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.

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 doing well, and you came,” Chloe stated,

quivered, a flash of vulnerability crossing her

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

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

Cicely closed her 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 with

Seth. She even hoped he was doing well.

a tough time, and it breaks your hearts. You’re anxious for him to find forgiveness here, as if my not forgiving him

was silence for

to sit beside him on the couch. “If you

grasped his hand, not

to bring him down?

Cicely unmoved, Charlie breathed a sigh of relief and

news of her was locked down tight. Ms. Cicely was determined to serve her time,

up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t care about gossip, but then

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 Diaz International, including the land Diaz Tower stood on, offering dirt-cheap prices. Mr. Diaz said the deal

paused to collect himself before continuing. “Later on, Mr.

her poised figure on

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

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

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

I thought the incident with Ms.

composed, never mentioning you, even indifferent when others 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 his room. At first, he was still dealing with company paperwork,

keep Diaz International because you

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

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

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

frowned. “You didn’t knock the

somewhat agitated, chimed in. “Knock it down? I told you what happened last time. No sooner had

was handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including

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

all this is still Ms. Cicely. Recently, Mr. Diaz had me lift the travel ban that

he wanted

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

Erik who suddenly became seriously ill,

illness, nor any desire for someone else’s blood. So, what

approach. It was all up to

at Cicely, who 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

for her to

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

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

Kane blinked.

“That would

fell over

open, and he gave Damon a

chuckled, “You think that would

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 issues the

words gave Cicely pause, then she scoffed mockingly, “Mr. Harper sure has a

the multiple facets of every situation. The most important thing is to choose what makes you happiest. Why trap yourself in the most torturous

cold smile on her face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his mother. My dad

if others lose their sanity over emotions too. You could keep this standoff with him, and maybe in a few

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

knew better than to judge others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s

for a comeback, but found none. “If you were him and

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

developed

was something to be able to make Kane crack a smile. Damon shot

by his rhetoric and then slowly turned to look at

“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

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

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

Cicely a moment to compose herself before

powerful duo. I can’t argue with

Cicely spun around and marched

*

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

locked oneself away in a bedroom for over a

longer. He strode forward and rapped sharply

Cicely sighed.

elicited no response. Behind the door,

the bed, 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 head buried in the crook of his elbow, motionless. Even Kane’s sudden loud and urgent knocking failed to

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

tranquil as water, seeped through the thick door, slightly

floor, who had been utterly still, suddenly

blankly into the empty room, his dark eyes momentarily

illusion? She couldn’t

“Seth, open up.”

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

door swung open. Her kick met air, and she stumbled forward. In a panic, she reached for the doorframe,

up and looked up into the weary, disheveled face of the man