The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

In the evening, at 6:30, there was a knock on the door of Chloe’s apartment.

Chloe opened it with an unsurprised smile. “What brings you here?”

Seth’s voice was casual. “Dinner time.”

“Did you get lost?”

“No.” He paused, before adding, “You did say you’d treat me to dinner.”

Chloe remembered, “Oh, right. But wasn’t that supposed to be some kind of fancy, million-dollar meal? This might be a bit underwhelming for you, don’t you think?”d2

Seth shot her a look. “Let’s not push our luck, shall we?”

Chloe stepped aside with a laugh, “Welcome in.”

As Seth entered, he saw Cicely carrying a plate from the kitchen. Her hair was neatly tied back, her attire simple and homely, adorned with a blue checked apron. She came to a brief halt on catching sight of him.

Chloe came back in and focused on Cicely. “The eggs got a bit scorched.”

“Let me see.” Chloe walked over and glanced at the plate, “Hmm… not too bad, actually. Considering the rest, it’s quite an achievement.”

Cicely followed Chloe’s gaze to the slightly charred dishes on the table, clearly her own handiwork.

Chloe’s expression twisted, “I gave the staff the day off.”

“Let’s not eat this. How about we order some takeout?” Cicely suggested, picking up a plate to dispose of its contents.

But a hand with distinct knuckles reached out, stopping her. Cicely held still, looking up at him.

“No takeout. It’s not healthy.” Seth took the plate from her hands and placed it back on the table, “Hang on a second, I’ll cook.”

Seth led her to the table, unbuttoning his suit jacket in the process. After Cicely was seated, he took off his jacket, draped it over a chair, and confidently strolled into the kitchen.

Shortly after, a hearty meal of three dishes and a soup graced the table.

Seth sat down beside Cicely. “Let’s eat.”

Although Chloe was not surprised that Seth could cook, the presentation of the meal still impressed her. Cicely showed no reaction, as if this was routine for her.

Throughout the meal, Seth kept serving Cicely, who ate in silence, accepting each offering.

Chloe enjoyed her meal in apparent indifference.

By the end, while much of Seth’s cooking remained, Cicely’s dishes were polished clean.

Cicely’s last few bites were slow. Watching Seth eat the burnt dishes with a blank expression, her grip on her fork tightened. She said nothing and did nothing until the end.

She stood to clear the plates but Seth’s hand once again caught her wrist.

“What now?”

“Doing dishes.”

It was only natural to offer help after dining at someone else’s home.

“I’ll do it.”

…

Seth, with his coat in hand, stepped out of the dining room to find the two women watching a movie in the living room. It had only been on for about fifteen minutes.

Seth pressed his lips together, standing still for a moment. Chloe looked over at him. “Want to join?”

He glanced at Cicely, who was indifferent, then lowered his eyes, “I’ll head upstairs.”

Chloe nodded, “Alright then, take it easy.”

Seth gave the TV screen a final glance before leaving.

The sound of the door closing relaxed Cicely, who had been tense.

“The food was good,” Chloe complimented.

Cicely took a deep breath, “Don’t tell me you knew he was coming over tonight.”

“Why would I know he’d crash here for dinner?”

Cicely fell silent.

As soon as the movie ended, the room’s door rang promptly. Even Chloe was surprised this time. Opening the door, she met the man who had become a frequent sight these past few days. “You didn’t install a camera in my place, did you? Your timing is impeccable.”

“The feature is ninety-three minutes. You were at twelve minutes and thirty-four seconds when I left.”

Chloe surrendered, “Okay, okay, I get it. Take her away.”

Seth, unfazed by the interruption, looked towards Cicely. His silent gaze said it all.

