CHapter 41
The Killer Queen
Chapter 41
Serene Haven was buzzing with energy early in the morning. Both the Schnabel family at Phoenix Tower and the Pollack family at Dragon Tower were swamped with visitors.
After all, their buildings just
happened to be next to each other!
The guests all prepared two gifts just in case someone from either family took a shine to them.
People almost wore out the Schnabelsâ doorstep with all the giftâgiving traffic!
Yvonneâs rich girlfriends, who were tight with her, were green with envy seeing such a turnout!
âYvonne, your family is really going all out for you, throwing such a bash for your birthday. I heard they even transferred the deed of this house to you!â
âOh my gosh, Yvonne, youâre living the dream! I heard itâs being streamed worldwide; talk about parental love!â
Yvonneâs smile was a bit on the stiff side. âItâs not my birthday.â
The gals thought she was just being shy.
âWe know your birthdayâs next week. Youâre the only daughter of the Schnabels. If itâs not for your birthday, then whatâs all the fuss about? Your dad, mom, and brothers probably want to celebrate just with you next week, so theyâre doing it big now!â
âThat carpet youâre walking on costs a cool three mil! Thatâs so Schnabel family it hurts. Weâre so jealous!â
Yvonne was super awkward. She was totally at a loss for words! If only she knew how much she wished all of this was for her!
âDonât be like that⦠My parents donât like making such a big deal.â
Her friends gave her a playful nudge with their shoulders, and one of them said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, âYouâre one lucky girl. To be with you, your fiancé even bought the building next door. Those two towers are a match made in heaven; itâs envyâinducing.â
âPalmerâs got romantic moves like that?â
âAh, Iâd kill for a fiancé thatâs as romantic and thoughtful as yours!â
Palmer bought the building next door? Yvonne thought it must be for her!
He had no idea the Schnabels had any other daughters, so that purchase had to be for her!
Yvonneâs heart was buzzing with sweetness.
âItâs nothing: Iâll invite you all over sometime.â
Her friends let out sounds of envy.
Chapter 41
Meanwhile Vincent had been waiting at the hotel for the better part of the day and hadnât seen the hide or hair of the four bosses from several companies for lunch. The cheapest banquet he booked for 999 was about to go cold.
His secretary made a dozen calls, then came over to Vincent, sweating bullets.
âMr. Lambert, the bosses from the East Sea Culture Company, West Ocean Media, North Peak Finance, and South Mountain Financial all went to give gifts to Ms. Schnabel for her birthday party today.â
Vincent perked up. âTo get all those big shots to giftâgive, the Schnabels really are something. Get a present ready: weâre heading to Imperial City to give Ms. Schnabel our best!â
If they managed to catch the Schnabelsâ eye, who would worry about future partners?
Vincent started daydreaming about the Lambert family becoming the top dogs of Tranquility. City tomorrow if only the Schnabels would take him under their wing.
âWhat should we gift Ms. Schnabel?â
Vincent took a bite of his food but nearly spit it back out.
Nine hundred ninetyânine for a vast spread, and he even got quite a sum in commission. It was. no wonder he could tell some of the grub was yesterdayâs leftovers; even the cucumbers tasted off.
He put down his cutlery and wiped his mouth. âThe Schnabels are used to the good stuff; Ms. Schnabel probably wonât be impressed with anything. Itâs the thought that counts!â
âJust grab something from my wifeâs jewelry box, and letâs hit the road to Imperial City.â
âGot it; Iâll grab something right away!â
Whenever it was time to give a gift. Vincent would just snatch something from Belindaâs vanity. If she found out later, she couldnât say much..
It was all about being thrifty and free.
An hour later, Vincentâs ride pulled up in front of Serene Haven in Imperial City.
He stepped out and was instantly petrified by the scene before him!
âHoly moly, Ms. Schnabelâs birthday bash is no joke. Look at this crowd!â
The bigwigs one would typically only see on the business news were all lined up at the Schnabelsâ doorstep, gift boxes in hand, waiting to sign in!
