The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 136

After hanging up the call with Master Killian, the crisp chime of Noella’s mini laptop resonated through the stillness of her room.

She settled into her chair, booted up the computer, and plugged in a custom–made network card that granted her direct access to the shadowy reaches of the deep web, her IP address. completely obfuscated.

Even the sharp–eyed hounds from the Schnabel family couldn’t sniff out her midnight digital excursions.

A message from Erek popped up: [Boss, got the scoop. Ashlyn’s insisting on a hospital visit, probably ‘cause of that morning call from Vincent.]

[Vincent?]

[Yeah, the sleazeball seems keen on marrying you off to Ellsworth, that notorious money pit of a gambler. Need us to handle it?]

[No need to dirty our hands. Let Ellsworth’s creditors knock on his door.]

Ellsworth was up to his neck in debt, and those underground casinos in Linefort City had some ties to Polaris Star.

Back in the day, when Noella had learned the art of gambling stones with Master Hector, they’d dominated the underground scene with nothing but a deck of cards, inadvertently gaining some shady assets.

Thankfully, their operations had been smooth sailing, no

messes ma

Erek chuckled and replied: [Roger that, Boss. You’ve always been too kind. Phecda and the crew are retrieving Old Mrs. Lambert’s DNA as we speak. Now we just need Vincent’s. Want me to ‘draw some blood‘ from him?]

Erek had been itching for a chance to teach Vincent a lesson!

Without their boss’s discreet support, Vincent wouldn’t have made a dime. Yet, he mistook Noella’s goodwill for his supposed business acumen. Such a man belonged under a bridge, collecting cans!

[I’ll handle it myself. Where are they now?]

[Headed to Imperial West Hospital. I’ll be outside to cover you.]

With an affirmation, Noella closed her palm–sized computer, swiftly disassembled it, and transformed it into an inconspicuous trinket on her desk.

With everything in place, she slipped out of her room, unnoticed by anyone.

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the dead of night, at Imperial West Hospital, Vincent, wheelchair–bound, was wheeled in by Belinda, with a few

with a grin, “Excuse me, we’re looking for Marcel’s wife. Could you tell us

Come back at eight

Vincent was baffled!

in ICU? She sounded fine when he

do we find Noella now? I don’t care; she’s gotta

was equally

he suddenly spotted

push me over

right? You’re the

with paperwork for Marcel, looked puzzled at Vincent.

He seemed vaguely familiar.

hurried to jog his memory. “That time when you were gatekeeping for the Schnabels… We’ve met before!”

he thought about it. Noella’s father must’ve been a security guard for the Schnabels, which was

frowned. “You’re Noella’s former foster father?

had never been good to Noella. If it weren’t for the watchful eyes in the hospital, Wren

kind and sensible, and

thinking about Emerald County’s subsidies, was reluctant to let Wren go. “Look, it’s like a family feud. We’re

Η

Noella’s father. What do

some subsidies at Emerald County. We did raise Noella for years,

turned down a contract worth a ten billion before, you’re asking for

Vincent was stunned.

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Chapter 136

What was

what exactly is the status of

how could they afford a contract worth

them out of here. They’re an

giving Ms. Noella a hard time in the past, now that they saw an

The nerve!

me

looked at him with utter contempt. “Pfft, I haven’t seen someone this