The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

Yvonne looked at Palmer with a mix of frustration and disbelief. She pointed at Briony, who stood awkwardly behind her.

“Mr. Pollack, Briony is Noella’s stepfather’s daughter, and she said Noella had a messy private life. Why won't you believe her? I swear, I'm not trying to harm you!”

Feeling the weight of everyone's stares, Briony's whole body shivered uncontrollably.

Noella smirked sarcastically at Briony. “Oh really? How 'messy' is my private life? You must be pretty resilient to be out in this breeze with your current health.”

If Yvonne knew the truth about Briony's health, she'd probably think twice before sharing a room with her!

Stammering, Briony managed, “Noella, what do you mean by that...”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Elara, hands on her hips, glared at Yvonne and Briony. “Move aside! If you want to play the sisterly love card, do it elsewhere. Noella and I have no time for your games! Yvonne, the mess you've made is going to get the cops on your tail. Better find yourself a decent lawyer!”

“Elara, I’m truly innocent. Can't Jasper just defend me for once?”

Elara raised an eyebrow.

Yvonne, hoping Jasper would defend her as a lawyer? As if!

“Wishful thinking much? You expect Jasper to defend you and slap his own brothers in the face? Dangerous thoughts, Yvonne.”

Humiliated, Yvonne's face turned a patchwork of red and white, fury mixed with shame.

“Elara! What's got you so puffed up? You're just the Schnabel family's adopted daughter. Noella, that country bumpkin, is the real Schnabel. You think cozying up as her sidekick makes you family?”

Elara, without a word, slapped Yvonne across the face.

“That was for calling Noella a 'country bumpkin'. Insult my sister in front of me? You're really asking for it!”

Before Yvonne could react, another slap landed, harder this time, causing her to taste blood and spit out three teeth!

Noella flexed her wrist. “That was for daring to insult my sister. Haven’t you learned anything from last time?”

Yvonne, recalling the humiliating beatdown by Noella at the gallery entrance, pleaded, “No, no... I’m sorry! Please forgive me, Elara, Noella, I was misled by Briony!”

Palmer gently took Noella's hand, soothing her wrist. “Let’s just kick them out. There’s no need for violence.”

Jacob’s gaze turned icy. “Elara, does Marcel care for this girl at all?”

“Not a chance.”

If Marcel had any affection for Yvonne, she wouldn’t be in this mess.

Jacob nodded, his expression deadly. “Good. Palmer, take your sister and Noella to dinner. Your grandma mentioned catching a bunch of fish for the kitchen.”

Realizing Jacob's anger, Palmer nodded. “Got it.”

As Yvonne watched them leave, her thoughts scattered.

Did Jacob just include Elara as a member of the Pollack family? Or, even more shocking, was Elara actually a Pollack by blood?

That couldn’t be! Despite her efforts, why couldn’t she become Larson’s daughter, yet Elara effortlessly won the Pollack family’s affection?

Being the only granddaughter of Sexton, the Pollack patriarch?

Yvonne couldn’t even fathom the privilege.

Why couldn’t it be her?

Lost in envy, Yvonne looked up to find Jacob’s icy stare, shivering at the sight.

“Jacob, what are you planning…”

Jacob signaled, and several resort guards approached.

“Just a friendly reminder of Pollack hospitality. Keep them alive for their trial.”

Yvonne screamed as the guards advanced. Briony, sensing trouble, bolted towards Larson’s room, her mind in turmoil.

Noella was the true Schnabel daughter? Recalling the lavish birthday celebration she saw on social media, Briony felt a pang of jealousy.

Hadn’t Vincent mentioned that Noella was just a girl raising chickens in the countryside? How did she become the heiress to the nation's wealthiest family and even get engaged to another tycoon's son!

Finding Larson absent from the room and feeling a surge of panic at the noises behind her, Briony decided to take drastic measures. She grabbed a kitchen knife from the room, pressing it against her own wrist as a threat to the following bodyguards.

"Thinking of offing yourself? That won't help you. Even if you're barely breathing, we'll throw you out!" one of them shouted.

Briony clenched her teeth, her resolve hardening.

"I... I have HIV. Stay away from me if you don't want to catch it, and that goes for Yvonne Gruber too. She's been living with me, so she's no better off."

The bodyguards' faces went pale!

Yvonne, who was being carried by one of them, nearly passed out hearing that!

Concerned, the bodyguards decided to report back to Jacob on what to do next.

"HIV? Our resort doesn't discriminate against guests, but if she's threatening our staff with her condition, call the police. Let the CDC handle her!"

"Right!"

Yvonne and Briony were locked in the room, guarded from the outside.

Briony turned to Yvonne. "You said Noella is actually the biological daughter of the Schnabels? What's going on! Weren't Noella's parents broke?" Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Seeing the kitchen knife in Briony's hand, Yvonne was terrified of getting infected.

"What are you on about! If the Schnabels are broke, then I'm a nobody! No wonder you had the guts to mess with Noella. You had no clue about the Schnabels' true power."

Briony felt her world spinning! So, the reason Vincent's business faced retaliation from the Schnabels was all to defend Noella's honor?

She quickly grabbed her phone, dialing Vincent's number in a panic.

"Dad, did you know Noella's parents are the Schnabels? Yes, those Schnabels from the news!"