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.

King was a household name in the jewelry game, a riddle wrapped in a mystery, whose casual toss of a rock always turned out to

a public appearance?

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

Marcel again tomorrow, the price tag: a

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

spotted Palmer by the car as soon

his refined and handsome face all lit up with a welcoming

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

skeptical gaze. Those eyes of his were something else, bright and captivating.

at his ride, recalling the info she had just dug up about the villages near

folks either got tangled in

survive the cutthroat underworld of

if I give you

and it would be a nice gesture to support

a welcome gift for you, in case you fancy

know how to respond.

gifts after they had already

handed over a little box with the intel.

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

felt a mixed bag of emotions, hinting, “I’ve got a day job, you

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Chapter 14

the head honcho of Abyssal Organization. He could make a

if I don’t want to join the

worth is in the joy it brings. If it makes you happy, that’s its true value. Everything else is

cash just

felt her hands holding the

always splurge like this

then said, “You’re the first. I never gave gifts to ladies, except for my mom, back when she was around. She loved

meant to stir up sad memories and quickly apologized,

So, does my gift make

Noella was dumbstruck.

kind

this speechless when she got presents from

didn’t get the concept of

international orphans online and knew they were straight shooters,

that in mind, Noella stifled the oddly exhilarating flutter in her heart.

“Yeah, happy.”

feeling her face heat up,

hot in

opening her message box right in front of Palmer.

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

How did he get mixed up