Chapter 162


    Tristan strode up to Noe, his hands bracing against the desk as he fixed his gaze on Marcel.


    “Dad! Are you even aware of what kind of hellhole Lockhart Prison is? Jasper nearly lost his life there


    last time! Noe’s just a kid. How can you even think of sending her to such a ce? Noe might not


    have been raised by our side, but she’s still the one and only daughter of the Schnabel family! You only


    have one granddaughter. How can you be so heartless?”


    Marcel retorted angrily. “Are you suggesting I’m intentionally putting Noe in harm’s way? This is


    about what really happened to your mother. If it weren’t for that unfortunate incident, neither your


    mother nor Noe would have had to endure so much hardship!”


    Tristan was stunned. “My… my mom? Dad, are you saying you know who my mom is?”


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Marcel nced at him irritably. “I haven’tid a finger on Ashlyn since we were married, and you think I


    won’t know who your mother is?”


    He just needed some concrete evidence to support his suspicions, but both Merrick and Sexton were


    being evasive. Those two old foxes wouldn’t utter a peep!


    Thankfully, Noe had brought the DNA test results.


    Tristan, looking at the paternity test report on the desk and hearing Noe say it was a test between


    him and Grandma Harriet, waspletely dumbfounded!


    He embraced Noe in a bear hug, sobbing. “Sweetheart! Thank you for always being there for your


    grandma!*


    Noe, a bit helpless, patted Tristan’s back in an attempt tofort him.


    Marcel snorted coldly. “I’ve made arrangements at Lockhart Prison. Palmer will apany Noe.


    Nothing will happen.”


    Tristan straightened up suddenly. “Dad, why didn’t you say you had everything under control? You had


    me worried sick! I knew you wouldn’t harm Noe. For a moment there, I thought you were Wolf.”


    Marcel, at the end of his patience, snapped, “Get out!”


    Stepping out of Marcel’s study, Noe received a call from Nyssa.


    “Ms. Schnabel, could you swing by the gallery? There’s a situation here that needs your attention. A


    new gallery opened across the street run by Yvonne Gruber, and she’s been stirring up trouble with our


    gallery ever since you’ve been away!”


    “Alright.”


    Hanging up, Noe left the Schnabel estate and got into the car driven by Alkaid.


    The traffic in Imperial City was a nightmare, especially during rush hour and holidays.


    Alkaid took a detour down a side street. ncing in the rear–view mirror, he said, “Boss, we’ve


    got a tail.”


    “Shake them off.”


    Alkaid floored the gas pedal, and after a few impressively executed drifts, they left nothing but a cloud


    of exhaust fumes behind them.


    A car continued to pursue them relentlessly, even trying to ram Noe’s vehicle! After the first


    unsessful attempt, the car charged again for a second hit.


    Alkaid scoffed. Did they really think a car modified by Pris Star could be so easily wrecked?


    “Boss, hold tight!”


    After a few counter–strikes, several motorcycles emerged from an intersection, trapping the pursuing


    car in the middle.


    The driver of the pursuing car was bewildered. Wasn’t the target just some high school kid? This show


    of force didn’t look like anything a regr high school student could muster!


    Aposed young woman stepped out of the front car, her gaze icy as she nced at the driver and


    said indifferently, “Clean this up.”


    “Got it, Boss. The traffic’s too heavy out there. You’re better off on a motorcycle. We’ll handle this and


    make sure he spills everything.”


    Returning Alkaid’s warm smile, Noe nodded, swung her long legs over a motorcycle parked by the


    road, and sped off down the alley.


    Outside the gallery, Jarred and Nyssa waited anxiously at the entrance.


    “Ms. Schnabel’s on the way, right?”


    “I just called Ms. Schnabel, and she said she’d be here in five minutes, but looking at today’s traffic


    map, everything’s jammed up. She’s probably stuck in a traffic snarl!”


    Nyssa, ncing at the throng of people outside the rival gallery, grew increasingly worried.


    “If Ms. Schnabel doesn’t show up soon, those folks might start trashing our ce. Maybe we should


    call Rising Glory for help?”


