The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Boyd had lunch ready since noon, but Yasmine had slept like a log, due to the recklessness of his actions the night before and early that morning. He figured it was better to let her wake up naturally than to rouse her and face her wrath. At least that way, the fallout would be less fiery.

When Yasmine emerged, Boyd was plating food at the dining table. He paused at her loose attire but greeted her with a smile that never left his eyes.

She made her way over without a fuss, well-acquainted with Boyd’s culinary skills after all these years. Boyd was the quintessential all-rounder. He could hold his own in any high society event or whip up a storm in the kitchen, and while she wasn’t sure about his sewing skills, she bet he’d master that too if he wanted.

As she sat, Boyd slid a cushion onto her chair. Yasmine paused, grimacing slightly.

“It’ll be more comfortable this way,” he said.

She sat down with a dark expression.d2

The table was laid with all her favorites. Picking up a fork, she watched as Boyd adjusted her droopy sleeves before sitting opposite her.

She hid her reaction behind a mouthful of food. Skipping breakfast and burning energy had left her hungrier than usual, and she indulged heartily before slumping onto the couch, lazily watching TV.

Boyd cleaned up and came over with a fruit bowl. “Want to head back to bed and lie down?”

She shot him a glance. “Do I look like a slug?”

He sat next to her, glancing at the TV ads before setting the bowl on the coffee table.

Silence fell between them, broken only by the flickering ads. The atmosphere grew tense. Finally, Yasmine sat upright. “Boyd…”

He offered her a slice of fruit, his voice steady. “Don’t say something I don’t want to hear, Yasmine. I think I made myself clear last night.”

“Boyd, I think you’re out of your mind.”

He chuckled, accustomed to her blunt words. “What now?”

“I’m not exactly a saint, Boyd. I’ve got all the vices someone could dislike. Some might even question my morals. So why the hell do you insist on clinging to me even when you’re drunk?”

“That’s exactly why you should be thankful. Even with all that, I still want you.”

Her laugh was tinged with sarcasm. “Getting a bit too bold, aren’t you?”

He could tell her stance on the issue wasn’t as assertive as he’d anticipated. He swiveled, scooping her up entirely onto his lap. He didn’t resist as she pushed against his shoulders with annoyance. “What’s gotten into you?”

Boyd’s grip tightened on her waist. “How does it feel?”

She felt a tingle on her scalp, not from discomfort but from the brazenness of his question. “You’ve always been such a hypocrite under that saintly facade.”

Boyd just smiled, offering no denial. “It’s already happened. Can’t you just make it official?”

“Getting cocky now?”

His gaze fell on her shoulder, where his oversized shirt had slipped, revealing her skin. His eyes darkened, and he leaned in to kiss her shoulder before burying his face in her neck. “Just give me a straight answer. Say I’m officially your boyfriend.”

at his head.

don’t, I’ll take it as a yes. You can

muttered, but his low laughter suggested he could be even

—

response, but ultimately

about Boyd’s childhood antics toward Yasmine. Boyd was a kid after all. Over the years,

was whether, in the end, her mother, who was thousands

she deserved the same experiences as any other

—

much. Their private moments were more intimate, but their public relationship had always been like that

his public displays of hand-holding, shoulder draping,

disregarded her warnings, time and again, and turned

others, but there weren’t any highlights to speak of in their

of the school was filled with murmurs about

her down, and she finally let him be. She had seen other couples, openly affectionate, some parading their love as if on

grown a natural layer of armor, metaphorically speaking. The thickening of her metaphorical skin seemed to come

get-go, she understood that Serana was practically Boyd’s shadow. Wherever Boyd went, Serana was sure to follow.

of moving into Boyd’s place for a non-stop party. Originally, she always felt

suppress her own desires for the sake of propriety, an overnight

sometimes made a deliberate effort to give them space. No extra words were exchanged, but her actions clearly

—

need for subtlety either, calling for a driver morning and night. After their last class that afternoon, they rode back

where’s Serana?”

looking up, “She had the afternoon off and went ahead

pulled out her phone to play a casual game,

paused, then leaned in with a smile, “She knows

her eyes on her phone screen, tapping away, “She knows your favorites

just laughed, neither confirming

apartment, Yasmine watched Boyd unlock the

the sounds and smells of cooking from the

“Two more dishes and

her shoes and collapsed onto the couch, dropping her

flipping through her book on the couch. Sitting beside her, he

and tilted her chin up

leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper, “Then what are you here

the book against his face, and

took her hand into his, “Keep an eye on what,

“My thesis, naturally.”

“Your thesis?”

table and popped a segment into her mouth, “What else? Am I supposed to keep

boyfriend is supposed to help with academic

the essential skills. So, if you can’t deliver, you’re failing as a boyfriend. Is

about the professor finding out,