The Killer Queen

Marcel snapped, “You missed Noella? The nerve of you guys!”

Upon witnessing the opulence of the Schnabels‘ home decor, Vincent made up his mind to stick around, at least until he got his hands on some cash.

“Look, sir, my mom treated Noella far better than she ever treated Briony, her own granddaughter!”

Bringing up Harriet proved to be a mistake.

Marcel scoffed at the mention of her name.

“Harriet was good to Noella because Noella’s her granddaughter, which has nothing to do with you.” .

Vincent thought Marcel meant that Old Mrs. Lambert treated Noella like her own granddaughter without any ulterior motives.

“Sir, we’ve raised Noella for nearly nineteen years. I believe we deserve some recognition for that.”

Marcel raised an eyebrow, his mere presence commanding respect.

“You claim to have raised her, yet you’ve never celebrated her birthday, skimped on her tuition and allowance, and even restricted her from eating her fill at night. This is what you call for raising her for nineteen years?”

Vincent insisted, “Little girls who eat too much end up struggling to lose weight when they’re older! You’ve no idea how hard Belinda had to work to slim down. I Want Noella to go through that. Restricting her

from eating was also to prevent her from growing too tall, which could make it hard for her to find a

husband!”

The Schnabels had never seen such shamelessness!

After returning to the Schnabels, Noella had grown a bit taller, now standing over 5’7“, towering over both.

Belinda and Vincent.

Marcel couldn’t help but laugh. “So, you’re saying you starved Noella out of concern for her?”

“That’s right.”

“What exactly are you here for? Speak now or I’m calling the police!”

Vincent wasn’t here for Noella; he was obviously after the Schnabels‘ money.

“Sir, we’re all family here. I’m only asking because, well, look at me… I want to be there for Noella’s wedding day. I heard your younger son’s a doctor. Maybe he can treat me, so Noella has a healthy dad, right? Then, give us half of the Schnabel fortune and buy me a private jet, so visiting would be much more convenient!”

The drive from Tranquility City to Imperial City took over ten hours. Vincent had already decided to ask the Schnabels for a private jet while on his way there.

The Schnabels were beside themselves with laughter.

Elara’s hands were shaking as she recorded the video.

“Good Lord, I’ve never seen such shamelessness.”

Marcel looked at Vincent and Belinda, then back at Noella.

10:50

“Noella, your mom said this house is yours. You’re in charge here, and I support whatever you

The message was clear.

Vincent and Belinda, who had mistreated Noella, were now at her mercy.

Beckett nodded in agreement.

decide.”

don’t worry. Whatever you decide, we’ve got your back. Getting rid All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

of two less–than–desirable people isn’t a big deal.”

Just the sight of Vincent and Belinda’s greedy, shameless behavior was enough to make Beckett feel protective. He couldn’t believe Noella and their grandmother had lived with these people!

Upon hearing that this house was under Noella’s control, Vincent added another condition.

“Also, your mom and I don’t have a place to stay. This place might be a bit small, but it’s good enough for us. Just transfer the ownership to us, will ya?”

Noella stepped forward from behind Marcel, her knuckles cracking.

“If we’re settling accounts, then let’s do just that.”

She pulled out her phone, connecting it to the Schnabels‘ living room projector. The first scene depicted a hospital.

Belinda, pointing at Briony lying in the bed, scolded Noella standing beside her.

“You saw the car coming. Why didn’t you push Briony out of the way? You wouldn’t have been hurt much by the car, but now Briony’s got a fracture!“”

Noella looked at Belinda with sarcasm. “Two years ago, when Briony had that accident, Belinda hadn’t done the DNA test yet. You didn’t know I wasn’t your daughter then.”

The mockery in her voice was palpable.

Belinda’s face burned with embarrassment, her head hanging low.

Damn Noella, how could she have a video of such an old, trivial matter!

The second scene was in Vincent’s company.

Vincent, smoking a cigarette, instructed his secretary. “Get in touch with that boss from last time. Tell him I’m willing to meet any condition, as long as they ask for less money.”

“Mr. Lambert, that boss is sixty years old and seems interested in Miss Noella…”

“A daughter’s just a bargaining chip, right? If it settles the debt, letting him have her for a bit is fine, isn’t it?” Noella smirked. “Mr. Lambert, is this your idea of treating me well? Planning to send me off to a sixty–year–old man?”

Vincent was stunned!

How did Noella know about the conversations in his office!

“You ungrateful wretch, you bugged my office!”

Noella scoffed. “I’m not interested in your dirty dealings.”

The third scene was at the Lamberts‘.

Belinda, looking at a bill, said, “Honey, I want to buy a handbag. It’s just over fifty thousand.”

“Another one? Fine, consider it your birthday gift. We made good money this month.”

“Thanks, honey! Ugh, another hospital bill for your mom has arriveu. What kind of medications are costing us over ten grand? It’s not like her life is worth that much. Does she really need such expensive treatments?”

Vincent was also getting impatient. “Hospitals are such rip–offs, charging us an arm and a leg for medications that probably cost pennies. Tell them to switch it up or we’re not paying.”

Noella sighed deeply.

Old Mrs. Lambert was on targeted therapy, with her medication costing tens of thousands monthly, not to mention her stay in a private suite, which felt like pouring money down the drain. And that ten–grand bill was just the leftover amount after Noella had already paid everything else. Vincent was even reluctant to

cover that!

Watching those recordings, Vincent broke out in a cold sweat!

Noella smiled. “Want to continue watching? I have plenty more, showing how ‘kind‘ you have been to me and Grandma in the past. This kind of ‘kindness‘ is truly unheard of, unseen before.”

She was hesitant to bring these things out, not wanting the Schnabel family to be hurt by them. Luckily, Sienna and Tristan were not home.

Marcel clenched his fists, seething with anger!

“How dare you treat Noella and Harriet like this! How dare you!”

Vincent tried to defend, “It’s all a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding…”

Beckett gritted his teeth, taking a deep breath. “Noella, what do you want to do with them? You call the shots, I’m here for you!”

Noella had long moved past the hurt. “Mr. Lambert once mentioned he liked the islands, and it just so happens Xavier wanted to know some stories about Grandma’s past. Two birds with one stone, let’s send them to Lockhart Prison.”

Surely, in Lockhart Prison, Xavier would treat them with the utmost hospitality!

Vincent and Belinda tried to say something but were knocked out by the bodyguards and carried away, directly onto the helicopter bound for Lockhart Prison!

Seeing the teary–eyed expressions of the Schnabel family, Noella lowered her gaze, feeling a warm surge

in her heart.

She stepped forward, gently embracing Marcel, whose eyes were red–rimmed.

“It’s okay, Grandpa. I’m already very blessed to have you all.”