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.”

on the coffee

cut him

“Five days from now.”

“No.”

“Three days.”

“No.”

the table, scooped Yasmine into his arms,

night,

bed and leaned over her, Yasmine put her hand over his mouth. “Serana’s still here.

her hand.

she leaves. I’m not used to doing it under the

wasn’t joking, Boyd

bed. “I’m going

—

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

the sofa. “You still have two years before graduation. You’re

sounded anxious. “I think my

a moment before conceding, “If you’ve

breathed a sigh

but she had a guess about what it

Yasmine emerged from the bedroom, Serana stood up from the sofa, her eyes lingering on her for a moment. “I’ve got homework. I should head

Yasmine a glass of water. “It’s at the

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

Bryson’s wife, Aliza, would play the part of the gentle and capable wife at home. She would cook a table of dishes that

half-drunk, was handed to

a couple of trash bags and stepped out

better, I’d say

he finished the water and set the glass on the coffee table. “Good thing you do know

gaze briefly intense before it faded away. She looked at Boyd with a half-smile

it.

sighed and scooped her up, placing her back on the bed in the bedroom. “Being mistaken for a maid after an afternoon’s hard work—I doubt she’d find that

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

moment. “Is

why did you

pointed out the difference, if I

with a smile, but pushed him away and dived under the covers. “As you say,

while, a small smile

shower, go sleep in another room, or shall I go?” With that, she

back down and covered her again, his tone tinged

reply, diving back into her

—

shower, Boyd found Yasmine already nestled under the blankets, her phone set aside, her back to him,

frowned slightly, slipped under the covers, and was greeted by

her into his arms, he gazed into her still-lucid eyes and smiled lightly, kissing her forehead, “I didn’t think

him. “Do you think I

Boyd paused, “So…”

let’s start

choice but to compromise with regret, still pulled her firmly into his embrace. Yasmine stared at the well-defined muscles on his chest for a few seconds, motionless, letting him

Yasmine woke up the next morning, Boyd was gone. She got

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

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 familiar, gentle

her cheerfully, “Morning,

sandwiches. Truth to be told, Yasmine wasn’t adept

his phone, looked up at her arrival, clearly

a sip of

driver to take you to school after breakfast. I’ve got to head to