The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 190

Noella’s choice didn’t seem out of the ordinary. It was just a piece of stone Gary had discarded earlier, nothing noteworthy at first glance.

Gary let out a sigh of relief, his laugh tinged with contempt. “I thought you picked something special, but just like what you said earlier, this stone is just junk.”

It was one he had overlooked.

Noella gently wiped the stone in her hand and weighed it thoughtfully. “Your failure to find treasure is your own shortcoming. If I succeed, it’s simply good luck.”

Gary, still hoping to ride on the coattails of his moniker “Gemstone Gambling King,” saw Noella’s novice demeanor and hatched a plan.

He had studied all the raw stones before the game, convinced that this particular rock harbored nothing of value, not even a mediocre peony jade.

“Ms. Schnabel, if you fail, you owe me an apology!”

Noella met Gary’s gaze with disdain. “You, the self–proclaimed Gemstone Gambling King, fail to find anything of worth and expect an apology from a novice like me?”

Yasbel chimed in with mockery. “It’s laughable. The Gemstone Gambling King comes up empty and demands an apology from Ms. Schnabel. How childish. You should just go home to your mommy.”

Gary’s face tightened, but he was certain Noella’s stone was junk. “If Ms. Schnabel’s piece turns out to be something, I’ll never gamble on stones again!”

Noella shook her head lightly. “No, you’ll have to admit you’re a fraud. According to the Northstone Quarry tradition, you’ll have to leave a hand behind.”

There had been impostors claiming to be the Gemstone Gambling King in the past, and losing a hand was getting off easy.

Gary shuddered under Arthur’s menacing look. “Fine! I agree!”

After all, he was sure the girl’s stone was worthless.

Yates offered his assistance with a smile. “Ms. Schnabel, need a hand?”

Noella didn’t even glance at him, instead passing the stone to Palmer, “Help me out. I’ll guide you on where to cut.

“Happy to assist my fiancée.”

Noella, dressed in a form–fitting strapless gown, found it impractical to bend over the cutting machine. After handing the stone to Palmer, she didn’t miss the joy twinkling in his

eyes.

1/4

10:55

favor and he’s this elated? His happiness seemed all too easy to achieve.

Noella allowed a

still a bit unsettling to

and this guy seem well–matched. What’s his line of work? Looks like a businessman,

stone on the

cut anywhere along

suit jacket and draped it over Noella, saying considerately, “It’s going to

a shame if

flushed slightly and she stepped back as instructed.

Yasbel shivered in

it’s only right. If I had a fiancée that beautiful, I’d

moment. “Wait, you want a

Malvina was speechless.

neck to get a better

cutting machine echoed in the hall, Palmer’s hands steady,

wheel stopped, everyone held

stared at the freshly cut surface, “That’s…

how could there be Glassy

carefully checked each one; all the likely ones had been cut open. How could

exposed surface revealed a vibrant green, translucent and bright, without

her success. “Not bad, Glassy Type, but

the best piece from the batch, and finding such quality Glassy Type was a stroke of luck for the Gruber family. But now it was Noella’s luck

10:55

to the

Yates, her eyebrows raised. “Yates,

the Gemstone Gambling

the ground, his face ashen, speechless.

had unearthed Glassy Type while he had found nothing. The

to the crowd with a grin. “Ms. Schnabel, I truly

the audience raised a sign. “Ms. Schnabel, are you selling that Glassy Type? I love the

wasn’t short on emerald, and to her, this Glassy Type wasn’t particularly precious. She turned to Palmer, meeting his gaze.

like

my fiancée picks out, I’m all for it.”

the emerald wasn’t the issue; the fact that she chose it was what

his fiancée was

cut, it’ll make a fine set of