Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 691

As if a thought suddenly struck her, Rosalind spoke again just before Noreen could. "He's not your father!"

Noreen was speechless.

She hadn't even asked.

When the idea had first crossed her mind, Noreen had felt quite conflicted. She had no feelings for Forrest whatsoever. Even before she knew he was Bianca's father, she’d had a poor impression of him.

Hearing Rosalind's declaration was, strangely, a relief.

"That's good to hear."

Noreen felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

"But I did date him once," Rosalind added.

Seeing Noreen shoot her a sidelong glance, Rosalind huffed, "What? You're allowed to have an ex with a record, but I'm not? Everyone makes mistakes in judgment."

Noreen remained silent.

Rosalind continued, "We were in the same class in college. We started dating in our junior year. After graduation, he passed the civil service exam and landed a government job in a remote rural area. I stayed in Rivercrest City and found a decent job, and we started a long-distance relationship."

"Back then, we were full of dreams for the future. I was completely devoted, just waiting for him to get a promotion and transfer to Rivercrest City so we could get married."

"I had even picked out where we would buy our house, but then he started ghosting me. He wouldn't answer my calls or reply to my letters."

"Finally, I had no choice but to go all the way to his workplace to find him, but he avoided me, refused to see me. No reason, not even a lame excuse. He just cut me off completely, just like that."

"On the way back, I got into a car accident. I was in the hospital for nearly half a month, and he never once called. After that near-death experience, I saw him for who he truly was. I accepted the abrupt breakup, erased him from my world, and we never spoke again."

So many years had passed, and Rosalind recounted the story with an air of detachment.

But Noreen's heart ached for her.

People who betray someone's trust deserved the worst.

"After he betrayed me like that, why on earth would I have his child? I'm not an idiot! It was only recently, when I ran into him, that I found out he was Bianca's father. I was disgusted. And then he told me something—he can't have children. Hahahaha!"

Noreen was stunned. "???"

What a bombshell.

Rosalind was genuinely relishing it. "So, he's been raising another man's kid for over twenty years! Hahahaha!"

As the party started to wind down, Noreen stood up, said her goodbyes, and prepared to head home.

She still had to prepare for her thesis defense.

Colby left with her, while Sophia stayed behind to make sure everyone had fun and got home safely.

As the two of them walked out of the private room and toward the exit, Noreen thought she heard a faint cry for help.

The voice sounded vaguely familiar.

She instinctively glanced back in the direction of the sound.

The lighting was too dim; she couldn't see a thing.

Noreen asked Colby, "Did you hear something?"

"No, I didn't hear anything," Colby replied.

Could she have imagined it?

She had had a few drinks with her team that evening. Perhaps it was just the alcohol playing tricks on her mind.