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.

an intensity that seemed to hold her captive. “You

flash of vulnerability crossing

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

She knew Chloe was sharp as a tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had clawed her way to where she

for a moment and then slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave a wry

struck

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

a scoff before moving to sit on the couch. “He’s had a tough time, and it breaks your hearts. You’re anxious for him to find forgiveness

was silence for

“If you don’t wanna hear it, just go upstairs and bring him down. No one’s

grasped his hand, not

to bring him down?

Cicely unmoved, Charlie breathed a sigh of

news of her was locked down tight. Ms.

the one who had her locked up. The online backlash

C&P 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 buy out

“Later on,

her poised figure on the couch

to its prime location. But it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International or pay back the

shareholders banded together, trying to oust the Ellis family from

year, no, those months, were utter chaos. What I’m telling you is just the tip of the iceberg; there were layers

thought the incident with Ms. Cicely going to

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 I shoved glucose and water through his door, reminding him daily

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. He fought for the Ellis family, ignored C&P Entertainment, let

what he was 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

a month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who knows, he might’ve

before, but now utterly drained. Her gaze was hollow as

Damon frowned. “You didn’t

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 me without a word.

added, “Everything in here was handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including that door. It was

room fell silent, five people lost in their thoughts, until Kane

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

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

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

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

There wouldn’t be another illness, nor any desire for someone else’s blood. So,

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

her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after all, it wasn’t her place to meddle too much

Cicely, waiting for her to make the

his brow knitted tightly. “Cicely, you’re just going to

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

Kane blinked.

“That would be

fell over the

and he gave Damon

“You think that

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 about grievances, they stem from

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

important thing is to choose what makes you happiest. Why trap yourself in the most torturous path when there’s a brighter, more liberating choice? Only fools

him down, the cold smile on her face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his mother.

composed, “Yes, exactly. It’s like you choosing to go to prison voluntarily; you could use your suffering to 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

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading

“If you were him and Chloe was me,

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

Had Damon developed a smooth-talking routine from all his

it was something to be able to make Kane crack a

rhetoric and then slowly turned to

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

smiled and took her hand into his large,

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

took Cicely a moment to compose herself before

a powerful duo. I

Cicely spun around

*

bedroom door, Cicely gazed at the closed barrier before her, not moving an inch forward. How could they simplify

for over a month – quite impressive

been sneaking glances, could stand it no longer. He strode forward and rapped sharply

Cicely sighed.

no response. Behind the door, there

neat rows 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

series of knocks echoed again. They were gentle, rhythmic, but soft. Still, Seth

voice, tranquil as water, seeped through the thick door, slightly muffled.

man on the floor, who had been utterly still, suddenly twitched

staring blankly into the empty room, his dark eyes

She

“Seth, open up.”

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

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. Her slender

of the man who was staring at her in surprise, his eyes reflecting unmasked