Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 667

Connor felt completely misunderstood. He’d wanted to go public about his relationship with Lydia for ages, but she was the one who’d said no at first. She worried that if the truth came out, it would bring nothing but trouble to the Norwood family. With groups like the Scorpion, Black Eagle, and the Terra Syndicate all circling, she didn’t want to paint a target on her back until she’d handled them all.

Now that Connor himself had become a target for assassins, he didn’t want to drag Lydia into the mess. That was the only reason Lucinda managed to swoop in and take advantage.

“I’m going to warn her,” Connor said, voice icy. “If she keeps running her mouth, I’m not going to be polite about it.”

He’d never had any interest in Lucinda. Back when he was in the military, she used to tell everyone he was her fiancé. He’d even spoken to his grandfather about it, but his grandfather just chewed him out instead. So Connor had learned to ignore it. He was barely home anyway.

But things were different now. His whole heart belonged to Lydia. There was no way he’d let Lucinda keep making trouble.

Lydia stopped him. “Let me handle it. You just focus on your work trip.”

Connor wanted to protest, but Lydia interrupted him with a gentle, “Trust me.”

He could only give in. “Alright.”

Their food had barely hit the table when laughter and cheerful shouts started spilling in from the next private room.

“Lucinda, we’re so lucky to be your classmates!”

“For real, Lucinda. We’ll stick with you from now on, no matter what!”

“Lucinda, just say the word if you need anything. We’re always here for you!”

The voices came from next door, the restaurant’s biggest private room. With two huge twenty-person tables, it could probably squeeze in fifty people if everyone got cozy. Lucinda was really going all out.

Juna rolled her eyes. “She’s seriously acting like a billionaire’s heiress now.”

Lydia waved over a waiter. “Please send two bottles of wine to the room next door.”

The waiter looked a little surprised. “Is this a gift from you, miss?”

Lydia smiled. “The host is my sister. She’d be too embarrassed to talk prices in front of her friends, but she told me not to go overboard. Just bring out two bottles that cost a million each.”

The whole room buzzed with excitement.

Lucinda had invited over thirty classmates, most of whom didn’t come from families as wealthy as hers. Now everyone was looking at her in awe.

Lucinda was completely thrown. “Next door? Who’s next door?”

A girl piped up, “Lucinda, is it one of your friends? Maybe they saw you here and decided to treat us. That’s so generous!”

“Seriously, only a real heiress could attract friends like that. Just casually sending over two bottles worth a million each.”

“Miss Norwood, should I open them?” the waiter asked.

The atmosphere was electric. If Lucinda said no, everyone would be disappointed. But if she said yes, she’d have to accept this crazy expensive gift from someone she didn’t even know.

Lucinda stood up in a hurry. “Go ahead and open them, but put them on my tab. I want everyone to have a good time. I’m just going to see who’s next door.”