Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 1114

The silence in the room was suffocating.

The last drops of color vanished from Crystal's face. Her lips trembled, but she couldn't force a single word out.

Seth didn't spare her another glance. As he turned away, he left one final warning hanging in the air.

"From now on, anyone who dares to spread this kind of garbage about her is making an enemy out of me."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the room in a deathly, frozen stillness. No one dared to breathe, let alone speak.

Dylan broke the silence, his tone thoroughly displeased. "Crystal, there's a limit to your insanity. Noreen has never been the person you imagine her to be. She has always operated with complete integrity and clawed her way to the top using her own sheer talent."

"Take Winrich's recent crisis, for example. Forget about you—even I, or anyone else in this room, could never have orchestrated such a flawless comeback."

"You're always trying to compete with her, but the reality is, you're not even fit to hold a candle to her. Stop humiliating yourself."

Having delivered his final blow, Dylan stood up and walked out without looking back.

He couldn't care less how shattered Crystal looked in that moment.

Her face was etched with disbelief. It was only then that a crushing, helpless despair truly washed over her.

Having enjoyed enough of the spectacle, Jude chimed in nonchalantly. "I used to be just as ignorant as you, and reality slapped me right in the face. You should quit while you're behind. Not everyone is meant to be compared to Noreen."

He paused, deliberately twisting the knife. "But honestly, if I were Dylan, I'd have chosen Noreen too."

"And let me give you one more reality check. NoMore Corporation will never, ever partner with Cloudway."

Crystal sat there, pale as a ghost, staring into space for a long time.

She couldn't understand how everything had fallen apart so spectacularly.

Gia, who had initially wanted to enjoy the drama, now pressed her lips together, entirely at a loss for words.

She had never expected Seth to defend Noreen with such reckless abandon.

That fast?

He had just thrown a fit at Winrich yesterday, and he hadn't looked like a man in trouble at all.

Another guest lowered his voice. "Rumor has it he crossed someone he really shouldn't have. They wanted to make sure he'd never bounce back, so they systematically dismantled his entire life."

The man who started the conversation shook his head. "It even reached the higher-ups. The tax authorities launched an emergency audit overnight."

"Basically, he's finished."

The rest of the table echoed his sentiments.

Noreen found herself distracted for the rest of the meal and eventually made an excuse to leave early.

Once in the car, her driver asked if she was heading home or back to the office.

She thought for a moment before saying, "Take me to The Half-Light Club."