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 was nothing more he could

Before getting into the car, she reminded him, “Don’t forget

close, kissing her forehead,

to another vehicle. “If you can’t learn to talk to her, then talk less. If you piss her off, I’m

picture of sadness. She knew it was

Serana,” the driver beside her prompted

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

—

herself not to worry about it, but they always

But what if…

What if what?

pleasant. However, such an exchange with Serana could only happen once. The question remained

seemed to avoid the issue too, rarely visiting Boyd’s home

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

down. They were less boisterous, more silent than before, perhaps due to impending farewells, the pressure to advance, embarking on long-awaited

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

with Bryson managing things, played the hands-off boss quite comfortably. Bryson even suggested she could stay in school if she was bored, as the

refuse, seemingly without

couldn’t fault her, except when it

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

grew

had passed since their “unpleasant”

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 already

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

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

Tired of

could cook for you every day of my

chuckled, “Then why do we eat out? I’m actually quite a fan of

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

an eyebrow, “Thinking

shook his head

is why you can’t

to celebrate? She probably

isn’t some academic slacker, is she? Are we going to throw a party every time

indeed celebrate Serana’s achievements occasionally, though Yasmine had never paid much attention to it, sometimes only responding politely. After all, with all the tests big and small along the

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

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

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

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

want a straightforward answer to

cold, her words edged with

at her for a moment, “We grew

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

Boyd’s brows furrowed.

all 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

are you so concerned about

she perhaps your

“No.”

to save you, almost

watched as a layer of frost settled

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

in the rear view mirror, catching sight

in the back was loud and clear in the confined space of the car. How could he pretend to