Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 1119

She thought of everything she had sacrificed just to secure a footing in this social circle—the forced smiles, the endless networking, the countless humiliations she swallowed whole.

But Noreen didn't have to lift a finger, and she had the entire city singing her praises.

Gia couldn't fathom why they worshipped Noreen so much.

To make matters worse, Mrs. Naylor turned to her with a warm smile. "Gia, you've met Noreen too. Don't you think she's just spectacular?"

Gia's smile turned brittle. "She... is certainly very impressive."

Mrs. Naylor nodded approvingly. "You should try to spend more time with her. Learn how she handles business and social dynamics. It would do wonders for you."

"...I will."

"Oh, right, Gia, I almost forgot to ask. How did your meeting with Noreen go last time? Did you manage to finalize the partnership?" Mrs. Naylor suddenly remembered.

Gia's rigid smile nearly collapsed completely. "We ran into a few complications."

Because there were other guests present, Mrs. Naylor didn't press the issue.

It wasn't until afternoon tea ended and the ladies had all departed that Mrs. Naylor finally had the chance to ask for details.

Having seen Healy's hostile reaction, Gia didn't dare tell Mrs. Naylor the truth. She simply claimed they hadn't been able to agree on the finer details, so the deal was put on hold.

"Solara Energy is incredibly eager to work with Winrich. If it's not too much trouble, we'd love it if you could help arrange another meeting for my brother and me with Ms. Gilmore."

Oblivious to the underlying drama, Mrs. Naylor assumed it was just a matter of playing matchmaker for a mutually beneficial deal, so she happily agreed.

Gia let out a massive sigh of relief and rushed to her room to text Jason.

That evening, when Healy returned, Mrs. Naylor told him to take Gia to the Winrich gala the next day.

Healy flatly refused.

In the past, he would have obliged without a second thought.

But knowing Gia had severely offended Noreen, he wasn't about to risk the crossfire.

Left with no other option, Mrs. Naylor decided to take both Gia and Jason herself.

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