The Killer Queen (Noella Briony) novel Chapter 309

Lucian looked back on those days with a silent shake of his head.

"The Master only said, ‘Let it be!’"

The mistakes of his youth, he still had to bear in his old age. When he adopted Lorne and Bowie, he wondered if this could be considered a good deed, a way to atone for his mistakes. But in Horatio's eyes, these were all obsessions!

If back then he knew the repercussions would fall on his own child, perhaps he wouldn't have insisted on having his daughter Lavinia.

Bowie chuckled alongside. "Grandpa, if that's the case, don't dwell on it too much. I'll take care of Lorne's funeral arrangements. You're not in the best of health, so there's no need for you to attend. Let Elara and I handle it. After all, the Richardson legacy will eventually go to Elara."

Lucian stubbornly shook his head. "No, Bowie, you're my grandson too. What Elara has, you'll have as well. I won't favor one over the other! Having Elara back doesn’t mean I’ll stop seeing you as my own. I’ve treated both you and Lorne as my own for so many years."

Lorne's stubbornness led him astray!

"I understand."

"Elara, you and Bowie take care of it! You were raised by Marcel and Merrick. I trust you can handle it."

Elara thought for a moment. With Lucian putting it that way, it was clear he hoped Elara would return to the Richardson family, giving him some peace of mind. What mattered most to the old man now was his descendants.

"Alright, Grandpa, I understand."

Hearing her refer to him so naturally as Grandpa, Lucian's eyes welled up with tears. After patting Elara and Bowie's hands, he left the hospital.

Bowie politely asked, "Elara, have you eaten yet? I haven't had a chance to grab a bite since my flight. Would you mind joining me for a quick meal? I've brought some documents over, so you won't be bored. If you don't trust me because of what Lorne did, you can just look over the documents. We can act like family in front of Grandpa and Aunt, and strangers otherwise."

Bowie's tactful manner was a stark contrast to Lorne's personality. No wonder the Richardson’s family business was entrusted to him. Compared to Lorne, Bowie had a comforting presence, like a breath of fresh spring air.

With him lowering his stance so much, Elara found it hard to refuse.

"Sure. There's a nice diner nearby, owned by the Schnabel family. Do you mind?"

"Not at all."

...

At the Imperial University, Noella walked into the classroom with her backpack, finding a seat in the back row of the large amphitheater.

Absentmindedly, she rubbed the USB drive Palmer had given her. She was supposed to check it as soon as she got home, but then there was the whole ordeal with Lavinia, plus helping out with some late-night errands for Polaris Star and Horatio. She hadn't had a chance to see what was on it yet.

The USB felt like it still carried Palmer's warmth, bringing a smile to Noella's face.

A new person took the seat beside her. Malvina, wearing a preppy plaid skirt and hiding her face behind a book, sat next to Noella.

Malvina's expression was one of utter distress. Upon seeing Noella, she looked like she was on the verge of tears!

Noella raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "Malvina? What brings you here? Did you suddenly decide to relive your college days?"

"I checked your class schedule and knew you'd be here. Relive college days? As if! I finally graduated and there's no way I'm going back to school. Noella, darling, your brother Ulrich...”