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…”

a

it up at a private kindergarten, thanks to Vincent’s five grand a month. And her? She was depending on Old Mrs. Lambert, tirelessly collecting bottles to save up

Old Mrs. Lambert’s savings for his business

thought dropping five hundred a month was too steep and even told me to skimp on meals. You weren’t hurting

time, Vincent had his mansion, and the family had moved to Tranquility

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

back in the day, you and your wife were slurping

Vincent was speechless.

those nitty–gritty details. She was heartless, hanging onto all the wrong things. Why

if you ate too much. It’d be a pain to slim down later, wouldn’t look good. Look

least you’ve got to appreciate it was hard work,

to you!

butter up Marcel, get him to prop up our family. Once we’re on.easy street, it’ll

door swung open, and in rolled a livid Marcel, pushed by an equally sour–faced

turned out her childhood was even rougher than they had dug up. What kind of

an old lady picking trash to afford school how bitter was that!

I’m Noella’s dad; I’m here because…”

2/4

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Chapter 68

it in front of his granddaughter. gritted his teeth,

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

as he

“Come here, child.”

“Grandpa, I’m okay.”

heart aching. “Noella, you want us to take them down?

hands for people who don’t matter. Grandpa, I have

away and wiped his eyes.

patted his granddaughter’s delicate

Your big bro said we’re 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, I agree!”