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.

flickered slightly. Standing beside Cicely, Chloe looked into her eyes with an intensity that seemed to hold her captive. “You followed Charlie here today, so you must have some idea of what’s happening, right? Charlie said Seth’s not

a flash of vulnerability crossing

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

of Chloe. It was pointless. She knew Chloe was sharp as a tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had clawed her way to where she was by learning how to read

a moment and then slowly nodded.

had struck a chord

truth, Cicely didn’t hate Seth. She even hoped he was doing well. So her words came off as

tough time, 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, and I’ve got sympathy to

was silence

couch. “If you don’t wanna hear it,

grasped his hand, not

to bring him down?

Charlie breathed a sigh of

tried everything to spring her from jail, but then all news of her was locked down tight. Ms. Cicely

The online

Entertainment was hit 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 rebuild or to repay the bank loans, there were sharks circling to

“Later on,

flickered involuntarily, and her poised figure on the

its prime 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, just to negotiate with the banks and scrape together enough to start rebuilding the tower we see

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

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

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

did. I thought 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

what I thought was transition wasn’t. He 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

away. Was it guilt over your father and Isaac’s deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was

up for a month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who knows, he might’ve died in that

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

Damon frowned. “You didn’t knock the door

last time. No sooner had I finished speaking than that jerk opened the door

here was handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including

fell silent, five people lost in their thoughts, until

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

him; he wanted her free yet didn’t want her to

within her. What would happen

who suddenly became seriously ill,

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

Charlie’s approach.

hadn’t moved an inch, her head still lowered, and her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after all, it wasn’t her place to meddle too

were on Cicely, waiting for

was the most impatient, and seeing her unmoved, his brow knitted tightly. “Cicely, you’re

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

Kane blinked.

nodded, “That

over the

mouth fell open, and he gave Damon a thumbs-up.

think that

of her obsessive love and hatred towards your father. If we must talk about grievances, they stem from issues the older generation failed to resolve, leaving

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

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

her face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his mother. My dad never

others lose their sanity over emotions too. You

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s

were

long as she’s mine, and by my side as I wish. What’s right? Getting what I want is right. Letting

help but laugh. Had Damon developed

atmosphere, it was something to be able to make Kane crack a smile. Damon shot him a look that immediately stifled the

stunned by his rhetoric and then slowly turned

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

and took her hand into his large, warm palm. “What

you decided to go to prison, did you

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

a powerful duo.

spun around and

*

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

a bedroom for

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

Cicely sighed.

response. Behind the

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

series of knocks echoed again. They were gentle, rhythmic, but soft. Still, Seth made no

tranquil as water, seeped through

the floor, who had

staring blankly into the empty room, his

She

“Seth, open up.”

up with the help of the bed. Having sat for too long, and perhaps due to the alcohol, he

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 waist

Cicely straightened up and looked up into the weary, disheveled face of the man who