The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

“You see, this is just how bad of a person I am. Isn’t it really awful to trample on your sincerity like that? So, do you still need to apologize to me?”

Serana bit her lip, defiance etched across her face, but tears betrayed her, streaming down her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to,” she whimpered.

“Yeah, I know. So you don’t have to beat yourself up over it,” Yasmine retorted, her voice was cold as steel, yet somehow, it sounded almost like comfort.

But how could Yasmine offer comfort? That was simply impossible.

Yasmine hooked the corner of her lip up in a smirk, stepped back, and glanced at the crushed petals on the ground, letting out a soft, mocking chuckle. “Still, you really should think about it. Sometimes, your guilt trips, they’re nothing but a hassle for everyone else.”

In response to her words, Serana, amidst the sadness and grievance, felt more perplexed than anything else.d2

Yasmine’s impatience flickered across her eyes. Talking to Serana was like talking to a brick wall.

Boyd stepped closer, “Before you go around playing the blame game, maybe you should take a good, hard look at yourself. People are scared of you, and avoid you. When something goes wrong, you’re the first suspect. Ever wondered why?”

Yasmine’s gaze lifted from the trampled remnants to Boyd’s face, her eyes twinkling with mirth but not a trace of warmth.

“Why indeed? Maybe because I fancy myself a lone wolf, too proud to see any flaws in myself,” She said, the smile on her lips growing more pronounced. “And yeah, everyone’s afraid of me, they push me away, and when trouble strikes, I’m the scapegoat. Sounds to me like it’s all my fault.”

Her words left Boyd realizing he’d misspoken. He pursed his lips, ready to try again.

“I’m just saying, it wouldn’t hurt to be aware of this stuff sooner rather than later. I’m worried if you keep this up—”

“Oh? And how long has this ‘condition’ of mine been around? If I needed a wake-up call, what were you doing before? Why wait until today, when I’ve made your darling cry to enlighten me?”

She glanced at Serana with a cold sneer inside, “So, I guess I should be thanking Miss Serana here, huh? Without her stepping into the line of fire, I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of your heartfelt concern and advice.”

As Yasmine stepped toward Serana, Boyd blocked her path. Yasmine paused, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. They were the same age, but he had the height advantage.

Boyd, all defensive, said, “Yasmine, you’re too cynical. Serana’s just a kid.”

“And what, I’m old enough to be her mother?”

He took a deep breath, struggling for calm. “Can’t you stop being so aggressive? I get that you’re sharp, and you see through a lot, but Serana is not like you.”

“She’s not as cunning, you mean.” Yasmine interrupted, her laugh chilling. “Same speech, different day. As you said, I’m pretty clear on some things.”

“Yasmine.”

“Relax, with you here, what could I possibly do to your precious? You think I could take you in a fight? I know my limits.”

Boyd frowned, “I would never hit you.”

Yasmine watched him quietly for a moment, “Who knows? Maybe one day, if Serana really got hurt by me, you’d want to kill me.”

His face turned sour. But Yasmine just took a deep breath, dispassionately broke the gaze, and walked over to the table to grab her backpack.

“Anyway, rest assured, I don’t have the twisted pleasure of coming back just to torment her.”

Slinging her backpack over one shoulder, Yasmine stood next to Boyd, her eyes shifting between him and Serana. After a moment, Yasmine forced a smile.

to kill me after all.” With those words, Yasmine headed for the dining

Bryson, standing at the entrance,

back to reality

Angel’s Haven Orphanage. Let’s all congratulate her as she leaves our care and starts a new life with a family

no one else had realized what

couldn’t care less, her slim figure passing through the doorway with Bryson following, his demeanor

“Yasmine’s leaving?”

just said. And the way she’s acting,

birthday, right? Was she waiting for us to finish celebrating

about it. We wouldn’t

riddance, though. No more

no more delicious cake

to leave because she’s upset, or was it

“Uh. Not sure.”

her

will be best for both of us if we

Boyd was the closest thing you had

“I think he’ll be relieved. Finally, no one to misunderstand his kindness, and more

From start to finish, she was

more precisely, she worshipped her. She wanted to

an eternity before it finally clicked, and

the car door,

out, tinged with a rage—or perhaps some other emotion—that he had never

seatbelt and cast him a cold

close the door, but Boyd

Feeling all riled up because your little darling got

Is it because I told

leaned back in her seat and looked at him for a moment

“You’d think after spending years in this orphanage, I wouldn’t be so full of myself. But the moment I feel slighted, the indignity floods in and I can’t shake it off. And seeing you with Serana, it

the car door tightened, then clenched even harder. “Have you

of asking? If you’re happy, just show it. No one’s here to bully your precious Serana and

“You…”

not, step aside.” Yasmine’s expression turned icy, her voice devoid of warmth as she refused to

I

assume he would raise a hand to her for

never get the chance again. Bryson, close the

bent down to pry Boyd’s hand away, but it

days

in not forgiving you. Mainly, I just realized how pointless it all was. I don’t know

Boyd’s eyes flickered.

Yasmine turned her head again, her gaze landing on Serana who stood behind Boyd, “That pot of lilies in the yard is Boyd’s apology gift to me. You should like them

she could speak, Yasmine had already

the car door with a loud “thud.” By the time Boyd realized what happened and tried

his teeth, he pounded

and shook his head