The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

“Ms. Cicely, could you please go check on Mr. Diaz?” Charlie asked, with a hint of desperation in his voice.

Cicely narrowed her eyes, her frown carrying a chill. “I thought after all his efforts, he was over it, ready to let me go.”

Charlie swallowed hard, the comely man’s eyes reddening before her. “Yes, Mr. Diaz thought so too. Ms. Cicely, he’s been back from abroad for over twenty days now. He hasn’t shown up around you, has he?”

A tight sensation gripped Cicely’s chest, her fingers curling slightly. After a long silence, she turned her head aside. “So? What’s wrong with him?”

Clutching his fists, Charlie slowly said, “If you go, maybe then we will find out what’s really going on with him.”

Cicely spun around, her gaze piercing as she stared at Charlie. Seconds later, she let out a scoff. “You think it’s fun to play me?”d2

Charlie took a deep breath, his eyes closed. “Do you really think I’d leave my work, and risk my paycheck, just to play a trick on you? Ms. Cicely, you’re the apple of Mr. Diaz’s eye. Would I dare to play you?”

*

Charlie drove Cicely back to her mansion, her expression colder than the frost on a winter’s window.

“He gets you to play the sympathy card just to bring me back home?” she questioned, her tone icy.

Without a word, Charlie drove past the grand gates of Cicely’s Mansion and into the adjacent, more imposing estate. He opened the car door for her, and at the entrance of the villa, a man stood waiting. As she approached, he strode forward and gave her a thumbs-up.

“Well done! I’ve never been so enlightened,” he said with a mix of sarcasm and awe.

Cicely frowned at the burly man before her and took a step back. “What’s this about?”

Kane sneered, turning to admire the splendid villa. “The house is grand, the decor lavish, but it’s all wasted on that asshole living alone.”

Cicely’s brows knitted even tighter. Kane’s crude language was grating to her ears. “Kane,” she warned.

“What? Is it just my language you can’t stand, or do you not like hearing Seth called an asshole?”

Cicely’s expression turned icy.

Kane took a deep breath. “I’m amazed. To think he’d drive himself to the brink of death over a woman.”

Cicely’s fingertips trembled slightly.

“Go inside. Could you at least check if that idiot is still alive?”

Usually, Seth was as cunning as a fox, not swayed by hard or soft tactics, except for Danielle.

In the end, it was all a facade.

What they said about Danielle being the one he held dear to his heart and soul was all a lie. He was just deliberately deceiving a woman’s feelings to make her a willing blood bank.

His methods were damn despicable.

Even if Danielle was a heinous woman, she didn’t deserve this. He should’ve kept things separate.

How did he convince himself to become such a despicable person?

And now, after all his wrongdoing, he suddenly wanted to be a good man. How idiotic.

“Ms. Cicely,” Charlie interjected, pulling her from her thoughts.

She glanced at the villa and pursed her lips. “You two are his trusted assistant and best friend. I doubt my presence will make things go your way.”

Kane suddenly turned, his frown deepening as he looked at her, then he kicked the car beside him in frustration. “For heaven’s sake, just try, okay?! What do you want me to do, get down on my knees and beg?”

Kane was known for his carefree, wealthy playboy antics. No one had seen him this crazed or grim.

Her trembling fingers clenched tightly, the pain sharp in her palm. Without another word, she stepped into the villa, Charlie and Kane following.

The familiar design, furniture, and decorations were all her doing.

The living room was empty.

“He’s upstairs in the master bedroom,” Kane said from behind her. “He’s been locked in there for seven or eight days now. At first, he was dealing with business matters, but these past few days, he’s shut down completely. Not eating or drinking, acting like a lunatic.”

Cicely was called over without any clue of what had happened. Now hearing this, all she could do was frown deeply. “Not eating or drinking for seven or eight days?”

Kane’s face was grim as he gave a dark laugh. “He’s been worse, locked away for a month once, surviving on glucose. He’s tough.”

Cicely’s heart clenched, her eyes trembling before she looked up at Kane. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out.

Charlie glanced at her, then after a few seconds of silence, took a deep breath and suggested, “Ms. Cicely, I’m sorry we called you here on such a short notice, but now that you are here, maybe we could talk first.”

Cicely’s brow twitched involuntarily. “Talk about what. I don’t want to know too much.”

“Perfect, because I’m curious to hear what’s to be said. Let’s all listen.” A deep, steady voice came from the entrance, and everyone turned to see Damon walking in with Chloe.

“Damon! Chloe!” Kane greeted them, though his enthusiasm was lacking.

Charlie nodded respectfully as well.

