The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

Ulrich's hand was already reaching out, but upon hearing Noella's words, he retracted it.

Beckett and Jasper stood at the door, both mirroring Ulrich's expression.

Only Palmer had a slight smile on his face, his gaze constantly following Noella's movements, never shifting away no matter what she did!

The light cast on them outlined their figures under the Tyndall effect, the profiles of Noella and Palmer complementing each other as if all other sounds in the world were suddenly superfluous.

Elara suddenly felt like she was third wheeling. Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

"Uh, I just remembered I haven't put on my shoes. I'll head out first. Jasper, could you settle the bill for me?"

"Sure, anything for you."

Elara had rushed out too hastily, running barefoot all the way, only now feeling the chill creeping into her soles.

Jasper quickly ushered Elara away from the scene.

Beckett glanced at Palmer's wound. Noella was being very careful and attentive, occasionally asking him if it hurt.

Watching the scene unfold, Beckett chuckled softly, his eyes reflecting a mix of loss and contentment. The emotions were complex, but he eventually closed the door.

Beckett turned to face Dalia and Darcy. "Noella's fine. I'll drive you home."

Dalia was practically bubbling with excitement. "Ms. Schnabel and Mr. Pollack are so close! In the past, whenever Mr. Pollack had some free time, he would join Ms. Schnabel at work!"

Everyone in the gallery knew Palmer; every time he brought afternoon tea for Noella, he'd also treat the staff, and they've been mooching off Noella's treats for a while! They've practically adopted Palmer as one of their own, seeing him as their boss's man!

Darcy quickly refused, "Mr. Schnabel, we're just here to check on Noella. You don't have to trouble yourself. We can take a cab back!"

Beckett stood still, turning his gaze to Darcy.

In the bustling hospital corridor, with the smell of disinfectant spreading everywhere, Beckett's gaze met Darcy's.

After a moment, his lips curved slightly, his tone leaving no room for argument, "Are you refusing me? It's just a ride home, no trouble at all."

With those words, he turned and left, as if the chilly atmosphere hadn't been his doing at all!

Darcy had no choice but to pull Dalia along.

After all, her sister was still working under the Schnabel family's enterprise. It wouldn't do to offend the Schnabels, nor was this unnecessary interaction with Beckett.

With that thought, Darcy braced herself and followed Beckett's lead.

Beckett drove steadily, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, not sparing a glance for the passengers behind him.

Dalia, being younger and having had work interactions with Beckett at the gallery, chattered away about her job.

Beckett listened attentively, nodding after Dalia had finished.

"Thank you, your cooperation makes Noella's job easier."

"No, no, it's all thanks to Ms. Schnabel's management. She’s truly remarkable. I had an issue with an exhibit setup, and despite revising it over a dozen times, I couldn't find the problem. Yet, she spotted it right away!"

Dalia was practically in awe of Noella! Despite being about the same age, Ms. Schnabel was so much more accomplished!

"Does Mr. Pollack often visit Noella?"

"Yeah, Mr. Pollack sends afternoon tea when he's busy and even accompanied Ms. Schnabel to work last time!"

Seeing Noella and Palmer through an outsider's perspective always gave a clearer understanding of their relationship. Beckett felt reassured.

Perhaps it was Beckett's reciprocal manner that made Dalia drop her guard, daring to gossip.

"Mr. Schnabel, do you have a girlfriend?"

"No."

Dalia was both surprised and a bit disappointed.

"Have you had any girlfriend in the past?"

Beckett responded lightly, "There was one, but she felt I wasn't presentable enough, so even when we met her family, no one knew we were dating."

"What? That's terrible!"

Beckett smiled gently, steering the car onto a new lane, diverging from the original flow of traffic.

"I didn't understand her insecurities back then, so it was my fault. Encounters in a crowd are rare, but losing each other is easy."

Dalia nodded, somewhat understanding. "You are right, but it's still such a pity."

Darcy bit her lower lip, her voice slightly hoarse. "Wasn’t Mr. Schnabel planning to get engaged next year?"

"Yes, the date is set, but the person isn't."

Dalia gasped, "What? You can do that? Set a date before finding the person?"

"The family's pressing, and it's a good excuse to buy some time. If I don't find someone by then, I’ll just let Noella and Mr. Pollack get engaged, which wouldn't be a problem."

Beckett indeed had an engagement party planned for next May.

"If Noella and Mr. Pollack also aren't ready to get engaged, I'll just tell my mother I got dumped. She'd understand. Considering I'm of age and have so many younger siblings, it's not easy finding someone in the dating market."

Dalia hadn't expected Beckett to have such a sense of humor! They always thought of him as stern and distant, but now she realized how witty and fun he actually was!

"With your condition, it should be easy to find someone! I believe your engagement party next May will definitely happen!"

"Let's hope so."

Darcy couldn't shake the feeling that Beckett's words, and more specifically his gaze, were meant for her. It was like sitting on a bed of nails, uncomfortable and piercing.

When the car pulled up near Darcy and Dalia's shared home, Beckett's lingering look finally broke, and he drove off, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

Dalia turned to say something to Darcy, only to find her sister still staring after Beckett's car, her eyes filled with emotions that Dalia couldn't quite decipher.

"Hey, what's up with you? Darcy, why are you rushing off like that?"

Without a word, Darcy hurried back to their house and straight into her room, locking the door behind her.

Beckett's words echoed in her head, stirring up feelings of discomfort and unease. The shattered truths of years past lay bare before her, making her feel all the more cornered.

It felt like Beckett was speaking in riddles today.

Was he trying to explain something to her?

But the events of the past weren't something she could simply resolve on her own. Whether it was her own departure without a word or the Schnabel family's unexpected visit, it was all too much for Darcy to handle.

Her phone vibrated on the floor, a message lighting up the screen.

[I'm sorry for the late apology. Also, I've come to know everything about what happened back then. - Beckett.]

Darcy's hands trembled as she read it, unsure of how much Beckett truly knew. She reached to brush away her hair, only to realize her hands were wet with tears.

Regret and an indescribable pain pierced her heart. Darcy covered her face, crying silently.

...

Meanwhile, in an office elsewhere, Ulrich watched Noella expertly bandage Palmer's wounds.

"Noella, where did you learn to do that?"

"I've known since I was a kid."

Ulrich was stunned, and a wave of sadness washed over him. He couldn't help but imagine the grim scenes from the past when his sister and grandmother had to tend to their wounds all alone.