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.

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

a public appearance?

center, swiped her

a hitman after General Marcel again tomorrow, the price tag: a

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

car as soon as she stepped out.

handsome face all lit up with a

Noella approached and quipped, “What,

was momentarily frozen, his smile stiffening before meeting Noella’s skeptical gaze. Those eyes

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

got tangled in

had done well to survive the cutthroat underworld of the

if I give you

a nice gesture to support

for you, in case you fancy joining Abyssal Organization.”

know how to respond.

after they had

box with the intel. “Take a

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

Palmer felt a mixed bag of emotions, hinting, “I’ve got a

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Chapter 14

the guy was the head honcho of Abyssal Organization. He

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

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

so much cash just to cheer

her hands holding

splurge like this

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

up sad memories and quickly apologized, “Sorry.

So, does my gift make

Noella was dumbstruck.

asks that kind of thing

when she got presents from

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

they were straight shooters, always fearing they might

mind, Noella stifled the oddly exhilarating

“Yeah, happy.”

smile deepened, and Noella, feeling her face heat up, quickly looked

it’s getting hot in

before opening her message box right in front of Palmer.

and the director of Heartfelt Orphanage are the same person

he get mixed up