The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

“Go freshen up; I’ve made breakfast.”

Cicely looked back at her sleeping child, then covered her face with her hands. After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth and asked, “What time is it?”

“6:10.”

Cicely paused, then suddenly looked up. “So…”

Seth nodded subtly. “In just under three hours, Hugo will have his surgery. You’re exhausted. You’ve been up all night, and you skipped dinner.”

Cicely seemed dazed, flashes of her recent dream pricking at her consciousness, and she abruptly closed her eyes. A warm, broad palm rested on her head, and as she lowered her gaze, she saw a pair of expensive leather shoes stop in front of her, the trousers sharply creased.d2

“It’s going to be okay.”

Tears began to well uncontrollably in Cicely’s eyes. She didn’t want this, and she never wanted to rely on anyone, least of all Seth. She thought she could handle the responsibility alone, hiding away, but when trouble struck, she realized she was helpless.

Hugo hadn’t even been taken to the operating room, and she was already falling apart. What would she be doing now if Seth hadn’t come along?

She couldn’t deny that Seth’s presence was her rock.

Seth saw her condition, his hand tightening slightly around her, and he gently pulled Cicely into his embrace. “It’s okay.”

*

When Hugo woke up, he reached out across the bed, but couldn’t find Cicely. Hugo looked confused, as if trying to remember if the past few days had been a dream. After a while, he reached out again to emptiness.

He couldn’t help but pout and climb up on his own. Staring ahead with helpless and confused eyes, he choked down a few sobs and then suppressed the tears in his eyes.

From his time in the orphanage, he had learned to suppress his tears after too many disappointments. Crying would trouble the caretakers, and most importantly, it wouldn’t bring his mother back.

But he believed that one day she would come for him. He just had to patiently wait. His mother wouldn’t like a whiny, naughty child.

After breakfast, Cicely, worried about Hugo, softly pushed open the door, only to find Hugo already sitting up, his lost and confused eyes suddenly fixing on her direction.

“Mommy?” His voice uncertain, his face tense.

“Hugo!”

Hearing Cicely’s voice, Hugo’s lips tightened, and tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

Cicely hurried over and held Hugo in her arms. “I’m here.”

Hugo clung to Cicely’s neck as if afraid of being left behind.

Seth stood at the doorway. It had been so long since he’d seen Cicely show such affection. The proud and radiant girl was also nervous, tender, perplexed, and fearful.

She changed from a girl to a woman to a mother. He had shaped all of this, and yet he was the least entitled to it.

*

At nine o’clock, it was time for Hugo’s surgery. Cicely was ice-cold, holding Hugo tightly, refusing to let go.

“Cicely, you need to put Hugo down.”

Cicely looked troubled.

“Mommy.” Hugo, sensing Cicely’s distress, cupped her face and pressed his forehead to hers. “I know mommy must be the most beautiful mommy in the world, and I really want to see what mommy looks like.”

Cicely’s tears finally fell. “Hugo…”

How could she not hear that her child was comforting her? She felt so useless, letting Hugo comfort her instead.

Hugo pursed his lips, tears swirling in his eyes again. “I’m not scared. Mommy shouldn’t be scared either.”

Cicely nodded fervently, holding back the overwhelming sorrow and fear, kissing Hugo’s cheeks. “Okay, mommy’s not scared. Mommy will be right here waiting for you.”

“Yeah!”

Seth took Hugo from her arms and laid him on the gurney.

Seth’s hand rested on Hugo’s forehead, easily seeing the tension and fear in his eyes. Then Seth gently ruffled Hugo’s hair. “I’ll take care of mommy for you, you just sleep, and when you wake up, I’ll be right here with mommy.”

Seth’s deep voice seemed to carry a magic, calming Hugo’s deep-seated fear. Hugo noticed the hesitation in Seth’s voice but obediently nodded.

Seth forced a smile and stood up straight.

The doctors hurriedly wheeled Hugo into the operating room. Cicely, on impulse, wanted to follow, but Seth pulled her into his embrace.

“Hugo’s going to be okay, right? Seth, tell me that our son is going to make it.” Cicely clung to Seth’s arm, enveloped in anxiety and fear, oblivious to Seth’s momentarily rigid body.

