The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

At the sight of Yasmine, Chloe quickly sat up in bed, a piece of apple Damon had just given her still between her lips.

“Mom…”

Yasmine gave her daughter a cursory glance, her gaze swiftly moving to the swell of Chloe’s belly.

Chloe pursed her lips and gently rested her hands on her abdomen.b2

Yasmine approached, shooting a glance at Damon standing beside the bed, “Her belly’s quite big. Maybe ease up on the snacks.”

Damon’s lips tightened as he stepped aside to make room for her.

Stanley followed, casting a disdainful look at Damon, “Seems like you only care about the babies. You couldn’t care less about our dear Chloe’s well-being. Jerk!”

A vein throbbed on Damon’s forehead as he glowered at Stanley, “Get out!”

Stanley snorted and took Yasmine’s arm, “Take it easy, Yasmine.”

Ignoring Stanley, Yasmine bent down beside the bed and gently touched Chloe’s rounded belly, her usually cold face softening. Then, looking up at Chloe, she said, “Don’t worry, I’ve brought two top OB/GYNs from B country. They’ll get the scoop and coordinate with the hospital to assist during delivery.”

Chloe glanced at Damon, “Damon’s got it covered.”

Yasmine paused, “Most women go through childbirth, and with today’s medical advances, there’s hardly any risk. Just relax.”

Chloe nodded. She’d heard it all before and knew it well. It seemed everyone was more nervous than she was.

“I get it. And Rose had her baby a few days ago—both are healthy, all went well.”

Yasmine nodded, her eyes fixed on Chloe’s belly, her palms sweating silently. She too had been through childbirth, but the sight of Chloe’s twin-carrying belly still made her worry. It looked as if Chloe could give birth at any minute.

Chloe was used to the sight and smiled lightly, “Well, there are two of them.”

When Alyssa and Elizabeth entered the room and saw Yasmine, they were surprised.

“Yasmine!” Elizabeth’s eyes welled up as she rushed over and hugged her, “I thought I’d never see you again.”

Yasmine’s brow twitched, “You make it sound like I’m not in this world anymore.”

Elizabeth shook her head, “Weren’t you kidnapped by a gangster to be his bride?”

Yasmine was silent.

The word “gangster” raised Chloe’s eyebrows as she looked puzzledly at Damon. It seemed their fates were intertwined. Neither could escape being a gangster’s bride.

Damon’s gaze met hers, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smile.

Elizabeth was genuinely teary-eyed. Yasmine didn’t follow her train of thought, but the sight of tears softened her. “There’s no gangster’s bride here.”

“I saw it all at the coronation. You were whisked away by that man, right onto a plane. He’s the President of B Country. We felt so powerless. Oh dear…”

Yasmine let out a chuckle, “Was it that you didn’t dare, or you didn’t want to bring me back?”

Elizabeth’s crying stopped, and she let go of Yasmine, wiping her eyes, “I was just worried you’d get too fond of being a gangster’s bride. I mean, I would have taken care of Chloe.”

Yasmine raised an eyebrow, “You mean you would’ve taken care of Chloe and had your eye on my grandchildren too, right?”

Elizabeth’s smile faltered, “That’s not it.”

Yasmine smirked, knowing that was at least one percent of the truth. The room fell silent for a moment until Elizabeth, perhaps feeling awkward, said: “Dear, how’s your leg?”

Yasmine pushed her away, stood up, and walked confidently in front of her. Dressed in a light green business suit with cropped pants and a casual jacket, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, she didn’t look like someone who had ever suffered a leg injury. Her presence was formidable, even more so than Chloe’s.

Elizabeth clapped with delight, “It’s healed.”

capable of looking after my grandchildren,” Yasmine

do it together. But will Boyd let you? Are

“Why should I?”

all over

matter what

moved closer, “What’s this? Have you grown

it, Chloe? Fancy giving me a shot at raising one of

“Which one do you

are you willing

to part with either. Can’t you spare the

girl. A girl’s got

“What are

She hadn’t had the heart to

she explain that she caved under Stanley’s relentless persuasion and casually agreed to let him teach her children some skills? She had never

due date approached, her mind was clouded with doubt. The thought of her babies enduring

a promise I made to Chloe. It’s got nothing to do with you, so butt

he shifted his gaze to

on. “There

out on me, Chloe? No dice. If you don’t agree, well, you might just wake up one morning

hitched, panic rising as she clutched her belly and looked to Damon

“Damon…”

and she immediately averted her eyes. She shouldn’t have made such a clandestine deal with Stanley. She hadn’t taken it seriously at the time. But now, out of nowhere, Stanley was holding her to it. Couldn’t he just forget about

as he looked back at Stanley.

him a sideways glance. “Would

“Absolutely not.”

“That settles it, then.”

the room watched the drama unfold. Yasmine was the first to speak up. “The babies aren’t even born yet. Let’s cross this bridge when we come

shrugged. “Sure. I’ll just keep

Chloe exhaled in relief.

—

days later, the Queen of Y Country arrived in

Mom, Dad, Damon, Stanley, Nathan, Yulia, Anya, Queen Julia, Lea, and the Queen’s

It was like national treasures were

the other doctors who hadn’t shown up yet: those called by Damon, brought by Stanley, and now those brought by Julia, Chloe couldn’t help but picture the scene of her delivery, surrounded

visit her granddaughter spread like wildfire across the internet. Chloe’s childbirth became the

—

Chloe felt

Chloe to the delivery room, with Damon following closely

didn’t all crowd into the delivery room. Instead, they gathered in an adjacent observation room, ready to step in at a

waited outside the delivery

end of the hallway, drawing cold

“What are you doing

the faces of those

Yasmine, who simply gave that man a brief look before turning away. No one knew how Yasmine

this

harbored resentment toward him, they all chose to keep their distance. The only person who

here.

mood for petty squabbles right now. That’s my

If you’re looking for your great-grandchildren, look elsewhere. Maybe check the cracks in the sidewalk or under a rock to

prepared himself not to react. He just wanted

to flex your patriarchal muscles? Let me tell you, Presley, no one here cares for

couldn’t hold back, raising his voice at Grandma

much of a reaction, just sneered and slowly said, “As long as Damon

are you going to keep messing with me? What’s the use of showing off your verbal

sight, I won’t go out of my way to cause you trouble. I have no interest in entangling with someone whose morals

a word. Is that okay, Alyssa? No matter how much you rage, Chloe’s children are my Harper heirs—no matter

he sat down stubbornly on a bench outside the