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.

already

together, Yasmine acting as if nothing had happened. Before getting into the car, she reminded him, “Don’t forget

pulled her close, kissing her forehead, “As

you can’t learn to talk to her, then talk less. If you piss her off, I’m the one

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

the driver

took a deep breath, and got into

—

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

But what if…

What if what?

anything pleasant. However, such an exchange

the issue too, rarely

had grown up together. The ties couldn’t be

began to settle down. They were less boisterous, more silent than before, perhaps due to impending farewells, the pressure

like Yasmine and Boyd, these concerns held

managing things, played the hands-off boss quite comfortably. Bryson even suggested she could stay in school if she was bored, as the challenges weren’t too

to refuse, seemingly without ambition, which left

fault her, except when it came

Serana since their reunion. She dismissed their childhood play as just that—play, and the near-death experience as a game gone too far. She

grew day by day, and her displeasure was

month had passed since

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

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

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

Tired of

you every day of my life and

“Then why do we eat out? I’m actually

asked us to dinner. Must’ve

raised an eyebrow, “Thinking about

his head

is why you can’t drive

a reason to celebrate? She probably wants to share her joy

laughed softly, “A good score and it calls for a celebration? She isn’t some academic slacker, is she? Are we going to throw a party every

meals together, Boyd did indeed celebrate Serana’s achievements occasionally, though Yasmine had never paid much attention to

realized they were actually commemorating these occasions. A cold chuckle escaped her, but anger coiled in

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

arched an eyebrow, her gaze sliding to the corner of her eyes, looking up at him playfully. “I’m curious, what exactly is

do you ask? Before you left, she was at the orphanage,

just want a straightforward answer to what your relationship

cold, her words edged with

her for a moment, “We grew

grew up together.” She repeated, seemingly accepting the answer, though the smile that touched her eyes was tinged with chill,

Boyd’s brows furrowed.

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

lowered, “Why are you

she perhaps

“No.”

sacrificed herself trying to save

as a layer of frost settled over Boyd’s features

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

view mirror, catching sight of Boyd’s dark

deaf — the argument in the back was loud