He looked down at her, returned to his senses, and nodded, reassuring her once again. “Yes, he’s going to make it. The best ophthalmologists in the world are in there. They won’t let us down.”

Even though his own heart was filled with worry and anxiety, and he felt every bit of Cicely’s emotions, he couldn’t show weakness in front of her.

his arms gradually calm down, he led her to a nearby chair

her eyes fixed on

operating room door opened. The surgeon emerged, removing his mask to reveal a face covered in a fine sheen of

should have rushed forward, but she froze in

her in his arms, looked up

his eyes and exhaled, “It was a

clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, the weight that had been on his heart finally dropping. He turned to Cicely, whose tears

tense eyes suddenly blinked, and she nodded. “He’s going to see, he’s going

washed over her, and the next moment, she

“Cicely!”

*

One month later.

her nose, stirring her from dreams. The breath that grazed her skin was cooler than one might expect. Her brow furrowed slightly as her eyelids fluttered open to the blurry outline of a familiar, youthful face that gradually sharpened into focus. The boy sitting beside her bed had features of delicate beauty,

locked onto those eyes, unwavering for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, the child beside her stirred, crawling closer and reaching out to

Hugo’s,

hand now tracing the bridge of her nose. “Mommy’s nose, so pretty,” he said, then moved to her eyebrows. “Mommy’s

their journey to her eyelids. “Mommy’s eyes,

Cicely’s lips. “Mommy’s

with a burst

hands, cupping Hugo’s face tenderly, her fingertips quivering as they

nodded, nuzzling into the palm of her hand. “I

and gathered Hugo into her arms, examining his face with an

bedside, his expression

of bandages for two days now, but the world was still adjusting to his newly regained vision. He had woken up early that morning, eyes wide open, taking in the

the beautiful woman

…

hospital, they were cleared to

at the cotton candy clouds. When he

his long fingers pressing the

bit her lip and turned her gaze out the window, breaking the silence with a soft confession. “I haven’t figured out

and looked at her for a moment before looking

down in P

Cicely followed closely, expecting to return to Emerald Valley Estates.

resembled a princess’ castle. Hugo’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the

yours, so don’t worry about anything else. The people in charge of looking after you inside

Cicely’s eyes quivered softly.

house?” he asked in

like to live here with Mommy?” Cicely replied with a gentle

he said, his eyes shining with the same brightness as the

his eyes, he seemed to be a little

house next to ours is so big, much bigger than our house,”

a moment before quickly retracting her gaze. “Yeah,” she murmured, unsure of what

Seth responded several seconds later. Cicely kept her gaze straight ahead, holding Hugo in her arms as

leaned on her shoulder, his eyes mirroring Seth’s. They stared straight at him. The tranquility in

also turned away and stopped looking at

quietly observing the brightly lit estate in front of him. He reached for his pockets and realized he

had been with the Ellis family, greeted them with

smile. “Thank

danced from face to face,

one of the staff

a moment, then proceeded with her routine. She gave

on, she took Hugo to the orphanage. Everyone was elated to see Hugo’s eyes had healed—the director, the teachers, and all the other kids at the orphanage. To everyone’s surprise,

heard the news of Hugo’s successful surgery, she was overjoyed. Now, seeing

as beautiful as

child that equated her beauty with that of

to hear that, his dark eyes commanding respect without anger,

truly eye-opening. He had to

patting Hugo’s slightly upset head. “Here, I have prepared a gift for

and other drawing tools. Chloe knew that Hugo enjoyed playing instruments, but she had also noticed his

could clearly

tearing open the package and sitting at a small table to start

from the couch as Hugo, carefree and happy, seemed to disperse the suffocating feelings that

Hugo to see your Grandpa

“Not yet…”

really looking forward to seeing you and

pursed her lips, “I am afraid it

“Your Grandpa’s stronger than anyone. Besides, it’s your child, his

Cicely didn’t respond.

more important than being alive, because it means there’s still a chance to

Cicely’s fingertips trembled.

hospital. Erik had been awake for over a month by then. When he saw Cicely, his aged eyes, bloodshot and tearful, fixed on her.