The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

"Linnea, are you out of your mind? You can't catch a cab around school to save your life!”

"Buzz off." Linnea's voice was ice-cold as she snapped, "I didn't come here to pick you up just to listen to you trash-talk the Schnabels!” It was only then Oriana remembered Linnea’s connection to the Schnabels...

They were essentially family!

"Linnea, after all these years of being pushed around by the Schnabels, with Noella back, it's only going to get worse for you. Trust me, I wouldn't steer you wrong...”

Linnea frowned, "Do you think I'm brainless, or is it that you think your brain's just on another level? The Schnabels took me in; I'm not about to bite the hand that fed me. If you got expelled, that says more about you than it does about me.

I, Linnea, might be friendless, but I'm not desperate enough to buddy up with someone who can't tell right from wrong and is full of malice." Without a shred of mercy, Linnea left Oriana by the roadside and drove off, leaving nothing but a cloud of exhaust behind.

Oriana screamed in frustration, stamping her feet on the spot!

No sooner had the car pulled away than Linnea's phone buzzed with a call fram an unknown number.

"Ms. Schnabel, good day. This is Bowie Richardson from the Richardson clan. Do you remember me?"

"Vaguely. Your 'monkey fight’ face was quite the sight.”

Bowie's smile froze on his face!

Linnea hit the record button and asked indifferently, "What do the Richardsons want with me?"

"Well, I found our encounter at the cemetery quite fascinating. Might I have the honor of inviting you to dinner?"

"No."

"Don't you wish to improve your standing within the Schnabels? I feel for you, having suffered there. Just align with me, and you'll be the undisputed lady of the Schnabel household!"

Linnea’s lips twitched.

"Idiot. With your intellect. I'm afraid I’d be the first to suffer if I allied with you."

After hanging up, Linnea forwarded the recording to Noella with a little note: Ms. Schnabel, these folks are up to no good, scares me a bit. Noella's expression turned intriguing upon receiving Linnea's message

Bowie reaching out to Linnea wasn't surprising. But Linnea's method of handling it... was quite unique.

Hearing Linnea's firm stance in the recording, and the text she sent, a smile crept onto Noella’s face.

Elara leaned over to take a glance.

"I've been working with Grandpa Lucian recently to put the screws on Bowie's company. He's desperate, but it's not a big deal.”

"Do you need my help?"

Elara chuckled, ruffling Noella’s hair affectionately, “Leave this little issue to the adults. With Mr. Pollack and Beckett on it, Bowie's company is on the brink of bankruptcy!"

It was only in front of the Schnabels that Noella was seen as a naive child "As for Linnea, don't worry. I took some cousins out for a meal to snoop around."

Elara hopped off the couch, rummaging through her bag for a USB drive which she then plugged into the computer. The contents of the drive, a video file, were soon displayed on the screen

In the video, Linnea, donned in a wedding dress, stood at the altar, the groom's back facing the camera, unidentifiable. The groom's parents openly demanded the Schnabels foot the entire wedding bill.

Ephraim’s face turned sour instantly.

"You, the Schnabels, have wealth and property to spare, our family does not. Aftér the wedding, all of Linnea's asséts and her house will — go to us, have another daughterto marry off. itll serve as her wedding gift. Atso, Linnea’s just an adgpted aughter, Once she's married, bearing sons, serving the-in-laws, and caring for her husband and children are her duties. As for Linnea’s pets, just get rid of them. They're bad luck." to

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The faces of the Schnabels darkened at the mother-in-law's endless demands.

Linnea composed herself and turned to the groom. "Do you agree with this?"

"My mother’s decision is final. It's been hard on her: you should understand."

Linnea nodded slowly, then turned to Ephraim, finding no blame in the eyes of the Schnabels, only smoldering anger and sympathy. With a swift move, Linnea slapped the groom across the face!

The ceremony descended inte chaos. The groom's mother attempted to retaliate but was swiftly held down by the Schnabels’ security, unable to move.

Linnea yanked off her veil, using it to throttle the groom!

"I never wanted to get married; it was all to give my grandparents peace of mind. Let those responsible be held accountable. If it's too hard for your mom, hire a caretaker. Don’t carry regrets to the grave.”

As Linnea spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and began to pummel the groom.

The Schnabels watched, pretending not to see, while some of Linnea's younger relatives, who typically clashed with her, started to applaud. "Well done! If only you’d shown this fire earlier, who would've dared to mess with you?”

Linnea sighed

"Did you really expect me to just take it in front of all you scum?"

At such a lavish gathering, the Schnabe family spared no expense. But Linnea was quick to clarify, herNôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

™~ voice cutting through the air like ac knife, " This extravagance? Courtésy of theSchnabe S, sure. But it sure as heokNsn' for marrying you, you sorry excuse for a groom. Today.marks either your unlucky day of the moment you walk away!"

With a swift motion, Linnea adjusted the wide hem of her gown, her high-heeled foot landing squarely on the groom's thigh

A scream, akin to that of a pig being slaughtered, pierced the air, echoing deafeningly!

The video ended there, with no further footage captured

Noella was astounded. She hadn't expected Linnea to have such a fiery personality... Yet. she found it impossible to dislike her!

Elara shrugged, "A squabble among the Schnabel kids is just that—internal. They picked on Linnea, sure, thinking Ephraim favored her, but it was never anything serious."

It was all child's play to them, their irritation stemming from Linnea's usually timid and submissive demeanor at home. They were united against the world but seeing Linnea’s fiery temper, the Schnabel kids felt she truly belonged Elara massaged her temples. "After this incident, Linnea might just... develop an aversion to men?”

She worried Linnea might end up like Yvonne, unable to put her mind at ease. It took several lavish dinners with distant cousins to acquire the video footage. But having seen it, Elara found herself unable to dislike Linnea either.

Noella pondered for a moment. "Did anyone reach out to her family?”

Elara shook her head, "The groom who was just-beaten? He was introduced byhe own parents, claiming he-was from the same village aid thus a known quantity> Turngaut, they accepted money fronxhim, a mere ten grand, and sold Linnea off. Her parentsalso tried to extort money frofm the Schnabels but got chased off by Linnea herself!"

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Hearing all this, Noella felt a mix of emotions. "If that's the case, let's not make things harder for her.” Elara hugged Noella tightly, planting kisses on her face.

"I was worried she'd be trouble for you! Oh, our Noella, always so naive and kind-hearted!"