Chapter 511: Chapter 511
"But Nolan, I wouldn’t feel dishonored at all."
"Be good," Nolan’s eyes crinkled slightly as he gazed at her, his gentle smile tinged with something indistinct.
"We’re getting married in less than six months.
Everything will fall into place naturally then."
Kiara watched as Nolan stood his ground, a fleeting glint of something sharp flashing deep within her brown eyes.
"Alright then," she said softly, her voice honeyed.
"Just have dinner with me, and I’ll go home."
Seeing that Kiara wasn’t pressing the issue further, Nolan’s expression relaxed slightly.
Kiara didn’t say another word. Instead, she leaned in, aiming for his lips—only for Nolan to tilt his head slightly, leaving her crimson mouth to brush against his cheek instead.
"I’ve had a bit too much to drink," she murmured, biting her lower lip.
She didn’t push further, instead burying her face back into Nolan’s chest, her eyes dark and unreadable.
Lately, Nolan had been giving her this maddening push-and-pull feeling—sometimes close, sometimes distant.
With only six months left until the wedding, she couldn’t afford any surprises.
Make sure there was no turning back.
Unaware of Kiara’s thoughts, Nolan glanced down at her delicate, sculpted profile—only for his mind to drift to another face, one far more imbued with the grace of the East.
Coincidence, or something more?
It seemed he’d need to dig deeper into this Mrs. Luther’s background.
Before long, the vintage luxury Land Rover pulled into the secluded rear courtyard of an ultra-exclusive restaurant.
The establishment was one of Kiara’s own properties, and upon her arrival, it had already been closed for a private event.
No need to worry about prying eyes here.
Inside the VIP dining room, Kiara and Nolan had barely taken their seats when the pre-ordered dishes began arriving.
"Leave us," Kiara commanded.
With that, the staff swiftly exited, leaving only the two of them in the spacious private room.
"Nola," Kiara said, pouring wine for both of them herself.
"Have a drink with me.
Mother hasn’t let me touch alcohol in ages."
Nolan replied, lifting his glass and taking a measured sip.
Noticing the situation, a glint of triumph flashed swiftly in Kiara’s eyes.
She didn’t rush to eat, instead pouring Nolan another glass of wine.
Only after downing three consecutive cups did Kiara and Nolan finally begin their meal.
Nolan frowned as he observed Kiara’s uncharacteristic silence.
Pausing mid-bite, he set down his utensils and picked up his phone instead.
Kiara, oblivious to Nolan’s expression, felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her chest.
She had no idea when the substance Gina had given her would take effect.
For today, she had mustered every ounce of courage she had.
It absolutely, absolutely couldn’t fail now!
Nolan’s sudden voice startled her, and a flicker of panic darted across her face before she could suppress it.
The next moment, she forced a composed smile and met his gaze.
Leaning back in his chair, Nolan rested against it with an unsettlingly serene smile on his handsome face—a smile that carried an inexplicable shadow of gloom.
"What did you put in the wine?"
His tone was calm, but the undercurrent of unreadable emotion made it impossible to discern whether he was angry or amused.
They must have a death wish.
Had she been found out?
Kiara’s heart skipped a beat, her face turning ashen.
No, if Nolan had noticed, he wouldn’t have drunk those three glasses of wine.
The only explanation was that the drug had taken effect.
As this realization dawned on her, the pallor of her face gradually gave way to a rosy flush.
"Nolan, I’m sorry," she murmured, her apology dripping from lips that curved into a practiced pout, her stunningly beautiful face betraying little genuine remorse.
"I just... I just wanted to belong to you."
Nolan arched an eyebrow as the strange sensations coursing through his body registered, his gaze turning glacial.
"Who gave you the drugs?
The image of that wanton woman flashed through his mind, a dark fury flickering in his eyes.
How dare they lay a hand on him?
They must have a death wish.
"That doesn’t matter," Kiara bit her lip, abandoning all pretense as she tossed aside what she was holding and threw herself into Nolan’s arms.
Her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, gazed up at him with feigned vulnerability.
"What matters is that I love you, I need you."
Her status was clear.
If Nolan were to become intimate with her, this marriage would truly be set in stone.
Only then could her heart finally settle.
Nolan felt Kiara clinging to him, the scent of her perfume enveloping him, intensifying the unusual heat coursing through his veins.
His Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.
"Stop fooling around.
If there’s a next time, I’ll report this truthfully to Queen Luna."
Nolan reached out, gripping Kiara’s wrist to push her away, but she only coiled tighter around him.
"I’m not fooling around.
I mean it," Kiara murmured, breathing in Nolan’s distinct scent.
Her crimson lips brushed closer as she leaned in for a kiss, her other hand trailing downward to grasp the buckle of his belt.
"Nolan, let me be yours... please?"
Desire thickened her voice, making it even more sultry.
Nolan stiffened at her touch, his expression darkening, muscles tensing in an instant.
"Kiara, you’re drunk!" In the next moment, he stood abruptly, shoving her away.
His gaze was icy as it bore into her.
"I’ll have someone take you home.
Tonight never happened."
After uttering these words, Nolan suppressed the strange sensations coursing through his body, his expression icy as he turned to leave.
"Don’t go," Kiara pleaded, panic flashing across her face as she lunged forward again, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist from behind.
"Nolan... you can’t leave..."
Her voice trembled, thick with unshed tears and a hint of wounded pride.
"We’re about to get married—why can’t we?"
"You know better than I do," Nolan replied, his voice rough and low, his back still turned to her, his features shadowed with irritation.
"Neither queen Luna nor the royal family would ever allow it."
"Kiara, we have to follow the rules.
We’ll talk about this after the wedding."
As he spoke, he forcefully pried her hands from his waist and took a long stride forward, determined to walk away.
Kiara rushed ahead, blocking his path, her gaze flickering pointedly downward where the effects of the drug were unmistakable.
"I won’t let you leave.
I forbid it!" Without waiting for his response, she tilted her flushed, exquisite face up defiantly, her eyes blazing as she glared at him.
"Nolan, I drank the same drug.
If you walk away now, I’ll just find someone else to satisfy my needs."