The Killer Queen

Sienna was still kind of hung up on it. Just thinking about Ashlyn’s tricks gives her the

heeble–jeebies.

“Don’t sweat it. Mom. Grandpa’s at Imperial West Hospital. I’ll swing by and check on him, too.”

“Alas, Noella, knock ‘em dead. I’ll sit this one out! I’ll make you a cake tomorrow!”

Noella was speechless. She wasn’t really counting on Sienna tagging along anyway.

Yvonne was beyond shocked.

The gunk Noella was chowing down turned out to be a homemade cupcake by Sienna herself!

Her face was so puckered it was practically twisted.

Yvonne felt a bit of schadenfreude thinking about Noella not getting any brownie points with Ashlyn at the hospital tomorrow.

If this kept up, Noella would definitely steal her thunder!

At Imperial City, the Pollack Mansion.

Annie, with a newspaper in hand, knocked on Palmer’s study door and placed the paper on his desk.

“Read it. I don’t recall being a fan of reading the newspaper.”

“Well, you asked for it, boss, so here goes! “Tranquility City’s Lambert family (originally from Linefort City’s Peace Village) Vincent and Belinda have officially disowned their adopted daughter Noella. The

Lambert family wants nothing to do with Noella anymore and hopes to avoid further entanglements, parting ways amicably…“”

She cleared her throat and dramatically read the public notice from the newspaper, but Palmer snatched it before she could finish.

“A public notice from the Lambert family?”

“Yep, they’ve cut ties with Ms. Noella. I did some digging, and she was their adopted daughter. Now that their biological daughter is back, they’ve kicked Noella to the curb.”

Kicked to the curb? How dare they!

Palmer’s thoughts went to her gentle yet defiant face; she cared so much about her family, and yet she was treated like this.

His heart ached uncontrollably! He wanted to see her right now!

Annie, indignant, said, “Ms. Noella is such a gem, and they’ve gone too far!”

Palmer rubbed his temples, stood up, and grabbed his coat and car keys from his desk; this

12:27

beat–up car had become his go–to lately, and even the mansion’s gardener got a new ride.

“Boss, you off to see Ms. Noella? Why not switch cars? This one’s a bit too shabby!”

Annie always felt a twinge of pity seeing her boss, dressed to the nines, driving a car that cost less than one of his cufflinks.

Palmer, t

r, topping the list of young billionaires for six straight years, was reduced to driving a manual sedan worth a mere hundred grand and playing an Uber driver…

You couldn’t make this stuff up!

Annie lamented. “I fear our partners will see this and think the Pollack Group has gone belly

up…”

“She likes this one.”

“Boss, hear me out! No girl is into clunkers. Ms. Noella must be feeling down after seeing the paper; pick her up in a different ride!”

Palmer frowned slightly, uncertain. “Won’t I scare her off?” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“No way! Switching cars now, showcasing your power, is key!”

“Alright, got it.”

Meanwhile.

Rising Glory Mall, Azure store’s back office, Noella’s slender fingers tapped away at the keyboard, and a string of gibberish characters appeared before her.

Noella didn’t mind the data, pulling up info from a website she developed herself.

An encrypted call came through the site.

“Boss, Thorpe’s been sniffing around for the Phantom Surgeon Lunaris, even posted a job ad on the deep web, hoping Lunaris will join their crew.”

“Disregard it.”

Thorpe’s recruitment pitch for Lunaris also landed in her deep web account for Lunaris.

“Roger that. Also, we had a snag with a deal; it looked like a loss, but someone from Abyssal Organization gave us a leg up. Boss, we in cahoots with Abyssal lately?”

“We’ve had dealings.”

“The Lambert–family made their split with you public. Should we cut all ties with them, too?”

Erek was fuming; if it weren’t for the boss’s behind–the–scenes aid, did Vincent really think he was some business whiz? With his smarts? Avoiding bankruptcy was already a stroke of luck!

The boss did so much for the Lambert family, and Vincent cut her loose as if they couldn’t wait to part with their riches. Just the thought made Erek want to barf!

