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

quivered, a flash of

hand, right? You gotta at least hear the guy out before you can

to put on a show in front 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

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

had struck a

She even hoped he was doing well. So her words came off as bravado and denial

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

was silence for

ushered her to sit beside him on the couch. “If you don’t wanna

his hand, not

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

Cicely unmoved, Charlie breathed a sigh

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

a field day, claiming he was the one who had her locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz

loans. 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

paused to collect himself before continuing. “Later on, Mr. Diaz sold the Diaz family

her poised

due to its prime location. But it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International or

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

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

thought the incident with

Mr. Diaz had no spare moment to dwell on unchangeable facts or a woman who despised him. He was always 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, but then he stopped

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

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

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

the same posture as before, but now utterly drained. Her gaze was hollow as she

Damon frowned. “You didn’t knock

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

Ms. Cicely, including that door. It was her

people lost in their thoughts, until Kane let out a

suspect Ms. Cicely isn’t in 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 her aunt. Ms. Lana has

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

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

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

another illness, nor any desire for

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

inch, her head still lowered, and her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after all, it wasn’t

for her to

impatient, and seeing her unmoved, his brow knitted tightly. “Cicely, you’re just going to sit

come out for me, right? And then what? To prevent this from happening again, should

Kane blinked.

“That

fell over

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

“You think that

condition, and his mother died out of her obsessive love and hatred towards your father. If we must talk

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

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 liberating choice?

fading. “All of this started because of his mother. My dad

use your 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.

let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s words were on point. That was just Damon

found none. “If you were him and Chloe was me, would you

do 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.

but laugh. Had Damon developed a smooth-talking

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

stunned by his rhetoric and then slowly turned to

woman. The one I love and cherish

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

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

a moment

such a powerful duo. I

words, Cicely spun around

*

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

bedroom for over

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

Cicely sighed.

pounding elicited no response. Behind the door, there

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

a series of knocks echoed again. They were gentle, rhythmic,

as water, seeped through the thick door, slightly

floor, who had been utterly still, suddenly twitched his

he lifted his head, staring blankly into

She

“Seth, open up.”

shattered, Seth turned his head towards the door, his eyes bloodshot. He hesitated for just a moment before pushing himself up with the help of the bed. Having sat for too long, and perhaps due to

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 was immediately ensnared by his

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