The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

That question threw Noella for a loop, and it made Palmer beside her sweat bullets!

Helen furrowed her brows at Noella, her gaze sharp. "It's just an engagement, not set in stone. If you're having second thoughts, just call it off."

Palmer frowned. "Grandma!"

He knew it was a mistake to let Helen meet Noella!

Helen slammed her hand on the table, her eyebrows knitting tighter as she glared at Palmer.

"Shut it. Did I ask you to speak? No respect! Off with you!"

She clearly didn't care much about the engagement. She knew her grandson all too well.

After a moment of thought, Noella honestly replied, "I don't plan on marrying him, or anyone for that matter, at the moment. I don't dislike Palmer. Let's just say we're friends."

Palmer heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Noella didn't dislike him, there was still a chance!

"Not too foolish. If you were rushing into marriage at such a young age, I'd have no respect for you. Your grandma in heaven would be so mad, she'd rise from her grave just to knock some sense into you."

Helen, while applying hand lotion, critiqued her grandson with her sharp words.

"Palmer's got a better temperament than his dad and stronger than his granddad - not foolish or spineless. But if he wants a wife, he's gotta learn the hard way. Men never value what comes easy."

In her eyes, Noella was still too young. Thinking of marrying Palmer at not even twenty seemed like foolishness to her.

"You knew my grandma?"

"Harriet Lambert? Back in her day, she was the heartthrob of Sexton. Since your grandma didn’t even give a second glance to a Pollack, if you fall for Palmer so easily, I'd think less of you."

Helen squinted, her wrinkles folding together, her thin lips curling in a peculiar smirk.

"Back then, whether it was Sexton or your granddad, and even Garrick, they were just flies buzzing around your grandma, swatted dead in no time."

Noella didn't quite understand what had happened with her grandma back then, nor could she comment on Helen's choice of words.

Jacob looked at the fried chicken and cola on the table, frowning, "Mom, this is what you ate for breakfast?"

Helen shot him a cold glance. "How old are you?"

"Me? I'm fifty."

"I'm seventy-six. You could eat healthy and still might not live as long as me. Mind your business, and you might live longer." NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

Jacob's mouth twitched, unable to utter a word!

Elara, trying not to laugh, gave her a thumbs up. "Grandma, you're awesome!"

Helen smiled, handing something to Elara. "I'm off to fish. Carry my stuff."

The Pollack family owned a resort, just a half-hour drive from Serene Haven.

An octogenarian lady going fishing at a resort sounded outrageous, but with Helen, it somewhat seemed normal.

As they helped Helen into the car, Noella checked her pulse.

Helen, sharp as ever, looked at Noella's serious side profile, her stunning eyes captivating.

"What, I've got health issues?"

"Grandma Helen, how did you know I was checking your pulse?"

"I'm not dead yet, dear. I'd know if someone was checking my pulse."

Noella got a taste of Helen's biting but not unkind manner.

"Grandma Helen, have you been having trouble sleeping lately? You seem to stay up late."

"Sleeping fine, dear. I just look at male models on my phone before bed. Sleep like a baby, though a bit late."

Noella was at a loss for words.

“Grandma Helen, do you get frequent headaches?"

"Only when I see the Pollack family calling. Gives me a headache every time, but I can't not answer. They might think I've kicked the bucket in some nursing home."

"Grandma Helen, are you feeling short of breath, having difficulty breathing?”

“Oh, that’s just me getting older and putting on weight. Can’t fit into my younger days’ dresses anymore, they’re too tight."

No matter what Noella said, Helen had an excuse ready.

Noella smiled lightly, understanding that the old lady was just making excuses so Palmer wouldn't worry about her.

"She's in good health," Noella concluded.

Helen smiled, pleased.

Elara gaped. "Noella, you can diagnose? I thought you and Grandpa were just playing when you checked his pulse, like some doctor-patient game!"

Noella smiled helplessly. "I'm nineteen, Elara."

Pretending to be a patient and doctor was not something she'd be doing, especially since Marcel wouldn't play along!

"But I remember Ulrich studied clinical medicine, not pulse reading. Who taught you?"

Helen glanced over. "Her grandma, Harriet, I'd wager. Loved all that holistic stuff, always ranting about the virtues of traditional medicine, always dabbling in the mystical."

Seeing Helen starting to rest, Elara didn't push further.

Life had been tough for her little sister!

Elara's mind conjured images of a young, frail Noella sitting with Harriet Lambert, picking herbs to sell for a living. Feeling a twinge of emotion, she grabbed her phone and sent Noella some money.

Noella, puzzled, stared at the unexpected notification of a money transfer on her phone.

Why on earth was she sending her money out of the blue?

Elara's note read: [For all your hard work! Here's some spending money for the month!]

No sooner had she picked up her phone again than she received another transfer, this time from Palmer.

Palmer's memo was straightforward: [For your consultation fees, thanks, fiancée.]

...

Upon arriving at the resort, Helen grabbed a fishing rod. "Go have fun, I've got plans. Don't bother me."

With that, she motioned for Jacob to carry the fishing gear towards the lake. There was already an old man sitting by the lake, seemingly the one Helen had arranged to meet.

Elara frowned. "Isn't that Garrick? He's the one Grandma arranged to meet?"

Noella shook her head. "Not sure, but Grandma Helen definitely knows Garrick."

Palmer's gaze fell on Noella. "Is Grandma doing okay?"

"Just the usual ailments, sleep disorders, mood swings, breathing difficulties. I've prescribed some medication for Grandma Helen to help manage them."

Palmer finally relaxed.

Helen was known for her eccentric behavior, often withholding the truth from her doctors.

With arms crossed and a haughty stride, Helen approached Garrick, seated by the lake.

Elara's eyes widened in shock!

Without a word, Helen kicked Garrick right into the lake!