The Killer Queen (Noella Briony) novel Chapter 167

Walden's face turned ghostly pale in an instant!

"Ms. Schnabel...you've got to be kidding me. This is no joke - I truly meant to apologize!"

Noella let out a mocking laugh, dripping with scorn.

"Walden, you've been poisoning paintings at my gallery, poaching my staff, tampering with supplies to nearly cause accidents, and the Gruber family has been openly challenging my employees. And you call this a sincere apology? If brains were dynamite, the Gruber family wouldn't have enough to blow their nose. You might as well declare bankruptcy now, rather than waiting for the inevitable."

Walden hadn't expected Noella to know all about the dirty tricks he'd orchestrated! Impossible. His schemes had been so covert; how did Noella find out he was the mastermind behind them? She must be bluffing.

"Ms. Noella, don't throw around accusations. I've never stooped to such lows. Someone must be framing me. It's all a misunderstanding; please don't fall for it."

With a sneer, Noella pulled out her phone and played a video for everyone to see. The video clearly showed workers confessing that the person who wanted to poison Noella to death was none other than Walden!

Everybody's gaze towards Walden became complicated!

“It’s one thing for Walden to use shady tactics to undermine the gallery - that could be chalked up to rough-and-tumble business warfare. But to poison Ms. Schnabel? That takes nerve!”

“Aside from being the apple of the Schnabel family's eye, she was also Mr. Pollack's fiancée.”

“Considering how Mr. Pollack had just publicly kicked Walden to the curb for her, this mess was far from over.”

At Lucian's birthday bash, the elite of high society could see the writing on the wall for the Gruber family!

Right there, people started backing out, "Walden, about that deal we discussed, I've changed my mind. Let's not go through with it."

"Yeah, that thing you mentioned earlier, let's forget it. I think it's best we don't do business together in the future!"

...

Walden's head buzzed with the voices around him! He had indeed drugged Noella, but only to make her fall mysteriously ill so he could swoop in as the savior. Ms. Schnabel would surely leave Palmer and fall head over heels for him!

He never intended for Noella to die. But now his carefully laid plans were in tatters!

Unable to take the hit, Walden fainted, and then he was quickly dragged away by the estate's security to be returned to the Gruber family.

Noella watched as Walden was hauled off like a sack of potatoes, her smile fading.

Palmer wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered, "Drugged him?"

"Mm-hmm, just to keep him busy and away from my mentor, nothing lethal."

The non-lethal drug Noella had used was enough to socially bury Walden multiple times, with a few more “burials” to come once he got back to the Gruber family.

Amazement flickered in Palmer's eyes. He hadn't seen when she'd slipped Walden the drug. Her ability to poison without a trace was reminiscent of the elusive medic rumored to operate in international warzones.

Could his fiancée be connected to the medic, or could Noella herself be this phantom figure? No wonder the Abyssal Organization had never received a response to their overtures!

"Should I be worried? If I upset my fiancée, will I also end up bedridden for days?"

Noella gave him a cool glance, her voice chilly, "If you’re curious, you’re welcome to try."

Palmer chuckled softly; leaning closer to her ear, he uttered, "I don't plan on being bedridden, but I wouldn't mind spending a few days in bed with you."

Noella had a feeling there was more to his words than met the ear. Was this man out of his mind? She hadn't realized before how immature and tedious he could be.

A blush crept over Noella's cheeks, and with an irritated glance at Palmer, she walked towards Master Killian who was not far away.