The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 33

At the Lambert ancestral home in Linefort City.

Jasper’s hired muscle flew in by chopper and, while still several feet from the ground, yanked Vincent out and dumped him right at the doorstep of the Lambert ancestral horne,

Vincent, well into his fifties, nearly broke every bone in his old body!

“Dammit… Do you even know the law? This is assault, pure and simple!”

The bodyguard, sporting dark shades, Just gave a lopsided grin and sneered. “Our boss said we’re doing you a solid, dropping you home. You know exactly how you treated Ms. Noella–don’t play innocent!”

Vincent was speechless.

This was completely different!

Noella was just a heartless country bumpkin while he was the high and mighty CEO of the Lambert family!

After making the delivery, the bodyguard hopped back on the chopper and took off.

Blown around by the helicopter’s downdraft, Vincent’s hair was a mess, his suit was wrinkled, and his face was caked with dust and dirt, making him look like a beggar.

The actual beggars at the Lambert ancestral home’s gate nearly mistook him for one of their

own.

Vincent was fuming. He whipped out his phone to call the cops, but, of course, there was no signal!

Maddox, who was in charge of guarding the old homestead, spotted Vincent and hurried over to greet him.

“Mr. Lambert, why didn’t you give us a heads–up? Here to donate?”

Vincent was speechless again.

He was too proud to come back home without fanfare, always making a big show of donating like 30 to 50 grand, turning it into a spectacle the whole village knew about.

Vincent changed the subject. “How come there’s not even a proper road in this place?”

“Ah, Mr. Lambert, you’re here to fund road construction? That’s fantastic! I’ll go tell the mayor right now!”

Vincent quickly grabbed him.

“No, no, get me out of here first. My phone’s got no signal; I can’t make any donations to the village!”

1/5

12:26

Chapter 33

“What? Mr. Lambert, you’re also gonna build us a cell tower? That’s amazing!”

that Maddox! Playing dumb because of

to shell out cash for these yokels. He

got a big deal to negotiate. Get me out of here. Does this

to ear. “Sure do.

baffled. What kind of

“vehicle,” Vincent

grew up here, but it took blood, sweat, and tears to make something of himself in Tranquility City, to become a known and respected tycoon. He never wanted to

the house seemed to have

even planted Old Mrs. Lambert’s favorite osmanthus tree by the door–a mature

no way he was behind this renovation. Why would he spend money on fixing up this rundown

out of respect for Briony, secretly spruced up the place to surprise the

about it, the more it

amazing son–in–law!

hit a rough patch, it was still not to be underestimated, given its previous

Briony, she had always been close to Milford, unlike Noella, who was

need to talk about Briony’s engagement with the

his happy thoughts, Vincent’s daydream was

actual ox cart!

ox clearly had seen better days, stopping to rest after every step.

is the only ox cart we’ve got. Hop on, and we’ll make it to town by dawn!”

was trembling. “There’s

there, hop on a bus, and you’ll be in

Vincent remembered.

715

17-26

Chapter 33

for years was because it was such a hassle to leave! Linefort City had no airport; he would

for road construction, he thought it wasn’t worth it since he couldn’t brag about it, so

come on up. Once it gets light,

his nose and climbed atop the ox cart, dodging cow dung

“Take Mr. Lambert to

cart lurched forward, shaking so violently that Vincent’s sandwich lunch threatened to

Vincent’s retreating figure. He pulled out a smartphone equipped with

Noella, got everything Mr. Lambert said about donating for roads and a cell tower on video. Sending it your way

“Appreciate it.”

face split into a grin.

for your help, our village would’ve been toast a long time ago, not to mention the renovations you funded

It’s the

video Maddox sent her and then locked

in the Linefort City mountains, where Old Mrs. Lambert had weathered her whole life. Noella would guard it with

Tranquility City Police

the slammer door and let the

scruffy beard and looking all kinds

was gobsmacked at the sight

wringer more than I did,

hustled back from Linefort City, burning rubber to pull every string the Lambert family