The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

After dinner, Yasmine and Serana tidied up the dining area.

“Cleaning up” was a generous term, considering Serana was doing most of the

work.

Yasmine, who had grown up in an orphanage, may not have had the easiest

childhood, but she was never required to do chores like cooking, laundering, or

chopping wood. Once she left the orphanage, such tasks were even further from

her reality. Her hands were soft and beautiful, with slender, pale fingers.

Standing beside Serana at the sink, the most Yasmine would do was to wipe

down the already clean dishes. And she had this air about her, as if she had

done some monumental task that deserved high praise.

Enter title…

Serana wasn’t much of a talker. It seemed ever since Yasmine started dating

Boyd, Serana had become even quieter. The time they spent washing dishes

was particularly tough for her. The moment the last plate was dried, she let out a

sigh of relief and quickly said, “There’s nothing left to do now, Yasmine. You

should get on with your evening.”

Yasmine rinsed her hands under the faucet and watched Serana put away the

dishes. “I’ve always meant to say, you have a real knack for cooking and

cleaning,” she said.d2

Serana paused for a moment, then smiled at her. “I’m just curious about these

things, so I tend to pay more attention. Boyd isn’t too keen on eating out. If you

have the time, I could teach you a few of his favorite dishes.”

Yasmine chuckled and shook her head. “No time for that.”

After putting away the utensils, Serana turned and gave her a strained smile.

“They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’m sure Boyd would

be delighted if you cooked for him.”

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” Yasmine smirked, looking at

her. “Is that what you thought back then?”

Serana’s smile froze instantly. Her eyes locked with Yasmine’s for a few

seconds before she forced herself to look away, her grip tightening on the edge

of the countertop. “It seems like you’ve misunderstood something about us,”

Serana said softly.

Yasmine observed her for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. “Why so

tense? Who did I misunderstand you with?” she teased.

Serana bit her lip, replying quietly, “Nothing…”

Noticing Serana’s trembling hand on the counter, Yasmine’s eyes sharpened.

“Thank you for the meal,” she said.

Serana didn’t reply, only managing a stiff smile.

Yasmine left the kitchen, thinking Serana’s smile was more unsettling than

comforting.

Boyd was lounging on the sofa, perusing the stack of books she’d brought over,

exuding a mature, reserved charm that struck a chord with her. She approached

and held out her hand. Puzzled, he took her hand and kissed it lightly.

Yasmine looked at him with faint disgust. “I wanted you to smell it, not kiss it.”

“It smells nice,” he said.

“I just washed dishes. So you like the scent of dish soap?”

Boyd pulled her down beside him, his brow furrowing with suspicion. “You?

Washing dishes?”

Yasmine pressed her lips together tighter, withdrawing her hand. “I did half the

work.”

Boyd chuckled and reached into the drawer under the coffee table, pulling out a

tube of hand cream. He squeezed a generous amount onto Yasmine’s hands

and began to massage it in.

The faint scent of flowers filled the air. Once her hands were soft and

Boyd kissed them

do that again,” he

an eyebrow, admiring her

I won’t make

his head as he gently

tonight?”

a languid look. “Not going back

Boyd paused, hand still on her

smirked and pushed his hand away. “Of course. But until it’s done,

thinking about

frown deepened

patted his shoulder. “No room for

books on the coffee

Yasmine cut him

“Five days from now.”

“No.”

“Three days.”

“No.”

off the table, scooped

headed

tomorrow night,

he laid her down on the bed and leaned over

still here. Have

her hand.

out of his embrace. “Then we’ll talk after she

it under the

joking, Boyd sat up

bed. “I’m going

—

Boyd wasn’t in the bedroom.

out, intending

Boyd was speaking with a detached

years before graduation. You’re thinking about

he said.

anxious. “I think my

moment before conceding, “If

it’s up to you.”

a sigh of relief.

beginning of their conversation, but she had a

about what it entailed.

Serana stood up from the

moment. “I’ve got homework. I should

stood and handed Yasmine a glass

temperature.”

accepted the glass, watching Serana pick

it in the trash. She took

way Bryson’s wife, Aliza, would

capable wife at home. She would cook

liked, tidy the house until it was spotless, and

she prepared the meal.

glass, half-drunk, was handed

grabbed a couple of trash bags and stepped

didn’t know any better, I’d

the water

“Good thing you do know

doorway, her gaze briefly intense before

She looked at Boyd with a half-smile that wasn’t quite a

she’s not, so be it. What’s there to

her back on

for a maid after an afternoon’s hard work—I doubt

that amusing.”

smile was shallow, “So are you relieved she wasn’t

didn’t make her upset?”

moment. “Is there

difference? Then why did you feel

his head, “Since you’ve pointed out the difference, if I

the consequences would probably be

one I don’t want to hear,”

away and dived under the covers. “As

consequences are indeed severe.”

her for a while, a small smile curling his

scrolling on her phone, looked

I

the blanket.

down and covered her again, his

take

reply, diving back into her mobile

—

his shower, Boyd found Yasmine already nestled under the blankets,

aside, her back to him, still

slipped under the covers,

fragrant scent.

her into his arms, he gazed into

her forehead, “I didn’t think

Yasmine dodged him. “Do you think I

severe consequences?”

Boyd paused, “So…”

faint smile, “So let’s start with that paper

arguments.”

but to compromise with regret, still pulled her firmly

well-defined muscles on his chest

motionless, letting him hold her

Yasmine woke up the next morning, Boyd was

up, opened the closet, and

it was Boyd’s apartment, her clothes had pushed his to a

pushed