The Crown's Fire - Chapter 273

Chapter 273: Stole a Kiss
“Hmm, but looks can be deceiving. As you said, it seems we have a meticulous and powerful enemy hiding among us,” Cora pointed out. She then communicated with Aurum to relay to Onyx and the king that Marquiss Clay was on his way back to find out why the king was seeking him.

She turned to Apollo and murmured with a pout, “Don’t you have the same reputation with women as the Marquess?”

Apollo’s eyes widened as he quickly defended himself, “Mine was just a front! I never involved myself with any woman like that before!”

Cora’s lips twitched, and Apollo’s eyes widened as he stared at her. “I can’t believe this! You don’t believe me?!” he burst out.

She simply murmured, “Hmm, let’s just go back now.”

She turned to leave, but Apollo suddenly pulled her closer. He wrapped his arms possessively around her waist and stared into her eyes. “Cora, do you know how long I’ve waited for you, huh? Even though many women tried to impress or get my attention… no one succeeded.”

“Apollo, le—”

“Shhhh,” he cut her off, continuing, “All those years, I only wanted the attention of one woman, and that’s you. But you kept pushing me away. So clear your mind of any thoughts involving other women, because I only want you, Cora. My first love.”

Cora’s face blushed. She parted her lips and asked, “I’m your first love?” It was the first time she had heard Apollo confess this. She couldn’t believe that she was his first love!

Apollo chuckled and nodded, a bashful smile spreading across his face. Cora tried to control the erratic beating of her heart. Ever since he pulled her closer, it felt like her chest might burst open from how hard and fast her heart was pounding.

“Since when?” she asked, trying to calm herself.

“Since you arrived at our manor with your family. I was fifteen at the time, so that’s eleven years ago. It was love at first sight… or maybe a crush at first sight, since we were still young,” Apollo murmured.

Cora smiled, recalling that time. She had never seen such a handsome boy like Apollo then. She was ten years old and had instantly developed a crush on him.

“Remember when Clay arrived that same day to have dinner with us and the rest of the family?” Apollo asked, his voice full of nostalgia. “I went outside to get some air after dinner, but Clay followed me and started bullying me, calling me a sissy and skinny. You were nearby, playing with butterflies.”

Cora furrowed her brow, searching her memories. A beautiful smile slowly spread across her lips as she hummed, “Yes, I remember that!”

Apollo stumbled and fell as he stepped back. He looked terrified, so Cora grabbed anything she could find to defend him. She spotted a thick piece of wood nearby and ran towards Apollo. Just as Clay’s dog lunged at him, Cora swung the wood and struck the dog before it could attack.

“You’re the sissy for bullying someone who’s done nothing to you!” Cora shouted at Clay, her voice filled with anger. “A jerk! You’re the real sissy. A fat sissy!”

Clay was about to retaliate when King Ezekiel arrived on the scene and knocked him out, putting an end to the confrontation.

“Since then, I always find myself smiling whenever I think of you,” Apollo said with a grin. “Do you know that incident motivated me to get fit?”

Cora smiled softly as she reached out and unknowingly petted his hair. “Well, you grew up into such a nice person, though a bit playful.”

Suddenly, she noticed the intensity in Apollo’s gaze. His face leaned closer, his eyes focused on her lips. Cora subconsciously closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss—her first kiss with Apollo since they had been in a relationship.

She felt his warm lips touch hers, gently licking and suckling her upper and lower lips alternately. Cora parted her lips, mimicking his movements. Taking advantage of this, Apollo slid his tongue into her mouth.

The sensation overwhelmed Cora; she felt like she was drowning in the kiss. Though unsure if she was doing it right, the kiss felt incredibly good, with their tongues tangling and dancing together in perfect rhythm.

“Seriously, you two! Can’t you at least find a room? I was starting to think something bad happened since you’re taking so long to come back inside!”

Elijah’s voice hit Cora like a bucket of cold water. Startled, she shoved Apollo away, and he nearly fell if not for a nearby royal guard catching him.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She couldn’t believe they had been caught in such an intimate moment, just as they had caught Clay and Floria earlier.

“The king wants you both back inside the grand hall,” Elijah said, waving off the guards who had accompanied him.

Cora quickly moved, practically running away from the scene.

“Wait for me!” Apollo, seemingly unfazed by their discovery, grinned as he ran after her. “He said we should get a room, Cora. How about—”

“Zip it, Apollo!” Cora snapped, though she allowed him to take her hand, their fingers intertwined as he caught up with her.

Apollo pulled her closer, raising their joined hands and gently kissing her knuckles. “Elijah really is a mood killer. But how about we continue where we left off later? I still can’t get enough of you, Cora.”

Cora bit her inner cheek, choosing not to respond immediately. Instead, she quickened her pace. “How about dinner together later? We could go to one of the pavilions by the pond in the palace,” Apollo suggested with a grin.

“But we’ll be quite busy later, that’s for sure,” Cora murmured.

“Oh, right. But it’s fine as long as we’re together, even if it’s just during work hours. That’ll be enough for me. And don’t be surprised if I sneak in a kiss whenever I get the chance,” Apollo said with a mischievous sparkle in his eye. Cora knew well how shameless he could be when it came to pursuing what he wanted.

She was startled when Apollo stole a kiss on her lips right in front of the closed doors of the grand hall, completely disregarding the presence of the royal guards nearby. “Let’s go inside, my future wife!”