The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

The following day.

Charlie saw Cicely plant a kiss on Seth’s cheek at the doorstep once again. It wasn’t a surprise anymore. Mr. Diaz was in a good mood these last few days, and Charlie felt the ripple effect of his relaxation.

As he started the car, Charlie couldn’t help but tease, “I thought Cicely would throw a fit over your dinner with Ms. Danielle yesterday.”

The atmosphere in the car suddenly grew heavy, and Charlie realized that, from the moment he got in, Mr. Diaz’s mood seemed off compared to the previous days.

Seth didn’t respond, his face an unreadable mask of calm and indifference.

A fit? Yes, a fit. What happened to the woman who used to get so worked up over the smallest things?d2

He almost wished she would throw one of her tantrums, but she seemed to take his every command as gospel.

She didn’t question, didn’t argue, didn’t fight. She just quietly played the role of what she called a “lover.”

Hah. She had too many ways to twist a knife into his heart, with an ease that required no effort at all.

Charlie’s heart raced with anxiety. So, there was trouble in paradise?

But everything seemed fine just a moment ago.

“This afternoon, take her to pick out a Thanksgiving gift, and tomorrow, bring her to Alyssa’s place,” Seth ordered after a pause.

Tomorrow he was to take Ms. Cicely to Alyssa’s, but tomorrow was Thanksgiving.

Charlie suddenly remembered, they weren’t spending Thanksgiving together.

“Actually, after the surgery, you might be able to make it back in time to spend Thanksgiving with Ms. Cicely.”

Seth closed his eyes, hands clenched till his knuckles whitened, his voice strained to the breaking point. “What if something goes wrong. How am I supposed to face her then?”

Charlie felt a weight settle in his chest, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. He believed that nothing could be more agonizing than what they went through three years ago.

The Seth of today, a known prodigy in the business world, with his deep strategies and extreme tactics, held power and prestige in his hands. He was the epitome of elegance, seemingly born to maneuver through life with ease. To most, he appeared unshakeable, capable of commanding the winds and the storms.

But who had seen him scared?

Scared enough that his eyes turned red.

Charlie had. It was during Thanksgiving three years ago.

His only kin had passed away, and his wife had voluntarily gone to prison. He blamed himself for Creighton’s death, was anxious over Issac’s departure, and his company was in utter chaos. Each issue was more than enough to break an ordinary man.

Back then, everyone worried he wouldn’t make it through. Even the slightest breeze could have shattered him into dust. But as fate would have it, the worst always seems to happen at the worst times.

On Thanksgiving, when Erik was at death’s door, it was like a hurricane unleashed upon him without warning.

Cicely had just lost her father less than two months prior, Issac’s fate was uncertain, and her resentment towards Mr. Diaz ran deep. If Erik were to leave too, could Cicely handle it?

Losing her loved ones one after the other, what would become of her? Would she blame Mr. Diaz, hate him, or seek revenge? Just how wide would the chasm between them grow?

As an observer, that was all he could conceive. But who truly knew what Mr. Diaz was enduring, and what he was thinking?

After all, it’s impossible to truly understand pain unless the knife cuts your own flesh.

*

functions, weakened immunity, failure of blood-forming organs, necessitating long-term plasma therapy, or

state and required whole blood transfusions. Danielle was the

these thoughts, before they

up with her, so the new assistant was left to learn the ropes at the company, accompanied by

surgery, Danielle needed to undergo tests today. When they arrived, Danielle was sitting outside the examination room, pressing a cotton swab against her arm.

Seth approached her,

head slowly at the sound of

vacant, and her whole demeanor was tinged

“It’s just a test. How

her lips. Her pale face contrasted sharply with her reddening eyes, drawing attention to

pale, and

dark eyes flashed

“Do

watched her

or not? Is it that hard to

is a hospital. They don’t discriminate

laughing as tears fell, “I’m not feeling well. I might not be able to donate blood

his voice as cold as his expression. “Stop it. He’s not just anybody; he’s

grandfather, but he indirectly caused my parents’ death. Sure, he brought me back to the Ellis family, but I’ve given my blood for two

common knowledge. Why wasn’t she the one rushing to save him?

he

of placating, tomorrow was the day. Just

voice was a flat line, devoid of any hesitation, leaving

“Why not?”

the whole thing, and her health

couldn’t suppress. “Why not? Why didn’t you prepare her with steak,

lifted the hem of her gown, revealing her scarred knees. The wounds were healed, but the scars were vivid testimonies of

then quickly averted

rice, and you fed me all these rich foods, all

when I was fresh from a skin graft surgery, barely off my hospital bed, you dragged me to the

of ice, lips pressed into

it’s an emergency, so I

you want to hear?” It was a while before Seth spoke again, his gaze coldly indifferent as it fell on Danielle’s tear-streaked face. “Danielle, I’ve treated you well for three years. Everything you wanted, I’ve given you. Your health, your beauty, the fame and fortune you

against a nearby wall. “So, all your kindness these past three

provided what

street a bread roll because that was what he

than just that. “Don’t play dumb.

intensely at her. “In these three years,

had lied about even that. For three years, she had lived in a lie, everything a

with irony. “It’s a natural cycle, life and death. He’s not related to you. Did you really need to demean yourself to become

but his eyes seemed to harden with cruelty. “Do

Danielle paused, “Yes.”

on one condition: you cooperate with

froze, then a cold laugh escaped her,

“Mr. Diaz…”

Then came his chillingly cruel voice, “He’s not unrelated to me. He’s Cicely’s grandfather. He could die, but not within these three