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.

Boyd could see it, but if Yasmine had already called for a driver, there was

together, Yasmine acting as if nothing had happened. Before getting into the car, she

pulled her close, kissing

drive away, Boyd headed to another vehicle. “If you can’t learn to talk to her, then talk less. If you piss her off, I’m the one who has

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

the driver beside

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

—

Yasmine’s mind. She told herself not to worry about it, but they always seemed to creep into

But what if…

What if what?

However, such an exchange with Serana could only happen once. The question remained unanswered, fading over

to avoid the issue too, rarely

but not absent. After all, they had grown up together. The ties

than before, perhaps

these concerns held little significance. In fact, Boyd’s focus had

quite comfortably. Bryson even suggested she could stay in

however, didn’t hesitate to refuse, seemingly without ambition, which left

couldn’t fault her, except when it came to

their childhood play as just that—play, and the near-death experience as a game gone too far. She couldn’t deny Serana’s present self due to past

couldn’t shake Serana off. Her intolerance grew day by day, and her displeasure was no

month had passed since their “unpleasant”

to pick up Yasmine from school. She instinctively went for the front passenger seat, but the driver opened the door and walked out, gesturing towards the back seat for her. Boyd was

in and sat down, “Mr. Boyd, you’re really stepping up your game, not even

took her hand, “Can’t drive today. Got a dinner planned for

Tired of playing

you every day of my life and never

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

test score came in. She’s asked us to dinner. Must’ve aced

tests?” Yasmine raised an

his head without

why you can’t

celebrate? She probably wants to share her

academic slacker, is she? Are we going to throw a party

never paid much attention to it, sometimes only responding politely. After all, with all the tests

realized they were actually commemorating these occasions. A cold chuckle escaped her, but anger coiled in her chest. Were they really having their own little world right under

in her mood, Boyd squeezed her hand, “What’s on

looking up at him playfully. “I’m

“Why do you ask? Before you left, she was at

just want a straightforward answer to what your

cold, her

her for a moment, “We

touched her eyes was tinged with chill, “So, the orphanage was left with just the two of you to

Boyd’s brows furrowed.

those kids who grew 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 University, or joined them for a celebratory meal

brows lowered, “Why are

perhaps

“No.”

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

of frost settled over Boyd’s features at her

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

mirror, catching sight of Boyd’s dark expression, and felt a wave

wasn’t deaf — the argument in the back was loud and clear in the confined space of the car. How