The Killer Queen ( Noella Briony ) novel Chapter 136

After hanging up the call with Master Killian, the crisp chime of Noella's mini laptop resonated through the stillness of her room.

She settled into her chair, booted up the computer, and plugged in a custom-made network card that granted her direct access to the shadowy reaches of the deep web, her IP address completely obfuscated.

Even the sharp-eyed hounds from the Schnabel family couldn't sniff out her midnight digital excursions.

A message from Erek popped up: [Boss, got the scoop. Ashlyn's insisting on a hospital visit, probably 'cause of that morning call from Vincent.]

[Vincent?]

[Yeah, the sleazeball seems keen on marrying you off to Ellsworth, that notorious money pit of a gambler. Need us to handle it?]

[No need to dirty our hands. Let Ellsworth's creditors knock on his door.]

Ellsworth was up to his neck in debt, and those underground casinos in Linefort City had some ties to Polaris Star.

Back in the day, when Noella had learned the art of gambling stones with Master Hector, they'd dominated the underground scene with nothing but a deck of cards, inadvertently gaining some shady assets.

Thankfully, their operations had been smooth sailing, no messes made.

Erek chuckled and replied: [Roger that, Boss. You've always been too kind. Phecda and the crew are retrieving Old Mrs. Lambert's DNA as we speak. Now we just need Vincent's. Want me to 'draw some blood' from him?]

Erek had been itching for a chance to teach Vincent a lesson!

Without their boss's discreet support, Vincent wouldn't have made a dime. Yet, he mistook Noella's goodwill for his supposed business acumen. Such a man belonged under a bridge, collecting cans!

[I'll handle it myself. Where are they now?]

[Headed to Imperial West Hospital. I'll be outside to cover you.]

With an affirmation, Noella closed her palm-sized computer, swiftly disassembled it, and transformed it into an inconspicuous trinket on her desk.

With everything in place, she slipped out of her room, unnoticed by anyone.

...

In the dead of night, at Imperial West Hospital, Vincent, wheelchair-bound, was wheeled in by Belinda, with a few slackers from the Fuller family trailing behind.

Malcom Fuller stopped a passing nurse with a grin, "Excuse me, we're looking for Marcel's wife. Could you tell us where her room is?"

"Ashlyn's in ICU. It's not visiting hours. Come back at eight in the morning."

Vincent was baffled!

How did Ashlyn end up in ICU? She sounded fine when he called earlier! If Ashlyn was ill, where would they find Noella?

Malcom grew desperate. "Where do we find Noella now? I don't care; she's gotta marry Ellsworth!"

Vincent was equally vexed.

Glancing around the hospital corridor, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure at the end.

"Quick, push me over there!"

Belinda wheeled him towards the figure. "You're Noella's father, right? You're the one who took her away last time. Remember me?"

Wren, busy with paperwork for Marcel, looked puzzled at Vincent.

Who was this? He seemed vaguely familiar.

Vincent hurried to jog his memory. "That time when you were gatekeeping for the Schnabels... We've met before!"

As he thought about it, Noella's father must've been a security guard for the Schnabels, which was how she got to know them.

Wren frowned. "You're Noella's former foster father? I'm busy, step aside."