The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 129

Did Ms. Noella have a trick up her sleeve? Was she considering borrowing the entire Schnabel family’s art collection for the exhibit?

If the Schnabels were willing to lend their pieces, it would indeed solve the gallery’s dilemma.

“If the Schnabels‘ paintings could be shipped in time, we might just pull this off. But I wonder how many of Master Killian’s paintings they actually have.”

Noella shook her head, dismissing the suggestion. “We don’t need to borrow from the Schnabels. There aren’t even thirty of Master Killian’s paintings across the entire Imperial City,”

“So, what’s your plan, Ms. Noella?”

Noella scribbled and sketched, quickly passing her new gallery layout to Travis. “Get to setting up the exhibit. I’ll handle the materials. Pay the workers triple for today, and overtime is extra.”

Travis’s eyes widened as he looked at the new gallery design Noella handed him.

The original exhibition design had cost the gallery a pretty penny, commissioned from a professional team. Yet Noella’s changes elevated the whole aesthetic to a new level!

“Ms. Noella, your design is sheer genius! With your simple tweaks, the initial concept has been transformed magnificently. It’s like you’ve worked a miracle! Absolutely brilliant! Not only is it better, but it also saves materials and complements Master Killian’s pastoral oil paintings even more. Even if we’re short on artworks tomorrow, the exhibit itself will be enough to draw a

crowd!”

Could this be the backup plan Ms. Noella had prepared?

1

Travis could hardly contain his excitement!

Noella casually tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and spoke coolly, “Half the staff have vanished, suppliers have suddenly become uncooperative. As the manager, care to explain?”

Travis’s smile faltered.

When Noella had walked into the gallery earlier, she hadn’t seemed to look around, and Travis had even removed the staff attendance records for the past two days, fearing she’d notice the issue.

Still, Ms. Noella had uncovered the problem!

Under Noella’s probing gaze, Travis wiped his brow and said defensively, “Ms. Noella, the Gruber family’s new gallery poached our staff!”

If it weren’t for the staff defection, with artists in limbo and suppliers pulling out, the exhibition wouldn’t be facing such dire straits.

“They left us?”

1/4

10:05

Chapter 129

senior managers took

defections weren’t unheard of, but it was a blow, considering the defectors were

She knew how much we invested in this exhibition and how many media professionals we invited. The upfront costs were substantial. If we can’t deliver due to this last–minute fiasco, the Gruber’s new gallery will overshadow us! To leave is one thing, but her timing suggests malice! She even claimed we wronged her, though her salary was nearly higher than

Noella glanced at her phone

Schnabel family and Palmer filled her screen, which

she didn’t respond, the Schnabels might come looking for her after work. The thought

strode in with an air of superiority,

at Noella.

Noella, you haven’t signed my resignation letter, and I’ve yet

upon seeing her. “Petra, how dare you show your face here? Why would the

“I fronted the cost for materials for each exhibit, and the gallery has docked my pay. Plus, they owe me bonuses for all my overtime. Now that

placed an itemized bill on Noella’s desk.

turned crimson with rage.

shameless of

list. “Do you even understand

Noella, what do you mean by that? I’m

of your own accord and you need my signature? Besides, considering your history of

smug expression vanished as she

could she know? Just a spoiled girl, clueless and coddled by her family. Petra had even

Gruber family’s gallery offering her a lucrative deal to manage, Petra thought she could stir up trouble and possibly

Chapter 129

mean by that? The gallery never reimbursed me

her computer and accessed the backend system. Her slender fingers

the gallery, with every material cost accounted for. Last month’s Medieval special exhibit had costs of eighteen thousand, and you claimed thirty thousand. That extra twelve thousand, was that supposed

in her chair, her expression cool and detached as she

these figures are legit? Do you have any

Noella tossed a price list onto the table

market? Aluminum frames for fifty grand

price list laid out before her, which detailed almost all of

navigated the company’s internal network. With a glance, she found all the information she needed, printed it