"Sorry, but you are...?"
Harrison’s smug grin froze on his face.
Harrison knew damn well this woman was deliberately humiliating him.
His hand, tucked in his pocket, clenched into a tight fist, the crack of his knuckles drowned out by the surrounding chatter.
Camilla hadn’t bothered to lower her voice, and nearby guests overheard her loud and clear.
"Mrs. Luther doesn’t recognize Harrison?"
"But they just met at the charity gala—how could she not know him?"
"With someone as outstanding as President Luther, it’s no wonder Mrs. Luther doesn’t have eyes for other men."
"Even if she didn’t recognize him at the charity gala before, yesterday’s scandal should have made it obvious."
"So you’re saying Mrs. Luther is doing this on purpose?
But why?"
"Maybe precisely because of the scandal." ...
"Mrs. Luther must have the privilege of a short memory," Harrison’s hands clenched tightly in his pockets, veins bulging, yet his face once again stretched into a practiced smile.
"My sincerest apologies," Camilla curled her lips slightly, though her stunningly cold and elegant face betrayed little warmth.
"My memory has always been rather selective—I only retain what—and who—truly matters."
Harrison’s jaw tensed imperceptibly.
Harrison had always thought Sinclair was the arrogant one.
Now it seemed his wife was cut from the same cloth.
Camilla took in Harrison’s expression with a glance, the curve of her smile deepening just a fraction.
"So, what exactly did you want to discuss with me, Mr....?"
The carefully prepared words stuck in Harrison’s throat as Camilla’s unexpected move caught him off guard. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Harrison forced a composed tone.
"Just wanted to ask why President Luther didn’t show up."
A knowing look flashed across Camilla’s face as she replied coolly, "Sinclair had other matters to attend to."
Harrison understood she wouldn’t elaborate further. With a polite nod and a practiced smile, he conceded,
"In that case, I won’t disturb you further."
Camilla inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment. As Harrison strode toward Juliet’s direction, the latter set down her wineglass with deliberate calm and retreated toward the hotel’s rear garden.
A keen observer might have noticed the faint tremble in her steps.
Frowning at her abrupt departure, Harrison quickened his pace to follow.
Meanwhile, Camilla’s lips curved into a subtle smirk as she settled onto a lounge sofa, swirling her drink absently.
Her gaze grew distant, contemplative, as she awaited the evening’s main attraction.
Just then, another wave of astonished murmurs rippled through the crowd. "President Nolan is here."
President Nolan, of course, referred to Nolan Junior.
Dressed in an exquisitely tailored light gray suit, the man’s tall and well-proportioned figure was accentuated to perfection.
His handsome face carried a faint smile, exuding an air of effortless charm.
Yet, those refined, narrow eyes seemed veiled in an impenetrable mist, deterring anyone from looking too deeply.
Every gesture radiated an aura of dignified composure.
Surrounding him were several similarly suited young men, nodding slightly as they spoke.
Their postures unmistakably carried a hint of cautious deference—or more accurately, outright flattery.
"Today, President Nolan isn’t just Princess Kiara’s fiancé—he’s also the host of this very hotel.
The undisputed man of the hour."
"Not just today—when isn’t he?"
"Have you forgotten about that President Luther from the charity gala?"
"That one did outshine even President Nolan, but what a shame—he’s already taken."
As they spoke, their gazes drifted subtly toward Camilla.
"Even though President Nolan isn’t married yet, he’s long been spoken for. Maybe we should set our sights elsewhere..." ...
Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Nolan exchanged a few quiet words with the young men beside him.
They nodded in unison before dispersing.
These were scions of the Nolan family’s collateral branches—though not as distinguished as Nolan himself, they were still considered exceptional among their peers.
No sooner had they stepped away than eager guests swarmed them with glasses in hand.
Meanwhile, Nolan strode gracefully through the gathering, his composed demeanor drawing every eye in the room as he made his way toward the lounge.
Whispers trailed in his wake.
"Is President Nolan also heading for that Madam Luther?"
"With Mr. Luther absent, is his wife really that much in demand?"
"What’s going on today?
One after another, E Country’s most eligible men are flocking to her."
"Princess Kiara has quite the temper—who knows how she’ll react when she sees this?"
"Speaking of Princess Kiara... don’t you think there’s a faint resemblance between her and this Madam Luther from San Francisco?"
"Really?
I don’t see it."
Since Princess Kiara rarely made public appearances and Madam Luther had only been seen twice, the observer wavered under the skepticism.
"Maybe it’s just my imagination." Lost in her thoughts, Camilla sensed someone approaching and lifted her gaze.
Nolan’s strikingly handsome face, adorned with a faint smile, suddenly entered her line of sight.
Camilla’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly before smoothing back into composure in an instant.
His deep, obsidian eyes gazed down at her with an intensity that grew more pronounced as the distance between them closed.
There was indeed some resemblance—though this woman far surpassed Kiara in beauty. No wonder the former crown prince had been so captivated by his wife, abandoning his throne to remain by her side.
Their fleeting exchange lasted mere seconds. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novelꜰire.net
A cool, distant smile curved Camilla’s crimson lips.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Nolan?"
Though they were business partners, such a brazen approach still felt inappropriate.
With effortless grace, Nolan strode forward and settled into the seat opposite her, his long legs crossing as his lips quirked in amusement.
"Until this matter is resolved, I’ll be ensuring your safety," he said, noting the wariness in her eyes before adding smoothly, "Of course, this was also Mr. Luther’s suggestion."
So, there was more to this situation than she knew?
Camilla cast a fleeting glance around before her gaze settled back on Nolan’s face, her lips curling into a faint smile.
"If this is Sinclair’s idea, then I’ll have to trouble you, President Nolan."
She had, of course, come prepared, but when it came to safety, she didn’t mind having an extra hand.
As for the rest— If Nolan wasn’t afraid of being noticed by the royal family, then she certainly had nothing to fear.
Nolan’s smile remained unchanged, his deep eyes glinting with quiet amusement.
Their brief exchange, lighthearted as it was, sent ripples of shock through the onlookers.
"What’s going on here?
I’ve never seen President Nolan get this close to any woman before."
"Exactly.
Nolan’s always used his engagement to the royal family as an excuse to keep women at bay.
Why is he suddenly making the first move now?"
"And she’s a married woman—could it be that President Nolan has a thing for wives?"
"If he hears you say that, you’ll be in deep trouble."
"Enough nonsense.
Maybe they’ve known each other for a long time?"
Just then, Princess Kiara emerged from the crowd—only to catch sight of Nolan and Camilla sitting together.