Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 149

Jude had expected Noreen to fly into a rage.

Instead, she just flashed him a bright, amused smile and asked, "I heard you lost your father half a billion last year. Is that true?"

"What's it to you?!" Jude snapped, feeling as if she'd jabbed him right in the gut. He was instantly on edge.

Lately, it seemed like everyone who crossed his path had to bring up that humiliating episode. If he wasn't already half-traumatized by it, he was getting there.

It was bad enough he couldn't hold his head up around the Wilders anymore—did he really have to endure Noreen looking down on him too?

"I could show you a way out, you know."

Her smile was dazzling.

For a second, Jude was almost thrown off by it, his thoughts grinding to a halt.

He blurted out, "What way out?"

"You should be a screenwriter. I think you'd be perfect for writing those over-the-top soap operas."

—

Meanwhile, Bianca stuck close to Seth, making the rounds and meeting all sorts of new contacts.

Once again, she witnessed just how much clout Seth carried in the business world—even though he was one of the younger faces in the crowd.

But at events like this, influence and reputation spoke louder than age.

It made Bianca even more certain that following Seth back home had been the best decision she'd ever made.

Dylan had been impressive in his own right; otherwise, she never would have followed him abroad in the first place. But now, Omniva Group simply couldn't compete with the meteoric rise of Aurelion Group.

Maybe she'd hesitated before. Now, she was all in with Seth.

"I really learned a lot today," Bianca said to Seth when they found a quiet moment between handshakes and small talk. "Artificial intelligence is definitely going to drive the next tech revolution. We have to seize the opportunity."

Seth nodded, approving of her sharp business instincts.

Bianca's confidence grew. "By the way, I overheard quite a few people talking about this AI software called InnoCore. I tried out the beta myself—it's honestly miles ahead of anything else on the market, and it's not even the final product yet. I can see it making waves across so many industries; the potential is huge."

"Couldn't you just steer clear of her when you see her coming?"

Jude bristled. "Why should I? Who does she think she is?"

"That's not what I mean. I just think, if she always gets under your skin, maybe it's better to avoid her and save yourself the headache. Sometimes it's smarter to walk away."

"And don't stoop to her level," she added.

Jude liked that advice; the tension in his shoulders eased. "That's why you're the best, Bianca."

And then, as if he'd forgotten who else was there, he turned to Seth and declared, "Seth, you'd better treasure her. Women like Bianca don't come around often!"

Seth rolled his eyes. "Did I ask for your input?"

Bianca stifled a laugh and handed Jude a bottle of water. "Alright, calm down. It's not the first time Noreen's put you in your place; no need to let it get to you."

But as she said it, Jude couldn't help but recall every time Noreen had humiliated him. He was fuming all over again.