The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 68

Palmer’s parting etiquette was a dime a dozen, and his moves were smooth as silk – the dude was unflappable. But Noella couldn’t shake off the feeling that her hand was getting hot where he touched it.

“Pick me up for what?”

“Aren’t we supposed to swing by to see your grandparents? Got the presents all wrapped up and ready to go.”

Merrick had indeed set a date with her to chow down with the Horwich family tomorrow, and since the Schnabel family folks had a spat and bounced, her plan was to roll with Stirling.

Beckett was jet–setting for business talks, Ulrich was tied up with surgeries until late, and Jasper had court stuff. That left Stirling, who had just wrapped up a movie gig and was heading home.

“Don’t tell me you aren’t planning to bring me along? Grandpa Merrick invited me too, you know.”

Noella was speechless. Since when did her grandpa invite him?

However, Grandma managing to leave the lab and come home was partly thanks to Palmer, and since both families go way back, giving him the cold shoulder wouldn’t be cool.

“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

Palmer, all lovey–dovey, tapped her cute, upturned nose and cooed, “Good girl.”

in a few

The Pollack Group was up to its eyeballs in deals, so after Palmer nagged Noella with a few reminders, he hightailed it out of the hospital.

No sooner had Palmer left than Vincent, dodging Major Garnett on patrol, snuck into the ward. “Noella, girl, you gotta help your old man out! Your mom got knocked by someone, still unconscious. Since you’re Marcel’s caretaker, put in a good word for us with him so the Schnabels can lend a hand, can you?

Our family has never done anything bad to you, and raising you wasn’t a walk in the park! All these years, whatever you wanted, we gave. You can’t just discard us after you’ve gotten what you wanted!”

Noella’s smirk was laced with sarcasm. “When I was a kid, Grandma asked you for cash for my school. You said girls didn’t need that much book smarts. It was Grandma, behind my back, trash–picking to send me to school.”

Vincent squirmed! This was stuff from when Noella was four or five- how the heck did she remember it like it was yesterday?

“Back then, we were strapped. Your mom and I were pinching pennies, really didn’t have the

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Chapter 68

dough for school…”

cracked a

up at a private kindergarten, thanks to Vincent’s five grand a month. And

swiped all of Old Mrs. Lambert’s savings for his business ventures, not leaving

middle school, Grandma footed the bill for living expenses and tuition. You thought dropping five hundred a month was too steep and

that time, Vincent had his mansion, and the family had

are bound to go bad. I was looking out for you. Five

day, you and your wife were slurping down bird’s nests that cost three grand a

Vincent was speechless.

wrong things. Why didn’t she ever talk about the good stuff they did for her? Plus, if they were really mistreating Noella, would she have turned out this

be a pain

these years, even if you don’t give me merit, at least you’ve got to appreciate it

to you!

butter up Marcel, get him to prop up our family.

by an equally sour–faced Stirling. ready to knock Vincent into next

her childhood was even rougher than they had dug up. What kind of family wouldn’t even

in the Schnabel family had to rely on an

Mr. Marcel, I’m Noella’s dad; I’m here

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Chapter 68

gripped the wheelchair’s armrest, not wanting to lose it in front

the old man’s wrath, was tongue–tied and got hauled out of the ward by Major

Marcel’s eyes as

“Come here, child.”

“Grandpa, I’m okay.”

to take them down? Just say

head. “No need to dirty our hands for people who don’t matter. Grandpa, I have a family now. The past doesn’t

brimming, Marcel turned away and

patted his granddaughter’s delicate

moving Old Mrs. Lambert’s grave. The Schnabel family will take over the offerings. Even if it means moving it to our family’s ancestral home,