The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 179

The expressions on Thorpe and Hollis’s faces soured instantly.

Hollis’s smile twitched, his previously affable grin near breaking point. “You’re… pulling my leg, right?”

Noella chuckled lightly, her head held high with a touch of arrogance as she looked down at a somewhat flustered Hollis.

“Whether I’m joking or not, you’ll have the chance to find out. But if I’m not, I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle the repercussions.”

“As Lunaris, aren’t you afraid of the backlash for pulling such a stunt?”

Noella shrugged nonchalantly. “Who cares? If Cerulean Whale had the chops, they wouldn’t be perennial underdogs, right? Why aren’t you guys the top hit squad on the deep web? Is it because you don’t fancy the title?

Of course, it was a matter of not having enough power!

Thinking that Cerulean Whale alone could make the entire deep web condemn Lunaris was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Palmer chuckled along. “It’s not that complicated. If they die here, who’s to know?”

The smile finally vanished from Hollis’s face. “Spill it, what do you want to know? You’re aware I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed; I tend to forget things.”

“What went down when the Pollack family had their baby?”

Hollis let out a deep sigh, signaling Thorpe to cool his jets. “In a nutshell, it’s a classic game of getting rid of the mom and switching the baby. You follow, Ms. Schnabel?”

Xavier pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Hollis’s head! “Watch your damn manners! Speak to her like that again, and I’ll feed your brains to the fishes!”

Hollis chuckled and shook his head, pushing Xavier’s gun aside with a finger. “Let’s not be so dramatic; my brains aren’t that tasty. Spare a thought for your fish. We didn’t exert much effort in that mess. It was mostly the Pollack family’s own power struggle.”

The Pollack family’s grand feud had cost Palmer his mother too. No wonder the Pollack sons never recovered.

Noella frowned slightly. “Second matter: was Harriet’s child born at Tandy Hospital?”

Hollis nodded coolly. “Yes, and then we took the baby. Ran into a dim–witted woman itching to marry Marcel. Ambitious but brainless. We handed the kid over. Heard Marcel divorced her anyway. Hilarious.”

to

lost her memory. We gave her some random child, and she took

up with what Tandy had said. If he was right, then the kid

proved quite useful to us. Without her, your mother wouldn’t have gone to Tandy Hospital to give birth. Mother–in–law and

going to Tandy Hospital was all Ashlyn’s doing. It seemed that Ashlyn had orchestrated everything! Her eagerness to marry her niece

son. She was paving the way for her own family. As for her disdain for the Schnabel kids, that was

question: who’s behind all this? Who

his hand to his temple, exchanging a worried

Organization, you must have navigated these waters before. Ever

“What?”

turned serious. “Polaris

wave of shock washed over Noella. “You’re saying Polaris Star is behind

eyes filled with deep fear. “They’re shadowy figures in the international warzone. Maybe you’ve encountered them before, but only the tip of the iceberg. We took orders from Polaris Star, but we never knew

with Polaris Star sent chills down Hollis’s spine. He couldn’t imagine what horrors awaited those who actually survived

constellations. Failures are brainwashed, and that process might not always succeed. You could end up a fool. I’ve been

the implication in Hollis’s words. “You weren’t brainwashed?”

because I didn’t fancy being a fool. You see, I have brothers to look after. They’re not too bright; they wouldn’t last without me. So, I became

contact from Polaris Star, who was

were always fragmented. You were right; it wasn’t Xavier who ordered Marcel’s hit

and Sexton Pollack!”

all made sense

the hospital room was aimed at both Marcel and

was still evident in Hollis’s voice as he recalled his dealings

terrifying, man. I can’t even think about crossing them!”

Hollis started to squirm, caught in a wave of excruciating pain. Memories, the bad ones, flooded in, threatening to overwhelm his already fragile mind, still

kneading his temples in a bid to offer some relief.

drum inside her chest. She knew all too

those orders had indeed come from Polaris Star… Noella’s gaze shifted to Xavier,

her stare.

Grandma’s mentor?”

don’t have a clue!”