Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 230

Lillian’s eyes lit up. “Great!”

“And dress nicely this time—don’t embarrass me,” her cousin teased.

“Yeah, yeah, I know!”

Bianca had made a dinner reservation at Luna Eclipse Dining—the same restaurant where Jude was a partner.

Jude was already there when they arrived. The group sat and waited for a while, but Healy never showed up.

“Jude, call him and see what’s going on,” Bianca urged.

After a quick call, Jude relayed the message. “He got caught up with some urgent work. He can’t make it. He said we should go ahead and not wait for him.”

“Why can’t he ever come?” Lillian’s excitement deflated instantly. She’d been looking forward to seeing Healy, and now her disappointment was written all over her face.

Bianca tried to comfort her. “It’s okay, we’ll reschedule.”

Lillian wanted to say they’d already tried to meet several times, and every time something came up. Who knew when the next opportunity would be?

After dinner, as they stepped outside, they immediately spotted Noreen and Healy sitting together at a table by the window.

The two looked like they were on a date—talking, laughing, completely absorbed in each other.

Bianca stopped in her tracks.

So this was the “urgent work” he needed to handle?

He’d ditched them for Noreen?

Bianca’s expression darkened.

Lillian was furious.

Healy was the man she’d had her eye on, and Noreen’s actions felt like a deliberate provocation—like she was swooping in to steal him.

“Cousin—”

“Don’t start. Let’s go,” Bianca said, steady and collected compared to Lillian.

She might not think much of Noreen, but with both Healy and Jude there, she didn’t want to make a scene. So she dragged Lillian away before things could escalate.

In truth, Healy was only there to discuss work with Noreen.

InnoCore needed new data, and Healy had come over to deliver it in person.

Since their meeting happened to fall around dinner time, the two decided to eat while they talked.

The receptionist blinked, then said, “Actually, Ms. Gilmore asked you to go in.”

Jude nearly tripped over his own feet. “What did you say?”

“Ms. Gilmore wants to see you,” she repeated.

Jude was so excited he could hardly contain himself. His persistence had finally paid off—he was going to see Noreen at last!

Before he even reached her office, he was already sending a voice message to his dad: “Cancel my flight! I got in! I’m about to talk business with Noreen!”

He knocked on Noreen’s door and waited for her to call him in before entering.

For the first time, he addressed her with a kind of nervous formality: “Ms. Gilmore.”

He felt like a student summoned to the principal’s office.

Noreen didn’t even look up, her attention fixed on her computer. She just pointed to a stack of papers on the desk. “Those are for you.”

For me? What was this—contracts?

She had everything ready already?

He wasn’t mentally prepared for this at all!