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.

either shoot hoops with Kane and the guys or bury himself in the library. But with Kane now fully immersed in college life, cruising with girls and his entourage, Seth had forsaken those

volunteered him to tutor Danielle. He always tried to avoid

had been anxious the previous night, but when he didn’t object, she felt

the tutoring session, but the anticipation and happiness

people at arm’s length. No matter what, he was a thinker, not a fighter. That polished demeanor made it impossible for her – or anyone, for that matter, including Seth’s mother – to envision the Seth

pristine shirt missing buttons and bearing more stains and blood spots than his trousers. His face, with a bruise on his lip, clearly showed he had been in a

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

man. Just

stood tall, lifting his narrow eyes slowly. His gaze was seemingly light, but it was like a razor-sharp icicle, piercing and ruthless, aimed directly at his

flinched, exchanged glances, and

mind went

to her. He shook his

gaze flicked to Seth, and his voice dropped

the commotion from a safe distance. “Those three guys were just walking ahead of us, and he went up and started throwing punches. I bet they have no clue

start a fight for no reason? But then again, even if there

of the onlookers didn’t dare stick around after the trio that got beat up had left,

He’s terrifying. You… you can’t even imagine how vicious this guy

but she didn’t say a word. Yeah, she couldn’t imagine. But there

she probably interacted with Seth more than anyone else in the world. However, in reality, it felt like she and Seth were the farthest

area cleared out, she

had been when he looked at

as he readjusted his disheveled

truly was unimaginable, the scene that must have

yourself, and don’t ask questions you shouldn’t. Head to the library,” he said, his voice deep and clear, devoid of any discernible emotion. His words

bit her lip, silent for a few seconds before she murmured, “You’re in no shape for tutoring

don’t have the patience to waste on the same thing over and over. If it’s the latter, you can

at Seth’s words, which were loud and clear to her. He treated helping her with her studies as nothing more than a chore, reluctant and

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

unadorned. If Seth had a red line, it was definitely Patty. So, the night before, during dinner, she had cunningly mentioned her need for tutoring in front of Patty. She hadn’t been certain of the outcome,

time, and she had been elated. Perhaps human nature was greedy;

words might cause him to

walked towards the library. Danielle quickly followed, and after a while, she gathered

stop or show

still bustling with students. When Seth walked in, looking worse for wear, everyone turned to look at him. Their faces

No one dared to approach him to ask what had happened. They knew better than

Danielle used

his usual quiet. Danielle could feel the chill and lingering

questions. If she didn’t initiate a conversation,

to be absorbed in his book, impassive, she stood up and whispered that she was

small bag in her hand, no doubt containing the medicine she had asked

in front of Seth. “Seth,

bag of medical supplies. “Looks

face turned pale. “It’s

have any more questions, we’re