12:27

Noella paused, tapping her pristine fingers on the desk as if pondering.

She spoke softly. “No, based on market cooperation, claim damages from the Lambert family.”

Erek was astounded.

As partners, they had every right to hit up the Lambert family for the business shortfall!

Erek was getting psyched!

“Right, I’ll draft the paperwork! Let Vincent taste bankruptcy!”

Noella murmured an acknowledgment, ignoring the intricate web of data, and closed the site..

Briony pushed a somewhat recovered Milford along Rising Glory Mall’s luxury lane.

“Milford, you’re too good to me, taking me to Imperial City for a shopping spree just after getting better. I’m so blessed!”

Milford waved his plaster–cast hand around a few times, flashing what he thought was a killer smile.

If it weren’t for Briony dragging him out, he wouldn’t have had the chance to escape Tranquility City and hit up the grand opening of the latest club in Imperial City.

Just thinking about the fresh faces, the new models showing up tonight made Milford’s heart itch with anticipation.

Splurging on a few bags for Briony was also a way to keep her from tagging along later in the evening.

“Briony, you’re a lifesaver for bringing me those documents; you really pulled the Rosenberg family out of the fire. Don’t worry, I’ll treat you well!”

Briony beamed, the picture of a blushing, bashful woman.

“Isn’t that Noella? What’s she still doing in Imperial City?”

Briony frowned, eyeing Noella at the entrance of Rising Glory Mall: Dressed in a simple outfit, Noella stepped into a sleek black Bentley.

“She must be hanging on to those wild guys she’s snagged. I really don’t get what they see in

her!”

A shadow flickered in Milford’s eyes.

Damn Noella, if it hadn’t been for her, he wouldn’t be in this mess.

“Forget her. She’s made her bed. Briony, you’re the one who’s meant to be my bride.”

Briony shyly nodded, though her eyes stayed fixed on the Bentley Noella had entered.

The guy behind the wheel looked middle–aged, even older than Vincent, and balding to boot.

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Probably Noella’s latest sugar daddy…

Milford thought the same.

When all those men dump her, she would have plenty of tears to shed!

And when that time came, she would surely come crawling back to him.

Inside the Bentley, Palmer handed Noella a stack of papers.

“Here’s the info on Thorpe from the Abyssal Organization.”

“Thanks. I’ll share the data from the Obelisk Organization with you as well.”

Palmer’s face carried a gentle smile as if sharing the files was of no concern to him.

“Got word from Interpol that Toxic Monarch is trying to push their newly developed Frost Crystal 2 in the Harmonia Country region. If they succeed, we’re in for another nasty fight.”

“Frost Crystal 2? They’ve got the formula to refine it?”

Noella’s brow furrowed slightly, her pale skin giving off a soft glow, her slightly annoyed expression making her look like she stepped out of a painting, radiating power like a queen.

Frost Crystal 2, known as the purest narcotic in the world, just a gram could shatter an average family into pieces, symbolizing monstrous profits.

Three years back, when Noella was on the international warzone, she promised someone that Frost Crystal 2 would never enter Harmonia Country in her lifetime!

“Yes, but luckily. Toxic Monarch has been caught, and Frost Crystal 2 is currently in Interpol’s hands, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Alright. You changed cars?”

Palmer seemed a bit nervous. “Do you like it?”

Noella was speechless.

What did it have to do with her?

The driver joined in with a chuckle. “Yeah, the old one was getting up there’in years. Mr. Pollack was worried it wouldn’t be comfy for you, so he swapped it out quickly.”

A starry twinkle lit up the depths of Palmer’s eyes.

“I read the papers and worried I might do something rash if I drove you myself, so I can’t be your driver today, sorry.”

Something rash?

Noella’s mind flashed back to Palmer pummeling Milford in the bar, his fists full of explosive power and restrained rage as if it was happening right before her eyes, sending her heart into an inexplicable flutter.

12:28

In the Imperial West Hospital’s ward.