The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

he cleared her throat and spoke up confidently. “Tve made up my mind! I’ll acknowledge the Pollacks, but i am Elara Schnabel, always Elara Schnabel, Grandpa Sexton will be an extra grandpa who adores me, so guess I’m winning here! As for him… I don’t want to see him just yet, but I don’t blame him.”

Sexton looked at Elara, nodding relentlessly. “Eh, you decide. It’s all up to you. You stick with the name Schnabel, a fine name indeed! Marcel, I owe you thanks for raising such a granddaughter.”

Marcel snorted, his face softening a bit. “Of course she’s wonderful, my granddaughters are the best! Just so you know, Elara’s only being kind. She’s still a Schnabel through and through.”

“I know, and the Pollacks will provide for Elara whatever she needs. Whatever she chooses to do, both the Pollack and Schnabel families will be her home!”

Merrick muttered, “How did this become your win? I was hoping Elara might take on my last name one of these days, but you old coot got lucky”

Elara hugged Merrick’s arm, “Grandpa, I may have two paternal grandpas, but I only have one maternal grandpa like you!”

“That’s more like it.”

Freya coughed. “In the future, maybe Elara and Noella should just stay with us. The Schnabel family is quite Erowded, and our place could use some liveliness”

I

Sexton chimed in, “Sure thing, I could move in too, keep Noella and Elara company.”

Freya snapped, “Have you no shame?”

“Why would I be ashamed? Marcel, you tell them Noella is going to be our granddaughter–in–law, and Elara’s our own flesh and blood. They’ll be part of my family sooner or later, right?”

“Beat it! Getting too big for your britches, are ya? All these treasures belong to the Schnabel family, now

scram!”

Marcel could feel his blood boiling just looking at Sexton, cursing under his breath as he shooed him and

Palmer out the door.

“I get sick just hearing the name Pollack!”

“And the Schnabel’s aren’t any prize either! Except for Noella and Elara, the rest of you are no–good

troublemakers!”

The Schnabel family pretended they didn’t hear a thing.

Elara surreptitiously tugged at Noella’s hand, shielding her face as she whispered, “Noella, I need to get out for a bit. Come with me, will you?”

“Where to?”

As Elara pulled Noella into the car and buckled her seat belt, she explained, “I want to check out the

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Richardson family. Noella, you can drive, right?”

can.

Noella didn’t hesitate, firing up the engine and driving a good distance before admitting. “But I don’t have a license.

Elara was struck silent. She should’ve thought this through, maybe casually dragged one of their brothers along. Noells didn’t have a license; what if something happened?

to come? Should I call

calm. “You didn’t want them to know, right? My driving is not bad, and I

safe. Should

her chin

outside the Richardson Manor, coming

the whole ride,

estate, Elara’s gaze

the

this the place where her

Schnabel? What brings you

door swung inward with a

evening gown and clutching a

her face exuding gentle

Schnabel, since you’ve come all this way, why don’t you and this young lady come in for

the woman, “Lavinia, this

of the Richardson family estate. This was her first

on Elara, taking in the girl looked

figure standing before her. For

Ms. Schnabel, a researcher despite her tender years. The rumors clearly don’t

during Lucian’s birthday, the vast estate

into the heart of

2 2 2 F

imposing on your hospitality,

it. It’s my

manicured lawns of the garden,

smile was especially warm, eyes shimmering, tiny laugh lines

I’ll have some afternoon tea

– Sienna, perhaps. Both bore the mark of scholarly breeding, an air of refined gentleness about them.

“Thank you. I have a fondness for honey cakes, and my sister here adores strawberry

myself. I’ll

Elara scooted her chair closer to Noella, the entire seat

you think she could be

said, having done her research on the way over. Lucian had but a son and a

a bit like you,” Noella added, almost understating the resemblance. From the moment she laid eyes on Lavinia, Noella felt an

similarities to Elara

raised by the Schnabels, had a liveliness that Lavinia lacked.

with her usual cool logic, “Without DNA evidence, it’s just a theory. I need data before

mind to trust only in

approached, and Lucian, in the driver’s sest, aped over to them.

was taken

you not to zoom around so fest indoors? Have you not seen the

well past my salad days; I won’t be drag racing. Besides, I

of your age, yet you act like a child. You never make it

easy.do

feigning deafness, and

landed on Elara and suddenly

confidently, “Hello. I’m Elara, the

cakes on the table, she chimed in with a smile. “Don’t underestimate Miss Elara here. She’s quite the researcher. I remember reading one of her published papers

child taken in by the Schnabels? And so brilliant, too, an experimenter…