Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 1147

At the Naylor residence.

Healy's phone kept ringing, but he blatantly ignored it.

He didn't need to look to know it was Gia Vance calling.

Earlier that day, he had personally called Gia's father to formally terminate the engagement.

When her father demanded an explanation, Healy just offered a cold, indifferent response: 'I lost interest.'

Of course, since he was the one breaking the contract, Healy had surrendered a significant chunk of profits in their joint business ventures as compensation.

Gia's father had no choice but to swallow the loss and accept it.

How the Vance family chose to break the news to Gia was entirely outside Healy's realm of concern.

The room stayed quiet for less than five seconds before the phone buzzed again.

Annoyed, Healy blocked Gia's number entirely.

The world instantly went peacefully quiet.

Two minutes later, his assistant called.

Healy answered.

"Boss, we can't find Lillian Laurent," his assistant reported.

Healy frowned. "What do you mean you can't find her?"

How could a living, breathing person just vanish into thin air?

"According to her neighbors, she ran off overseas with some guy she was seeing. Even her mother can't reach her. She probably realized the fallout was coming and made a run for it."

That explanation made sense.

Healy scoffed. "Lucky for her she ran fast."

"She better stay gone for the rest of her life."

Otherwise, he would eventually track her down and make her pay.

Right now, however, Healy's mind drifted back to something else entirely.

Back when he went to meet Bianca at The Half-Light Club, he had unexpectedly seen Noreen being drugged and dragged into a hotel room.

In that fleeting moment, a dark impulse had seized him.

When the perpetrators stepped out to find their buyer, he had slipped into the room.

Staring at Noreen completely unconscious on the bed, his throat went dry.

He had leaned over, his fingers hovering just inches from her flushed cheek. His usual nonchalant facade completely shattered, replaced by an intensely calculating, predatory darkness and a greedy obsession he hadn't even realized he harbored.

Downstairs, the camphor trees swayed gently in the winter breeze.

Beneath the shadows, Seth was leaning against his car. When he saw her bounding toward him, he opened his arms wide.

It was a completely unguarded gesture, a silent, undeniable demand for her.

Without a second of hesitation, Noreen threw herself into his embrace like a bird returning to its nest.

Seth caught her effortlessly. In one smooth motion, he unbuttoned his heavy overcoat and wrapped it entirely around her, shielding her from the biting cold and her own frantic anxiety.

The lingering heat inside the coat instantly swallowed her whole.

He tightened his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head, pressing her flush against his chest so there wasn't a millimeter of space between them.

She buried her face in his shirt, breathing in his familiar, intoxicating scent, listening to the heavy, steady thumping of his heart.

Something deep inside her cracked open and filled to the brim.

"Are you cold?" he murmured, his voice incredibly rough.

Noreen shook her head, then nodded, refusing to say a word as she locked her arms even tighter around his waist.

The night wind howled around them, but his arms were the only sanctuary she needed.

Seth's coat wrapped her up so thoroughly not a sliver of wind could get through. "Sneaking out in the middle of the night. Did you miss me?"