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.

on campus. He’d 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 invitations, making the library his sanctuary. Indeed, even without Kane’s escapades, the library would have

tried to avoid

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

university library after school for the tutoring session, but the anticipation and happiness were

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 she was seeing

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

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

man.

narrow eyes slowly. His gaze was seemingly light, but it

glances, and promptly scrambled

mind went

the person next to her. He shook

voice dropped a few

of nowhere,” the person murmured to Danielle as they watched the commotion from a safe distance. “Those three guys

then again, even if there was a reason, what on earth could it be that made him decide

stick around after the trio

out of here before he turns on us. He’s terrifying. You… you can’t even imagine how vicious this guy can look in a

imagine. But there were plenty of others who had gotten a glimpse of that unimaginable side

felt like she and Seth were the farthest apart. She even felt

out,

and fierce as it had been when he looked

readjusted his disheveled

scene that must have

said, his voice deep and clear, devoid of any discernible

few seconds before she

do it. If not, then don’t bother in the future; I don’t have the patience to waste on the same thing over and over. If it’s the latter, you

pang in her heart at Seth’s words, which were loud and clear to her. He treated helping her with her

understanding of him over the years to talk him into agreeing to these tutoring

before, during dinner, she had cunningly mentioned her need for tutoring in front of Patty. She hadn’t been certain of the outcome, but Patty seemed to pick up on her hint, and thus the arrangement

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

fearing that any more words might cause him to walk away. She had fought hard for this chance to be

library. Danielle quickly followed, and after a while, she gathered the courage to speak up. “But Seth, you

stop or show any

walked in, looking worse for wear, everyone turned to look at him. Their faces showed surprise,

far as it went though. No one dared to approach him to ask what had happened.

down to read. Danielle used this time to message the driver to buy some medical supplies. She couldn’t just do

despite his usual quiet. Danielle could feel

ask him any questions. If she didn’t initiate a conversation,

was only when her phone vibrated that she dared to glance at Seth. As he appeared to be absorbed in his book, impassive, she stood up and whispered that she

bag in her hand, no doubt containing

it gently in front of Seth. “Seth, can I

the bag of

pale. “It’s not that. You’re

book. “If you don’t have any