Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 953

The moment Noreen stepped into her office, Sophia Cole brought in a cup of soothing tea.

Rubbing her temples, Noreen said, "Grab me a coffee instead. I barely slept last night."

"Assistant Harcourt said that your body is already under stress from fatigue. Caffeine would only overstimulate your nervous system and could cause palpitations, tremors, or anxiety. So, he specifically prepared this calming tea for you," Sophia recited smoothly.

She pushed the mug closer, winking playfully. "Drink up, boss. This is a labor of love. He came into the office super early just to brew this for you. You can't buy this anywhere else."

"You've been awfully talkative lately," Noreen remarked dryly.

Sophia immediately mimed zipping her lips shut.

Noreen booted up her computer and dove straight into her work.

As for the so-called 'labor of love' tea...

It actually tasted pretty good.

By noon, Noreen wrapped up a meeting and returned to her office, where Sophia brought in her lunch.

It was a nourishing meal from The Oak Grove—the exact same spot she used to frequent.

A place that didn't offer delivery and required reservations way in advance.

She gave Sophia a pointed look.

Sophia just pointed to her mouth, gesturing that she was still on a self-imposed speaking ban.

Truthfully, Noreen didn't need to ask to know the answer.

After all, the man behind The Oak Grove was Jude Wilder.

Noreen took a sip of the herbal pigeon soup. The flavor was rich, warm, and wonderfully complex.

Unlike other broths that just chased a savory taste, this one seamlessly blended the essence of medicinal herbs with the natural flavors of the ingredients, working its magic subtly.

For some inexplicable reason, this bowl of soup made her think of Seth.

She felt like he and the soup were oddly similar.

She hadn't seen him since he dropped off breakfast that morning.

Yet, somehow, it felt like his presence was everywhere.

"No way!" Sophia immediately denied. "He went over to Lynch Properties to pick up their funding commitment letter."

Noreen paused mid-sip, her elegant brows pulling together. "Lynch Properties?"

"Yeah." A look of confusion suddenly crossed Sophia's face. "Actually, it is kind of weird. He left first thing this morning. Why hasn't he brought the letter back yet?"

It was a bit of a drive, but it shouldn't have taken an entire day.

Noreen slammed her teacup onto her desk and immediately grabbed her phone to call Quinn Lynch, the head of Lynch Properties.

It rang several times before someone finally picked up.

The background noise was loud, forcing Quinn to yell over the din. "Ms. Gilmore! What a pleasant surprise. Do you have some instructions for us?"

Noreen didn't mention Seth at all, merely asking if the commitment letter was ready.

"Of course it is! When you ask for something, I always make sure it's prepared immediately," Quinn said, laying on the flattery thick.

"Then why has the assistant I sent to pick it up been gone all day?" Noreen leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the desk.