Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 364

Meetings are just so dull. Gossip is so much more entertaining!

So why wouldn’t anyone gossip with him?

Bianca couldn’t help but notice the empty seat where Noreen usually sat, her eyes dimming as she looked over. The suspicion that had flickered through her mind earlier now seemed almost certain. Disappointment flashed in her gaze.

That evening, Dylan did show up for drinks, but he came alone.

Jude nudged him as soon as he sat down. “Where’s that woman from earlier? Why didn’t you bring her along?”

Dylan grinned, clearly in a good mood. “She’s not really into this kind of thing.”

“Oh, listen to you—already acting protective?” Jude teased. “Come on, who is she, anyway? She must be special to turn you into this.”

Dylan just laughed. “What’s the rush? You’ll find out soon enough.”

Jude wouldn’t let up. “How soon is ‘soon’? Are we talking wedding bells or a baby shower?”

“Maybe both,” Dylan replied, sounding perfectly serious.

Jude nearly jumped out of his seat. “Wait, so you’re actually thinking about marriage?”

“Yeah,” Dylan said, without hesitation.

Bianca sat across from them, hearing every word. Her expression instantly chilled. She’d been with Dylan for over six years, and he’d never once brought up marriage. Even when she’d tried hinting at it, he’d always dodged the topic. Now he was saying he wanted to get married.

She squeezed her glass so tightly her knuckles turned white, her face pale. But nobody seemed to notice her reaction.

Dylan casually glanced over at Seth, as if checking for a response. But Seth’s face was unreadable. His eyes were calm, giving nothing away, as if he couldn’t care less about their conversation.

Jude did his best to pry more details out of Dylan, but Dylan wouldn’t budge. Eventually, Jude gave up. It wasn’t until he turned to refill his own drink that he realized Seth had quietly downed more than half a bottle by himself.

“Seth, what’s up with you?” Jude asked, shaking the nearly empty bottle. “This isn’t some business dinner—why are you drinking so much?”

“Just recently,” Jude said. “You wouldn’t believe how much Mrs. Naylor likes Noreen—she spent the whole press conference talking to her. My dad says Mr. Naylor wanted to introduce Noreen to Healy the first time they met, but Noreen turned him down. Healy’s a sly one—never let any of this slip.”

Dylan frowned, deep in thought.

…

It was already past ten when Noreen finished her phone call with Vincent. The conversation had been so engrossing that neither of them noticed how late it had gotten. If Mrs. Vincent hadn’t come in and reminded them, they probably would’ve kept talking all night.

Vincent had never met someone who saw things the way he did. He’d always thought Noreen was smart, capable, and beautiful, but now he realized those qualities paled in comparison to her genuine charm. Even he, someone who’d been worn down by life until he barely had any fight left, found himself inspired by her energy.

He told Noreen he’d be back in Rivercrest City in a couple of days to meet her in person.

With that settled, Noreen put down her phone and got ready for a shower and some rest. But just as she was about to head to the bathroom, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at the screen, recognizing the familiar number instantly.

It was late—what could Seth want with her at this hour?