The Killer Queen

Imperial West Hospital.

Ashlyn was lying in bed, eyes shut.

Yvonne came rushing in, bawling her eyes out, and collapsed onto Ashlyn’s bed in a flood of tears!

“Granny, you’ve gotta save me! Grandpa says he’s gonna hand me over!”

“What’s the scoop? Your grandpa’s not lost his marbles; where’s he handing you off to?”

Yvonne pulled out the sob story she had prepped, crying her heart out.

“Granny, I’ve been pinching pennies to buy Nourishment Pills for Grandpa and Grandpa Sexton, but they say it’s no good. You’re taking Nourishment Pills yourself, Granny, you know best how awesome they are! I blew half a year’s pocket money on Nourishment Pills for Grandpa, and now he’s talking about handing me over to the Pollack family’s legal team, saying I’ve gotta do time… Granny, if I’m gone, who’s gonna look after you?”

Hearing this, Ashlyn started to panic. “Yvonne, you still got enough Nourishment Pills for me. right?”

If Yvonne got snatched by the Pollack folks, at least she wouldn’t be left high and dry without her meds!

“Yeah, you haven’t taken today’s yet, Granny. Have it now!”

With Yvonne’s help, Ashlyn took her Nourishment Pill, visibly relaxing, and with the scripture reading in the background, she began to drift off, losing focus on what was in front of her.

“Granny, you’ve gotta help me out. I’m your one and only granddaughter.”

Ashlyn, groggy, nodded along, echoing her words.

Yvonne tucked Ashlyn in with a smirk, pride written all over her face.

If Sexton got dosed with Nourishment Pills, maybe he’d start dancing to her tune just like Ashlyn!

In Marcel’s room, Calvin was holding two test papers.

“Mr. Schnabel, does your family have two Yvonnes or something? I mean, any relatives with that name?”

Marcel was stumped, putting down his chess piece.

“I got two identical test papers here, both with Yvonne’s name on them, check this out.”

“Let me see.”

On both papers, Yvonne’s name was written clear as day!

One was a fail, the other aced it.

“I’ve checked the handwriting; the failing one’s gotta be hers, and the other must be a ringer

she hired. Plus, a bunch of teachers have been saying they haven’t seen Yvonne since the term started!”

Marcel’s brow furrowed, reaching for his phone. “Yvonne, to my room.”

“Right away. Grandpa.”

Yvonne walked into the room and saw Calvin, smug as a bug in a rug.

Professor Calvin must’ve tipped off Marcel about her being a whiz kid in medicine, about time he started giving her some props!

“Yvonne, explain this.”

Yvonne saw the twin papers and was utterly flummoxed! She hadn’t paid up, so how come the hired gun still took the exam?

“Grandpa, give her a break. She’s had it rough! Even though she bullied me at school, stopped me from attending classes, I had to prove my chops this way. But I know she didn’t mean any harm, just green–eyed over the Schnabel family fortune.”

Marcel’s eyes narrowed, “You’re saying you were threatened? Then why not tell me?”

“I was scared of being called a bully, using my family’s name. Some kids used to pick on me for being a Schnabel girl, and with my folks and bro so busy, I didn’t wanna stir the pot.”

She whipped out her phone, a barrage of mean messages on display.

“These are all the nasty things they’ve said. I’m really scared, Grandpa! But please, go easy on them. They didn’t mean it.” All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Marcel’s frown deepened. “What’s the deal with the test then?”

“The high score’s mine, even though I never set foot in school, I’ve been secretly studying outside the classroom. I’d never let the Schnabel family down!”

Marcel said, “Off you go, I’ll handle it.”

Yvonne left relieved, tears still streaming.

Calvin was gobsmacked!

Her acting chops are wasted on medicine!

“Mr. Schnabel you buying her story?”

“Not for a second, full of baloney like her granny.”

*So what’s the plan for this mess?”

Marcel pondered for a moment, then dialed Beckett’s number, giving him the lowdown.

