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

His

sensing Palmer’s delight, Noella allowed a small smile to grace

bit

his line of work? Looks like a businessman, and he’s down–to–earth. Not bad

Noella’s chosen stone on

along this line.”

it over Noella,

gown was stunning, and it would be a shame if it were marred by the

cheeks flushed slightly and she stepped

and Yasbel shivered in mock jealousy.

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

went numb for a moment. “Wait, you want

Malvina was speechless.

neck to get a better view of the stone under

hall, Palmer’s hands steady, betraying no sign this

grinding wheel stopped, everyone held

stared at the freshly cut surface, “That’s… that’s Glassy Type!*

shocked; how could there be Glassy Type in this

one; all the likely ones had been cut open. How could Noella’s random

green, translucent and

on it, downplaying her success. “Not bad, Glassy Type, but not the

was already 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, this Glassy

for the Gemstone Gambling King… remember

ground, his face ashen,

this naive girl had unearthed Glassy Type while he had found

that relying on the Gemstone Gambling King was futile now. He waved his hand, directing someone to take Gary away, then turned to the crowd with a grin. “Ms. Schnabel, I truly apologize. The Gruber family was deceived by Gary as well.

are you selling

to her, this Glassy Type wasn’t particularly precious. She turned to Palmer, meeting his gaze. He was impeccably

like it?”

my fiancée picks out, I’m all

that she chose it was what mattered. It was also the first time

that, at the very least, his fiancée was trying to accept

After it’s cut, it’ll make a fine set