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!"
Noe let out a mockingugh, dripping with scorn.
"Walden, you''ve been poisoning paintings at my gallery, poaching my staff, tampering with supplies
to nearly cause idents, 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 dere bankruptcy now, rather than waiting for the inevitable."
Walden hadn''t expected Noe to know all about the dirty tricks he''d orchestrated! Impossible. His
schemes had been so covert; how did Noe find out he was the mastermind behind them? She
must be bluffing.
"Ms. Noe, don''t throw around usations. 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, Noe pulled out her phone and yed a video for everyone to see. The video clearly
showed workers confessing that the person who wanted to poison Noe to death was none other
than Walden!
Everybody''s gaze towards Walden becameplicated!
“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. Pock''s fiancée.”
“Considering how Mr. Pock 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 Noe, 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 Noe to die. But now his carefullyid ns 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.
Noe 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 Noe had used was enough to socially bury Walden multiple times, with a few
more “burials” toe 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 Noe 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?"
Noe gave him a cool nce, her voice chilly, "If you’re curious, you’re wee to try."
Palmer chuckled softly; leaning closer to her ear, he uttered, "I don''t n on being bedridden, but I
wouldn''t mind spending a few days in bed with you."
Noe 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 Noe''s cheeks, and with an irritated nce at Palmer, she walked towards
Master Killian who was not far away.
"Lucian, let me introduce you to my sole mentee. You''d better remember her."
Lucian, a man of advanced years, kept his silver hair neatlybed back and exuded a
meticulously organized aura. His eyes twinkled with life as he took Noe in.
He let out an approbatory grin, "Marcel''s granddaughter? Tavian mentioned you''re quite the chess
yer. Come by sometime for a game."
Noe replied obligingly, "Of course."
Lucian nodded contentedly, then looked around the room with a meaningful expression, and said,
"Noe, don''t take the earlier incident to heart. The Gruber family has been living high off the hog
for too long and seems to have forgotten that they''re nothing butpdogs!"
Noe recalled that the head of the Gruber family was once Lucian''s secretary and had risen to
prominence with the support of the Richardson family. Referring to them as Lucian''s dogs seemed
quite fitting.
Master Killian addressed Noe, "I have some matters to attend to. You two head back when you''re
ready."
Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.
"Will do."
Noe consented and, apanied by Palmer, left the estate to find a car waiting by the curb. As
Palmer leaned in to fasten her seat belt, he asked with a touch of care, "Should I arrange for
someone to keep an eye on Master Killian?"
"No need. He won''t run into trouble."
Noe was well aware of Master Killian''s capabilities as a veteran member of the Pris Star. Her
mentor didn’t have the intention of making moves; otherwise, nobody was capable of keeping
Pris Star’s people.
...
At Schnabel Manor.
The car rolled to a stop at the front gate, and Palmer bent down to nt a tender kiss on the back of
Noe''s hand.
"I''ll pick you up tomorrow for our little excursion to Lockhart Prison. I''ll have everything ready, so
tonight, just kick back and rx. Think of it as a casual jaunt."
The warmth from his lips lingered on Noe''s skin as she withdrew her hand, her expression
unimpressed, "Lockhart Prison isn''t exactly a tourist hotspot."
And indeed, no one in their right mind would consider that ce a yground.
Palmer, however, with his brash confidence, made it sound like a walk in the park.
And he had the clout to back it up! Even if the Abyssal Organization wasn''t enough to rattle the bars
of Lockhart Prison, the Pock Group''s influence was certainly enough to make them wary.
Standing tall on the bordends for ages, Lockhart Prison had its own formidable reputation and an
untouchable strength.
Palmer chuckled lightly, "Alright, you wish for a different kind of getaway, huh? How about we n a
real trip once we''re back? I''ll take care of everything. Wherever you wish to go, we''ll go."
In the passenger seat, Annie nearly jumped with excitement.
Were the boss and Ms. Noe talking about going on a honeymoon so soon? Did that mean she
might be on the brink of securing a super-extended vacation?
Annie immediately piped up, "Don''t you worry, Ms. Noe, I''ll handle all the arrangements! You''ll
have the time of your life! Do you prefer the beach, or perhaps ancient castles?"
Noe stepped out of the car, mming the door shut with a definitive snap, not bothering to look
back as she strode towards the Schnabel Manor.
When did she ever say she wanted to go on a trip with Palmer?
Annie rolled down the window, calling out to Noe''s slender figure, "Ms. Noe, rest assured, I''ll
craft the perfect travel itinerary for you!"
For the sake of her own holiday, she was all in!
No sooner had Noe crossed the threshold of her home than Stirling beckoned to her, "Noe,
come take a look at this sculpture. How does it open? Where could Grandma''s video be stored?"