tempted by his words. "Sorry, I don't have time."
Grant didn't expect me to refuse so directly. He nodded and turned to chat with Lucas, reminding him meaningfully, "Although your grandfather is old, you're still a Valeri. You're family. Don't make things too ugly."
"Whether we're family or not, I know for myself," Lucas said without backing down.
"Your stubborn personality is exactly like your father's," Grant said without anger. The appreciation in his eyes grew stronger. "You're Lionel's friend. If you need any help, come find me."
Lucas nodded.
While they were talking, I noticed Gerald looking at me with a complicated expression—both appreciative and dissatisfied.
I thought for a moment and asked directly, "Gerald, did I do something wrong?"
"Your medical skills are excellent. You're a rare talent, but you should change your personality."
I raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand what you mean."
"I heard you used a corpse to scare a mother and daughter?" Gerald's tone carried a hint of reproach. "Doctors should be kind-hearted and respect life."
"What do you know?" Lucas immediately refuted him.
I smiled coldly, without any guilt. "I can't be kind to my enemies. She tried to kill me, so of course I'll get revenge."
Gerald was taken aback by my bluntness.
He shook his head, stopped trying to persuade me, and left with Grant, looking disappointed.