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.

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he’s this elated? His happiness

Noella allowed a small smile to grace her

“It’s still a bit unsettling to see

work?

positioned Noella’s chosen stone on

anywhere along this line.”

it over Noella, saying considerately, “It’s going to get dusty. Wait for

it would be a shame if it

cheeks flushed slightly and she stepped back as instructed.

shivered in

with Noella. But it’s only right. If I had a fiancée that

brain went numb for a moment. “Wait, you

Malvina was speechless.

his neck to get a better view

hall, Palmer’s hands steady,

stopped, everyone held their

believe his eyes as he stared at the freshly cut

most shocked; how could there be Glassy Type

had been cut open.

surface revealed a vibrant green, translucent and

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

from the batch, and finding such quality Glassy Type was a stroke of luck for the Gruber

10:55

to the

her eyebrows raised. “Yates, this

the Gemstone Gambling King…

to the ground, his face

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. Ms. Schnabel, you’re incredibly lucky, and

are you selling that Glassy

to Palmer, meeting his gaze. He was impeccably dressed in a black shirt, now dusted with the residue from the stone.

like it?”

my fiancée picks out,

issue; the fact that she chose it was what mattered. It was also the first time she had reached out to

at the very least, his fiancée was trying to accept him in her own

cut, it’ll make