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.

beside Cicely, Chloe looked into her eyes with an intensity that seemed to hold her captive.

fingers quivered, a flash of

you came here to lend a hand, right? You gotta at least hear the guy out before you can actually help, don’t

as a tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had clawed her way to where

then slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave a wry smile. “Let’s hear how rough he’s had it over the

had struck

She even hoped he was doing well. So her words came

and it breaks your hearts. You’re anxious for him to find forgiveness here, as if my not forgiving him makes me heartless. So, you think, compared to him, I’ve had it easy these years,

silence for a

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

his hand, not in

stayed put. She was supposed to bring him down? Nobody told her

unmoved, Charlie breathed a sigh of relief and spoke

from jail, but then all news

was the one who had her locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr.

hard by public opinion, all contracts with their talent were frozen, production deals were stalled, and money was sunk with no returns. Without the funds for Diaz Tower’s

“Later on, Mr. Diaz sold

and her poised figure on the couch

lived there for generations. Despite renovations, it was the Diaz family’s roots. And it sold for a hefty price due to its prime location. But it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International or pay back the bank. Mr. Diaz

family had a shake-up. Some shareholders banded together, trying to oust the Ellis family from power. Between

is just the tip of the iceberg; there were layers

the incident with Ms. Cicely going to jail was

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 I shoved glucose and water through his

just hadn’t had the time to think about you. Then it hit me, Mr. Diaz fought to keep Diaz International because you wanted it; he intended to present it to you as a wedding gift.

Isaac’s deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was your way of

up for a month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who knows,

the same posture as before, but now utterly drained. Her gaze was hollow as she stared at the spotless coffee table. In her clasped hands, now

her, Damon frowned. “You didn’t knock the door

Charlie 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 wailing on

here was handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including that door. It was her

living room fell silent, five people lost in their thoughts, until Kane let out a snort, breaking the

this time, I think the reason behind all this is still Ms. Cicely. Recently, Mr. Diaz had me

him; he wanted her free yet didn’t

emotions battling within

who suddenly became seriously ill, and Seth survived for three years to get

this time? There wouldn’t be another illness, nor any desire for someone else’s blood. So, what to do

agreed with Charlie’s approach. It was all up to

expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after all,

for her

and seeing her unmoved, his brow knitted

responded, lifting her eyes, her face a mask of calm. “He’ll come out

Kane blinked.

“That would

fell over

he gave Damon a

chuckled, “You think that would

father passed because of his heart condition, and his mother died out of her obsessive love and hatred towards your

Cicely pause, then she scoffed mockingly, “Mr. Harper sure

is to choose what makes you happiest. Why

face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his mother.

get back at Seth. Don’t be surprised if others lose their sanity over emotions too. You could keep this standoff with him, and maybe in a few years, your son will get a taste of these ‘family

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

knew better than to judge others’ affairs, let alone offer

“If you were him

I wish. What’s right? Getting what I want is right. Letting her go, torturing myself like he’s doing now? Since

couldn’t help but laugh. Had Damon developed a smooth-talking routine from

was something to be able to make Kane crack a smile. Damon shot him a look that immediately

stunned by his rhetoric and then slowly turned to look at

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 for him than me, and I’m the one who wishes him the best.

next to Chloe, smiled and took her hand into his large,

prison, did you have any doubts, or were you certain that no one in the world could

her agitation. It took Cicely a moment to compose herself before she let out a derisive

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

spun around and marched

*

barrier before her, not moving an inch forward. How could they simplify and beautify their

a bedroom for over a month – quite

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

Cicely sighed.

response. Behind the door,

his arm resting on his knee and his head buried in the crook of his elbow, motionless. Even Kane’s sudden loud and urgent

of knocks echoed again. They were gentle,

as water, seeped through the thick

who had been utterly

his head, staring blankly into the

She couldn’t possibly

“Seth, open up.”

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

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. Her slender

into the weary, disheveled face of the man who was staring at her in surprise, his eyes reflecting unmasked tension