    Jarred remainedposed. “If we run to Rising Glory for every little thing, how will Ms. Schnabel ever


    stand on her own two feet? Even if they’re all family, the gallery is Ms. Schnabel’s business. If she


    doesn’t reach out to Rising Glory, we can’t overstep our bounds.”


    Nyssa nodded but continued to watch the other side with a tense expression. Noe did not appear for


    a long time, and the event at the rival gallery was in full swing, drawing plenty of media attention.


    10:57


    A woman in a frilly pink dress emerged from the crowd, a full fox fur draped over her shoulders,


    resembling a walking taking fox. Yvonne, in her high heels, approached the entrance of the gallery, her


    chin Uted in disdain as she regarded Jarred and Nyssa.


    “Wel, well, look at Noe’s little watchdogs. What’s the matter? Too scared to open up shop because of


    the noise from our grand opening?”


    She had transformed into the darling daughter of the Gruber family, confident that her presence would


    blindside No, who was nothing more than a country bumpkin. When the Schnabel family realized


    her worth and regretted their choices, both the Schnabel and Gruber families would be at her feet.


    Yvonne had it all nned out; once the Schnabel family saw her true potential and regretted their


    decisions, she would make Noe pay for every singlepromise she had ever made!


    Jerred’s face was impassive as he said, “Ms. Gruber, this is our turf. We can stand wherever we damn


    well please.”


    Yvonne’s arm swung upnding a stinging p across Jarred’s face! “Loudmouthed mutt, do you even


    know who you’re talking to?”


    Jarred, struck by the p, was dazed.


    Yvonne hadshed out in front of a crowd; was shecking in manners or just out of her mind?


    Holding to his principle of not causing any trouble for Ms. Schnabel, Jarred bit his tongue and stayed


    silent.


    With no retort from Jarred, Yvonne mistook his silence for fear and lifted her chin, basking in a


    sense of superiority.


    As she was poised to p Nyssa, a rumbling noise erupted from behind. A teal motorcycle zipped by


    like lightning in the jungle, pulling up at the curb.


    The girl on the motorcycle was decked out in sporty gear, with a pink helmet atop her head. As she


    removed it, her hair cascaded down, the sunlight seemingly orchestrated to entuate her cool and


    dashing presence.


    Noe, with her slim waist and long legs, exuded a particr kind of vigor even while atop the


    motorcycle. Her stunning face was etched with frostiness as she looked down imperiously at


    Yvonne.


    “And who might you be?”


    Yvonne, seeing Noe’s ride, was nearly beside herself with envy!


    That was thetest model, retailing at a cool million, scarce enough that money alone couldn’t bag one.


    With its custom symbols, it was obviously a gift from the Schnabel brothers!


    Why should Noe so effortlessly have everything she had ever dreamed of?


    Grinding her teeth, Yvonne spat out, “Seems like Noe Schnabel forgets her own kin. How


    10:57


    Chapter 162


    Noe gave her a dismissive nce. “What was your name again?*


    “Yvonne Gruber!*


    Yvonne was brimming with confidence, sure that the country bumpkin would be shocked to learn she’d


    been weed into the Gruber family as Arthur’s granddaughter, probably causing her jaw to drop to


    the floor!


    Noe looked at her as if she were looking at an idiot. “You’re a Gruber, I’m a Schnabel, and you’re


    iming to be my sister? Ms. Gruber, seems like you’ve got a filthy mouth and a mind to match. Guess


    whatever you flushed down the toilet this morning ended up in your brain.”


    Yvonne was dumbfounded.


    Had Noe lost her mind? Knowing she was a Gruber, how could Noe dare insult her? Didn’t this


    hick realize the Gruber’s standing in Imperial City? It had to be ignorance!


    Shaking with rage, Yvonne’s face powder began to ke off as she pointed at Noe, unable to


    squeeze out a single word. “Noe Schnabel, the nerve! You’ve got no manners!”


    Noe stepped off her bike, the keys jingling on her finger. She walked toward Yvonne, each step


    measured and deliberate.


    Yvonne eyed her warily, an unexinable trepidation creeping in–but surely it was just the bumpkin’s


    rude gaze.


    Noe’s hand flew up, and she returned the favor, her p ballooning Yvonne’s cheek!