The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 14

The auctioneer was all chuckles as he wielded the tiny gavel.

“Up next, an open piece of Intel: Cerulean Whale’s launching a crackdown on Obelisk Organization and Abyssal Organization, and they’re stirring the pot in Imperial City.

Starting bid: three million dollars.

Sure, the headline was on the house, but if they wanted the nitty–gritty, they got to bid.

Noella couldn’t care less about Cerulean Whale gunning for her crew. Bring it on, who’s eating who was still up in the air.

She had been knee–deep in the gem gambling biz for the past couple of years, letting her hitman outfit grow like wildfire, and without much fuss, it became one of the deep web’s big three.

What piqued her interest was Cerulean Whale’s shenanigans in Imperial City, and if she wasn’t barking up the wrong tree, it likely involved Marcel.

She had to snag this info!

Cerulean Whale attacked Marcel right under her nose, could she even show her face around?

Noella raised her paddle. “Three million and ten grand, name’s Wise Fool.”

The crowd was like, “Say what now?”

Three million and ten grand was chump change, but that moniker made everyone else put their paddles down!

Even the auctioneer was speechless.

They were hoping to rake in tens of millions for this juicy tidbit, but with Wise Fool in the house, who would dare to bid against her?

In VIP Room No. 9, Palmer was taken aback, setting his paddle aside,as well.

Looked like it was her he was up against earlier. Since she was interested in that last piece of intel, his three million wasn’t spent in vain.

With that thought, Palmer leaned back, a sly grin spreading across his face.

He had scoured every nook and cranny of the Radi Building for Noella to no avail. Wise Fool wasn’t one to be easily tracked down.

With Wise Fool throwing her hat in the ring, the room went quiet as a mouse, letting her walk away with the news.

“Congrats to Wise Fool. Sold for three million and ten grand!”

The auctioneer was grinning from ear to ear. “Up next, a little freebie for y’all: Gemstone

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Gambling King is teaming up with some families for a public gem gamble next month. Don’t

miss out.”

Noella was confused.

a household name in the jewelry game, a riddle wrapped in a mystery, whose casual toss of a rock always

public appearance?

the message center, swiped her card, and got the

is sending a hitman after General Marcel again tomorrow, the price tag: a hundred million

the Radi Building, a squeaky–clean yet beat–up Volkswagen was about as low–profile as it gets, clearly showing

car as soon as

over, his refined and handsome face all lit up with

quipped, “What,

before meeting Noella’s skeptical gaze. Those eyes of his

glanced at his ride, recalling the info she had just dug up

either got tangled in scams or

done well to survive the cutthroat

if I give

and it would be a nice gesture to support Palmer’s “side

you, in case you fancy joining Abyssal

did not know how to

they had already

a little box with the intel. “Take a

Room No. 9? Why drop all that cash on this?

was new. Palmer felt a mixed bag of

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Chapter 14

guy was the head honcho of Abyssal Organization. He could make a killing

this intel just for me? What if I don’t want to join the

If it makes you happy, that’s its true

cash just to cheer

felt her hands holding

like this

gifts to ladies, except for my mom, back when

stir up sad memories and quickly apologized, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring that

fine. So, does my gift make you

Noella was dumbstruck.

asks that kind of thing point–blank?

she this speechless when she got presents from the Schnabel

that folks from the slums didn’t get the concept of

and knew they were straight shooters, always fearing they might not get another chance

stifled the oddly exhilarating

“Yeah, happy.”

Noella, feeling her face

hot

pondered for a moment before opening her message box right in front

Tandy Hospital and the director of Heartfelt Orphanage are the same person who had dealings with Vincent, a merchant from Tranquility City, before going

get mixed