The Killer Queen

“Bringing up a breakup at Ms. Schnabel’s birthday bash, isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”

After all the Schnabel and Pollack families had been tight for decades, and the whole point of their kids‘ engagement was to take their friendship to the next level. Palmer dropping the breakup bomb at Ms. Schnabel’s party was like slapping the Schnabel family in the face.

Palmer spoke up with an icy voice. I’m definitely calling off this engagement; I can’t wait any longer!”

Without breaking it off, he wouldn’t be free to chase after Noella with all his heart!

Even if Yvonne’s character wasn’t his cup of tea, they were still engaged. Calling it quits was the respectful thing to do for both her and Noella!

It was the respect that the relationship deserved!

Annie thought about all of Yvonne’s dramatic antics and couldn’t bring herself to like her either. Yvonne had already tried to fire Annie before even joining the family. Thus, Annie had zero warm fuzzy for her.

Compared to her, Ms. Noella was a whole different story–leagues better!

“Got it!”

At Tranquility City, the Lambert Mansion.

The nanny handed Belinda a bowl of soup, whispering, “Ma’am, Mr. Lambert seems to have gone to see Noella.”

Old Mrs. Lambert didn’t have a single share to her name, and Belinda knew it more than

anyone!

The Lambert family’s missing funds? She had quietly siphoned them off, propping up her own folks!

If Vincent found out, it would be another row. Just the thought of it gave her a headache.

“Ma’am, that Noella girl’s sharp as a tack. She’s never seen eye to eye with you. I bet she’s scheming to worm her way back into the Lambert family. Mr. Lambert’s a soft touch, and if Noella gets her way, what will happen to Ms. Briony?”

“You’ve got a point. Noella’s sticking around because she can’t let go of the Lambert family. Last time, she was flirting with Milford right in front of me. Get in touch with the papers. We need to publicly cut ties with her, snap her out of this daydream!”

“Alright, will do!”

12:27 Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Chacte

At Imperial City, the Schnabel Manor

As soon as Noella stepped into the house, she saw Sienna bustling around the kitchen in an

apron.

“Mom, what are you up to? Let me help you.”

“No need, dear. I made you a cake, but I just can’t seem to get this little bunny right

Sienna, coming from a family of scholars, with her father Merrick Horwich being a past winner

of the International Literary Prize and her mother Freya recognized for her significant scientific contributions, had never really cooked in her life.

Noella watched as her mom’s flawless hands picked up a knife and stabbed it into the chocolate, splitting the bunny clean in two.

“Oh dear, another flop! I’m just hopeless!”

The trash can was already a graveyard of bunny failures!

“It’s okay, it looks… cute as it is.”

“Really? If you like it, that’s all that matters!”

Noella picked up the little cake and took a bite in front of Sienna. “It’s delicious, thanks, Mom. You don’t have to do this for me.”

“How could I not? I’ve never done anything for you, and you’ve been through so much. Just thinking about my baby suffering makes me feel horrible!”

“I’m not suffering.”

Sienna patted Noella’s hand. “You eat up. I’ve got a present for you, too!”

“Okay.”

Yvonne walked in, only to see Noella sitting at the table munching on a shapeless cake.

How pathetic!

As a daughter of the Schnabel family, she only ever indulged in desserts made by Chef Jakes. Only a backwoods bumpkin like Noella would think everything’s a treat.

“Sis, what’s that you’re eating? Oh my, what is this? I know you’re used to being broke, and all about saving, but not everything that’s trash is worth eating…”

Noella just gave her a look and kept silent.

“But then again, if even the family that raised you for eighteen years could abandon you, I guess you haven’t seen much of the finer things, right?”

Yvonne’s face was a picture of smug satisfaction.

12:27

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, you don’t know? Poor thing. Your foster parents have made a public announcement cutting you off, telling you to stop bothering them!”

Noella simply said, “Oh.”

It was actually a relief that the Lambert family did this; it saved her the hassle.

Yvonne was flabbergasted. What did ‘oh‘ mean?

Shouldn’t she be in tears over news like this?

If even the family that raised her could ditch her, that just showed how lousy Noella’s character must be!

If their parents knew about this, they would be so disappointed. They would see that she, Yvonne, was the real lady of the Schnabel family!

Yvonne proudly waved the newspaper.

Sienna, coming down the stairs, snatched the paper and read it carefully.

“What’s this?”

“Mom! Noella’s foster parents have publicly disowned her! Doesn’t this mean…”

Sienna was livid. “How dare they treat my child like this! This is outrageous!”

Yvonne was confused. Shouldn’t they be blaming Noella? Why were they getting mad at the Lambert family?

Sienna hugged Noella tightly, her heart breaking.

“My sweet girl, don’t be sad. They’ll get what’s coming to them for treating you this way. Mommy will protect you!”

Noella patted her mother’s trembling back, feeling the warmth in her heart.

She couldn’t care less about the Lambert family. The only person she had cherished there was

now just a handful of dust.

“Yeah, I’m not sad.”

Sienna was so pissed off thinking about how Noella used to live like this; she felt like going full–on Hulk on the Lambert family!

“Noella, here’s a necklace I just bought you; just wear it for now. There’s another auction tomorrow, and I’ll snag some more goodies for you.”

Yvonne, seeing the sparkling pink diamonds in Sienna’s hand, was so jealous it gave her a headache!

Why the heck was Sienna still splurging on such an expensive necklace for Noella? Shouldn’t they be kicking her to the curb?

12-27

Yvonne was totally bummed out by the whole scene!

Sneaky as a cat, she tiptoed to a corner when the mother–daughter duo wasn’t looking and dialed Ashlyn’s number, spicing up the story as she spilled the beans.

“Grandma, is Noella like some kind of bad luck charm? Why else would Noella’s foster parents ditch her? You’ve taken care of me for years. I’d be heartbroken if you suddenly stopped, but Noella doesn’t seem sad at all; she looks pretty happy, actually.”

“Hmph! That ungrateful and jinxed brat! Not even folks from the boonies want her, so why would she think the Schnabel family would? If she thinks she can just waltz into the Schnabel family, she’s got another thing coming! Yvonne, your top priority should be hooking up with Palmer, that’s your ticket to the Pollack family!”

The old lady on the hospital bed, with her beady eyes, chuckled coldly. “As for that Noella, I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve to deal with her!”

“You’re the best, Grandma! Got it, I’ll call Palmer in a bit, don’t you worry!”

“Okay.”

Ashlyn’s call came through on Sienna’s phone.

“I’ve been sick for so long; those kids don’t bother to visit, but what about Noella? Isn’t she supposed to take care of me? Does the Schnabel family even care about their Grandma? Noella better show up at the hospital tomorrow!”

Sienna’s head ached the moment she heard Ashlyn’s voice.

“Mom, the hospital has nurses, right? Noella doesn’t know the first thing about caregiving.”

“Stop with the excuses! What’s she doing all day, waiting to go out and flirt with guys?”

“Mom, please don’t talk like that…”

“She better be here tomorrow! Or I’ll see how you all deal with it!”

Ashlyn hung up, leaving Sienna with a pounding headache.

That old witch, wasn’t it enough dealing with her in her younger days? Now, she was after her daughter!

But Ashlyn was still the elder, and Sienna didn’t want the kids to have hard feelings towards their grandma.

Worst comes to worst; she would just grit her teeth and go herself, no way she would let her daughter be mistreated!

“Noella, if you don’t wanna go, forget it. Mom’s got your back!”

“It’s okay. I’ll go tomorrow.”