The Killer Queen

The phone started ringing off the hook and Noella grabbed her phone, hitting the answer button.

Dubhe, a researcher from Lunar Lab, was howling on the other end.

“Boss, someone dropped off the latest lab gear for us, and guess what, it’s from the Pollack Group! They say it’s a gift for Mr. Pollack’s fiancée, but who the heck is a fiancée in our lab? It’s all dudes and beasts here! Should we even take this stuff? What If there’s a bomb inside or something? And if it blows us to kingdom come, I wonder if they’d find any shining wisdom in my remains.”

Noella said, “The lab gear’s for me.”

“What? You’re kidding, right? I mean, no offense, but who in their right mind would see you as a damsel? Wait a sec, it’s really for you? Since when are you chummy with the big boss of the Pollack Group?”

The Pollack Group is a mega conglomerate that’s got its fingers in pies all over the globe, from oil to toilet paper, they’ve got a stake in it.

“Just accept the stuff and zip it.”

“Hold up, the Pollack Group sent a bunch of potions too, stuff you can’t even buy with cash. Boss, you sure you didn’t do anything sketchy? Don’t tell me you knocked over the Pollack Group!”

From the side. Phecda chimed in, “As if! The boss ain’t like that. If she was gonna hit the Pollack Group, she’d totally go for the whole shebang, not just swipe some trinkets!”

Noella was speechless.

Palmer was muffling a chuckle with his fist, shoulders shaking. He was clearly amused by the clowns Noella had around her.

“Shut it, just log the data and keep your traps shut, or I’ll use you as guinea pigs for my next dissection practice.”

Two screams came from the phone, “Ahh, I knew our boss is stone–cold! She’s terrifying!”

“Hang on, the boss is the fiancée of the Pollack Group’s CEO? Does that make me part of her wedding gift?”

“You clueless? We’re more like bridesmaids! Heehee, when the boss marries off, do we get to dress up too?”

Noella hung up, totally exasperated.

Palmer was trying hard not to laugh, his shoulders bouncing up and down. It was a rare sight to see her looking a bit flustered–adorable!

12:43

“Your lab’s researchers?”

“Yeah, they’re all orphans taken in by the Obelisk Organization, picked up from warzones.”

International warzones were brutal, and the Lunar Lab’s researchers were orphans Noella had rescued.

In Palmer’s eyes was unmistakable tenderness. “You’re very kind.”

“It’s not about being kind. You would’ve done the same.”

She’d taken a whole medical lab’s worth of researchers–those orphans were the test subjects!

Their intelligence was constantly being pushed, with endless drugs, shocks, and other harrowing methods to stimulate their brains repeatedly, all to reach the limits of human intellect!

Noella couldn’t stand it, so she just up and took down that lab named after the Polaris Star.

Palmer was shocked. “The

famed Polaris Star organization that vanished from the international scene… you took them in?”

The disappearance of Polaris Star had caused an uproar on the deep web!.

And to think Noella was behind it!

Polaris Star’s members were all absolute geniuses, each a pinnacle of excellence in their fields. The former members of Polaris Star were now heavy hitters influencing the world in big ways!

Noella frowned slightly, not really agreeing with his perspective.

“Yeah, I just happened to adopt twenty–four orphans and got to know a few old men.” Those old men were the surviving members of the former Polaris Star! They later became Noella’s mentors, passing on all the expertise of the twenty–four constellations to her.

Luckily, Noella was smart enough to surpass her mentors without any forced brain–boosting. The twenty–four had their mental issues, unable to tolerate anyone but Noella.

Before long, she had them stay by her side as her most loyal companions.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Palmer was impressed.

No wonder the guy on the phone said she’d knocked over the Pollack Group–there was a precedent!

Noella might not look it, but she was full of shocking surprises!

Palmer looked at Noella with even softer eyes.

“If you want my company, you don’t have to steal it, and I’ll give it to you. Just one condition, take me with you, and everything I have is yours.”

Was he out of his mind?

17:43

Noella gave him a look that screamed, “Are you brain–damaged?”

Annie, sitting in the passenger seat, could barely keep her grin under wraps. She’d been worried her boss wouldn’t know the first thing about dating, but with these smooth lines, he was on a . roll!

“What do you want to eat?” asked Palmer.

“Whatever.”

“I got a list from Sienna this morning of what you like and dislike. From now on, the Pollack. family’s kitchens and all our restaurants won’t serve anything you don’t enjoy.”

Noella was speechless.

Was that necessary?

She hadn’t even said she’d definitely marry him!

Meanwhile, Yvonne had been a bundle of nerves since getting Marcel’s call, totally freaking out! The Pollack family’s legal team was quick to come knocking for Yvonne.

“Hello, Ms. Schnabel, could you please show us where you’ve been getting the Nourishment Pills from? Mr. Pollack is asking for the contact details.”

Yvonne immediately put on her best frail and flustered act.

“Oh my, my head is killing me… Am I getting sick too? I think Palmer should come and ask me himself. Where is he?”

“Mr. Pollack took his fiancée, Noella, out for a candlelit dinner.”

“What the heck?”

Palmer actually went to dinner with that bumpkin! And a candlelit one at that!

It must’ve been Sexton and Marcel twisting his arm to go. The thought of Palmer having to stare at Noella’s mug while eating made Yvonne’s heart ache. Palmer must be grossed out for sure!

Just give it some time, he would get sick of that country bumpkin!

“Ms. Schnabel, please cooperate with us! Otherwise, we will have to take legal action against you. Sexton is still in the ICU!”

“I am cooperating, but the other party always contacts me first. He calls from different numbers every time, usually every couple of months, and I have no clue how to reach him!”

To prove her point, Yvonne rummaged through her phone. “These are all calls from him, each time with a different bank account for the transfer. I can’t get in touch with him on my own!”

“He told me the Nourishment Pill was the real deal, and that’s why I spent so much money to buy them for my grandparents. I just wanted my grandparents to be healthy and live a long life!”

The legal team jotted down all the phone numbers and bank accounts, then asked Yvonne a few more questions.

“When was the last time he contacted you?”

“Last week.‘

The legal guy frowned. Judging by the pattern of these calls, the next one wouldn’t be for several months!

“Alright, thanks for cooperating. We’ll let Mr. Pollack know. We’ll need to take your phone, but here’s a new phone set up by the Pollack Group for you, same number, so it won’t mess with your life.”

Yvonne, with puppy eyes, asked, “Can I go see Grandpa Sexton? He really likes me!”

The legal guy thought, ‘The old man is busy playing chess with Marcel. If he sees you, he might really end up in the ICU!”

“We can’t decide on that. Goodbye Ms. Schnabel.”

And with that, the legal team bolted.

Yvonne checked her phone account and saw it was bone dry!

After the last splurge on Nourishment Pills, cosmetics, and handbags, she was flat broke.

With Ashlyn still bedridden, she probably couldn’t remember to send Yvonne some spending

money.

Seeing her distressed, the nanny suggested, “Miss Yvonne, I heard Miss Elara mention that the deep web often has jobs that pay really well. Why not check it out? With your smarts, you could definitely make some pocket money. Who knows, you might even show off your talents and make Mr. Schnabel and Mr. Pollack sit up and take notice!”