CHapter 203

Chapter 203

Master Hector was one to act on impulse. He grabbed Vashel, who was in the midst of savoring a slice of cake, on his way out from the Schnabel family estate

Beckett removed his glasses, his voice bubbling with excitement, “Our farity’s business the gemstone market is set with today’s stone–gambling event. I’ve got my eye on a few prospects”

Stirling was puzzled, “You’ve got enough money, so why bother with the gemston

market? it’s peanuts compared to your oil business”

hat do you know? From now on, Mom, Noella, and Elara’s jewelry needs are all sorted Beckett wasn’t just eyeing the gemstone quary to make a quick buck. He was after a direct pipeline of premium gemstones for the Schnabel clan.

If the Schnabels had their own gemstone quarry and cornered a slice of the gemstone trade, Sienna and the two girls would never want for jewelry again.

Beckett’s life’s pleasure was making money, but more so, he enjoyed spending what he earned.

Noelia retreated to her room, where Master Hector’s gift awaited her.

The box, carved from gemstone, appeared seamless with no apparent way to pry it open.

The Polaris Star had their unique way of opening such boxes, requiring not just a fixed mortise and tenon joint but also a combination of password and fingerprint. A single mistake would mean the box remained shut.

With a “click” the box yielded to Noella’s touch, revealing an old photograph inside.

Three young people were captured in that faded photo: Harriet Lambert, Xavier, and a man Noella did not recognize. Noella’s eyes pupils dilated on seeing that

A note was also tucked inside the box: [Noella, I know you’re looking into your grandmother’s past. This is for you. Also, the osmanthus carving you made hides two USB drives–find Xavier. From Hector.]

Her osmanthus carving?

Indeed, the carving had two compartments for USB drives, a precaution Noella took in case one failed or got damaged. But she hadn’t told her grandmother about the second slot!

Noella stood up and approached the collection shelf in her room to retrieve the osmanthus carving. Marcel had not taken this piece; it was left for Noella.

After all, in the old man’s eyes, Noella, who had accompanied Harriet through it all, deserved her grandmother’s keepsakes more than he

did

Gently twisting the base of the carving, Noella found the second USB compartment, which should have also contained another piece of osmanthus branch but was now eerily empty.

When had her grandmother discovered the extra USB in the carving?

Noelia dialed Xavier for a video call.

Xavier, flashing his pearly whites, answered Noella’s call with gusto, “Hey, kiddo! Westwood Mercenary Corps is all screwed! Mission accomplished!”

For Xavier, a man of considerable sway within Lockhart Prison, eliminating a second–string mercenary group that survived on smuggling arms at the border was a mere flex of muscle.

Noells waved the photo in front of Xavier.

“Who is this?” she asked

“How do you have that picture?”

Xavier’s demeanor shifted to grave seriousness in an instant, removing his sunglasses to better scrutinize the photo in Noella’s hand.

“Just tell me who he is”

Without hesitation, Xavier denied, “Don’t know him!”

“Almost holding hands in the photo, and you say you don’t know him?”

“Don’t talk nonsense! I don’t swing that way, kiddo! This guy… well, he’s from Polaris Star. If it weren’t for Marcel, this dude might’ve been your grandpa.”

As far as Xavier was concerned, Harnet being Noella’s grandmother was all that mattered. Who the grandpa was didn’t really make a difference, especially since Marcel was no saint himself.

“He’s from Polaris Star? Why don’t I know him?”

Xavier’s smile turned cryptic, “Polaris Star isn’t just a duo, my dear! Even if you’ve got a few stars in your hands right now, don’t think

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there aren’t older stars out there. This guy’s one of the old guards of Polaris Star, namely the Merak from back in the day. And I have no Idea which side he belongs. But he was already leading the pack when your grandma joined up with Polens Stail”

Noella’s eyes widened instantly. “Chandma was part of Poles Star?”

Xavier quickly covered his mouth and cursed for seconds. “Ah, that’s ancient History! Gotta go, kiddo. I’ve got a pot of braised beef waiting!”

Noella pressed. One last question. Where is he now?:

He left Polaris Sts with your grandma. Now he’s probably running some university as a dean. If you’re after something to do with your grandma, he’s your man, not Marcel *

Why haven’t you looked for him?” Noella asked.

Xavier would surely want whatever Harriet had left behind. Why hadn’t he sought out this man?

Xavier declared with a straight face. “Hey, I’m still serving time in Lockhart Prison, ain’t I? Can’t just leave my cell, I’m a criminal!”

Noella paused.

Considering Xavier’s stronghold in Lockhart Prison, she hardly saw any signs of him being incarcerated.

“Just don’t think about sending some to look for him. He is too cunning, and I’m no match

Xavier shook his head as if fearing Noella might ask something he couldn’t reveal, hurriedly cut off the call, and turned his attention back to his prison” braised beel

Noella collected her thoughts and swiftly set up her compact laptop, booting up the internal network of Polaris Star, “Investigating Former Polans Stars Merak with the use of a big data facial recognition system to match faces and photos.”

Noella uploaded the picture of the man from the group photo into their chat, and it didn’t take long before Mizar sent a message back: [Garrick, a postdoc from Harvardton University, now the dean of Imperial University and a professor at the Design Academy. Boss, can you believe this guy’s from Polaris Star? How come we never heard about it?]

But inside Polaris Star, no one really made much of a fuss about Garrick’s occupation. After all, when you’ve got an Oscar–winning actress in your ranks, being a university dean seems pretty tame by comparison.

Alioth’s still dreaming about setting up a food truck outside the local elementary school selling hot dogs and fries.

Mizar shoot back a question mark and remarked: [How come I’ve never heard of the ‘former Merak‘ before? I checked his resume, and there’s a large gap in his history indeed. His published papers have got Polaris Star all over them. After matching him with other guys who look like him in the pictures, there’s no doubt it’s him! Boss, weren’t you planning on attending Imperial University?]

The former Merak had certainly piqued the interest of everyone at Polaris Star, and they were all itching to go see what kind of person he really was

Noella pondered for a moment, her mind swirling with questions. It seemed she would have to find Garrick and have a chat.

Why would her grandmother, if she was part of Polaris Star, end up in a place like Glen Village? And did she know

Polaris Star as well?

But deep down, Noella always believed that her grandmother would never harm her.

With a soft sigh, Noella quickly replied; [Set it up. We’ll enroll when school starts next month!]

[Yay! We are going to school with our boss!]

e had been to

The bunch of Polaris Star prodigies, who had never spent a day in a formal classroom, were brimming with excitement about college

life.

Noella closed her laptop and placed it back on the collection shelf, then turned to look out towards the balcony.

“Are you addicted to window–climbing or what, Palmer?”

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