CHapter 225


    Noe exhaled a long sigh as she looked at the person lying on the bed. “Why are you here?”


    Malvina was wrestling with a pile of plush toys on Noe’s bed, distorting the face of a teddy bear


    with a forceful tug.


    “I missed you, sweetie. You hadn’t been home for a while, so I thought I’d wait for you in your


    room!”


    “Spit it out if you’ve got something to say.”


    Malvina’s fidgeting had already betrayed her, it was clear she had something on her mind or she


    wouldn’t be camping out in Noe’s


    room.


    “I knew I couldn’t hide anything from you!” Malvina pulled out her phone and handed it to Noe.


    “Got these weird messages a couple of days ago. Someone ims they’ve got a bunch of my


    mom’s stuff. But it feels off.”


    Growing up with the Grubers, a family notorious for living on the edge, Malvina had developed a


    keen sense for these things. One nce from Arthur, and she knew exactly what to do and say. Her


    gut told her something was wrong the moment she saw those messages.


    After some thought, the only person she felt she could turn to was Noe, so she made her way to


    the Schnabel’s. After all, Noe was so capable; she was bound to know how to handle the


    situation!


    “Did you look into this guy?”


    Malvina would have naturally inquired within the Shadow Dragon Society to find out what was going


    on. Her mother had passed away when Malvina was just an infant, so whoever had her belongings


    now should be known to the members of the Shadow Dragon Society who were close to her.


    “I did. Turned out to be an ex–member of the Shadow Dragon Society who retired due to age.”


    Malvina propped her chin on the stuffed animal, her brows knitting together in thought.


    Noe nodded, affirming Malvina’s suspicions. “It’s unusual. If these were truly your mother’s things,


    those close to her–and now you, as the head of the Shadow Dragon Society–would’ve handed


    them directly to you. There’s no need for a secret rendezvous.”


    Noe gave the phone a shake. “Mind if I use this?”


    “Sure, go ahead!” Malvina said generously.


    She expected Noe to do something with her phone, but instead watched her bend down and


    retrieve a palm–sizedptop from under the bed.


    Noe deftly used a hairpin from her head to activate a hidden mechanism on theptop, only then


    noticing the unusual heft of the pin in her hand. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the hairpin


    was of the ssy Type jade, wless under the light. It was from a piece of jade she had won


    during a recent showdown at the Gruber estate.


    “Hey, that hairpin is gorgeous. Did you buy it recently?”


    “Sort of.”


    Noe suddenly remembered the night before when she was bandaging Palmer’s wounds. She had


    noticed numerous cuts on his palms. As an assassin, Palmer faced countless challenges, and


    injuries were par for the course, so she hadn’t thought much of it. But now, holding the jade hairpin,


    she realized Palmer had intentionally tousled her hairst night.


    He had actually used the piece of gemstone she had gifted him to craft this hairpin for her!


    Receiving a hairpin from Ulrich had delighted her, but holding Palmer’s hairpin now made her feel


    distinctly different- her heart began to beat erratically for some unknown reason.


    Utilizing the hairpin, Noe unlocked theptop’s mechanism and powered it on.


    Fingers flying across the keyboard, Noe’s gaze was steady and focused as she connected


    Malvina’s phone.


    Malvina watched the stream of data on theptop screen and felt overwhelmed.


    What on earth was all this? She couldn’t make heads or tails of it! Was Noe really that amazing?


    How could she know how to do all


    this?


    Soon, the data pinpointed a discreet location, and Noe’s eyes narrowed at the address.


    “Do you recognize this ce?”


    Leaning in, Malvina nced at the screen. “Hey, isn’t that near the old Gruber ce?”


    Recognizing the familiar address, she remembered it was close to the Gruber family’s former


    estate.


    .


    “I think that’s where the gemstone workshops and antique shops are. Must be one of those antique


    stores.”


    “Let’s check it out tomorrow.”


    10:43


    “Huh? Why tomorrow? Would we be spotted if we went now?”


    Noe shot her a look, gathered theptop and phone, and settled into bed. “Because I need to


    sleep now.”


    After being called to the Pock Mansion by Annie the night before, she hadn’t found any time to


    rest during the day. Sleep was what Noe craved most right now!


    Next door, at the Pock Mansion, Palmer looked across to the room where the lights had just been


    turned off. The spacious vi was now shrouded in silence.


    Knowing Noe must have gone to bed, he turned and made his way to the study,


    The old butler stood by Palmer’s side. *Mr. Pock, several of our acquisition deals have run into


    trouble. They need your attention. Mr. Sexton has reviewed them and said it’s those folks stirring up


    trouble again.”


    Palmer nodded, picking up the documents from the desk. The paperwork at home was only a small


    part, more awaited him at the office.


    1 got it. I’m going to rest now. I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”


    “Ah? Oh, alright then! Goodnight, Sir!” The butler was taken aback.


    Even when sick, Mr. Pock used to work through the night. He’d even checked financial reports


    right after surgery! Working non–stop was just how he operated.


    The butler had braced himself for a night where Palmer wouldn’t sleep due to the paperwork. Now,


    Palmer was actually nning to rest! Meeting the butler’s shocked gaze, Palmer said sternly, “If


    Noe asks, tell her I went to bed and didn’t workte”


    The butler’s eyes widened in respect for Ms. Noe across the hall. So, this was all thanks to Ms.


    Noe’s influence!


    It was no small feat that Mr. Pock, known for working his family like a well–oiled machine, knew


    when to take a break. Ms. Noe must have been quite the force to reckon with! She was truly the


    granddaughter–inw that the old master couldn’t stop singing praises about. If Ms. Noe had


    be part of the family, imagine the buzz and bustle their home would have had.


    The next moming, Noe took Malvina to the spot they had investigated the previous evening. The


    ce was an antique street bustling with shops selling all sorts of gems and jewels.


    Noe was sure they had found the right spot as the storefront was heaped with uncut gemstones.


    “Looks like this is the spot


    “I had no idea they opened a gemstone shop after stepping down.”


    Malvina wasn’t overly familiar with the ins and outs of the Shadow Dragon Society, but she knew


    that folks who had dabbled in the underworld often had enemies. To avoid retribution, most wouldn’t


    dare go into business after retiring. Opening a gemstone shop? That was practically asking for


    trouble, as it made it all too easy for old foes to track you down.


    Noe lifted her chin slightly. “Let’s go in and see for ourselves.” Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The shop was filled with stones, and on the countery a few pieces of jade, obviously meant to


    deceive unassuming customers. They were the kind of low–grade goods that looked expensive but


    were actually filled with resin.


    The shopkeeper’s face lit up with a grin when he saw two young and pretty girls walk in.


    These types of naive girls were the easiest to con!


    With that thought, he looked at them with the same eagemess as a wolf spotting a pair of plump


    lambs.