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.

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 moisturized, Boyd kissed them again, content.

“Don’t do that again,” he said.

Yasmine arched an eyebrow, admiring her well-cared-for hands. “Fine, since you asked so nicely, I won’t make it difficult for you.”

Boyd laughed, shaking his head as he gently tugged at her ear. “Staying over tonight?”

Yasmine gave him a languid look. “Not going back until you finish my paper.”

“Really?” Boyd paused, hand still on her ear.

Yasmine smirked and pushed his hand away. “Of course. But until it’s done, all those things you’re thinking about are off the table.”

Boyd’s frown deepened at her words.

Yasmine patted his shoulder. “No room for negotiation.”

glanced at the books on the

cut

“Five days from now.”

“No.”

“Three days.”

“No.”

Boyd swept the books off the table, scooped Yasmine into his arms, and headed for the

night,

the bed and leaned over her, Yasmine put her hand over his

her hand. “She’ll leave

I’m not used to doing it under the watchful eyes

wasn’t joking,

got out of bed.

—

Yasmine found that Boyd wasn’t in the bedroom. She dried her hair and stepped out, intending to get

Boyd was speaking with a detached tone on the sofa. “You still have two years before graduation. You’re

“I think my

for a moment before conceding, “If

sigh of

hadn’t caught the beginning of their conversation, but she had a guess about what

the sofa, her eyes lingering on her for a moment. “I’ve got homework.

Yasmine a glass of water. “It’s at

Serana pick up an orange peel from the coffee table and toss

She would cook a table of dishes that

half-drunk, was handed to

of trash bags

I’d

the glass on the coffee table. “Good thing you do know

intense before it faded away.

be it. What’s

in the bedroom. “Being mistaken for a maid after an afternoon’s hard work—I doubt

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

moment. “Is there a

Then why did you feel

“Since you’ve pointed out the difference, if I were to speak now, the

Yasmine said with a smile, but pushed him away and

her for a while, a small

her phone, looked up at him. “If you don’t shower, go sleep in another room, or shall I go?” With that, she lifted the edge of

back down and covered her again, his tone tinged with

didn’t reply, diving back

—

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

slipped under the covers, and was greeted by her

into her still-lucid eyes and smiled lightly, kissing her forehead, “I didn’t think you’d fall asleep

Yasmine dodged him. “Do you think

Boyd paused, “So…”

a faint smile, “So let’s start

stared at the well-defined muscles on

was gone. She got out of bed,

her clothes had pushed his to a corner—a pitiful sight to see. She pushed her

right, didn’t it? He was the one who insisted on having her there. The clothes were his own stubborn arrangement. Hadn’t he

and headed out, only to be greeted by a

cheerfully, “Morning,

to be told, Yasmine wasn’t adept at even such basic

in his phone, looked up at

took a sip

to school after breakfast. I’ve got to head to