Cicely didn’t linger. She left with Seth, taking the elevator back to the eighteenth floor.

ready.

spoke with a cool voice. “Was dinner really that

usually impassive eyes,

devoted and wronged you are? If I’m

warmth remained on Seth’s face, but his gazes turned dark and unfathomable, like the ocean

cold.

flared in Cicely’s eyes, but Seth simply smiled, pulled her

tensed for

brushed her forehead, then the corner of her eye. His voice deep and

him away, her face cold

years, she had been isolated from the world, learning only how to survive on her own.

still held Cicely as they slept. The soft and warm body was in his arms, their breath mingling, his lips tracing her forehead, the tip of her nose. The hand around

lowered, until he nudged her chin upward, her rosy

her hands pushing against his chest. His overwhelming

could feel the desire touching her. If

in her neck. “Don’t be scared. I won’t do anything.”

in his embrace, and a wave

No. This can’t happen.

No way.

Absolutely not.

not feel sorry

Cicely spent every moment with Chloe, strolling through the neighborhood, shopping at the mall,

were the shared breakfasts with Seth, the dinners together, the kiss before heading out, and the evenings wrapped in

Charlie picked up Seth the next morning, he witnessed Cicely planting a quick kiss on the man’s lips. It felt

the same routine. He could clearly sense that Seth was in the best mood he

transpired between the two to bring about this apparent reconciliation, perhaps the strange hunch nagging at

about your availability tonight.” Suppressing the odd sensation in his heart, Charlie spoke as he drove, glancing at Seth’s expression in the rearview mirror. “Ever since you were discharged, you haven’t been in touch with her. I’ve been using the excuse of your busy schedule

which had been quite pleasant until now, slowly

two days, and Ms. Danielle, being sensitive, has had

tight on security,

of silence, Seth

Charlie was

Understand what?

*

that Cicely’s mood had improved significantly from when

armrest of the sofa and remarked

eating all by yourself?” Cicely didn’t even look up, her tone nonchalant

Damon’s coming home

and her eyes danced with mischief as she returned the smile. “In normal circumstances, shouldn’t I tactfully leave you two to your

it was the

for you, I’m

didn’t leave. When Damon arrived, he and

already started preparing dinner, yet there she was, still seated on the couch, immovable

“Determined to squat here?”

and I’ve been

Lonely.

and immediately want to kick me out.

so-called gratitude is worth a dinner for you and him, then it’s a debt

o’clock, despite waiting around a table laden with food, the person who had been shamelessly freeloading their meals lately didn’t show up. Instead, breaking news erupted on

CEO dines

was a list of dishes supposedly

Premium imported steak

Recently auctioned bluefin tuna

prepared by

crafted by a

estimated the cost of this dinner and the internet branded it with the term

judgment once again, unable to believe she had misread a

Cicely, however, picked up her fork and took a bite of food, acting as if nothing was wrong. “Chloe, you really should eat more. Otherwise, your husband might just have the heart to kill me.” She spoke up, her

her mouth, and looked up at her with a smile, “I was planning to join you at the orphanage tomorrow, but with his stunt today, he might keep an even

time he felt he had done something wrong, he would double down

Chloe had an epiphany.

catching the word “orphanage,” inquired,

she hadn’t really discussed this with

she could easily bring up, considering Seth was his friend. She

Initially, Chloe and Damon had an

orphanage and bringing him to Granny’s to

gaze swept over, and Chloe could only face him

a long silence, his eyes, however, on Cicely, “When you settled our accounts back then, was it so you could hide away and have a child? How

and she met Damon’s intimidating gaze head-on. “What else could I do? If I had asked you to take me away from the P City,

this question wasn’t a matter of choice for him.

had never considered that Cicely might make such a request. People need to

you mean?

his lips together and took Chloe’s hand, “I wasn’t

“Did you know about

first found out at the orphanage. I don’t have the time to concern myself

you for where I stand today, as someone

needed me, I helped, and keeping your jail saga under wraps was your only ask for compensation. What if I chose not to compensate you? Let’s not dig up

to catch the drift. “So, not only were you involved, but you also

he turned to Chloe with a hint of resignation. “Chloe, that was in the past. Even if I was wrong then, I’m innocent now.”

to herself, Damon was such a

Chloe said with a light, detached smile, “you played it safe

flicker passed through