The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

The cafeteria erupted in a low buzz of shock.

It wasn’t that anyone was surprised to see Boyd and Yasmine together. It was the sheer audacity of their public display of affection that was so jarring.

The guy still clutching a bouquet of roses stood frozen, clueless on how to proceed. Even a polite rejection from Yasmine would have been better, but this was a slap to his pride. Gritting his teeth, he threw the roses to the ground, cursed under his breath, and stormed off.

As Boyd’s lips met hers, Yasmine’s mind went blank. She breathed in his scent, her pupils dilating slowly until, with a jolt of returning consciousness, she recoiled and pushed him away.

Boyd seemed to anticipate her next move and allowed her hand to meet his shoulder before he caught it, placing it over his heart, his grip on her waist tightening.

He took his advantage with her lips, then released her just before she exploded. “He’s gone,” he said immediately, not giving Yasmine a chance to speak.d2

Without looking, she knew what the scene around them must be. The solution was clever, indeed.

Yasmine glanced at Serana sitting beside her, who looked just as shocked as everyone else. With a forced smile, she pushed Boyd back slightly, “You sure have a knack for drawing fire my way.”

The corners of Boyd’s lips turned up as he admired her now-flushed lips, “You’re capable enough. Who are you afraid of?”

Yasmine shot him a cold glare, “You’re not helping me solve problems.”

Boyd followed her gaze to Serana, then back to her, “I think you might be misunderstanding something about me.”

Yasmine looked around. The onlookers dispersed. “Your method worked, but I don’t think it was a spur-of-the-moment idea. If you had told me earlier, I wouldn’t have needed your help.”

Boyd’s brow twitched, “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

Sitting across from Serana, Yasmine ate a spoonful of mashed potatoes. “All things considered, it wasn’t a bad outcome.”

Photos of their cafeteria kiss exploded on the campus forum. There were various comments, but Yasmine couldn’t care less. Such words were selective. If she didn’t want to see them, they wouldn’t affect her. Much better than dealing with someone constantly trying to grab her attention.

Their relationship resumed its usual pattern, but after the cafeteria incident, everyone saw them as a couple, albeit a strangely subdued one. They had been assumed to be together all along, but their kiss had shocked everyone as much as a public love scene. It was such a rarity.

Yasmine’s aloof beauty made it hard to imagine her with a man. Boyd, with his perennially indifferent face, didn’t seem the type to be interested in women either. Their pairing was both expected and utterly bewildering. Their subdued interaction now seemed par for the course.

Curious, Derek once asked Yasmine what she was thinking, only to receive a nonchalant reply about the convenience of the situation.

Derek shook his head at her attitude. This woman was indeed the type to drive men crazy. With a sharp mind, but such low emotional intelligence, wasn’t that a shame?

“Aren’t you interested in love? With things so ambiguous with him, aren’t you afraid of missing out on the real deal?”

Yasmine flipped a page in her book, not looking up, and took a bite of her apple. “If it slips away, can it be called fate?”

“What about Boyd?”

She paused, chewing her apple, then nodded thoughtfully, “Good point.”

Confused, Derek asked, “What’s good?”

She didn’t answer.

were, “Let’s break up.” She didn’t bother to hide it. In fact, she wanted

day they confirmed their relationship

he asked, “Why bring this up all

spoke frankly, “I shouldn’t block your path to true love. If I

scoffed, “Yasmine, have you considered how long we’ve been

replied, “Three years.” As she spoke, an uncomfortable feeling settled in her

years they had

has been waiting out these years,

she hasn’t shown

“So there’s no need to feel burdened. As you said, if we are still together, she

unfair to her. As friends, we should want the

“Is that

look in his eyes, then found it ludicrous. “Am I deluding myself? Wasn’t it

at her for a long moment before chuckling coldly.”Look, you’re not wrong. We are, indeed, friends who help each other

nod.”Uh-huh. So from now

destiny will part us when it’s time. Right now, it’s

a little exasperated. “So, basically, everything I just said was a bunch

bothered to

“So what’s the verdict?”

I still need a little help from you, my friend. Romance isn’t on

disbelief. “Great, so I have to wait until you

dumping between us,” Boyd

like running a marathon—exhausting and endless. Yasmine frowned, “Whatever

hand reached out, gripping her arm. She turned

three years, have you ever thought about what it would be like if

broadened. “Nope,

grip on

heart sank, a weight settling in her

head, slowly letting go. “Nothing

—

ablaze with talk of Yasmine and Boyd’s

on campus, their actions a

handled breakup rumors, was like two debaters coolly negotiating their way back into status quo, as if nothing ever happened. Their love life remained as tepid as ever, devoid of the

news for

queen of Summit Ridge University. So many guys would kill to be with her. Is Boyd even into her? Three years and probably

I guess I’m just out of touch with

a mix of admiration and frustration. Having a beauty like Yasmine at arm’s reach and not

came in droves, some of which managed to reach

her over, carried the title of boyfriend for three years, and yet, he hadn’t managed to

that crossing a line might mean losing even their

this cautious charade, Boyd was starting to realize

a desperate traveler quenching his thirst in a desert, and finally mustered the courage to snatch the glass

glanced at her, his eyes bloodshot, cold as ice-tipped arrows that sent a shiver

glass she’d taken was back in his hand

didn’t break