12:43

“Check out what Yvonne’s been up to at school, and go easy on the hired gun. Handle with kid gloves!”

“Will do, Grandpa.”

The Lambert Mansion In Tranquility City

Vincent walked into his study to find it looked like a burglar had been through it, a total mess!

He’d been savvy enough to install cameras in the study after a bid document went missing last time.

Checking the footage, he caught Briony sneaking into his study more than once, filching a bunch of the Lambert family documents and passing them to the Rosenberg family.

No wonder the Lambert family had been taking hits. The Rosenbergs were stabbing them in the back!

The Lambert family had been thriving under his watch, never faced such a rough patch before!

Vincent dialed up the Rosenberg family.

“You Rosenbergs sure got some nerve swiping all my stuff. If you don’t make up for our company’s losses, consider yourselves sued!”

The Rosenberg family’s been having a rough patch lately. It seems like everything they touch turned to dust, and they were all a bunch of jinxed hot–heads. They just lost it when Vincent gave them an earful out of the blue!

“Are you out of your mind, Vincent? Who the hell would want your family’s junk? You really think you’re some kind of business whiz? How do you have the nerve to come begging us, the Rosenberg family, for money?”

Vincent just snorted. “I’ve got proof, and if you’re gonna play dumb, we can just take it to court!” The Rosenberg folks weren’t falling for that. “Proof? You mean that trash your daughter dragged in? Pfft! She was the one all eager to bring it, and we didn’t even want it! Don’t think I don’t know about you trying to butter up Ms. Schnabel with gifts and getting the door slammed in your face. Now, the whole Imperial City and Tranquility City won’t touch you with a ten–foot pole! Bad luck charm!”

The Rosenberg family hung up in no time.

Vincent thought, these people have no shame!

He suited up and stepped out of his study, planning to get the lowdown from Briony, only to find out she wasn’t home. She’d gone shopping with Milford Rosenberg.

Just yesterday, Briony was saying how Milford was fixing up a mall for her, and now it hit him- that mall was exactly what he’d had his eye on!

12:44

Vincent was freaking out!

“Quick, set up a dinner with the CEOS from the East Sea Culture Company, West Ocean Media, North Peak Finance, and South Mountain Financial, book the priciest private room at the Imperial Hotell

“That’s not cost–effective, though. It’s at least 300K for a night. How about the hotel we went to last time? We can get a set meal for 1299.”

“Alright, 1299 it is. I need to have a heart–to–heart with the big shots ASAP! If I can win them back, the Lambert family might still stand a chancel”

Vincent hurried out the door.

Meanwhile Noella had just gotten out of her car back at Schnabel Manor when Alkaid rang her

up,

“Boss, Vincent wants to treat us to dinner. That cheapskate. His suit alone costs 38 grand, but he’s pinching pennies when it comes to hosting dinners 1299 and that includes drinks!”

–

Vincent’s penny–pinching wasn’t news; back at the Lambert family, he’d skimp on Noella’s dinner for a whole month, claiming it’d help her keep her figure, while he’d gorge himself silly elsewhere.

The Lambert family had a shot at teaming up with the municipal department once, but Vincent insisted on docking the workers‘ pay. If Noella hadn’t quietly stepped in with some cash, it would’ve blown up big time, and the Lambert family would’ve been a laughing stock in Tranquility City.

“Just thinking about the last meal gets me riled up. Alioth ended up with an upset stomach, and Ivan landed in the hospital with gastroenteritis. And Vincent had the gall to say that place was tasty! It drove

me nuts!”

They’d avoid it like the plague unless Noella said otherwise.

Noella responded, “No need to go. Just block him and send a legal notice.”

“Yay! Boss, looks like the Rosenberg family’s been hit with a bunch of mishaps lately. It seems like they’re heading towards bankruptcy. Your doing?”

Noella said, “Not me.”

“I knew it. If it were you, the Lambert family would be biting the dust too!”

Noella cracked a smile, a touch of refined amusement on her lips.

The Lambert family’s downfall might just be on the horizon!