The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Cicely took a moment to digest his words— Her slap hadn’t landed, so he wasn’t seeking justice for Danielle. She supposed she could reluctantly accept that answer.

“Figured out how to make it up to me yet?”

Seth glanced at her coolly. “I didn’t make you mad.”

“Use the excuse of bringing me homework to check if Danielle was being bullied by my grandad, use me as a cover to care for another girl, and you think I shouldn’t be mad?”

Seth fell silent, walked over to the car, and tapped on the window. “Pop the trunk.”

The driver complied, and the trunk slowly opened.d2

Seth walked over, bent down, and pulled a box from the trunk. As he opened it, he said in a deep voice, “Come here.”

He didn’t look up, and it wasn’t clear who he was speaking to.

Cicely approached. She saw him rummaging through a first-aid kit and instantly understood. A smirk tugged at her lips.

Watching Seth take out a bandage, Cicely arched an eyebrow and said, “Is this your way of making it up to me?”

He shot her a glance, took her hand, and applied the bandage to her wrist.

“The Diaz family’s business has always been under your dad’s wing. I wouldn’t want him to find out I’ve upset his little princess and have him take it out on the company,” Seth explained.

“So you really are trying to butter me up.”

Cicely’s wrist was slender, and the bruise-reducing bandage wrapped around it neatly. She waved her arm in the air, a playful smirk on her lips as she looked up at him. “Don’t want my dad to see it?”

Wasn’t it more obvious now?

Seth pressed his lips together, silently packing up the first-aid kit, but Cicely stopped him. She picked up another bandage, tore off the wrapper, grabbed his hand, and placed it on the back of his hand. “Courtesy demands reciprocity.” It was where she had hit him with the book earlier.

After a glance at the haphazard wrapping, Seth let his hand hang, closed the first-aid kit, and shut the trunk, staring at her impassively. “All good now?”

Cicely raised an eyebrow. “Of course not. I got hurt because you were protecting her. Isn’t it only natural you make it right?”

She flaunted her wrist in front of him. “I’m thirteen, not three. You can’t fool me that easily.”

Seth’s gaze swept over her face, past her shoulder, landing on the books she had thrown to the ground. “Still don’t want your homework?”

Cicely turned and saw the scattered books, frowning.

“Speak up.”

“What’s there to say? I threw them out, and now you want me to pick them up?” She’s not going to embarrass herself.

Seth simply walked over, bent down, and picked up the books, methodically packing them into a bag. “I’ll have someone return your stuff later. You don’t need to come tomorrow.”

Cicely’s face darkened again. “You wouldn’t do that!”

Seth remained silent, opening the car door.

her backpack. “Learning is my own business. Why should I let my education suffer because I’m

Her gaze swept past Danielle, still standing there in a daze,

her disappear into the distance, his gaze lingering on Danielle. “Aren’t you going

Danielle’s eyes flickered. “Seth.”

her calmly, waiting for her

want to skip a grade

“That’s something you should

bit her lip, her eyes pleading. “Won’t you even

“That’s your business.”

flat as

don’t know how to approach them with a request yet, but I have to skip a grade. Next semester, I’ll talk to them, but I hope

“Are you sure you have to make trouble

clenched her fists tightly around the door. “Trouble?” Tears welled up in

have to

swirled in Danielle’s eyes, stung

and although they were supposed to be her family, she didn’t know any of them. Now, even Seth, her most trusted person, seemed to be drifting away from her. All alone,

her question,

enough

sofa, holding a pen in her hand, with a

Cicely lazily shifted her

look in her eyes. Thinking back on Cicely’s attempt

across from the coffee table, the first time she’d called Cicely by name

interaction, not for lack of trying on Danielle’s part, but Cicely was a tough nut to crack. Nothing seemed to faze her, with her aloof and superior demeanor that had turned away many who might have wanted

like a waste of time to get close to her. Despite her gentle, affectionate name, her personality couldn’t be further

taken aback to hear Danielle formally address her, but she knew the seriousness likely meant trouble. Her posture unchanged, she continued to look at Danielle with a lazy gaze, waiting

within as she

out a sardonic chuckle, “So what? You want to talk about who’s the other

At their age, love was something they were just beginning to grasp, the edges of understanding blurry and strange. They knew the words—the labels—but they were just

term ‘the other woman’ was an indisputably derogatory one. Cicely’s blunt words had left

since we’re going to be living

Danielle was speechless.

out as she twirled a pen into her messy bun. “You don’t fancy

said he fancied you.” Danielle protested.Books Chapters Are Daily

didn’t I?” Cicely’s smile cooled as she rose gracefully

As long as the end result is to my satisfaction, I’m not above playing dirty. Besides, I made my

isn’t love. And he’s not going to let you push him around, he might not

If he loves me, great; if not, I’ll make him say he does every day. Love’s just a word, right? As

back. But if

silence by this irrational proclamation. Yet, as unreasonable as Cicely’s words were, they were irrefutable. She fancied him, and having him near was enough.

two have been living together, but from the moment I declared him mine, he’s off-limits to anyone

Stay with you even if he doesn’t love you? Cicely, you’re spoiled. Not

cross that bridge when I

backed

Danielle’s offhand retort

the Diaz residence. Patty was home, lounging on the sofa with a spread

said casually, as Cicely approached the

straight into