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’s eyes 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 doing well, and

a flash of vulnerability crossing her

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

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

her clenched, trembling hands, Cicely closed her eyes for a moment and then slowly nodded. “Alright.”

recent words had struck a chord

doing well. So her words came

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

silence for a

him on the couch. “If you don’t wanna hear it, just go upstairs and bring him

grasped his hand, not in

was supposed to bring

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief

see him, and he tried everything to spring her from jail, but then all news of her was locked down

media had a field day, claiming he was the one who had her locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t care

money was sunk with no returns. Without the funds for Diaz Tower’s rebuild

“Later on, Mr. Diaz sold the

and her

near enough to rebuild Diaz International or pay back the bank. Mr. Diaz worked tirelessly,

to oust the Ellis family from power. Between the overt pressure and underhanded tactics, Mr. Diaz was also wrestling

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

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

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

realized 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 you as a wedding gift. He fought for the

deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was your way of getting back at him, proving how much you hated him? Or was

Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who knows, he

drained. Her gaze was hollow as she stared at the spotless coffee table. In

her, Damon frowned. “You didn’t knock

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

was handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including that door.

in their thoughts, until Kane let

lowered. He pursed his lips and said, “I won’t go into details, as I 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 been back

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

so slightly, her emotions battling within her. What

ago, it was Erik who suddenly became seriously ill,

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

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

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

waiting for her

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

out for me, right? And then what?

Kane blinked.

“That

over

he gave Damon a thumbs-up. Impressive. Was that

“You think that

her obsessive love and hatred towards your father. If

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

choose what makes you happiest.

on her face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his

suffering to get back at Seth. Don’t be surprised if others lose their sanity over emotions

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s words

found none. “If you were him and Chloe was

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

but laugh. Had Damon developed a smooth-talking

a serious atmosphere, it was something to be able to make Kane crack a

by his rhetoric and then slowly

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 a coincidence, so

so resolutely? When you decided to go to prison, did you have any doubts, or were you certain that no one

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

a powerful duo.

those words, Cicely spun

*

her, not moving an inch forward. How could they simplify and beautify their words so easily, she

in a bedroom for over

no longer.

Cicely sighed.

no response. Behind the door,

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 stir him. It was as if he were

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

passed, and then a voice, tranquil as water,

the floor, who had been

staring blankly into the empty room,

She couldn’t

“Seth, open up.”

thought 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

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

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