Chapter 143


    Noe rounded the corner of the staircase when a peculiar noise from the basement storage room


    caught her attention. She frowned slightly and whispered, “Palmer, hang on a sec


    “I can wait forever.”


    After all, what was a little waiting if it made her fall for him?


    < 20


    Noe paused, sensing an undertone in Palmer’s words. She slipped her locked phone into her zer


    pocket and headed towards the basement, where stacks of supplies awaited,


    The gallery staff had gone home for the day, but there were still some workers in blue overalls bustling


    about.


    Noe nced around the storage area and stealthily climbed atop a construction scaffold, crouching


    above the workers to eavesdrop.


    “Come on,ce that batch of paint with the stuff.”


    “You sure they won’t detect it once we put them in?”


    “No way!” The ringleader was brimming with confidence.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    “They’re odorless and colorless. Once they’re in, those painters will be none the wiser until they’re sick.


    And when that happens, the gallery will be in deep water. Ms. Schnabel chose to be uncooperative and


    cross swords with the Gruber n. She made such a show today, turning the Gruber’s gallery into a


    laughingstock!”


    The workers mixed the powdered substance into the paint, and then added the doctored paint cubes


    into the original batches.


    “Is Ms. Schnabel still in her office?”


    “Lights out upstairs, must’ve left.”


    The lead worker pulled a vial from his pocket, his face twisted with malice, “Just drop this into her office


    water cooler. One sip and she’s done for!”


    The other workers paled on spot, not expecting to take action against Noe.


    “You can’t hit Ms. Schnabel, even if you’re out for Petra’s blood. What if the Schnabelse


    after us?”


    That was Ms. Noe Schnabel, for heaven’s sake. If something happened to her, they wouldn’t have


    lives enough to pay!


    The lead snarled, “Rx, the Gruber family’s got our backs.”


    That young wretch had done things without considering their feelings. All Petra did was skim some


    cash, chump change for the Schnabel family. But Noe had to show her authority and lock Petra up.


    Well, she couldn’t me him for ying dirty!


    1/3


    11:23


    Noe watched the scene impassively. Her gaze swept over the surveince EXTATES, AN predictably


    dead, every red light that should have been blinking was out cold. These guys came prepared.


    Once the paint was tampered with, they turned to the materials stored elsewhere,


    “What about the equipment?”


    “Forget it. The materials we supplied them are faulty, in three days, half of this exhibition space will


    copse, preferably during business hours. Wouldn’t it be fun if it crushed a few patrons?”


    They had it all figured out. If the equipment failed and the exhibition copsed, killing people, not even


    the Schnabel family could save the gallery.


    It would close for sure. And they would see who could challenge the Gruber family then!


    “Just some country bumpkin thinking she’s Ms. Art Connoisseur? Let’s see how she handles a disaster


    then!”


    “When the gallery falls, they’ll regret handing it over to a brat. There’s nothing the Gruber family can’t


    do!”


    Teeth gritted, the workers swept a nce around the stuff in the storage and left, satisfied with their


    sabotage to basically everything.


    Noe’s gaze darkened bit by bit as she watched them leave through the back door. She recognized


    them; they were Petra’s go–to crew, who had swindled the gallery for years under Petra’s wing. Now


    with Petra locked away, those workers lost a cash cow, thus turned to the Gruber family and ganged up


    for revenge? Conspiring for money and murder, the lowest of the low.


    Noe touched her earlobe, remembering the spy earrings Yasbel had tested – with added video


    capabilities, perfect for recording everything she had just witnessed.


    The storage room was silent as Noe descended from the roof, dusted off her zer, and left the


    gallery.


    Stepping outside. Palmer was there with an umbre.


    “It’s started to rain. What were you up to, my fiancée?”


    “Just tying up loose ends.”


    This was the first time Palmer saw Noe in her professional attire. Her tailored capris revealed


    slender, pale ankles, and her heels added an elegant touch to her usual sassy charm.


    After dinner, Palmer walked Noe to the gates of her home, gazing at her, reluctant to part


    ways.


    “I’m sorry I missed the chance to see you paint today.”


    But he’d saved the video as his phone’s live wallpaper, a reminder of her when he used his phone.


    11:23


    hapter 145


    Palmer stepped forward, embracing Noe and nting a swift kiss on her forehead.


    “Goodnight. And if you’re not yet ustomed to missing me, then dream of me.”


    “Goodnight.”


    Noe turned and entered the manor, only to find Marcel eagerly awaiting in his wheelchair like a


    rubberneck, his gaze fixed on her, coughing until she entered the house.


    “Noe, did you have fun with Palmer?”


    “It was alright.”


    “Good, good. Just remember, you still gotta be careful. I’m not an old fuddy–duddy, but you’ve got to


    look after yourself. And you know, I do look forward to seeing a fourth generation of the Schnabels. Will


    the kids take the Palmer name or stick with Schnabel?”


    Noe could only muster a helpless gaze at Marcel’s misguided musings. What was he even talking


    about? Her and Palmer hadn’t evene close to discussing kids.


    “Grandpa, what are you getting at?”


    Marcel clutched the throw pillow on the sofa, chuckling with glee, ‘I’m just getting a feel of what it’s like


    to hold a baby again. Gosh, it’s been ages since we had a little one in the house. I’m looking forward to


    it!”


    Noe struggled to find her words, “Grandpa, maybe my brother Beckett should take a crack at it. He’s


    the eldest in the Schnabel family. It really shouldn’t fall to me.”


    Marcel perked up at that. “Sure thing! I’ll nudge him about it tomorrow! You head on up and get some


    rest.”


    “Goodnight, Grandpa.”


    As Noe turned to ascend the staircase, she could still hear Marcel cackling with the pillow sounding


    like he was already brainstorming names for his future great–grandchild


    She quickly assembled herpactptop, her slender, baster fingers dancing across the


    keyboard, pulling up a page on the deep web.


    “Send this video to the head of the Gruber family, under the name of the Obelisk Organization.”


    Erek clicked on the video and nearly choked on his pasta.


    “Holy smokes, the Gruber family have some nerve! To think they’d make a move on you boss! I’ll send


    it right away. Any message to include?”


    Noe’s expression was ice–cold as she responded indifferently. “Tell them to have three hundred


    million ready. Otherwise, this video goes straight to the Schnabels. Pay up, or clean their necks and


    wait for me.”


    The Gruber family had challenged her too many times, thinking she wouldn’t fight back? Her retaliation


    was something most people couldn’t handle.