The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Chloe furrowed her brow.

Seth’s gaze settled on her, his lips quirking in a half-smile. “You should know that I would never harm him.”

Chloe should understand that as the father of the child, he would never bring him harm.

Chloe’s eyes flickered, her expression guarded. “Did you ever intend to harm Cicely?”

Seth’s chest shuddered at the accusation.

Chloe didn’t want to pry into past scandals, nor did she wish to meddle in family affairs that were not hers to tend. But Hugo tethered her to a concern she couldn’t ignore.d2

The tales of the past were so vivid that a mere inquiry brought forth a slew of witnesses. Gleaning the gist was all too easy, especially with Damon, one of the involved parties, right by her side.

Her penetrating gaze and assertive presence were enough to make one feel overpowered. “To come out and to spend Thanksgiving with Cicely, he’s endured a fever until now, not saying a word for fear that something would change because he gets sick. Do you know who caused all this?”

Seth’s hands clenched in his pockets, his lips pressed into a thin line, and Chloe could see the tension etched across his face and body.

But she had to make her point clear; Hugo was just a child.

“You believe you wouldn’t harm him, but the damage is already done. How can anyone trust you now, Seth?”

He stood like a bow strung tightly, ready to snap at any moment.

“The deepest wounds in this world are often inflicted by those we love the most. And if there is a deeper pain, it’s when two people in love turn that love into a war. And that child was born on the battlefield of your struggles. The harm is done, and for that, neither of you deserves forgiveness. Don’t use your so-called love to hurt them again. If you can’t manage that, then stay away.” Chloe’s voice was cool and stern, imbued with solemn reproach.

After a long moment, the man who seemed carved from stone finally spoke, his voice a hoarse whisper.”I won’t…”

Won’t what?

Won’t harm them again?

In a sentence short of ten words, he managed only two.

Chloe’s eyes met his, filled with a tumultuous emotion, but she forced herself to look away indifferently. “It’s for the best.”

Damon pulled her into his embrace, casting a cursory glance at Seth. “Chloe is right.”

Seth remained silent.

Long after Damon and Chloe had left, Seth stirred his stiff body, slowly walked to the hospital room door, and gently placed his hand on the doorknob, followed by a prolonged silence. He hadn’t even considered the possibility that she would have a child with him in the present or the future.

If she wasn’t willing, he would never force her. As long as she was by his side, that was enough.

Cicely had actually borne him a child.

The doorknob creaked under his grip. After a while, with a click, the door to the hospital room opened.

Inside, a nurse stood watch. She stared at him with confusion and caution.

“Sir, may I ask who you are.”

Seth’s eyes were fixed on the small figure lying quietly on the large, soft bed. For the first time in his life, Seth didn’t know how to answer that question.

Who was he…

He lacked the right, and the courage, to utter those words.

Approaching the bed, the moment his gaze touched the child’s sleeping face, his heart skipped a beat before pounding like a drum.

No wonder Cicely had tried so hard to hide him.

No wonder Chloe had been so forthright earlier.

He could never remain oblivious to this child’s existence. Just one look, and the truth was self-evident.

“Are you the child’s father?” the nurse asked with a soft smile. “The little one is the spitting image of you.”

Seth remained silent.

So it was.

He watched Hugo for a long time. The eyebrows and the nose—they were all his.

covering the flushed face. His

His son.

the coolness

watching the peaceful face, Seth’s eyes softened with a

bed for a long while. The nurse, having waited patiently, finally approached to check on the sleeping child, letting out

the child’s face, his voice a deep rasp. “I’ll do

for a

more confident. Once he seemed to have it under control, the nurse fetched a basin of warm

a father so hands-on. Usually, it’s the grandmothers or the mothers who

stature and

carefully dressing him. During the process, he needed to lift Hugo to straighten the

small hand grasp the

sleepy voice echoed in his ear, and

bed, the child seemed to fall asleep again. But one

maintaining the awkward

yet he felt the deep helplessness and lack of security emanating from

his forehead against Hugo’s, Seth’s throat tightened. Chloe was right; the harm

*

returned with Chloe, Seth

Seth asked. “What’s

face was a mask of indifference, but her heart ached

resting on the grout between the tiles, his expression

to leave,

his back still to her. Before she could speak, he said calmly, “I

remained

*

battery had died. She had borrowed a charger from

over two hours since she had sent Seth away. She

the window, a clear sign she was waiting for someone. He offered

frowned slightly, her expression distant. “Why

“Mr. Diaz didn’t tell me where he was either. I’m not sure what corner of the hospital he’s holed

you’re loyal to him. There’s no need to constantly remind me, making him out

in his

I’m going to

milk for Cicely. It was ten o’clock, and he

a wooden bench in the hospital’s garden, his coat unbuttoned and draped over the bench, a pack of

held a half-smoked cigarette, with a collection of stubs at his

expression was incredibly calm, his features relaxed, the very picture of tranquility. But upon closer inspection, the cigarette between his fingers was crushed out of shape, and the

after another until the pack was empty. He

chill of late October numbed to the bone. The

to Cicely’s room, she was lying quietly on the bed. He approached, gazing

different person. All her pride, sarcasm, indifference, carelessness, intense hatred, and reckless

brows furrowed slightly, and Seth stepped back, but she opened her eyes

smell of cigarette on you is disgusting.” Her voice was cool and detached,

a low, husky voice, then quickly entered the

lay still, lost in

and returned. Cicely hadn’t moved. He climbed into bed beside her, his movements gentle, not pulling her into his arms as

embrace, but minutes passed with no such move. She didn’t remember falling asleep, but when she awoke,

surgery, her

up breakfast. She was a little pale and distracted by her concern for her grandfather’s surgery. Seth called her

phone, which had been charging overnight.

her, as she thought of Hugo. She wanted to return the

his meal, his

for results, the surgery was

watching the

her slender figure and

around her shoulders. “It’ll be okay. The surgeon

weak with nervousness, her body cold. The carefree façade from last night crumbled in the

her grandfather left. She hadn’t been by his side for three years. If something went wrong with the surgery,

approached, escorted by bodyguards, her arms crossed. She wore a sterile suit,

in Seth’s embrace at the operating room door, Danielle stopped, a hint of a

Seth’s arms. “If

evident.

down with more force. “Cicely, I said no,” Seth’s

suddenly laughed, her face pale, her eyes red. “So after three years of playing along, you

focusing on two tall men in sterile

at the sight

profound that he deliberately arranged for them to be present during the surgery to keep