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.

name in the jewelry game, a riddle wrapped in a

public appearance? News to her.

over to the message center, swiped her card, and got the

General Marcel again tomorrow, the price tag:

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

Palmer by the car as soon as she

face all lit up with a welcoming ease.

bit surprised, Noella approached and quipped, “What, you moonlighting as an Uber

his smile stiffening before meeting Noella’s skeptical gaze.

had just dug up about the villages

So poor that folks either got tangled in

had done well to survive the cutthroat underworld of the deep

give you

ride, and it would be a nice gesture to support Palmer’s “side hustle“, Noella hopped in without

you, in case you

not know how

gifts after they

with

“You were in VIP Room No. 9? Why drop all that cash on this? How many Ubers do you need to drive to make

Uber driver was new. Palmer felt a mixed bag

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Chapter 14

He could

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

joy it brings. If it makes you

cash just to

felt her hands holding the

like this

gave gifts to ladies, except for my mom, back when she was around. She loved

sad memories and quickly apologized, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to

my gift make

Noella was dumbstruck.

asks that kind of thing point–blank?

when she got

the slums didn’t get the concept of subtlety? Did they have to wear all their

chatted with international orphans online and knew they were straight shooters, always fearing they might not get another chance to speak

Noella stifled the

“Yeah, happy.”

and Noella, feeling her face heat

hot in

opening her message box

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

get mixed up in this?