The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Serana bit her lip, silent.

Straightening up in her chair, Yasmine’s gaze grew colder. “You might not like hearing this, but you knew what you were doing getting into this. So don’t play the victim.”

Casting a glance at the sandwiches left on the table, Yasmine let out a sarcastic chuckle. “To win a man’s heart, you gotta win his stomach first. Have you managed that over all these years?”

The words were blunt, and any pretense of ignorance Serana had maintained was now impossible to continue.

Perhaps Yasmine hit a particularly sore spot, Serana finally met Yasmine’s eyes. “No one knows Boyd better than I do.”

Yasmine raised an eyebrow, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Serana with feigned interest, as if waiting for a sermon.d2

Serana didn’t disappoint, continuing, “Sure, you knew him before I did, but you left his side for nine years. During those nine years, I was the one by his side.”

The expression on Yasmine’s face grew darker by several degrees. “Are you bragging or giving me a friendly reminder of my place? That it’s about time I stepped aside?”

Shaking her head, Serana clarified, “I’m not bragging, nor reminding you of anything. I’m just laying out the facts to explain that I’ve grown up with him, I know what he wants, and that’s why I’ve come to accept him being with you.”

Yasmine nodded, “It seems I should thank you for being so gracious about us being together.”

“I know you must think I’m a fool, but if I…”

“What’s going on here?”

Boyd’s voice suddenly cut in, interrupting Serana. He placed a plate of spaghetti in front of Yasmine. “You ordered it. You better eat it all.”

“But I didn’t say I wanted two eggs.”

“Just eat it.”

Boyd sat beside her, giving Serana a fleeting glance. “What were you two talking about?”

Serana’s complexion paled slightly as she gently shook her head. “Nothing important.”

Boyd turned to Yasmine, only to hear her say, “It’s not ‘nothing.’ I’m actually quite curious about what you were about to say.”

Serana took a sip of her milk, “I forgot.”

Yasmine only ate half her pancakes before pushing the plate towards Boyd. “Are you full?”

He pulled the plate closer to himself. “I don’t think you want to hear that I am.”

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Yasmine quipped, “Do I look like someone who forces others?”

“I’m not full.”

Boyd directly took a bite of the half-eaten sunny-side-up egg Yasmine had left.

Yasmine smiled.

After Boyd finished eating, Yasmine’s phone rang. She answered the call without a second’s delay. “I’ll be right down.”

Boyd watched her, “I’ve arranged a ride.”

Standing, Yasmine said, “I won’t be going to school today.”

She brushed her hair back and exited the dining room.

it, but if Yasmine had already called for a driver, there

had happened. Before getting

her close, kissing her forehead, “As you

away, Boyd headed to another vehicle. “If you can’t learn to talk to

Boyd’s car pulled away, Serana stood there, a picture of sadness. She knew it was Yasmine who

Serana,” the driver beside her

back to reality, took a deep breath, and got into

—

from Serana lingered in Yasmine’s mind. She told herself not to worry about it, but they always seemed

But what if…

What if what?

given the context of their conversation, it wasn’t anything pleasant. However, such an exchange with Serana could only happen once. The question remained unanswered,

the issue too, rarely

not absent. After all, they had grown up together.

of university, the students’ emotions began to settle down. They were less boisterous, more silent than before, perhaps due to impending farewells, the

Boyd, these concerns held little

hands-off boss quite comfortably. Bryson even suggested she could stay in school if she

without ambition, which left Bryson at

except when it

that—play, and the near-death experience as a game gone too far. She couldn’t deny Serana’s present self due to past events or hold onto old prejudices forever, but as time and events proved, she and Serana

off. Her intolerance grew day by day, and her

passed

to pick up Yasmine from school. She instinctively went for the front passenger seat, but the driver

in and sat down, “Mr. Boyd, you’re really stepping

her hand, “Can’t drive today. Got

Tired of playing

could cook for you every day of my life

chuckled, “Then why do we eat out? I’m

She’s asked us to

an eyebrow, “Thinking about studying

his head

is why you

She probably wants

and it calls for a celebration? She isn’t some academic slacker, is she? Are we going to throw a party every time she finishes a

paid much attention to it, sometimes only responding politely. After all, with all the tests big and small along the way, it was okay to mention a good

these occasions. A cold chuckle escaped her, but anger coiled in her chest. Were they really having their

mood, Boyd

of her eyes, looking up at him playfully. “I’m curious, what exactly is your relationship

brows twitched, “Why do you ask? Before you left, she was at the orphanage, and after you left, she

want a straightforward answer to what your relationship

her words

for a moment, “We grew

the smile that touched her eyes was tinged with chill, “So, the orphanage was left with just

Boyd’s brows furrowed.

up with you at the orphanage, why haven’t you handed out prime real estate to each of them, or pulled strings to get them into Summit Ridge

lowered, “Why are you so

she perhaps

“No.”

and she nearly sacrificed herself trying to save you, almost paying with her virtue

watched as a layer of frost settled over Boyd’s

sat up straight, turning to watch the world slide by outside the car

rear view mirror, catching sight of Boyd’s

his palms sweating. He wasn’t deaf — the argument in the back was loud and clear in the confined space of the car. How could he pretend to