Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 145

The comment had been loud enough, the hint more than obvious.

For once, Bianca's cheeks flushed. Only after Lillian had walked away did she turn to Seth, a little embarrassed, and tried to explain. "Lillian's always been loud and straightforward, ever since she was a kid. Don't mind her."

Seth smiled, his eyes bright with amusement. "Mind what, exactly?"

She hesitated, uncertain. "Mind her calling you my brother-in-law, or mind her very public blessing just now?"

Honestly—no sense of occasion, flirting so openly.

Seth really had changed.

He used to blur every line between his personal and professional life, but in the end, even he had surrendered to love.

He seemed like a stranger, someone Noreen barely recognized anymore.

Maybe everything from the past had been nothing but a fleeting dream.

Maybe the man she'd loved was only the version she'd created in her head, not the Seth standing before her now.

Maybe she'd just been moved by her own imagination.

Bianca seemed genuinely shy, unsure how to respond to Seth's teasing.

Just then, Noreen passed by, supporting Carman on her arm. She glanced their way and, a little flustered, scolded playfully, "Hey, there are people around, you know."

Seth merely shot Noreen a detached glance before turning away, his expression unreadable.

Noreen didn't pause. She walked right past them, heading for the curb to flag down a taxi.

Bianca looked at Seth.

He opened the car door for her. "Shall we?"

"Yeah, let's go."

Right before climbing in, Bianca cast a fleeting look in the direction where Noreen had left, the corners of her mouth lifting in a faint, dismissive smile.

She couldn't have looked more unconcerned.

Over the past few weeks, she'd watched and considered—and now she was certain.

Seth felt nothing for Noreen. In fact, he was downright cold toward her.

There was none of that possessive spark men sometimes had for women.

Not someone an ordinary graduate like Noreen could ever hope to compete with.

To even consider her a rival was almost insulting to Bianca's education.

Of course Seth didn't spare Noreen a second thought—anyone with sense would do the same.

Still, Bianca managed to keep her humility in check. She told Seth she planned to meet with her project team once they got back to the hotel, to make sure everything was ready for tomorrow's summit—she wanted to make Aurelion Group proud.

Seth looked at her with genuine concern. "Don't work yourself too hard."

"I won't," Bianca replied, "just wish I could spend more time with you."

He was as thoughtful as ever. "Whatever you need, I'm happy to support you."

His unwavering trust left Bianca feeling completely at ease.

Meanwhile, Noreen and Carman stood by the curb for nearly ten minutes before they finally found a cab.

Carman, half-sober from the chilly wind, felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't helped Noreen at all—in fact, she'd ended up looking after him.

"Next time I have to go out for drinks, I'll handle it myself," Noreen told him quietly. "You don't need to cover for me—I can take care of myself."