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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Chapter 14

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

miss out.”

Noella was confused.

riddle wrapped in a mystery, whose casual toss of a rock

appearance? News to her.

center, swiped her card, and got

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

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

by the car as soon

refined and handsome face all lit up with a

approached and quipped, “What, you moonlighting as

gaze. Those eyes of

recalling the info she had just

So poor that folks either got tangled in

to survive the

give you a lift?”

a nice gesture to support Palmer’s “side hustle“, Noella hopped

welcome gift for you, in case you fancy joining

not know how

after they had already met a few times?

box with the intel.

drop all that cash on this? How many Ubers do you need

being mistaken for an Uber driver was new. Palmer felt a mixed bag of emotions, hinting,

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Chapter 14

the head honcho of Abyssal Organization. He could make a killing with just one job on the deep

intel just for me? What if I don’t

good. A gift’s worth is in the joy it brings. If it makes you happy,

so much cash just

hands holding the

like this on

for a moment, then said, “You’re the first. I never gave gifts to ladies, except for my mom,

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

So, does my gift make you happy?”

Noella was dumbstruck.

asks that kind of thing

when she got presents from the Schnabel family’s fourth

it that folks from the slums didn’t get the concept of subtlety?

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

the oddly exhilarating flutter in

“Yeah, happy.”

feeling her face heat up, quickly looked

getting hot

opening her message box right in

Heartfelt Orphanage are the same person who had dealings with Vincent, a merchant from Tranquility

get mixed up in this?