The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 126

Chapter 126

“Holy shit.”

Even Ethan, usually the picture of innocence, couldn’t help himself and blurted out something unfiltered.

His face went from pale to purple with fright, but he still tried to keep his cool and said,

“Haha…

“Master, honestly, I think it’d be way better if little Natasha taught me instead…”

His expression switched in a flash, like an actor dropping his mask right on stage.

Maxwell and Hannah both fixed Nova with a look so intense, it was clear they were completely shaken.

Their faces showed shock–and utter disbelief.

‘How little did we think of her back then, to believe she was just some regular girl who’d never picked up self- defense?‘ they both wondered.

‘But in reality-

‘She could shatter all 106 bones in a person’s body, just by teaching them a lesson…

‘Even her crew packs power like this!

“To think, back then, we actually put her in the same league as those secret tough guys at school… What a joke! Looking at it now, we must’ve been blind.‘

“So, now you finally get it?” Natasha teased, flashing a confident, mischievous smile.

Then she expertly flipped Ethan’s arm back in one smooth motion.

There was a sharp crack.

Ethan let out another yelp of pain.

This time, he drew in a sharp breath, rolled his arm, and gave it a quick shake to ease the ache.

Ethan looked like he’d just had the wind knocked right out of him–pain written all over his face, as if he could barely catch his breath.

Natasha hurried over to Nova, grabbed her hand, and gave it an eager shake.

Just seconds ago she was a fierce wolf baring her fangs at Ethan, now she was all soft again–a cuddly, docile little lamb.

“Sis Nova, did you see that?” Natasha said, eyes bright and sparkling.

“Was I awesome or what?”

Nova couldn’t help smiling at Yao’s eager attempt to earn brownie points; reaching out, she gently mussed Natasha’s hair in a playful, affectionate gesture.

Their interactions had this effortless, almost telepathic vibe–like they were totally in sync. It left Ethan, Maxwell, and Hannah stunned all over again.

Nova was already a total outlier in their eyes.

Now, seeing her crew, they realized not only were they seriously formidable, but each one had that same offbeat charm that set Nova apart–every single one was a character.

What the hell is going on here?‘ they all wondered.

It was giving them deja vu–like all of this weirdness strangely echoed the world they used to live in.

“Boss Nova, someone’s here for you!” Woody called.

He strode through the doors of the training base, ushering in a handsome guy with messy golden hair and sharp Oriental features.

Ever since Woody found out Nova was the new boss of Frostwave Bar, he couldn’t get enough of calling her “Boss“-saying it every chance he got, totally loving the vibe.

Trailing in after Woody was none other than Aiden Cross.

Damien Thorn was nowhere in sight.

This was actually the first time Aiden had ever turned up by himself.

Nova immediately sensed something was off. She remembered how Damien and Aiden hadn’t stuck around for dinner at her grandparents‘ place yesterday–they’d left in a hurry.

‘More like…

‘Something serious must’ve happened,‘ Nova thought.

As Aiden stepped in, the first thing he noticed was Natasha leaning close beside Nova.

His usually tired, striking eyes immediately brightened the moment he saw her.

“Well, hey there, kid. Looks like we meet again,” his tone was laid–back, nothing fancy, but you could easily hear the hint of affection in it, like he couldn’t help but be a little soft on her.

With Aiden’s killer looks and that subtle warmth in his voice, it was hard not to let your mind wander–or, honestly, start thinking up wild rumors.

The instant Natasha caught sight of Aiden, her stomach dropped.

That scene flashed before her eyes–him grabbing her and dragging her out of her own villa.

The way he’d shamelessly teased her: “You’re not exactly little, you know.” So much for being a gentleman.

Natasha hated people who couldn’t act serious. She turned away and let out an annoyed huff.

“Hmph!”

As far as Natasha was concerned, Aiden was the absolute worst–she couldn’t stand the guy one bit.

Aiden gave a respectful nod. “Ms. Blake.”

He was here strictly on business today–no time to spar with that brat.

Switching to a formal tone, he turned his full attention to Nova.

In the underground world, people didn’t waste words–they spoke volumes with just a look or a gesture.

Most of the time, their body language said everything–they could size each other up and catch the real meaning without ever speaking a word.

“You guys keep going with Natasha, I’ll be back in a minute.”

Nova’d instantly picked up that Aiden wanted a private word, so she just nodded at Maxwell, Ethan, and Hannah to keep going.

Then Nova slipped out of the training base.

Right outside Frostwave Bar, taking up half the lot, was a flashy private helicopter–no way you could miss it.

Aiden turned serious, getting straight to the point with Nova.

“Ms. Blake, my boss has gotten himself into some trouble.

“Any chance you’d come with me to the Greslin Gala tonight?”

Aiden didn’t even flinch at the idea of Nova refusing.

He spoke with deliberate calm, then continued,

“Whatever happens tonight at the Greslin Gala, Shadow Sanctum will ensure your absolute safety.

“Your presence will remain entirely confidential–no one will know you were ever involved.

“And once it’s over, you get free rein to choose from any of Shadow Sanctum’s resources, wealth, or power as your reward for the night. How does that sound?”

That last sentence was coached by Damien–he’d been very specific in telling Aiden what to say.

As he spoke, Aiden had his doubts.

‘Would Nova really be tempted by promises of power and cash?‘ he wondered.

But before Aiden could even finish doubting, Nova shot back, fast and crisp-

“I’m in. So…

“When do we head out?”

On the surface, the Greslin Gala seemed no different from a regular business gathering.

It was just like those high–society galas Nova used to go to as Blake family’s third daughter, mingling with Ravenport’s elite.

But in reality, they were worlds apart.

The Greslin Gala was no ordinary gathering–it was a notorious, secretive event hosted by the Greslin family,

a reclusive clan wielding formidable power on the global stage.

Most of the guests were Greslin family members themselves.

They almost never let outsiders in.

That was why hardly anyone outside the family knew anything about it.

But what truly made the Greslin Gala infamous around the world was something far stranger.

The attendees were almost exclusively Greslin family members.

Yet by the end of the night, half of those present would end up dead–every single time.

The reason behind this mass slaughter remains a mystery to this day.

Because of this, the Greslin Gala had earned a chilling nickname among outsiders-“gala of Death“-a gathering shrouded in darkness, soaked in blood.