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

a flash of

arm into forgiving anyone, but you came here to lend a hand, right? You gotta at least hear the

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

eyes for a moment and then slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave a wry smile. “Let’s hear how rough he’s had

struck a chord

was doing well. So her

for him to find forgiveness here, as

was silence for

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

Chloe grasped his hand,

was supposed to bring him down? Nobody told her she

breathed a sigh of relief and spoke

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

media had a field day, claiming he was the one who had her locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t care about gossip, but then the financial hardships

were frozen, production deals were stalled, and money was sunk with no returns. Without the funds for Diaz Tower’s rebuild or

“Later on, Mr. Diaz sold the Diaz family

eyes flickered involuntarily, and her

to rebuild Diaz International or pay back the bank.

family had a shake-up. Some shareholders banded together, trying to oust the Ellis family from power. Between the overt pressure and underhanded tactics, Mr. Diaz

chaos. What I’m telling you is just the tip of the iceberg; there were

the incident with Ms. Cicely going to jail was

getting past that chaos without a scratch wasn’t a bad thing, but two months later, when things started settling down, he began to withdraw, staying away from the office, eventually shutting himself in his room. At first, he was still dealing with company paperwork, but then he stopped caring about that too. I was worried he’d starve, so

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

thinking, locked away. Was it guilt over your father and Isaac’s deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was your way of getting back at him, proving how much you hated him? Or was he still figuring out how to

Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who knows, he might’ve

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

her, Damon frowned. “You didn’t knock

could respond, Kane, somewhat agitated, chimed in. “Knock it down? I told you what happened last time. No sooner had I finished speaking than that jerk opened the door and started

Ms. Cicely, including that door.

in their thoughts, until Kane

the reason behind all this is still Ms. Cicely. Recently, Mr. Diaz

tug-of-war within him; he wanted her free yet didn’t

tightened ever so slightly, her emotions battling within her.

was Erik who suddenly became seriously ill, and Seth

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

approach.

head still lowered, and her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t

Cicely, waiting for

seeing her unmoved, his brow knitted tightly.

a mask of calm. “He’ll come out for me, right? And then what? To prevent this from happening again,

Kane blinked.

“That would

fell over

and he gave

chuckled, “You think that would

hummed in affirmation, “I do. Your father passed because of his heart condition, and his mother died out of her obsessive love and hatred towards your father. If we must talk

gave Cicely pause, then she scoffed mockingly, “Mr.

blame, but recognizing the multiple facets of every situation. The most important thing is to choose what makes you happiest. Why trap yourself in the most torturous path when there’s a brighter, more

started because of his mother. My dad

suffering to get back at Seth. Don’t be surprised if others lose their sanity over emotions too. You could keep

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

knew better than to judge others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s words were on point. That was

mind for a comeback, but found none. “If you were him and Chloe was me,

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

Had Damon developed a smooth-talking routine

a serious atmosphere, it was something to be able to make Kane crack a smile.

his rhetoric and then slowly turned to look at

with a smile, softly saying, “We aren’t you guys. Knowing he loves me, I wouldn’t let things get to where you are today. Besides, I wouldn’t give him up to any other woman. The one I love and cherish should stay by my side. I think no one in this world can claim a purer love

Chloe, smiled and took her hand into his large, warm palm. “What a coincidence,

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

took Cicely a moment to compose herself before she let

are such a powerful duo. I can’t argue with you

spun

*

closed barrier before her, not moving an inch forward. How could they simplify

locked oneself away in a bedroom for

on endlessly until Kane, who had been sneaking glances, could stand it no longer. He strode forward

Cicely sighed.

elicited no response. Behind the

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

of knocks echoed again. They were gentle,

minutes passed, and then a voice, tranquil as water, seeped through the thick door, slightly

had been utterly still, suddenly twitched

head, staring blankly into the

illusion? She couldn’t possibly

“Seth, open up.”

his head towards the door, his eyes bloodshot. He hesitated for just a moment before pushing himself up with the help of the bed.

kick the door. But just as she did, the door swung open. Her kick met

of the man who was staring at her in surprise,