Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 218

At the front desk, the receptionist added, “…And Mr. Wilder said that once you’re finished, you’re to handwrite a ten-page reflection for him to review.”

Jude was speechless.

He wanted to die.

——

Wednesday was Wade Harcourt’s birthday.

Noreen had cleared her schedule specifically to celebrate with him. When Seth had mentioned it earlier, she hadn’t responded—not out of rudeness, but because she simply didn’t feel like chatting with him. Besides, she wasn’t coming because of Seth; she was coming on her own terms.

It had been a long time since Noreen last visited the Harcourt estate, yet nothing seemed to have changed. The garden gate was slightly ajar; all she had to do was push it open and walk in.

Wade was sitting in the living room, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows when he spotted Noreen near the entrance. He turned to Evelyn and murmured something.

Evelyn hurried out to greet her, beaming. “Miss Gilmore! You’re finally here—we were just waiting for you!”

Just waiting for her? Did that mean Seth was already here too?

Noreen hesitated for a moment, then it made sense. After all, they were father and son; of course Seth would be here. She found herself wondering if Bianca might be around as well. But whether Bianca was there or not, it hardly mattered to Noreen. She was here for Wade, not anyone else.

So, with her usual poise, Noreen stepped inside.

The living room was empty except for Wade—no sign of Seth, and no one else either. Wade was sipping tea.

Noreen set down her gift on the table. “I had a friend handpick this for me at the source. It’s a rare vintage black tea, Mr. Harcourt. I hope you enjoy it.”

“Thank you.” Wade was clearly pleased, and he personally prepared the tea, pouring a cup for Noreen as well.

Realizing she’d put her foot in her mouth, Evelyn quickly changed the subject. “We’re in for a treat tonight. Seth cooked several dishes himself.”

Noreen was genuinely surprised to hear Seth could cook. On New Year’s, she’d assumed it was her mother’s handiwork and that Seth had simply passed it off as his own. In their seven years together, she’d never once seen him cook, let alone tasted anything he’d made. Maybe he’d picked it up recently. She didn’t need to guess who he’d learned for—the answer was obvious. But it didn’t faze her; after all, they’d both learned new tricks for each other over the years, even downing drinks at business dinners just to please the other. Picking up a few culinary skills was hardly unusual. If you wanted to win a woman’s heart, the old saying went, you started with her stomach.

Evelyn ladled out two bowls of soup for Wade and Noreen. “Enough tea—you should both try Seth’s soup.”

Wade tasted it first, pausing to consider. “Not bad.”

Coming from Wade, “not bad” was just about the highest compliment possible.

Noreen took a sip as well. When in Rome, after all—you couldn’t exactly snub the birthday boy.

But as soon as the soup touched her lips, her expression froze for a split second.