Cicely’s face paled, her grip on her purse tightening as she instinctively stepped back, her desire to flee obvious.

intensity that seemed to hold her captive. “You followed Charlie here today, so you must have some idea of what’s

fingers quivered, a flash of vulnerability

to lend a hand, right? You gotta at least hear the guy out

tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had clawed her

slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave

recent words had struck a

well. So her words came off as bravado and denial

hearts. You’re anxious for him to

silence for a

over to Chloe and ushered her to sit beside him on the couch. “If you don’t wanna hear it, just go

grasped his hand,

She was supposed to bring him

unmoved, Charlie breathed a sigh of relief and

spring her from jail, but then all news of her was locked down tight. Ms. Cicely was determined to serve her time, and

who had her locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t care about gossip,

talent were frozen, production deals were stalled, and money was sunk with no returns. Without the funds for Diaz Tower’s rebuild or to repay the bank loans, there were sharks circling to buy out Diaz International, including the land Diaz Tower stood on, offering dirt-cheap prices. Mr. Diaz said the deal

to collect himself before continuing. “Later on, Mr. Diaz sold the Diaz

and her poised figure

location. But it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International or pay back the bank. Mr. Diaz worked tirelessly, wining and dining, ending up in the ER several times from overdrinking,

C&P Entertainment wasn’t resolved when the Ellis family had a shake-up. Some shareholders banded together, trying to oust the Ellis family from power. Between the overt pressure and

I’m telling you is just the tip of the iceberg; there

that hectic time, I thought the incident with Ms. Cicely going to jail was being

thing, but two months later, when things

about you. Then it hit me, Mr. Diaz fought to keep Diaz International because you wanted it; he

and Isaac’s deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was your way of getting back at him, proving how much you hated

a month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen critically

utterly drained. Her gaze was hollow as she stared at the spotless coffee table. In her clasped hands, now clammy with cold sweat, her fingers twitched

her, Damon frowned. “You

had I finished speaking than that jerk opened the door and started wailing on me without

handpicked by Ms. Cicely,

lost in their thoughts, until Kane

and said, “I won’t go into details, as I suspect Ms. Cicely isn’t in the mood to hear more. But this time, I think the reason behind all this is still Ms. Cicely. Recently, Mr. Diaz had me lift the travel ban that had been placed on her aunt. Ms. Lana has been back for a couple of weeks, and Mr. Diaz has been increasingly agitated. I’m guessing he’s worried

he wanted her

slightly, her emotions battling within her. What would happen if things

years ago, it was Erik who suddenly became seriously ill, and Seth

about this time? There wouldn’t be another illness, nor any desire for someone

much thought, Chloe agreed with Charlie’s approach. It

Cicely, who hadn’t moved an inch, her head still lowered, and her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after

were on Cicely, waiting for her to

her unmoved, his brow knitted tightly. “Cicely,

eyes, her face a mask of calm. “He’ll come out for me, right? And then

Kane blinked.

“That would

fell over

open, and he gave Damon a thumbs-up. Impressive. Was

chuckled, “You think

mother died out of her obsessive love and hatred towards your

scoffed mockingly, “Mr. Harper sure has a way with shifting

what makes you happiest. Why trap yourself in the most

cold smile on her face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his mother. My dad never loved her,

Seth. Don’t be surprised if others lose their sanity over emotions

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

let alone offer such leading advice. But

found none. “If you were him and Chloe was me,

do anything—chase, steal, or deceive. Any tactic is fair as long as she’s mine, and by my side as I wish. What’s right? Getting what I want is right. Letting her go, torturing myself like he’s doing now? Since when did he aspire to be a

help but laugh. Had Damon developed

something to be able to make Kane crack a

was stunned by his rhetoric and then

I love and cherish should stay by my side. I think no one in this world can claim a purer love for

smiled and took her hand into his large, warm palm.

ever come to choose him so resolutely? When you decided to go to prison, did you have any doubts, or were you

uncontrollably, a gesture betraying her agitation. It took Cicely a moment to compose herself before she let out a derisive snort and stood

such a powerful duo.

words, Cicely spun

*

moving an inch

bedroom for over a month –

to stretch on endlessly until Kane, who had been sneaking glances, could stand it no longer. He strode forward and rapped sharply on the door several times before darting away like

Cicely sighed.

elicited no response. Behind the door, there

of glucose bottles and a collection of potent spirits were on display. Seth slumped against the bed, one leg bent, his arm resting on his knee and his head buried in the crook of his elbow, motionless. Even Kane’s sudden loud and urgent knocking failed to stir him. It was as if

echoed again. They were gentle, rhythmic, but soft. Still, Seth made

minutes passed, and then a voice, tranquil as water, seeped

who had been

into the empty room, his

She couldn’t possibly

“Seth, open up.”

before pushing himself up with the

after being ignored a second time, frowned and lifted her foot to kick the door. But just as she did, the door swung open. Her kick met air, and she stumbled forward. In a panic, she reached for the doorframe, but still collided with the man’s chest.

weary, disheveled face of the man who was staring at her in surprise, his