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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this elated? His happiness seemed all

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

shuddered. “It’s still a bit

of work?

chosen stone

anywhere along

his suit jacket and draped it over Noella, saying considerately, “It’s going to get dusty. Wait for me over there.”

if it were marred by

she stepped back

and Yasbel shivered

would be so tender with Noella. But it’s only right. If I had a fiancée

for a moment. “Wait, you want a fiancée

Malvina was speechless.

a better view of the stone under

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

the grinding wheel stopped, everyone held their breath.

believe his eyes as he stared at

most shocked; how could there be Glassy Type

been cut open. How could Noella’s random pick yield

green, translucent and bright, without a single flaw.

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

her eyebrows raised. “Yates, this Glassy Type

the Gemstone Gambling King… remember our bett

the ground, his face ashen, speechless.

had unearthed Glassy Type while he had found nothing. The Gruber

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.

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

wasn’t short on emerald, and to her, this Glassy Type wasn’t particularly precious. She turned to Palmer, meeting his gaze. He was impeccably dressed in a

like it?”

my fiancée picks out, I’m all for

the emerald wasn’t the 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

it’s cut, it’ll