Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 371

It wasn’t an official ranking, of course, but it wasn’t far off the mark.

The three of them reined it in, though, dropping the topic.

The next morning, as soon as Noreen Gilmore arrived at the office, Sophia Cole presented her with celebratory cupcakes and a bouquet of fresh flowers.

“What are we celebrating?” Noreen asked.

“Your coronation as the richest woman in Rivercrest City, of course!”

“It’s just some gossip rag’s list.”

“A list is a list, and this is definitely worth celebrating! Now, try one of my handmade cupcakes!”

The cupcakes were exquisitely decorated, a clear testament to the effort Sophia had put in. Noreen picked up a fork and took a bite, her expression freezing for a moment.

The flavor… it was so familiar.

Noticing her pause, Sophia asked nervously, “What’s wrong? Is it not good?”

“No, not at all,” Noreen praised. “It’s delicious. Sweet, but not too rich.”

“Worth it!” Sophia beamed.

Between the delicious cupcakes and the beautiful flowers, Noreen’s mood was bright all morning. That afternoon, Vincent arrived in Rivercrest City, and she went to the airport to pick him up herself.

“I could have let that slide,” he continued, his voice rising with frustration. “I could have turned a blind eye, since they weren’t in technical roles and the impact on the company was minimal. But then one of Director Lowell’s cousins started taking kickbacks on our materials! He even accepted bribes to switch our primary supplier!”

“You know our products hold their own in the market not just because of cutting-edge technology, but because we use the best high-end materials. The costs are higher, sure, but the quality is undeniable—it’s the foundation of our reputation! What he did was corporate suicide!”

“I confronted Director Lowell about it, and all she gave him was a slap on the wrist. Not even a formal reprimand! I was furious and argued with her. When Mr. Harcourt showed up, he told me to back down. That was it for me. I quit on the spot!”

“I couldn’t take that kind of disrespect! A few of my colleagues, the ones who’d been in the trenches with me from the start, they walked out with me. To be honest, I’ve felt pretty lost since then. Disheartened, no motivation. I even thought about just throwing in the towel for good. But then I’d feel like I was letting down my old team, and the guilt was eating me alive.”

“Then you showed up, Ms. Gilmore.”

Noreen invited Vincent to dinner, suggesting they talk more over a meal. She chose Mrs. Naylor’s restaurant, The Moonstone Bistro, remembering her mentioning it at the press conference and thinking it would be a nice gesture to show some support.