Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 179

Noreen waited at the entrance for about five minutes before Wade arrived.

She personally helped him out of the car, steadying him by the arm.

Wade asked if she'd been waiting long, and Noreen quickly shook her head, insisting she hadn't.

Even though she denied it, Wade could tell she'd been there a while, and he was quietly pleased with her attitude.

"Being punctual is important," Wade said as they walked. "Anyone who wants to achieve great things needs to treat time as their most precious resource—plan every task with method and care."

Whatever Wade had to say, Noreen listened with genuine humility.

By the time they reached the private dining room, everyone else was already seated.

As soon as Wade entered, the entire room stood up to greet him.

Some called out, "Big brother."

Others addressed him as "President Harcourt."

But everyone's demeanor was respectful to the point of reverence.

Even though Noreen had mentally prepared herself for this dinner—knowing full well every guest was a major player in their own right—it was something else entirely to stand before them in person.

Any one of these people, she realized, could shake up the entire business community of Rivercrest City with just a word.

She recognized a few faces; others she'd only ever seen on television.

Yet all of them, no matter how influential, treated Wade with clear deference.

It was then that Noreen remembered Wade held another title: President of the Rivercrest Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber was a nonprofit association, drawing together the city's most prominent businesses across manufacturing, finance, trade, pharmaceuticals, education, real estate, tech, and the internet—an organization dedicated to serving, uniting, and advancing the Rivercrest business sector.

Wade quickly addressed their confusion, explaining that Winrich was a newly established investment firm, small in both assets and scale.

But the fact that such an obscure company could win Wade's personal support spoke volumes. These were savvy people—they caught the message immediately and treated Noreen with the utmost courtesy.

With introductions out of the way, Noreen had the chance to present the project she was currently working on.

When she mentioned she was the investment partner for InnoCore, Chase Naylor—the CEO of Naylor Automotive Group—perked up, his eyes lighting with interest. He struck up an animated conversation with Noreen without hesitation.

Word traveled fast.

Others around the table had at least heard of InnoCore, and soon Noreen found herself fielding questions from other guests as well. But none were as enthusiastic as Chase.

"My son told me he thinks AI algorithms can optimize our vehicles," Chase said. "He claims we could achieve advanced intelligent driving with limited computing power, reduce costs, and—by integrating multiple sources of data—analyze sensor information in real time. That way, our cars could make better decisions in complex situations: accurately identify obstacles, plan safe routes, and improve autonomous driving overall."

"AI really can do all of that," Noreen replied. "Not only can it optimize vehicle performance, it's also driving innovation across the whole automotive industry. It speeds up research and development, accelerates new features, and pushes the industry forward as a whole."