Chapter 76
Yasbel was massaging her earlobes and leaning into Noella, breathing out a scent as lovely as orchids, enchanting and mesmerizing.
“Okay, this bug might be an eyesore, but I’ve tested it out. We can mass–produce these bad boys, and the data’s good to go.”
The bugs from Polaris Star were made in cahoots with Harmonia Country Research Institute’s top–notch labs, supplied directly to the military and for Polaris Star’s internal use.
“You’ve been working your butt off. All the credit for this experiment’s data goes to you.”
Yasbel, tickled pink, hugged Noella’s arm and nuzzled it affectionately. “Who cares about credit? I wanna be in the spotlight!”
“You got it. I’ll bankroll you. Shoot whatever movie you want.”
Yasbel’s eyes lit up like Christmas trees! Her boss was rolling in dough these days.
Back in the day, they had to hustle like crazy just to scrape together some change for their experiments. They started companies left and right, some hitting the big time, others opening shops, but money was always tight.
And those lab gears cost an arm and a leg!=
Last time, they bought a few grams of some rock, and bam, over a hundred grand gone, making the boss mine for stones up in Northstone.
Just thinking about it got Yasbel all teary–eyed.
But now, her boss had switched to a family rolling in it, and finally, they could live a bit more comfortably!
“Next month, when the Gemstone Gambling King swings by Imperial City, you’re gonna be my plus one.”
Yasbel nearly bit her tongue off, stuttering as she looked at Noella. “The Gemstone Gambling… King?”
“The old man’s coming too. No more hiding.” Noella’s gambling skills were mostly learned from the old man and Yasbel. But Yasbel chose to flaunt her beauty in acting instead. If the old man caught her, she would probably get an earful for days!
Yasbel drooped, reluctantly agreeing. “Oh, boss, I bumped into two characters at the audition. What a scene! Ran into Briony and Yvonne, and they so don’t have what it takes to act.”
Briony and Yvonne? Why on earth would they think of joining showbiz?
“That’s none of my business.”
“Want me to mess with them? That Yvonne even told me to drop out. Hilarious! Even if I did, she
Chapter 76
couldn’t act her way out of a paper bag. Thinks she’s all that.”
Noella frowned slightly, looking at Yasbel with concern. “You okay?”
“All good, all good. If it weren’t for you showing up, there might’ve been trouble. You know I don’t know my own strength. Let’s grab some grub!”
Yasbel was one of Polaris Star’s own, someone Noella picked up from the edge of the international warzones.
If it came to a fight, she knew a ton of ways to shut Yvonne up.
In the audition hall, Yvonne was still wiping away tears.
Not Noella again!
Damn it, Noella. Even the actress Noella admired was one she couldn’t stand. If it weren’t for that shameless Yasbel snatching roles from her, she would have been the lead!
“Stirling, you’ve got to stand up for me! That Yasbel just bullied me and didn’t give a damn about our family…
Stirling spoke indifferently. “Just play a supporting role well; don’t cause drama. Remember you’ve got a resit at school and Grandma needs you. Don’t go looking for trouble everywhere.”
Yvonne didn’t want to go back to school! She studied medicine but couldn’t understand a thing! “Can I take a break from school… I want to take care of Grandma and maybe polish my acting. I don’t want to be the only dead weight in the Schnabel family.”
The real dead weight of the Schnabel family wasn’t her. It was Noella, who lazed around all day. Why did she get all the luck?
Stirling frowned, displeased. “What are you up to now? If you want to take a break, go talk to Grandpa, not me. If you want to act, start with the supporting roles. I started as an extra, and so will you. Take it step by step.”
Yvonne nodded, seething inside but not daring to contradict Stirling. She had no choice but to
agree.
But once she got into the crew, she would find her chance. Maybe some sabotage to make sure Yasbel could never act again and the lead role would be hers.
Briony, seeing this, hurried over like a lapdog. “Mr. Schnabel, give me a role too. I’m friends with Ms. Schnabel.”
Stirling felt she looked familiar, probably seen her around Yvonne’s circle before. He glanced at Briony with impatience. “Go audition yourself.”
Briony rushed after the departing Stirling, whispering, “I’m the sister of your family’s caretaker, Noella…”
She felt awkward saying it, and only Stirling heard.
Stirling’s eyes narrowed dangerously, staring straight at Briony. “You’re from the Lambert family?”
“Yes… I’m Noella’s sister from before; we’re family. If she did anything wrong, Mr. Schnabel, could you please forgive her for my sake?”
Stirling was about to burst into laughter from irritation! Where did the Lambert family get off? Complaining about their sister right to his face!
“Alright, I’m seriously sick of this crap!” Stirling, with a stone–cold face, called over some clueless security guards. “Throw her out! And blacklist their whole family from all Schnabel enterprises!”
Briony’s eyes widened in shock, wanting to argue her case, but she was quickly silenced and tossed out by security!
It had to be Noella’s doing! Everything was fine until Stirling heard Noella’s name and got mad; that was why he treated her this way!
If it weren’t for that jinx, Noella, she would’ve scored the role she wanted today and been a shining star in showbiz!
Briony was super bummed out and whipped out her phone to tattle to Vincent, only to find her phone had been off this whole time. She hurriedly turned it on and called, but after several attempts, no one picked up.
She wondered. “Where the heck did Mom and Dad go? They didn’t ditch me and go back to Noella, did they?”
The more Briony thought about it, the more she felt it was possible. If Noella got back into the Lambert family, she was certain to snatch everything that was hers!
She had to do something to prove she was the Lambert family’s most valuable daughter.
Finally, the call went through, and Vincent’s screams came from the other end. “My dear daughter! Hurry up and bring some cash to save us! Or else your mom and I are gonna get whacked!”
Briony’s eyes nearly popped out of her head! “Dad, what are you talking about? Where are you now?”
“Outskirts of Imperial City. They’re demanding five million; hurry up and bring the money to save us!”
Five million? She didn’t have that kind of cash! After her return to the family, she had been on a revenge shopping spree. Forget about having five million; she didn’t even have five hundred bucks on her.
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Chapter 76
“I, I don’t have that much money…”
“Go to Milford! Get the Rosenberg family to cough up the dough to save us! Ah! Stop hitting, stop hitting… Dear daughter, your mom’s and my lives are in your hands now!”
Vincent and Belinda’s screams were a nonstop horror show on the other end of the phone, sending chills down Briony’s spine.
Nearly in tears and panicking, she quickly agreed, “Okay, okay, I’m on my way to find Milford.”
