The Killer Queen

Ulrich’s furrowed brow deepened as he glared at the medical chart in front of him.

Yvonne had the nerve to call him in just to treat Vincent? Did the Lamberts actually think they deserved his medical expertise? Why couldn’t they just drop dead and be done with it!

Memories of the conversation he’d overheard on the phone flooded back–whispers that Noella had been spotted at the hospital, perhaps even in the maternity ward.

Damn it all! The Lamberts must be spreading vile rumors about Noella! He should have done more than just have someone rough them up a bit; that was far too kind for their ilk!

Just as Wren had dug up, the Lamberts were a greedy, conscienceless lot.

Ulrich shuddered to think of what Noella must have endured with them before. The thought alone was enough to twist his heart in pain.

Noella noticed Ulrich’s growing agitation with the chart–his teeth clenched, his face contorted with a burning vengeance, looking as if he might rip the chart to shreds right then and there–and felt a twinge of confusion.

Ulrich was known to be the most even–tempered of the Schnabels.

“Ulrich, who’s sick?” she asked.

Ulrich quickly tucked the chart away and flashed a tender, warm smile. “It’s nobody important, just an annoying bug. Not worth our attention.”

He gently stroked Noella’s silky hair and covertly exchanged a knowing glance with Palmer.

“Noella, you just focus on eating. I’ll go check on things.”

The moment Ulrich stepped out of the office, the spring breeze of his smile vanished, replaced by an icy, steely resolve.

Annie approached with a respectful bow. “Dr. Schnabel, I’m Mr. Pollack’s assistant. Ms. Yvonne is currently in the underground parking garage.”

As a capable assistant, Annie knew precisely what to do the instant she saw Ulrich emerge–a Schnabel through and through, he was surely out for blood now.

“Lead the way.” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

In the parking garage, Yvonne was gagged with several layers of duct tape and bound to a concrete pillar. She was cornered by a few of Thorpe’s thugs, with no chance to cry for help!

The situation was terrifying!

Despite her claim to be a Schnabel, the thugs had dared to abduct her! And they had chosen such a secluded spot, surrounded by Thorpe’s cars, ensuring no one would come by!

Yvonne was close to despair.

The sound of leather soles hitting the concrete echoed through the silent garage.

Ulrich, clad in his white coat, walked in from the other side, his polished shoes kicking up dust that seemed to sparkle in the light.

Approaching against the backlight, his handsome face was a mask of frost as he eyed Yvonne’s captors.

“Which group are you guys from? Mind if I take this one off your hands?”

The thugs ignored him, their eyes on something in Annie’s hand. She discreetly held up an item from the Abyssal Organization and gestured to the thugs.

Once the thugs confirmed Annie’s affiliation with the Abyssal Organization, they dropped their guard around Ulrich.

“Was the surgery a success?”

Annie hurried forward. “A complete success. We’ll take it from here.”

Nodding, the thugs tossed Ulrich the loose end of the rope binding Yvonne and quickly vanished into the garage.

From the moment she saw Ulrich, Yvonne was paralyzed with relief. Someone had finally come to rescue her!

She knew the Schnabels wouldn’t abandon her; she was still important to them. If it weren’t for Noella’s unexpected return, she’d still be the Schnabels‘ darling little princess.

“Mmph…” Yvonne attempted to speak through the duct tape, issuing muffled cries towards Ulrich.

Ulrich’s icy gaze fell on her, sending shivers down her spine!

Why was the usually gentle Ulrich looking at her like that?

Ulrich might have appeared to be the mildest of the Schnabel children, but Yvonne knew better. It was all a facade. In truth, Ulrich was the most terrifying of them all!

Even if she accidentally crossed the other Schnabels, the worst she’d get was a scolding. Jasper and Stirling might have harsh words, but they were the soft–hearted ones of the family. But the least soft–

hearted? That was the man before her, Ulrich.

Yvonne still remembered, as a child, accidentally shattering Ulrich’s favorite vase. She had endured two long months of his creative punishments, leaving her too scared to even visit the Schnabels for a while.

Ulrich crouched down, picked up a small knife from the ground, and, without a hint of mercy, used the blade to lift a corner of the duct tape on Yvonne’s mouth before ripping it off. The pain was so intense that Yvonne screamed, tears streaming down her face.

She couldn’t say a word against Ulrich’s cold stare.

Ulrich…”

“Yvonne.” Ulrich’s voice was sharp, “explain why you’re here.”

Yvonne’s eyes darted around, desperately concocting an excuse, but Ulrich’s grip on her jaw silenced her.

“Didn’t I tell you that Noella is our family’s daughter? Why can’t you remember? You think you can take what’s hers?”

“Ulrich, I wasn’t going after Noella. I was scared. I heard she snuck into the maternity ward, and I just followed because I was worried something happened to her. I swear, I had no other intentions!”

Ulrich’s smile was devoid of warmth as he looked down at her. “Really? And what makes you so sure Noella has been to the maternity ward? Let me guess, because if Noella was expecting. with some guy. the Pollack family would kick her to the curb, and we, the Schnabels, would never forgive her, leaving you the perfect opening. Right?”

Yvonne’s eyes widened with panic. “Ulrich, I swear, that’s not what I was thinking. I didn’t mean anything by it; I’m just concerned about Noella. If I had such intentions, I’d have marched straight to Mr. Pollack…”

Her little scheme was as clear as day to Ulrich, and she was all out of sorts.

“You didn’t go to him? Then how did this lady beside me end up with that red mark on her face? Did she slap herself for fun?”

Annie was just as startled.

Ulrich deduced that from a red mark? Were all the sons of the Schnabel family that sharp?

Yvonne was stunned, too. She couldn’t believe this… this snitch had dared to tattle on her!

So what if she had slapped her? She was going to be the future matriarch of the Pollack family. and she’d have every right to fire all these seductive women.

Yvonne glared at Annie with venom in her eyes.

Just from her expression, Ulrich knew his offhand guess had hit the mark..

“Yvonne, you’re a Schnabel, but you’re out here acting a fool. Mr. Pollack’s assistant is his trusted aide. You think you can just strike one of Mr. Pollack’s own and he won’t come after you?”

Yvonne started to feel a bit scared. “Ulrich, she’s just an assistant. It was her fault for getting in my way that day. I wouldn’t have hit her otherwise.”

Ulrich let out a scornful laugh. “Do you think I’m an idiot? You know how the Lamberts have been treating Noella. If you’re so chummy with them, then maybe you don’t need to part of the Schnabels anymore.”

What was he implying?

11:41

“Ulrich! I’m sorry! I really am! The Lamberts reached out to me! I came because I was so worried about Noella. They’ve looked after her for years, and when they start talking smack, I wanted to find out the truth.”

The look Ulrich gave Yvonne was filled with nothing but disdain. “If you trust them over your own family, then go be a Lambert. How about you run along and play Vincent’s little girl? What do you think of that?”

Yvonne’s eyes bulged in shock. “Ulrich, what do you mean?”