âCome on, letâs bring up our gift. If just one boss lays eyes on our company, the Lamberts are going places. And if the Schnabels take a shine to us, even better.â
Vincent, holding a box that was a bit worn out, peeked inside at a pearl necklace and joined the queue to give gifts.
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âThe Lambert family from Tranquility City, here for Ms. Schnabelâs birthday.â
Wen, who was loading the gifts, was confused.
This name rand a bell it sounded like the family he had seen when picking up Noella before.
Wren looked up and sure enough, there was Vincentâs familiar muat
Thinking about how they even put out a public notice to disown Noella got Wrenâs blood boiling. What a dem Noella was, hanging out with her grandpa Marcel almost every day. From his old ww buddies to the doorman at Imperial West Hospital, everybody loved her!
Wren, with an icy stare, said, âWeâre not accepting this. You can leave.â
Vincent was frantic!
What do you mean youâre not accepting it? Iâm here to wish Ms. Schnabel a happy birthday!â
Wren turned to a servant behind him. âGo get the young masters.â
The moment the Schnabel boys heard that the Lambert family was causing a ruckus in the banquet hall, their vibes went through the roof, and they threw on their coats and stormed out!
All four of them were real catches, tall and decked out in black tailcoats like princes and Knights straight out of a fairy tale except they all had their game faces on, chilling the air so much that folks outside the banquet hall were quaking in their boots!
Vincentâs calves started twitching uncontrollably at the sight of these guys.
Man, it only he could snag one of them as a sonâinâlaw, the Lambert family would be sitting pretty for life.
Beckett said with an icy voice, âThe Schnabel family doesnât roll out the welcome mat for you. so beat it.â
Vincent was sweating bullets!
âI was just dropping off a gift for Ms. Schnabel. No need to get nasty⦠I mean, itâs the young. missâs birthday, wouldnât hurt to rack up some good karma, right?â
Ulrich retorted, âI wouldnât mind giving you a beatdown and tossing you out halfâcrippled, you
know.â
Vincent was speechless.
When did he ever cross the Schnabels? Why were they so ready to throw punches as soon as he opened his mouth?
Stirling chimed in, âWren, next time someone makes trouble at our doorstep, just chuck âem into the dog pen. My new Tibetan Mastiff is still hungry!â
Vincent was freaking out!
Donât the Schnabels have any respect for the law?
12:13
Chapter 41
The next moment. Jasper grabbed Vincent by the collar and hurled him out!
âTodayâs my sisterâs birthday, and we donât need any eyesores around. Scram.â
Beckett turned to the silent crowd with a corner of his mouth twitching into a cold, domineering. smirk.
âSorry to entertain you all with this mess. Todayâs the little sisâs birthday bash, and the Schnabel family only welcomes those with genuine wellâwishes. As for the Lambert bunch, who canât tell right from wrong and ditch their daughter after eighteen years, the Schnabel family doesnât associate with such trash!â
With that, the four Schnabel brothers walked away.
Vincent, clutching his nearly splitâinâhalf backside, was all over the place mentally.
What on earth was going on? Why were the Schnabels so hostile towards him?
With the Schnabels making their stance clear, everyone looking to hitch their wagon to a star took a step back, instantly distancing themselves from Vincent. They were not in the same boat as the Lambert family!
The last thing they wanted was a Schnabel misfire!
Vincentâs face was burning as he scurried away with the help of his secretary, clutching his behind.
Near Yvonne, a group of heiresses from wealthy families saw the commotion at the door and looked puzzled.
âYvonne, whatâs up with your brothers? Did that Lambert family offend you?â
âYvonneâs brothers are just too dreamy, ah! Each one is totally my type.â
Yvonneâs face sported a polite smile, but she was practically crushing the handkerchief in her hand!
Noella had been kicked to the curb by the Lambert family; why on earth were the Schnabel brothers still so nice to her?
If she could get them to acknowledge her as the one and only Schnabelâs daughter at the birthday celebration, then everything at the party would rightfully be hers!
A calculating glint flashed in Yvonneâs eyesâ¦