The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Creighton frowned slightly, a mix of joy and concern etching his features. He was pleased because, well, knowledge was power, and who wouldn’t be happy about their child gaining more power? But the worry was, could all this hard studying take a toll on her?

He didn’t exactly expect her to be a straight-A student or a valedictorian. In fact, he wouldn’t mind if Cicely turned out to be a carefree, happy-go-lucky “good-for-nothing.” After all, the Ellis family had the means to indulge such a lifestyle.

He had considered the future of inheritance. However, with his daughter’s temperament, she didn’t seem the least bit inclined to pour her heart into the family legacy.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t discussed it with her. More than once, he had tried every trick in the book – cajoling, enticing, but nothing seemed to sway her. Eventually, he had let go of that expectation.

She was, after all, Creighton’s daughter. Her future was destined to be with the cream of the crop. He wasn’t worried about the future of the Ellis family.

As the saying goes, “The children’s luck is their own.” To him, the Ellis family wealth was nothing more than the financial foundation for his daughter’s future happiness. Nothing was more important to him than her joy and well-being.d2

Besides, that young lad Seth had both the mind and the capability, and had won over the affection of his clear-minded Cicely. With a little nurturing, the Ellis family would surely not decline.

No one knew his daughter better than he did. If Cicely wasn’t thinking along these lines, he wouldn’t have entertained the thought either.

She had always been “without high ambition,” so why the sudden drive?

After pondering for a while, Creighton sighed. At the end of the day, more learning could only be a good thing.

He had barely hung up the phone with Cicely when Danielle’s call came through. She, too, was skipping dinner at home for a tutoring session. Now, dinner would be a solo affair for him.

Might as well, he thought, and instructed the kitchen to prepare just one plate of spaghetti for him.

After school, Danielle and Cicely had bumped into each other at the school gates. Danielle was alone, whereas Cicely was with Joel.

Cicely never hid her disdain for Danielle, and Joel was well aware of it. Now that the three of them had collided, he felt a touch awkward. He wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

Danielle glanced at him, surprised to see Cicely this close to him. Everyone knew that Cicely was a loner at school, never one to initiate or indulge in friendships.

“What are you looking at?”

Cicely loathed that scrutinizing gaze from Danielle, as if she was trying to probe her life through Joel.

Danielle’s eyes met Cicely’s, “I won’t be home for dinner tonight, and I’ve already called.”

Hearing this, Cicely frowned, “Are you trying to provoke me?”

Danielle’s expression remained neutral, “I just don’t want you to hassle me like you did last night.”

A faint smile played on Cicely’s beautiful face, “Are you deaf or has your brain been waterlogged?”

Danielle’s usually impassive face now clearly displayed irritation, “No one is more self-righteous than you.” Cicely believed the whole world was hers, that she was the best, irreplaceable, and everyone else was just background to her brilliance.

Danielle had no intention of engaging further, leaving Cicely with a parting shot before walking away.

Cicely watched her leave coldly, saying nothing more, and proceeded to the café she and Joel had reserved earlier.

Kane now fully immersed in college life, cruising with girls and

tried to avoid

previous night, but when he didn’t object, she felt an unfamiliar

library after school for the tutoring session, but the

was a loner, cool, calm, detached, always keeping people at arm’s length. No matter what, he was a thinker, not a fighter.

once pristine shirt missing buttons and bearing more stains and blood spots than his trousers. His face, with a

meters from Seth, on the lawn, three guys were picking themselves up, nursing their wounds and glaring at

man. Just

gaze was seemingly light, but it was like a razor-sharp

three flinched, exchanged glances, and promptly scrambled

went blank.

next to her. He shook his head, “I’m not too sure, it was

voice dropped a

off the handle out of nowhere,” the person murmured to Danielle as they watched the commotion from a safe distance. “Those three guys were just walking ahead of us, and he

for no reason? But then again, even if

stick around after the trio

out of here before he turns on us. He’s terrifying. You… you

a word. Yeah, she couldn’t imagine. But there were

thought about it, she realized that besides Patty, she probably interacted with Seth more than anyone else in the world. However, in reality, it felt like she and Seth were the farthest apart. She even felt like she was less connected to him than the random strangers who had just witnessed his

out, she slowly approached

fierce as it had been when he looked

his disheveled shirt, his long fingers stained

the scene that must

Head to the library,” he said, his voice deep and clear, devoid of any discernible emotion. His words were harsh and to the point,

seconds before she murmured, “You’re in

If not, then don’t bother in the future; I don’t have the patience to waste on

heart at Seth’s words, which were loud and clear to her. He treated helping her with her studies as nothing

had used her limited understanding of him over the years to talk him into agreeing to

need for tutoring in front of Patty. She hadn’t been certain of the outcome, but Patty seemed to pick up on her

had been elated. Perhaps human nature was greedy; now she felt disappointed and sad over his

more words might cause him to walk away. She had

towards the library. Danielle quickly followed, and after a while, she gathered the courage to speak up. “But Seth, you should really get those wounds

didn’t stop or

walked in, looking worse for wear, everyone

to approach him to ask what had happened. They knew better than to expect an

to read. Danielle used this time to message the driver to buy

indifferent, despite his usual quiet. Danielle could feel

any questions. If she didn’t initiate a conversation, Seth certainly wouldn’t

Seth. As he appeared to be absorbed in his book, impassive, she stood up and

bag in her hand, no doubt containing

in front of Seth. “Seth, can

of medical supplies. “Looks like

turned pale. “It’s not that. You’re

you don’t have